Modern Xiaomi smartphones running MIUI shells or the new HyperOS provide users with a wide range of customization options. Widgets allow you to keep important information in plain sight, but over time the main screen can turn into a chaotic pile of elements that not only looks unaesthetic, but also makes navigation difficult. Often users are faced with a situation where standard removal methods do not work, or accidentally installed elements block access to application icons.
In this article, we will take a look at all the ways to remove the widget from the Xiaomi home screen, from basic actions to solving specific problems that arise in different versions of the firmware. You will learn how to manage the desktop space, remove system widgets that are usually hidden, and optimize the display of content to improve the productivity of your smartphone use.
The removal process may vary slightly depending on the version of the Android operating system and the specific shell modification installed on your device. Below are generic methods that are relevant to most models, including the Redmi Note series, Xiaomi Mi and POCO F.
Basic method of removing widgets in MIUI and HyperOS
The most common and easy way to get rid of an unnecessary item on your desktop is to use a standard long-press gesture, which works 95% of the time for custom widgets like weather, clock, calendar or news feeds, and you need to find the target object on the screen and hold your finger on the surface for about one second.
After you press the interface for a long time, it goes into editing mode, at which point a frame may appear around the widget, and a toolbar will pop up at the top or bottom of the screen, and that's where the control buttons, including the removal function, are located. Depending on the launcher version, the button may be called "Delete", "With the basket" or have a graphical designation of the garbage can.
If you see a pop-up menu with multiple options after a long press, select Delete or Remove. In some cases, especially in older versions of MIUI, it is enough to drag the widget to the top of the screen where a red zone will appear that says "Delete." Release your finger when the zone lights up and the widget disappears from the desktop.
☑️ Algorithm for removing the widget
It is worth noting that some system widgets embedded deep in the shell may not have a standard delete button on the first click. In such situations, the system may only suggest moving or resizing. If a standard gesture does not lead to the desired result, it is possible that the layout lock mode is activated or the widget is part of the system folder.
Removing widgets when the screen is blocked
One of the common reasons users can’t remove the widget is the activated Desktop Block feature, which is designed to protect against accidental changes to the interface, but often prevents you from making edits if you need to, and if you don’t get anything done or edit menus when you press the widget long enough, the first thing to do is check the lock status.
You need to go to the launcher settings. In the free desktop space, pinch your two fingers (put them together) or press the empty area for a long time to call the page editing menu. In the menu that appears, find the Settings button (usually a gear) or the lock icon. If the lock is closed, click on it to unlock the possibility of changes.
⚠️ Note: In some versions of HyperOS, layout lock settings can be entered into a separate “More” menu in the lower right corner of the page editing screen. Don’t ignore this tab if the main settings menu doesn’t have the right switch.
Once you unlock the layout, repeat the long-press widget procedure, and you should now have full access to the control functions of the object, including removing it. If even after unlocking the widget is not removed, check if it is part of a widget folder or a special system container that requires a different approach.
There is also a possibility that the device has a third-party launcher that intercepts desktop control, in which case the algorithm of actions may differ from the standard one for Xiaomi. Check the Desktop section in the phone settings to make sure that the standard launcher System Launcher is used.
Working with folder widgets and component elements
In the shells of MIUI and HyperOS, the feature of combining widgets and applications into a single interactive zone is popular. Often users confuse the folder widget with a regular widget. If you delete an item that is a group of applications with a live background or news feed, standard deletion can delete the entire folder along with the applications inside.
To remove only the widget from the folder without losing the application, you need to open the folder itself. Inside the folder, there is often a customization or edit button (usually in the form of a pencil or three dots), clicking on it, you can turn off the widget display inside the folder container, leaving the application icons in place.
- 📁 Open the folder containing the problem element and find the settings button inside it.
- 🗑️ Select the option “Delete widget” or “Hide” to clear the folder of excess content.
- 📲 If the widget is part of a smart folder, deleting it may require disabling the "Recommendations" function in the launcher settings.
Special attention should be paid to widgets, which are shortcuts for quick customization (such as Wi-Fi switches, flashlights) often look like widgets, but are technically settings shortcuts. Their removal usually occurs in the same way as removing normal application icons: long-press and drag to the removal area.
