Modern smartphones, especially those running MIUI and HyperOS shells, are packed with services that the user doesn't always need. One of the most intrusive features is the news feed that appears when swiped left on the home screen, which consumes traffic, consumes battery life, and is simply annoying if you're used to pure Android.
Fortunately, it makes it easy to deactivate this interface element, so you don't need superuser rights or third-party launchers, you just need to know where the switches are in your desktop settings, and we'll look at the current methods for different firmware versions so you can enjoy a clean screen.
You may find that menu item names will vary slightly during the setup process, depending on the MIUI version, regional features, or Google Discover availability, and here are the general instructions that will help you solve the problem in most cases.
Disabling the tape through the desktop settings
The easiest and fastest way to get rid of news is to use the launcher’s settings, which work on the vast majority of Xiaomi, Redmi, and Poco devices, and you need to get into the interface configuration menu, which is hidden from the eyes of the average user.
To start, unlock your smartphone and go to the main screen. Push two fingers into the center of the display or swipe your finger from the bottom up to open the desktop editing menu. In the menu that appears, find the Settings button (usually as a gear) or go to the System Settings → Desktop.
In the list that opens, look for "Widget Tape" or "Google Discover." The name may vary depending on the system version. If you have global firmware installed, it's likely to mention Google services. In Chinese versions, it may be called "Mi Video" or simply "Tape."
☑️ Checking the desktop settings
Once you find the switch you want, just turn it off. Now, if you try to swipe left, you'll either see an empty screen or a list of widgets, but without the news feed, which is the safest method that doesn't disrupt other system components.
Manage through Google Discover and Search Settings
Often, Xiaomi’s news feed is part of Google’s ecosystem, in which case it is not only controlled by the launcher settings, but also by the search app itself. If the previous method failed or the feed returned after the update, it’s worth checking the Google App settings.
Open the Google app on your device. Click on your account avatar in the upper right corner or three menu points. Select Settings → General. You need to find the option that displays the cards on the home screen.
In some cases, you need to turn off Cards or Discover, and you should also look at Personalization, where you can turn off news and interest, which will help reduce the amount of traffic consumed and speed up the system as a whole.
⚠️ Attention: Disabling Google services may affect voice assistant and weather widgets if they are tied to the service.
If you're not actively using Google services, you can try disabling app updates. Go to Settings → Apps → All Apps → Google. Click Stop or Disable if the system allows you to do so. However, for most users, it's best to simply remove the feed through the settings, retaining the search functionality.
Configure widgets and negative screen
With the new versions of HyperOS and MIUI 14, the company has introduced a more flexible widget system, the left screen is now often called the "Widget Screen" and can completely replace the news feed, and the user chooses whether to display it: the weather, steps, notes or leave the screen empty.
To control the contents of this space, go to Settings → Desktop → Widgets. Here you can choose the style of widgets (for example, old or new) and their location. If you want to remove the left panel completely, look for the switch “Negative Screen” or “Swipe left”.
Sometimes the system will suggest you choose a source of content for the left screen, and there are several options:
- 📰 Google News – Standard News and Weather.
- 📱 Xiaomi widgets - branded shell widgets.
- ❌ No - completely disabling the left panel.
Choosing a No option or disabling the appropriate switch is guaranteed to remove unnecessary animation and elements, especially for owners of Redmi Note and Poco F series models, where the interface can be overloaded.
| MIUI/HyperOS version | Location of settings | Option name |
|---|---|---|
| MIUI 12 / 13 | Settings → Desktop | Widget Tape / Google Discover |
| MIUI 14 | Settings → Desktop | Negative screen |
| HyperOS 1.0 | Settings → Desktop | Swipe left |
| Global firmware | Google Appendix → Settings | Cards/Discover |
Using ADB for Advanced Users
If standard methods do not help or settings are blocked by the operator, you can use ADB debugging. This method requires connecting the smartphone to the computer and having minimal technical knowledge. It allows you to remove or freeze the system component responsible for the tape.
To start, turn on Developer Mode. To do this, go to Settings → About Phone and quickly press 7 times on the MIUI build number. Then, in the advanced settings, activate “Debugging USB.” Connect the phone to a PC with Android SDK Platform Tools installed.
In the computer command line, enter a command to check the connection:
adb devicesOnce confirmed on your phone screen, use the command to disable the news component.The package can be called com.miui.personalassistant or com.google.android.googlequicksearchbox.
adb shell pm disable-user --user 0 com.miui.personalassistant⚠️ Attention: Use ADB Disabling system packets can cause an unstable launcher. Always know which packet you're disabling.
This is a radical but effective method, which allows you to remove the tape even when the interface doesn't allow it to. To get it back, use the adb shell pm enable com.miui.personalassistant command.
Installation of an alternative launcher
A radical solution to the problem will be to replace the standard desktop with a third-party. Launchers from third-party developers such as Nova Launcher, Microsoft Launcher or Lawnchair completely ignore Xiaomi’s system settings regarding news feeds.
Once you install this app and assign it to the main one, the swipe to the left will either be empty or open the widgets of the new launcher, which you set up yourself, which gives maximum flexibility and removes any intrusive advertising.
However, this method has its nuances: Third-party launchers may consume more resources or not support some branded MIUI gestures. In addition, in new versions of Android, the system can periodically reset the application by default, returning the standard interface.
If you value stability and deep integration with the system more than a clean screen, it's better to spend time fine-tuning the standard launcher than changing it completely, but for customization enthusiasts, it's the best choice.