How to remove Google strip from the screen Xiaomi: effective ways

Modern Xiaomi and Redmi smartphones come with a pre-installed set of apps and widgets that aren’t always convenient for the end user. One of the most intrusive interface elements is often Google’s search bar, located at the bottom of the home screen, which takes up useful space, interferes with icon placement and visually overloads the desktop, especially on devices with compact displays.

Fortunately, the Android operating system in the shell of MIUI or HyperOS provides several ways to get rid of this element. You can use standard launcher settings, hide a string through the widget menu, or apply more advanced methods using ADB debugging. The choice of the specific method depends on your firmware version and device model.

In this article, we will discuss all the current options for deleting the search bar. We will look at the regular tools of the system that are safe for beginners, and also touch on the technical nuances for experienced users. It is important to understand that in some regions or versions of the software the functionality may differ slightly, so it is worth trying several ways.

⚠️ Warning: Before making any changes to system settings or using debugging tools, be sure to back up important data to avoid accidental loss of information.

Remove the search string through launcher settings

The easiest and safest way for most users is to use the built-in shell settings, which in recent versions of MIUI and HyperOS, engineers have made it possible for the company to disable direct search widgets without installing third-party software, which does not require root rights and does not violate the device warranty.

You need to go to the home screen settings menu first, usually by a long tap on the desktop space or by the "More" item at the bottom corner, and then you'll find the section that opens that deals with the look and feel or the extras, and that's where the switch that blocks the search bar is hidden.

If the standard path didn't produce results, try an alternative through the widget settings. Sometimes the search bar is classified by the system as a regular widget that can be simply deleted or hidden. Press and hold your finger on the Google bar itself until the edit menu appears, and select the delete option.

• 📱 Make a long tap over the empty desktop area to call the edit menu.
• ⚙️ Go to the Settings or Additional section at the bottom corner of the screen.
• 🔍 Find the "Search String" or "Google Discover" option and turn the switch to the "Off" position".
• 🗑️ Alternatively, click the search bar itself and select “Delete” or “Hide".

It's worth noting that some global firmware versions may call it something else or be hidden in the depths of the menu. If you can't see the switch, your region or version of the software may not support this feature natively, so consider using third-party launchers or more sophisticated customization methods.

Using third-party launchers for full customization

If Xiaomi’s built-in shell tools don’t allow the obsessive strip to be removed, a great alternative would be to install a third-party launcher.The launcher is an application that completely replaces the standard desktop management interface, giving the user unlimited customization options.

Popular solutions such as Nova Launcher, Microsoft Launcher or Smart Launcher allow you to completely ignore system widgets and create a unique desktop structure. Once you install such an application, the system will prompt you to choose it as the default launcher, from which point the standard Google bar will disappear, since the new interface will not display it.

An important advantage of this method is the ability to fine-tune animations, icon grids and swipe behavior, so you can customize the search by swipe gesture or even disable it altogether, replacing it with the launch of the desired application, which makes the control of the smartphone more ergonomic and personalized to your habits.

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When installing a new launcher, the system may periodically suggest returning to the standard one. To avoid this, select Always or Default when requesting.

⚠️ Note: Some system functions, such as "Gests" or specific chips MIUI, They may not work properly with third-party launchers. Before completely replacing the interface, test the basic functions.

The installation process is simple: download the selected application from Google Play, launch it and follow the instructions of the configuration wizard. In most cases, you will need to provide permissions to access contacts and storage for correte display of widgets and icons. After setting up, remember to turn off the standard launcher in memory, if this option is available in your version of the OS.

Disconnection via Google and Discover settings

Often users confuse the search bar with the Google Discover News Feed, which is swiped left or displayed as a widget. Even if you can't remove the visual bar, you can turn it off, rendering it useless, which reduces the consumption of traffic and CPU resources in the background.

You can open the Google app on your smartphone. The settings menu (usually available through the profile avatar in the corner) should find the Settings section and go to General. You can turn off the display of news cards, which will make the widget empty or less intrusive, and it is also worth checking the settings of the Google widget in the system widget menu.

Another effective method is to disable the Google app itself if it is not required for other services to work. Go to Settings → Apps → All apps, find Google and select “Disable.” However, be careful: this can affect the voice assistant and the synchronization of some data.

Remember that completely disabling system components can lead to unstable operation of some applications associated with Google Play services. Use this method only if you know exactly what features you do not need and are ready for possible limitations in the operation of your smartphone.

Advanced method: removal via ADB (Android Debug Bridge)

For users who want to achieve perfect interface cleanliness and are not afraid to work with a computer, there is a method of using ADB. This tool allows you to send commands directly to the Android operating system, bypassing the graphical interface settings.

Before starting the procedure, you need to activate the developer mode. → About the phone and seven times quickly click on the build number MIUI. After the message about the activation of the developer mode appears, go to the advanced settings and turn on "Debugging by" USB". It may also be necessary to include "USB-Debugging (Security settings) and allowing installation through USB.

Once you connect your smartphone to your computer and confirm debugging on your phone screen, open the command line on your PC. You will need to type in a command to search for the name of the search packet. This is usually com.google.android.googlequicksearchbox. The command pm uninstall-k --user 0 is used to remove or hide the component.

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

Performing this command will hide the search bar and its associated components for the current user. This action is reversible: resetting the phone to factory settings will return everything as it was, and this method is considered the most effective for deep cleaning of the system from preinstalled software that cannot be removed by standard means.

⚠️ Note: Be extremely careful when typing commands ADB. Removing critical system packets can cause a device to bootloop. Always check the packet name before removing it.

Alternative solutions and substitute widgets

If your goal is not just to remove the strip, but to replace it with something more functional or beautiful, the market offers many alternatives. There are many weather widgets, watches and search engines that look more stylish than Google's standard solution and fit better into the design of wallpaper.

You can install widgets from third-party developers that mimic the search bar but have a transparent background or unique fonts. These apps are often available on Google Play for "Search bar widget." Once you install this widget, you can place it anywhere on the screen, creating the illusion of native integration, but without being tied to the bottom edge.

Also worth paying attention to the themes in the Themes app. Some custom themes for MIUI already contain a modified launcher, in which the search bar is either changed or missing, and installing such a theme is the easiest way to change the appearance without risk to the system.

Frequent problems and their solution

When deleting the search bar, users may encounter a number of typical problems, such as the bar may reappear after a phone reboot, which often happens if the system update has restored the launcher's original settings, in which case it is recommended to recheck the widget settings or use the ADB method, which is more resistant to resets.

Another common problem is the appearance of artifacts or empty space at the bottom of the screen after removing a line. To fix this, try changing the desktop grid (the number of icons in the row) in the launcher settings. Sometimes it helps to change the wallpaper or switch between light and dark theme of the design.

If none of these methods work, your device may have a specific regional firmware with tight constraints, in which case the only way out is to install a global version of the software or use custom launchers that completely overlap the system interface.

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Using a third-party launcher is the most reliable solution, ensuring that there is no system search bar regardless of firmware updates.

Keep in mind that constant experimentation with system settings requires care. If you use the ADB method, keep a list of modified packages so that you can quickly return functionality with the cmd package install-existing command if necessary.

FAQ: Frequently Asked Questions