What is a MIUI Smart Folder?
Removing widgets through the menu "Widgets" and settings
Newer versions of the HyperOS shell and recent MIUI updates have a centralized widget store where you can manage already installed elements, a technique that is especially useful if the widget is stuck on the screen and does not respond to touch, or if the interface is unstable.
To use this method, go to desktop editing mode (two finger pinch). At the bottom of the screen, select "Widgets." This displays the library of all available widgets. Find the one you want to delete in the list. If the widget is active and placed on the desktop, a delete button or a basket icon may appear next to it or inside its preview.
An alternative way is through the global system settings. Go to Settings → Desktop. You can find widget management options here, although the functionality of this section varies from model to model. In some cases, you can turn off the display of certain system widgets, such as Wallpaper Carousel or Screen Usage Statistics, which are embedded in the desktop at a deep level.
| Type of widget | Deleting method | Possible challenges |
|---|---|---|
| User (Weather, Clock) | Long pressing → Delete | No. |
| Systemic (Search, News) | Settings of the launcher → Disable | May demand a launcher reset |
| Folder widget | Inside the folder → Settings | Risk of removing applications |
| Fixed (Carousel) | Settings → Wallpaper carousel | Requires shutdowns in deep settings |
Using the widget menu also allows you to clear the cache of a particular widget if it doesn't work properly. To do this, in the widget list, click on the information icon (usually the letter "i" in a circle) next to the widget name and select "Clear Data." This can solve the problem with the hanging element, which can then be deleted in a standard way.
Solving problems: when the widget is not removed
There are situations where the widget categorically refuses to be removed by any standard methods, this can be caused by a software failure, damage to the launcher configuration file or conflict with a newly installed application. If a long press is ignored, and there are no disable options in the settings, a more radical approach will be required.
The first step in solving this problem is to clean the launcher data. This action will return the desktop settings to the factory, delete all widgets and reset the location of the icons, but will not affect your personal files, contacts or installed applications. To perform this operation, go to Settings → Apps → All applications.
In the list, find the Desktop app (or System Launcher). Click on it, then select Memory and click Clear or Reset. After that, the phone can restart or just update the desktop, all widgets disappear, and you can reconfigure the screen by adding only the necessary elements.
⚠️ Warning: Resetting the launcher will remove all the folders and widgets you created from desktops. App icons will be sorted alphabetically or in standard order. Remember the location of important shortcuts in advance if you don't want to spend time searching for them.
If even resetting the launcher didn’t help, it may be an application with administrator rights or deep system privileges, in which case, check the list of applications with administrator privileges in Settings → Passwords and Security → Privacy → Special Access → Administrator Apps. Disabling permissions for a suspicious application can unlock the ability to delete its widget.
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Before resetting your launcher settings, take screenshots of the current location of the icons, which will greatly simplify the process of restoring the usual desktop structure after cleaning.
Hiding system widgets and wallpaper carousels
Special attention should be paid to widgets that are part of the Xiaomi ecosystem, such as Lock Screen Magazine or the Google/Yandex search bar at the top of the screen. They can not simply be deleted as a normal file, because they are integrated into the system.
To turn off the wallpaper carousel, go to Settings → Wallpaper → Wallpaper carousel (or through the lock screen settings). Find the "Enable Wallpaper Carousel" switch and deactivate it. This will remove the widget from the main screen and stop automatically changing images on the lock screen.
To remove the search bar, which often looks like a widget at the top of the screen, make a long press on the empty desktop, select Settings, and find Desktop Search or Google. The switch to Off will hide this element, freeing up additional space.
- 🔍 Search bar is removed through launcher settings in the "Search" section".
- 🖼️ The wallpaper carousel is turned off in the theme or lock screen settings.
- 📰 The “Google Discover” news feed (left screen) can be turned off in the launcher settings by moving the “Google” slider to the left.
It is important to understand the difference between deleting and disabling: A deactivated widget stops consuming battery and Internet resources, but its files remain in the phone’s memory, which is the best option for system components that may be needed in the future.
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System widgets like Wallpaper Carousel cannot be removed completely without root rights, but they can be effectively disabled through settings, which is equivalent to being deleted for the average user.