How to remove the remote from the lock screen Xiaomi: the complete guide

Owners of Xiaomi, Redmi and POCO smartphones often face a situation where a remote widget suddenly appears on a locked screen. This can happen spontaneously, especially on models with an infrared port, or after accidentally pressing buttons. Mi Remote is a useful application, but its constant presence when you just need to look at the time or notification causes irritation for many users.

The presence of unnecessary interface elements is not only distracting, but sometimes leads to accidental inclusion of the IR emitter, which consumes battery power. In this article, we will discuss all possible ways to remove the remote from the lock screen Xiaomi. We will look at both the standard settings of the system and deeper methods of disabling system components.

It's worth noting that different versions of the MIUI shell and HyperOS may have different settings. If one method doesn't work, try the next one. It's important to understand that the locking remote is not a virus, but a standard shell feature that can be flexibly configured or completely disabled.

Reasons for the remote on a locked screen

Before you start deleting, you need to understand the nature of this phenomenon: the remote widget on the lock screen is part of the Mi Remote system application (or Remote), which in older versions of firmware was built into the default theme, and it could only be turned off by changing the theme.

However, with the current builds of MIUI 12, 13, 14 and the new HyperOS, the way things work has changed, so it's now a separate widget or system notification that can be activated when certain accessories are connected or timed, sometimes because System UI, the system interface, is not working.

Also, you should consider that some third-party themes from the GetThemes store may force you to add this widget. If you recently changed the design, this may be the problem, check if the "Show Remote" option is activated in the theme settings.

  • 📱 Standard shell function for quick access to the IR port.
  • 🎨 Features of the established third-party theme of design.
  • ⚙️ Failure of the system widget or application Mi Remote.
  • 🔌 System reaction to the connection of headphones or headset (in rare cases).

Understanding the reason will help you choose the most effective method of solution, and if the remote appeared after the system update, most likely, the default settings have changed.

Disconnection through lock screen widget settings

The easiest and safest way to do this on most current devices is to configure widgets through the lock menu. In the new MIUI versions, Xiaomi has brought widget management to a separate menu, accessible directly from the locked screen.

First, unlock your phone and lock it again. On the lock screen, swipe left or right (depending on the shell version) to open the widget menu, which usually displays the weather, pedometer and, in fact, the remote.

Click the menu button (three dots or a gear) or hold your finger on the blank spot of the lock screen to go into edit mode. Here you will see a list of active widgets. Find the item associated with the Remote or remote, and tap the minus or switch to deactivate it.

☑️ Checking widget settings

Done: 0 / 4

If a standard swipe doesn't work, try logging in through your system settings. Go to Settings → Lock screen. In some firmware versions, it might be "Block screen widgets" or "Signature style and widgets." Make sure the tick is removed from the remote.

⚠️ Note: On some global versions MIUI The remote widget disablement point may not be in the standard menu, in which case the system forcibly returns the widget after rebooting. If you do not find the switch, move to the next section.

Removing updates to Mi Remote

Often the problem is not with the system itself, but with an updated version of the Mi Remote system application, which developers could add a lock display feature in one of the latest updates, and to remove the remote, just roll back the application to the factory version.

Go to Settings → Applications → All apps. In the list, find Mi Remote (may be called a Remote or have a remote icon). Click on the app name to open the information page about it.

At the bottom of the screen, you'll see a Remove Updates button or a Recycle Bin icon that says "Delete." Click on it. The system will warn you that the app will be returned to the factory version. Confirm the action.

Once rolled back, restart the device. The old, factory version of the app often lacks the aggressive widget display features on the lock screen that appear in new versions through the GetApps store.

  • 🔄 Reverses the application to the stable factory version.
  • 🗑️ Remove cache and data accumulated by the update.
  • 🚫 Prevents automatic updates through the app store.

After this procedure, the remote should disappear. lest it reappear, go to the GetApps store, find Mi Remote and turn off auto-update for that particular app.

