How to Remove the First Screen on Xiaomi: A Complete Guide to Setup MIUI

The first screen on Xiaomi’s MIUI-enclosed smartphones is often annoying, with unnecessary widgets, banner ads, duplicate app icons and system notifications that can’t be hidden by standard means. Many owners of Redmi, Poco or Mi devices want to completely remove this screen to make room for their apps or simply get rid of visual noise.

In this article, we’ll look at all the working methods, from simple interface settings to radical methods using ADB and third-party launchers, how to hide ads, disable system widgets, and even completely replace the standard MIUI Launcher with an alternative. Importantly, some methods require unlocking the bootloader or root rights, so read the warnings carefully before you act.

Why is the first MIUI screen so annoying to users?

The MIUI shell has historically been characterized by an aggressive policy of personalizing the interface, with the first screen (aka MIUI Launch or App Vault) originally conceived as a smart panel with quick access to frequently used features.

• 📢 Advertising platform – banners with offers from Xiaomi and partners (even in firmware for the EU, where advertising is allegedly disabled).
• 🔄 Duplicate Hub – App icons that are already on the main screen (for example, “Weather” or “Calendar").
• 📊 Unnecessary widgets – pedometer, currency rates, content recommendations that can not be removed without root.
• 🔒 Restricted setting – inability to change the location of items or disable them through the menu.

According to a survey of Xiaomi users in 2023, 68% of respondents would like to completely remove the first screen, and 22% would like to at least turn off advertising in it. MIUI, But he never offered a radical solution to the problem.

Method 1: Disconnect via MIUI settings (without root)

The safest method is to use the built-in shell options, and unfortunately, you can't completely remove the first screen here, but you can hide most of the annoying elements:

1. Go to Settings. → Main screen screen.
2. Select the App Vault (or "Smart Assistant" in Russian firmware).
3. Turn off the slider Show on the main screen.
4. Go back and select Widgets → disable all unnecessary (weather, pedometer, recommendations).

⚠️ Note: In the latest versions MIUI 14/15 The option to disable the App Vault can be hidden. If it's not on the menu, try it:

• 🔍 Keep your finger on the empty seat of the main screen → Screen settings → Additionally.
• 🔄 Switch the phone region to India (in some firmware, this opens up additional options).

Method 2: Use of an alternative launcher

If the built-in settings don't work, the radical solution is to install a third-party launcher, which will completely replace the MIUI interface, including the first screen.

🔹 How to install:

1. Download the launcher’s APK from the official website (for example, Nova Launcher).
2. Install the file by allowing installation from unknown sources (Settings → Applications → Special Access → Install Unknown Applications).
3. Click "Home" and select the new launcher as the main one.

💡

Before installing the launcher, back up the current icon location via Settings → Backup. This will help you quickly restore the layout if the new launcher doesn’t like.

Method 3: Remove via ADB (without root, but with bootloader unlocking)

For advanced users, there is a method to disable App Vault via Android Debug Bridge (ADB). This does not require root rights, but you need an unlocked bootloader and enabled debugging over USB.

🔹 Step-by-step instruction:

1. Activate Developer Mode: Settings → About Phone → MIUI version (click 7 times).
2. Enable USB debugging in Settings → Additional → For developers.
3. Connect your phone to your PC and execute the commands:

adb shell


pm hide com.miui.miservice

🔹 What the team does:

• 🛑 Disables the com.miui.miservice system application responsible for App Vault.
• 🔄 After the reboot, the first screen will disappear, but weather and pedometer widgets may remain.
• ⚠️ Note: On some devices (Redmi Note 10 Pro, Xiaomi) 12T) This could cause system notifications to fail:

adb shell pm unhide com.miui.miservice

Method 4: Complete root removal (for experienced)

If you're willing to take drastic measures, root access will remove the first screen permanently, a method that's suitable for MIUI 12-14 firmware and requires:

• 🔓 Unlocked loader.
• 🛠️ Installed by Magisk or SuperSU.
• 📱 Backup of data (risk of "brick" of the device!).

🔹 Instructions:

1. Install a file manager with root access (such as Root Explorer).
2. Go to /system/priv-app/MiuiHome.
3. Delete or rename the file MiuiHome.apk (e.g., in MiuiHome.bak).
4. Reset the device.

Critical information: On some devices (Xiaomi 11T, Redmi K40), deleting MiuiHome.apk leads to a download cycle, in which case you need to restore the file through Fastboot or reflash the device.

💡

Root methods give you maximum freedom, but the risk of "bricking" the device is ~15%. Use only if you are confident in your actions and have a backup.

Method 5: Hiding through developer settings (hidden method)

A little-known trick is to turn off the first screen through the developer's settings, which works on MIUI 13/14 and doesn't require root:

1. Activate Developer Mode (as in Method 3).
2. Go to Settings → Additional → For developers.
3. Find the option to Disable MIUI Optimization (or “Disable MIUI Optimization”) and activate it.
4. Reboot the phone.
5. Hold your finger on the home screen → Screen settings → now the option to Remove App Vault should appear.

⚠️ Attention: Disabling optimization MIUI may lead to:

• 🔋 Increased battery consumption 10-15%.
• 📱 Slowing down animations and transitions.
• 🚫 Inoperability of some gestures (for example, swipe down to search for a sign).

How to return the first screen if something goes wrong

If after manipulations the phone started to glittle or you just wanted to return the standard interface, use these methods:

🔹 Universal discharge method:

If nothing helps, do a soft reset (does not delete data):

1. Settings → About the phone → Resetting settings.
2. Select Reset Launcher Settings.
3. Confirm the action.

FAQ: Frequent questions about removing Xiaomi's first screen