How to remove the browser swipe on Xiaomi: the complete guide to setup

Owners of Xiaomi, Redmi and Poco smartphones often encounter an intrusive feature that automatically opens the browser when you move your finger left on the home screen. This option, designed to provide quick access to the news feed, often annoys users who accidentally activate it while using the device. You can remove the browser swipe on Xiaomi, but the path to solving depends on the version of the operating system and the type of launcher installed.

In the modern shells of MIUI and the new HyperOS, the company implements various mechanisms of monetization and attention retention, one of which is the integration of search results or news aggregator. Google Discover or the Mi Browser branded tape can take the place of the main desktop, which creates inconveniences when navigating. Understanding the interface architecture allows you to effectively manage these elements.

In this article, we will discuss all known methods of deactivating unwanted system behavior. We will look at the regular shell settings, working with special rights and using third-party solutions to fully control the interface of your smartphone. The critical point is to accurately determine the version of MIUI, since the location of the switches can vary dramatically in different builds.

Reasons for the appearance of the news feed when swipe

The appearance of a browser or news feed when swiping left is due to the settings of the System Launcher system launcher. By default, the global versions of firmware often activate the Google Discover widget, which is integrated deep into the system. In Chinese versions or when installing certain regional profiles, this role is performed by Mi Browser or Glance news aggregator.

In addition, some pre-installed applications may request display rights over other windows or change desktop behavior. MIUI optimization algorithms sometimes return these settings after major security updates, ignoring the user's previous choices, which causes the need to recheck the configuration after each system update.

It's also worth considering that widget and news aggregators are actively promoting their services, and they can use various tricks to bring swipe functionality back to active status, so it's important not just to turn off the visible element, but also to limit the background activity of the associated services.

• 📱 Activation of the widget “Google” or “Tape” in the desktop settings.
• 🌐 Forced installation of Mi Browser as default app for certain actions.
• 🔄 Resetting the launcher settings after updating the operating system.
• ⚙️ Including the “Accelerated Launch” function in the special features menu.

When you're trying to figure out how to remove a browser swipe on Xiaomi, you need to consistently check each of these points, and ignoring any stage can lead to the problem not being solved until the end.

Disabling the tape through the desktop settings

The easiest and safest way to remove a swipe is to use the launcher’s built-in settings, which require no additional software installation and works on most current versions of MIUI 12, 13, 14 and HyperOS. You’ll need to do a few simple steps in the screen configuration menu.

First, you need to go to the desktop editing menu, either pinch it with two fingers on the home screen or pinch the empty area. In the bottom menu that appears, select Settings (the gear icon), which hides the basic parameters of displaying interface elements.

Find the partition that's responsible for the extra screen. Depending on the firmware version, it might be called "Advanced Screen," "Tape," or "Google Discover." The switch next to this item needs to be put inactive. If you're using the Chinese version of the firmware, there might be a "Mi Browser" or "News" item.

After disabling the swipe should stop opening the browser. However, in some cases the system may require confirmation or restart of the launcher. If the changes did not apply immediately, try clearing the cache of the System Launcher application through the application management menu.

Set up special features and accessibility

Sometimes a browser swipe is activated through Accessibility mechanisms, which are for people with disabilities, but features are often used by third-party apps to introduce ads or quickly launch services. You need to be careful when analyzing this section.

Go to Settings → Advanced Settings → Special Features. Check for suspicious apps on your list of services, especially those with access to screen control. Often, Mi Browser components or Google services that handle voice search and feeds are hidden here.

⚠️ Warning: Disabling system services in the special features section may disrupt the voice assistant or other useful features.

Special attention should be paid to the item “Special Features Shortcuts”, which may be assigned to a long-press or a combination of buttons that indirectly affects the behavior of swipes, make sure that there is no browser or search engine launch.

If you find an active service associated with the browser, try to disable it. If the shutdown button is inactive (gray), then it is a system component, and to turn it off will require the deeper methods described below. In some cases, resetting special features settings to factory helps.

Use of third-party launchers

If the standard means to remove the swipe browser on Xiaomi fails, a radical but effective solution will be the installation of a third-party launcher. Replacing the standard System Launcher with an alternative from Nova Launcher, Microsoft Launcher or Niagara Launcher completely eliminates the possibility of intrusive tapes, since you get a clean interface.

Once you install a new launcher, the system will ask which application to use as default for the home screen. Select the installed app and click "Always." Now the swipe to the left will either be empty or open the widgets of the new launcher, which you will configure yourself.

Third-party launchers offer flexible gesture settings, so you can swipe left to open a specific app, calendar widget, or leave it blank, giving you complete navigation control, which is not what the standard MIUI shell does.

However, it is worth remembering that replacing the launcher can affect the performance of some Xiaomi system widgets, such as security widgets or batteries. In most cases, modern launchers are able to emulate these features or offer their own counterparts.

Comparison of disconnection methods

The choice of method depends on your willingness to experiment with system settings and the need to maintain a standard appearance. Below is a table comparing the main ways to solve the problem.

As you can see from the table, for most users, the best option is to use standard settings, which provide a balance between functionality and the absence of obtrusive elements. ADB-Teams are recommended only by experienced users.

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Before installing a third-party launcher, take a screenshot of the location of the icons to quickly restore the usual structure of the desktop.

Advanced Methods: ADB and Disable Components

For users who want to securely remove the browser swipe on Xiaomi and are ready to use a computer, there is a method to disable system packages via ADB (Android Debug Bridge), which allows you to remove or freeze components responsible for the news feed, even if they do not turn off in the settings.

To do this, you need to enable USB debugging in the Developer Menu. Then connect your smartphone to your PC and use the command to remove the packet responsible for the tape. Usually this is com.google.android.googlequicksearchbox (for Google Discover) or com.mi.global.browser.

adb shell pm uninstall -k --user 0 com.google.android.googlequicksearchbox

This command will remove the widget only for the current user without affecting the system partition, allowing everything to be returned back to the factory reset, but beware: removing critical system components can lead to unstable interface operation or cyclical reboot.

⚠️ Attention: Use ADB-Disabling the wrong package can make the phone unusable without flashing it.

Once you have completed the command, the swipe left should become empty or stop responding. If you decide to return the functionality back, use the cmd package install-existing command.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

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The complete solution of the browser swipe problem is achieved by an integrated approach: disabling in settings, checking special features and, if necessary, replacing the launcher.