Xiaomi smartphone owners often face a situation where, after updating the firmware or initially configuring the device, the lock screen becomes overgrown with unnecessary elements. Instead of a clean interface where only time and notifications are displayed, the user sees the news feed, payment widgets or service recommendations. This not only distracts, but can also slow down the unlocking of the device, especially on models with less productive processors.
Fortunately, MIUI and its modern version of HyperOS provide flexible customization tools. You can easily get rid of most of the built-in widgets by returning the lock screen to a minimalist look. In this article, we will explore all the available ways to disable redundant elements, including hidden settings and system applications.
It is worth noting that the layout of menu items may vary slightly depending on the shell version and regional firmware (Global, EEA, CN). However, the general logic of the system remains unchanged. If you want to remove the widget on the lock screen Xiaomi, you do not need superuser rights or complex manipulation of ADB - most of the settings are available in the standard menu.
Disable the Google Discover feed (Google News)
The most intrusive element that appears when swiping right on a locked phone is Google Discover tape, which consumes traffic and CPU resources, constantly updating content in the background, and to remove this widget, you just need to do a few simple steps in the desktop settings.
Go to the Settings menu and find the Desktop section. In some firmware versions, this item may be called "Desktop and Recent" or hidden inside the "Home and Lock Screen" section. This is where the main switches that control the appearance of the interface are hidden.
Find the left-screen option, or Google Discover, and put the switchboard in the inactive position, and then when you swipe right, the news feed will no longer appear on the locked screen, and the interface will become cleaner.
It's important to understand the difference between a desktop widget and a lock screen widget. Turning off the news feed in the desktop settings often affects the lock screen, because in the Xiaomi ecosystem, these components are closely related. If a simple switch didn't help, maybe Simplified or Light mode, which has its limitations, is activated.
Lock screen settings in MIUI and HyperOS
The main control over what is displayed before unlocking the smartphone is in a special settings section. Here you can control not only the widgets, but also the style of the watch, the format of the date and the behavior of notifications. To access these options, you need to go through the Settings → Lock screen path.
In this section, you'll find the option "Widgets" or "Cards." By clicking on it, the system will tell you which items should be displayed. Often, the default widgets are "Stepper", "Weather" or "Notes." Uncheck the boxes from unnecessary items to clear the space.
⚠️ Note: On some global firmware, the full list of widgets may not be available without changing the region. If you don't see the right switches, try temporarily setting the "India" or "Nepal" region in the "More" settings. → Region".
It’s also worth checking the theme settings. Third-party themes downloaded from MIUI Themes store can force their widgets to the lock screen, ignoring system settings, in which case a return to the standard theme “Classic” or “Infinity” will help.
☑️ Checklist of cleaning the lock screen
Managing Mi Pay and Mi Wallet widgets
Special attention should be paid to the widget quick payment Mi Pay (or Mi Wallet in new versions), it appears automatically when you add a credit card and is designed for quick access to the Internet. NFC-However, if you rarely use your phone to pay for it or prefer plastic cards, this item may interfere with the payment of the card.
To remove the payment widget, go to the Security app (green zipper icon), which is Xiaomi's system control center. In the upper right corner, click on the gear icon to open the settings. Find the Passwords section or Fingerprint unlock.
There may be a "Mi Pay shortcut" or "Pay shortcut" switch, and disabling this feature will remove the wallet icon from the lock screen. In the newer versions of HyperOS, the widget is transferred to the settings of the wallet application itself.
If the widget continues to display, try clearing the cache of the Security or Wallet application. Sometimes the system cache stores outdated widget configuration data, and simply cleaning the data helps to update the interface.
Why does the Mi Pay widget return after the reboot?
Disabling Music and Multimedia Widgets
Another common element is the music management widget, which appears automatically when any audio application (YouTube, Spotify, Mi Music) is launched, and remains on the lock screen even after the app is closed, a behavior that is embedded in the logic of Android, but Xiaomi adds its visual enhancements.
To control this, go to Settings → Notifications and Status bar → Lock screen. Here you need to find the item associated with Media Control or Music Management. Disabling this option will hide the player from the lock screen, but leave it in the notification curtain.
Keep in mind that completely disabling the media controller can affect the performance of smart watches or Mi Band bracelets if you use them to control playback, in which case it is better to leave the widget, but configure its display through third-party launchers.
| Type of widget | Where to turn off | Impact on the system |
|---|---|---|
| Google Discover | Settings → Desktop | Saves traffic and battery |
| Mi Pay/Wallet | Security app/wallet | Accelerates unlocking |
| Music player | Settings → Notifications | Clears visual noise |
| Weather/Calendar | Settings → Lock screen | Minimalize the interface |
Using themes to change the interface
If standard settings aren't enough and you want to radically change the look, the best solution is to change the theme.The MIUI Themes store offers thousands of options, many of which are completely devoid of widgets on the lock screen or replace them with stylish but static elements.
When choosing a theme, look for Lock Screen screenshots. Look for themes marked "Minimal", "Clean" or "Simple." After applying the theme, it is recommended to restart the device so that all changes take effect correctly.
⚠️ Note: Some third-party themes may contain ads or require a paid subscription to unlock all features.Be careful when installing themes from unknown authors and check the permissions they request.
You can also create your own theme through the MIUI Theme Editor on PC, a challenging but effective way to get exactly the lock screen you want, without unnecessary widgets and with a unique watch design.
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Before installing a new theme, take a screenshot of the current widget settings to quickly return everything as it was if necessary, as some themes can reset system preferences.
Solving the problem: if the widget is not removed
There are times when the widget on the lock screen Xiaomi can not be removed by standard methods, it may return after a reboot or simply do not have a switch in the menu, this often happens with system widgets associated with a Mi Account account or specific services of the region.
In such cases, reset the lock screen settings. Go to Settings → Applications → All applications, find the system application "Secure lock screen" (or similar) and select "Clear data" and "Clear cache." This will return the lock settings to factory.
If that doesn’t work, check if Pocket Mode or features for older people that can force large widgets are included, and check for system updates, as new security patches often fix bugs with intrusive interface elements.
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If the widget is not removed by standard means, it is likely part of a system application or an active theme – resetting these components usually solves the problem.