How to remove the widget from the home screen on Xiaomi Redmi: the complete guide

Why widgets interfere and how to remove them correctly

The widgets on the Xiaomi Redmi home screen are a handy tool for quick access to information, but they often take up extra space, slow down the system or just annoy with their design. This is especially true for owners of models with small screens (Redmi 9A, Redmi Note 8) or weak hardware, where every pixel counts. Unlike standard application icons, widgets consume additional resources, as they constantly update data in the background — whether it is the weather, calendar or music player.

Complicating the problem is that MIUI (the Xiaomi brand shell) regularly adds new widgets with updates, and some of them (Mi Fit, Xiaomi Cloud) are installed by default and do not have an obvious remove button. In this article, we will analyze all the working methods, from the basic long-press to the hidden developer settings that will help get rid of even the most stubborn widgets. It is important to understand that the methods differ depending on the version of MIUI (12, 13, 14) and the smartphone model, so we will specify the nuances for each.

Method 1: Standard removal by long pressing

The simplest and most versatile method works on 90% of Xiaomi/Redmi/POCO devices running MIUI 10–14, suitable for removing weather widgets, watches, notes and other standard elements:

1. Press and hold your finger on the widget you want to remove until the menu appears (usually 1-2 seconds).
2. At the top of the screen, you'll see a bar with icons, drag the widget to the "Delete" icon (basket or cross).
3. Confirm the action if the system requests.

⚠️ Note: On some models (Redmi Note 11, POCO X3 Pro) after a long press, the widget simply starts to "shake" and the menu does not appear. In this case, try swiping up on the widget itself - this is an alternative way to call the context menu.

Try swipe up the widget |Reboot phone | Check for updates MIUI| Use an alternative method (see below)

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If the widget is system (like Google Search or Mi Video), standard deletion may not work, in which case move on to the following methods.

Method 2: Remove through the settings of the main screen

For widgets that don’t respond to long pressing, there’s an alternative way through the settings menu, which is especially useful for devices with MIUI 12.5+, where the interface has been significantly redesigned:

1. Click and hold the empty space on the home screen (not on the icon or widget!).
2. At the bottom of the screen, you'll see a toolbar. Select the screen settings (cog icon).
3. Go to Widgets or Screen Elements (name depends on the firmware version).
4. Find an unnecessary widget in the list and disable it with a slider or click Remove.

💡 Useful tip: In the same menu, you can sort widgets by alphabet or frequency of use, which makes it easier to find the right item.

Method 3: Disabling system widgets through "Themes"

Some widgets (such as Mi Home or Xiaomi Community) are tied to system applications and are not removed in the standard way, in which case the Themes app, which is available on all Xiaomi devices, will help:

1. Open the Themes app (icon with brush).
2. Go to My Profile (the person icon in the lower right corner).
3. Select Theme Settings → Lock/Home Screen Settings.
4. Find the Widget tab and disable the unnecessary ones.

Important: This method only works for widgets associated with the MIUI shell. Third-party widgets (such as Google Weather or Spotify) cannot be turned off here.

⚠️ Note: On some devices (Redmi Note 8 Pro, Mi) 9T) After disabling the widget through the "Themes", it may reappear after the reboot. In this case, you will have to use the developer mode (see Method 5).

Weather.|Calendar|Mi Fit (Stephomer)|Google Search Search|Other-->

Method 4: Using a third-party launcher

If none of the above methods worked, the radical solution is to install an alternative launcher, which will completely replace the standard MIUI interface and allow for flexible widget customization.

• 📱 Nova Launcher – supports widget hiding, gestures and deep customization.
• 🎨 Lawnchair is an open source lightweight launcher optimized for weak devices.
• ⚡ Hyperion Launcher – imitates pure Android without unnecessary widgets.

After the launcher is installed:

1. Press the Home button and select the new launcher as the main one.
2. Clutch your finger on the unnecessary widget and drag it to Delete.
3. In the launcher settings (Nova Settings → App & widget drawers), you can completely disable the display of widgets.

🔹 Disadvantage of the method: Some functions MIUI (For example, Second Space or Game Turbo may not work properly with third-party launchers, and there may be problems with navigation gestures on Redmi with a notch in the screen (for example, Redmi Note 11 Pro).+).

Method 5: Removal through Developer Mode (for experienced)

This is the most difficult, but also the most effective way, which works even for "stitched" widgets, suitable for users who are not afraid to dig into the system settings.

Step 1: Activate the Developer Mode:

1. Go to Settings. → The phone.
2. Click on the MIUI version 7 times in a row until you become a developer!

Step 2: Turn off unnecessary widgets:

1. Back to Settings → Additionally. → For developers.
2. Find the option to Do Not Show Widgets (or Disable System Widgets in Newer Versions).
3. In the list, tick the widgets you want to hide and confirm.

⚠️ Note: On some devices (POCO F4 GT, Redmi K50) When you turn off the widgets, the notification panel may disappear through the developer mode. To return it, restart your phone or reset the launcher settings to Settings. → Annexes → Application management → Launcher → Warehouse → Clear the data.

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Before changing the developer settings, back up the home screen. To do this, go to Settings → Additional → Backup and Reset → Local Backup and save the current configuration.

Frequent problems and their solutions

Even after removal, widgets sometimes come back or behave incorrectly, and here are the most common situations and ways to fix them:

• 🔄 The widget appears after the reboot: This is typical for system widgets (Mi Security, Cleaner). Solution - disable auto-update widgets in Settings → Accounts and synchronization → Autosynchronization of data.
• 📱 Weather widget not removed: This widget is tied to the Mi Weather system app. To remove it, first turn off automatic location in weather settings, then try to remove the widget again.
• ⚙️ All widgets disappeared after the update MIUI: Reset the launcher settings: Settings → Annexes → Launcher → Clear the cache.

If the widget is associated with a pre-installed app (such as Mi Video or Mi Music), it can be disabled completely:

1. Go to Settings → Applications → Application Management.
2. Find the app to which the widget is attached.
3. Click Disable (Do not delete!).

🔹 Important: Disabling system applications can lead to errors in the work MIUI. For example, disabling Mi Weather will disrupt the weather notification center.

FAQ: Answers to popular questions

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If the widget is not removed by any means, it is likely to be sewn into the firmware, in which case only installing custom firmware (for example, Pixel Experience) or using a third-party launcher will help.