How to remove the widget on Xiaomi: 5 working ways (including hidden ones)

Widgets on Xiaomi smartphones are a convenient tool for quick access to information, but they are not always useful. Often users are faced with a situation where an unnecessary widget takes up space on the home screen, slows down the system or just annoys with constant notifications. Unlike standard application icons, deleting widgets is not always intuitive: in MIUI, separate mechanisms are responsible for this, which also differ depending on the firmware version and device model.

In this article, we’ll look at all the ways you can remove widgets on Xiaomi, Redmi and POCO, from basic actions to hidden settings that aren’t covered in the official documentation, how to remove both custom and system widgets (like Weather, Calendar or Mi Fit), and what to do if standard methods don’t work, and focus on the problems that arise after the MIUI 14 and HyperOS updates, where the logic of widget management has changed.

1. Standard removal of widgets from the main screen

Let’s start with the simplest method that works on most Xiaomi devices running MIUI 12–14 and HyperOS. This method is suitable for removing custom widgets (e.g. Watch, Weather, Google Search) that you have added yourself.

Algorithm of action:

• 📱 Press the widget you want to remove for 1-2 seconds.
• 🗑️ At the top of the screen will appear the icon Remove (basket) – drag the widget there.
• ✅ Confirm if the system requests additional confirmation.

If the widget is not removed in this way, check:

• 🔒 Whether it is system-based (e.g. Mi Home or Quick Settings) widgets are often blocked from being deleted.
• 📲 System Protection in Security Settings (can block interface changes).
• 🔄 Has the firmware been updated recently - sometimes after updates, the rights to manage widgets are reset.

⚠️ Note: On some models POCO (for example, POCO X3 Pro) after a long press on the widget appears not the basket, and the menu settings widget. In this case, try dragging the widget to the icon Delete, which appears at the bottom of the screen.

2. Removal of widgets through launcher settings

If the standard method didn’t work, try removing the widget through the launcher settings (MIUI shells), which is especially useful for devices with custom firmware or if the widget is stuck on the screen.

Instructions:

1. Open Settings → Applications → Application Management.
2. Find the Launcher app (or MIUI Launcher) in the list.
3. Slip on it and select Warehouse → Clear the data.
4. Reboot your smartphone. After that, all the widgets will reset, and you can add only the ones you need.

The downside of this method is that you reset all launcher settings, including the location of icons and folders, but this is the only way to remove the "hang" widgets that do not respond to standard actions.

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Before resetting the launcher, take a screenshot of the main screen - so you will quickly restore the location of the icons after the reboot.

For HyperOS devices, the path is a little different:

Settings → Home screen → Additional settings → Resetting launcher settings

3. disabling system widgets via ADB

Some widgets (such as Mi Video, Mi Music or Quick Settings) cannot be removed by standard methods, since they are built into the system, in which case disabling through ADB (Android Debug Bridge) will help, this method requires connecting the smartphone to the computer, but it is guaranteed to work even on locked firmware.

What you need:

• 🖥️ Computer with installed Xiaomi and ADB-tools drivers.
• 📱 Included Debugging by USB on a smartphone (Settings) → The phone. → Version. MIUI → 7 times tap to unlock the developer's settings).
• 🔌 USB-cable (preferably original).

Step-by-step:

1. Connect your smartphone to your PC and open the command line (or Terminal on Mac/Linux).
2. Enter the command to check the connection: Adb devices must appear serial number of your device.
3. Find out the name of the widget package (for example, for Weather it is com.miui.weather2). Use the command: adb shell pm list packages | grep -i "widget"
4. Disable the widget command: adb shell pm disable-user --user 0 name packet For example, to disable the widget Mi Video: adb shell pm disable-user --user 0 com.miui.video

Once the command is executed, the widget will disappear from the main screen and will no longer appear in the list of available ones. To return it, use the same command, but with the option enable:

adb shell pm enable name packet

⚠️ Warning: Disabling system packages can cause the firmware to run unstable.Do not disable packages called com.android or com.miui.home - this can cause a full launcher reset or even a system freeze.

4. Removing widgets through Safe Mode

If the widget is not removed due to a conflict with another application (for example, after installing a custom launcher), try booting in Safe Mode. In this mode, all third-party applications are disabled, and you can remove the problematic widget.

How to run Safe Mode on Xiaomi:

1. Press the power button before the turn off menu appears.
2. Press the button to turn off for 3-5 seconds.
3. Confirm the transition to safe mode.

In safe mode:

• 📲 Try removing the widget in the standard way (clamping and dragging into the basket).
• 🔍 If the widget is gone, it's a problem in one of the installed apps.
• 🔄 Reboot your smartphone to exit safe mode.

This method often helps if the widget appears after installing a third-party launcher (like a Nova Launcher or Apex Launcher) and conflicts with system settings.

5.Resetting launcher settings to factory

If none of the previous methods worked, the last option is a complete reset of the launcher settings, which will return the main screen to factory status by removing all widgets, folders and design settings.

How to reset the launcher on Xiaomi:

After discharge:

• ✅ All widgets will be removed.
• 📱 App icons will return to standard location.
• 🔄 Background wallpaper and theme of design can be reset to factory.

Take screenshots of the home screen | Record the location of important icons | Check sync with Mi Account | Make sure there are no important notes in the widgets

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⚠️ Note: On some devices (e.g. Xiaomi) 12T Redmi Note 11 Pro+) A launcher reset may result in loss of widget data associated with your Mi Account (such as notes in Mi Notes or events in the Calendar.

6. Alternative methods: third-party launchers and root rights

If you are willing to take drastic measures, consider two additional options:

1. Installation of a third-party launcher

Launchers like Nova Launcher, Apex Launcher or Lawnchair allow you to have full control over widgets, including system widgets.

• 📥 Install a launcher from Google Play.
• 🔧 Set it up as a default launcher.
• 🗑️ Remove unnecessary widgets through the launcher menu (usually a long press). → Delete).

2. Obtaining root rights

With root access, you can remove any system widget, including those that are locked in standard firmware.

• 🔓 Unlock the bootloader through the official Xiaomi website.
• 📲 Install custom recovery (for example, TWRP).
• 🛠️ Use Root Explorer or Titanium Backup to remove widget packets.

Cons of this method:

• ⚠️ Loss of warranty (if the device is under warranty).
• 🔐 Risk of system failure if packet is incorrectly deleted.
• 🔄 Difficulty rolling back change.

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Third-party launchers are the safest way to get rid of system widgets without risking firmware, but they consume additional RAM (around 100-200 MB).

FAQ: Frequent questions about removing widgets on Xiaomi