Owners of Xiaomi, Redmi and POCO smartphones often face a crowded desktop, where standard widgets take up useful space. MIUI and its modern version of HyperOS offer many tools for personalization, but sometimes basic actions, such as removing unnecessary interface elements, may not be obvious to the beginner. In this article, we will discuss in detail all ways to clean the screen from unnecessary visual noise.
The need to remove the widget can arise for various reasons, from the banal desire to clean up the order to improve the performance of the device, as some “live” widgets consume the resources of the processor. Deleting the widget does not remove the application itself, it only hides its information block from the desktop. Understanding this difference is critical for the proper management of the space of your gadget.
The process of uninstalling widgets on devices of the Chinese manufacturer has its own features, different from pure Android. We will look at both standard methods through the editing menu and the deeper settings of the system launcher, which will allow you to fully control what is displayed on your screen.
Standard method of removal through the editing menu
The easiest and most common way to get rid of the extra element is to use the built-in desktop editing menu, which works on models running MIUI 12, MIUI 13, MIUI 14 and the latest HyperOS. You don’t need additional rights or complex settings.
To start, find the widget you want to remove on the screen. Press it and hold your finger for 1-2 seconds. The screen will go into editing mode, the background will darken, and the icons and widgets will start to shake, at which point the system is waiting for your actions to move or remove objects.
At the top of the screen, you'll see a toolbar. You'll need to find a basket icon or a button that says "Delete." Drag the widget into that zone. If you accidentally release the widget in the wrong place, it'll just go back to its place, so don't be afraid to experiment.
☑️ Algorithm for removing the widget
It is worth noting that some system widgets, such as Google Search or Watch, can be fixed by the manufacturer and not removed in the standard way. In such cases, the system can only suggest moving the widget to another part of the screen or to the folder, but not removing it completely without using third-party launchers.
Removing widgets through launcher settings
If standard drag and drop doesn't work or the interface is unstable, you can use the deep settings of the system launcher, which allows you to manage desktop behavior more flexibly. Go to your device's Settings, then select Desktop or Home (depending on the translation version).
Inside the launcher settings menu, you can often find options related to the display of widgets. For example, in some versions of MIUI, the ability to disable the display of the widget "Ribbon widget" (also known as Google Discover or Yandex.Lent), which appears when you swipe to the left, this frees up not only space, but also memory resources.
To access hidden features, you sometimes need to click several times on the launcher version in the About Phone section, but in standard scenarios, a basic menu is enough. Here you can change the desktop grid to make the cells smaller so that the widgets take up proportionately less space relative to the icons.
⚠️ Warning: Resetting the launcher to the factory will return all widgets to their places and delete the folders you created. Use this feature only if you want to completely clear the desktop of all changes.
Changing pixel density or using Full-screen widgets modes can also affect how elements are displayed on the screen. Experiment with grid settings to find the perfect balance between functionality and minimalism.
How to Remove Weather and News Widgets
The weather widget is one of the most intrusive elements in the MIUI shell. By default, it often occupies a significant portion of the screen and is updated in the background. To remove it, use the standard long-press method, but if the widget is built into the system theme, its removal may require changing the theme.
Weather apps from Xiaomi and Google can duplicate each other. Check which widget you have installed. If this is the Mi Weather system widget, removing it will simply hide the data from the screen, but the app will remain in memory. This is useful if you use notifications but do not want to see graphics on your desktop.
- 🌤️ Press and hold the weather widget.
- 🗑️ Drag it into the basket or press "Delete».
- ⚙️ If the widget is not deleted, go to Settings → Annexes → Weather. → Memory. → Clear the data (this will reset the widget settings).
For news widgets like Yandex.Rent or Google Discover, the situation is similar. However, users often confuse the newswidget with the swipe screen itself. To turn off the tape on the left, you need to pinch the empty space on the desktop, click Settings, and switch the switch toggle "Rent of widgets" to the "Off" position.
Why is the weather widget coming back?
Cleaning the lock screen from widgets
The lock screen is the first thing a user sees, and often they are overwhelmed with pedometer, weather and news widgets. In HyperOS and newer versions of MIUI, these elements are controlled in a separate editing menu. Unlock the phone, but do not open it completely, but swipe to the right or click on the editing area (usually requires a long press on the empty space of the lock screen).
The system will ask you to choose the style of the lock screen. In the classic style, you can remove the widgets one by one, using a cross in the corner of each element. In the style of "Portrait" or other design themes, the set of widgets can be fixed, and the only solution is to change the theme to a more minimalist one.
It’s also worth checking the settings of the Security or Lock Screen app in the settings menu, and it can activate the Recommendations or Wallpaper Carousel function, which constantly loads new widgets and pictures, and disabling this feature will make the lock screen much easier.
| Type of widget | Wherever | Difficulty in removal | Impact on the battery |
|---|---|---|---|
| Weather. | Desktop/Blocking | Low. | Average. |
| Stepper | Lock screen | Medium | High. |
| News (Tape) | Swipe left | Low. | High. |
| The Clock (Large) | Desktop | Low. | Low. |
Use of third-party launchers for full control
If Xiaomi’s regular tools don’t allow for removed widgets or you want to radically change the look of the interface, the best solution is to install a third-party launcher. Popular options like Nova Launcher, Microsoft Launcher or Smart Launcher completely replace the standard desktop.
Once you install this app and assign it to the default, all MIUI system widgets will stop showing up unless you add them yourself. This gives you absolute freedom: you decide which Android widgets will work and which won't. Standard "mowish" widgets in third-party launchers often look better and work more stable.
However, switching to a third-party launcher can affect some features, such as control gestures or design themes.You may need to adjust the permissions further so that the launcher does not close in the background, especially for Xiaomi’s aggressive energy saving system.
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Before installing a third-party launcher, take a screenshot of the location of your icons, which will help you quickly restore the usual desktop structure in the new application.
Problems with removal and their solution
Sometimes users are faced with a situation where the widget does not delete, “stick” or reappears after a reboot.This can be caused by a launcher cache error or a conflict of topics. First of all, try to clear the cache of the Security and Themes app, as they often control the display of interface elements.
If the widget belongs to a remote application but is left on the screen as a “broken” link, removing it in the standard way may not work. In this case, resetting the launcher settings will help. Go to Settings → Applications → All applications → find System Launcher (or Launcher), then click Memory → Clear.
After this operation, the desktop will return to its original state, as when you first turn on the phone, all widgets will be removed, and the icons will line up in a standard order, a radical but effective method of combating software glitches of the interface.
⚠️ Attention: Clearing the launcher data will remove all folders you created and the location of the icons. Make sure important apps don't get lost in the overall pile after resetting.