Xiaomi smartphone owners often encounter the intrusive interface offered by Google Discover News Feed, which appears when swiping to the right of the first desktop or is located as a widget on the screen itself, taking up useful space and consuming traffic. Many users prefer a clean desktop without unnecessary information noise, but the standard settings of the shell MIUI or HyperOS do not always allow you to simply disable this function with a single button.
There are several effective ways to get rid of this page, ranging from simple launcher settings to using third-party applications to manage the system. The choice of the specific method depends on the version of the Android operating system installed on your device, as well as on the region for which the smartphone is released. In this article, we will discuss all the current options for solving the problem.
Before you start manipulating, it is important to understand that completely removing Google system components may require more in-depth intervention, but for most cases it will be enough to hide the widget or disable its display in the settings. Data security will not suffer, since we do not delete the service itself, but only limit its visual presence in the interface.
Disable Google Discover feed through settings
The easiest and safest way to remove a Google page is to disable it through the launcher’s built-in settings, which in the latest versions of the MIUI shell and the new HyperOS, developers have given users the ability to manage this element without installing additional software, a method that requires no root rights and is completely reversible.
To start, unlock your smartphone screen and swipe to the right to open the very news feed you want to get rid of. Pay attention to the top or bottom of the screen, which may have a gear icon or a three-dot menu, and clicking on this element will open the context menu of the feed settings.
In the menu that opens, you need to find a switch called Google Tape or Google Discover, and then you put the slider in an inactive position, and then the next time you swipe to the right, you'll either see a blank page or a standard widget bar, depending on the firmware version.
- 🔍 Swipe to the right of the first desktop to open the tape.
- ⚙️ Find and click on the settings icon (cog) in the corner of the screen.
- 🚫 Turn off the Google Tape or Discover switchboard».
- ✅ Return to the main screen and check the result with a swipe.
⚠️ Note: If after turning off the swipe to the right still opens the Google page, try clearing the cache of the Google app. → Annexes → All applications → Google → Memory. → Clean up.
In some cases, the settings may not be saved immediately, especially if the synchronization process is running in the background. In this situation, it is recommended to restart the device so that the changes take effect permanently.
Removing Google widget from desktop
Users often confuse the news feed with Google’s static search widget, which can be located directly on the desktop, which is even easier to remove because it is controlled by standard Android interface editing tools.
To remove the widget, you need to go to the editing mode of the desktop, to do this, make a long press with your finger on the free section of the screen or pinch the screen with two fingers (finger mixing), the system will go into preview mode of all desktops, where you can control widgets and wallpaper.
Find a Google widget on the screen (usually a search bar with the "G" logo) and click on it and hold it until there's an delete zone or a basket at the top of the screen that says "Delete." Drag the widget into that zone. Once you release your finger, the item disappears from the screen.
☑️ Verification of widget removal
If the widget is part of the system package and is not removed in the standard way (the delete button does not appear or is inactive), change the size of the widget to make it minimal, or replace it with an alternative search widget from third-party developers.
It is worth noting that on some global firmware versions, the search widget can be integrated into the bottom bar (dock bar) and not removed completely, in which case it can be replaced by installing another launcher, such as Nova Launcher or Microsoft Launcher, which give full control over the interface elements.
Changing the region and impact on Google services
One of the hidden reasons for the obsessive presence of Google services on Xiaomi screens is the region chosen in the settings of the smartphone. Xiaomi often changes the set of preinstalled software and behavioral patterns of the system depending on where the user is formally located.
For example, when choosing India or the US, the system may be more active in promoting certain applications and widgets, while the Russia or China region (for global firmware) may have a different set of presets, and changing this setting sometimes helps to remove unnecessary elements that appear due to regional features of contracts.
To change region, go to Settings → Settings → Region. Choose a country that is not associated with aggressive promotion of Google services, or vice versa, one where the privacy policy is stricter. After changing region, the phone may suggest a reboot or update the list of applications.
| Region | Impact on the interface | Advertising | Recommendation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Russia | Standard set | Moderate. | Recommended |
| India | Lots of Google widgets | Tall. | Not recommended |
| USA | Focus on Google Services | Medium | Carefully. |
| China (Global) | Google Minimum | Low. | For the advanced. |
Why does the region affect widgets?
It's important to understand that changing regions can affect some local features, such as weather widgets or news aggregators that are geo-located, but the basic functions of calls and messages will not be affected. The localization of the system remains the same, only the set of service offerings changes.
Using ADB for deep cleaning
For users who want to securely remove a Google page and are not afraid to work with a computer, there is a method of using the ADB debugging bridge (Android Debug Bridge), which allows you to manage system packages and remove even those applications that do not have the “Delete” button in the standard menu, this is the most effective method for advanced users.
Before you start, you need to activate the developer mode on your smartphone. To do this, go to Settings → About your phone and quickly click 7-10 times on the MIUI Version or OS Version field until you notice that you have become a developer. Then turn on “Debugging by USB” in the “Additional Settings” menu.
Connect your smartphone to your computer through USB-The computer must have a Platform-tools platform installed. Open the command line or terminal in the folder with ADB and enter a command to check the connection:
adb devicesYou'll see a request for debugging permission on your phone, click "Allow." Once you've successfully connected, you can delete the packet that's responsible for Google feed, which is usually called com.google.android.googlequicksearchbox. The removal command looks like this:
adb shell pm uninstall -k --user 0 com.google.android.googlequicksearchbox⚠️ Note: Removing system packages through ADB It can cause a system to be unstable if you remove the wrong component. Make sure you copy the name of the package accurately, without errors. This operation is reversible only by completely resetting the settings or re-installing the package.
Once you execute the command, the Google page will disappear instantly. If you want to return it to the way it was, use the command:
adb shell cmd package install-existing com.google.android.googlequicksearchbox💡
Save the list of deleted packets in a text file on your computer, which will help you quickly restore the system if necessary, without searching the commands again.
Installation of an alternative launcher
A radical but convenient solution is to completely replace Xiaomi’s standard shell with a third-party launcher. Apps like Nova Launcher, Lawnchair or Microsoft Launcher completely ignore the system settings of MIUI regarding swipes and widgets, giving the user a clean Android experience.
Once you have an alternative launcher installed, the system will prompt you to choose it by default. Select "Always." Now the swipe to the right will open either a blank page or a new launcher widget panel that you will set up yourself. Google Discover tape will stop loading because the new launcher does not have access to it.
- 📲 Download the launcher from the Google Play Store (for example, Nova Launcher).
- 🚀 Launch the application and follow the initial setup instructions.
- 🏠 Click the Home button to allow the system to offer a launcher selection.
- 🔒 Select “Always” for a new launcher to secure it.
Using a third-party launcher also allows you to change the appearance of icons, animation transitions and the location of elements, which makes using a smartphone more personalized. Android customization is one of the main advantages of this platform over competitors.
It’s worth considering that some deeply integrated MIUI features, such as specific gestures or memory management, may work differently or require additional customization of access rights, but for most users, the transition is subtle and only brings benefits in the form of no advertising and unnecessary software.