Disconnection through hidden settings and ADB

If standard methods don't work, you can use a more advanced way: Deleting or freezing a system application through the Android Debug Bridge (ADB) allows you to completely remove the component that controls the remote, which requires a connection to the computer.

First, activate the developer mode. Go to Settings → About Phone and quickly press 7 times on the MIUI Version (or OS Version) and the message will appear “You became a developer”.

Now go to Settings → Advanced Settings → Developer. Find and enable USB Debugging. You may also need to enable USB Debugging (Security Settings) and allow installation via USB.

adb shell pm disable-user --user 0 com.miui.remote

This command will completely disable the system component of the remote, and not only will the remote disappear from the lock, but it will stop starting at all, and if you use an IR port, this method will not work for you.

How do you get the remote back?
If you decide that you need a remote, use the command: adb shell pm enable com.miui.remote.> The alternative without a computer is to use special uninstallation applications for system applications, such as System App Remover. However, they require root rights, which are difficult to obtain on modern Xiaomi and can disrupt the work of banking applications. ⚠️ Note: Be extremely careful when using ADB-Disabling system packages that you are not sure of can lead to unstable system operation or endless restart (bootloop).Switching theme as a radical method As mentioned earlier, the remote widget is often part of an active theme. Changing a theme to a standard or another directory can instantly solve the problem. Open the Themes app. Go to profile (human icon) and select My Themes. Select the standard theme "Classic" or "Default." Apply it and restart your smartphone. If the remote is missing, then the problem was in the design of the previous theme. You can try to find another theme where the lock-down widget is not designed by the designer. 🎨 Instant check of the dependence on the design. 📲 Ability to use alternative designs without remote control. 🛠️ Reset widgets to the state of a new theme. Sometimes it helps not to change the theme completely, but to edit the current one. In the Themes app, select an active theme, click Set up (if available), and try to remove the remote widget from the theme designer. To make it easier for you to choose the right method, we have systematized all the methods described in the table. Each of them has its advantages and risks that should be considered before using. For example, disabling through the settings is the safest, but not always available. Using ADB gives 100% result, but requires technical skills. Changing the topic is fast, but changes the appearance of the entire interface. Method Complexity The effectiveness of the widget settings Low Medium No Updates Removal Low High Minimum Theme Change Low High Design ADB command High High High Design, but requires technical skills. Changing the Recipe Recipe quickly changes the appearance of the entire interface. Method, the complexity of the first method is not to start with the first method. 💡The optimal strategy is to start by removing updates to the Mi Remote app, as this often solves the problem without losing functionality and complex settings (FAQ) In this section, we'll answer some of the most popular user questions that have arisen in the process of solving a problem: If your case is unique, perhaps the answer is already here: Why does the remote appear again after the reboot? This happens if you just closed the app, but you didn't turn off the widget in the settings or delete the updates. The system automatically restores the widget state when you boot, you either have to turn off the widget in the lock screen settings, or you have to freeze the app. Can you delete the Remote app completely? Without root rights, you can't completely delete the system application, you can only disable it for the current user through the root rights. ADB or “Delete updates». Complete removal is possible only if you have superuser rights, which is not recommended for ordinary users. Does the remote widget affect battery consumption? By itself, a static widget consumes minimal energy. However, if it activates the IR emitter or is updated frequently in the background, the consumption can be noticeable. Disabling the widget is a good way to optimize autonomy. Is this relevant for Android 13 and 14 on Xiaomi? Yes, the problem is relevant for all versions of Android that have the shell installed on it. MIUI The widgets in these versions are the same for the entire Xiaomi ecosystem. What if the IR port stopped working after the shutdown? ADB or completely delete the application, it stopped working. You need to turn the application back on through ADB (pm enable) or install an update from the app store to restore the functionality of the remote. Now you know how to remove the remote from the lock screen Xiaomi. Using these methods, you can clean the interface of unnecessary visual noise and make using your smartphone more comfortable.