Xiaomi’s current smartphones, which run MIUI shells or the new HyperOS, offer users a wide range of customization options, including instant access to weather, news, pedometer and other features without opening apps, but the abundance of elements on the screen can create visual noise, interfere with navigation, or simply not match the aesthetic preferences of the device owner.
The process of removing these elements may vary depending on the version of the Android operating system and the specific firmware modification. In some cases, a standard long-press does not work as expected, or the interface suggests removing the app shortcut instead of the widget. Understanding the nuances of the launcher is necessary for effective management of the workspace.
In this article, we will discuss all the current methods of cleaning the screen from unnecessary elements. You will learn to distinguish between types of widgets, correctly remove them with regular system tools and use additional tools to restore order. Removing the system widgets Mi Weather or Mi Music sometimes requires turning off in settings, rather than simply dragging them into the basket.
Standard method of removal by long pressing
The most common and intuitive way to get rid of the widget on Xiaomi devices is to use a context menu caused by long-term touch. This method works in the vast majority of cases on current versions of MIUI 12, 13, 14 and HyperOS. The user needs to find the item on the desktop that you want to remove, and press your finger tightly against the screen in its area.
After a short vibration or visual response, the system will go into editing mode, additional control icons will appear on the screen, and the widget itself can slightly decrease or change color. At the bottom of the display, a toolbar is usually displayed, where the key role is played by the basket icon or button that says "Delete".
Not all widgets behave the same way when you try to remove. Some system elements, such as the Google search bar or the antivirus clean widget, can be fixed by the manufacturer, in which case, with a long press, the delete menu may be missing, and you will need to use alternative methods, which will be discussed below.
Why is the widget not removed by long pressing?
Removal through desktop editing mode
If a simple long press causes the app menu rather than the widget, or if you need to remove several elements at once, it is more convenient to use the full desktop editing mode. To enter this mode on many versions of MIUI, you just need to pinch two fingers (mix them together) on the free area of the screen or press a special button in the widget menu.
In this mode, all the pages of the desktop are reduced, and the user gets an overview of the entire structure of folders and widgets, so you can not only delete items, but also change their order, move between pages or hide entire pages, this is especially useful in a global restructuring of the interface.
To remove the widget in this mode, you need to:
- 🗑️ Click on the minus icon or cross in the corner of the widget if it is displayed in preview mode.
- 📲 Drag the widget to the top of the screen where a red zone will appear that says “Delete” or “Remove».
- 📄 Click the Page Management button (usually at the bottom), select the widget page and delete it completely if it is no longer needed.
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Use pinch mode to quickly assess cluttered screens. Often users forget about widgets on page 3 or 4, which only consume RAM.
Work with widgets in the new HyperOS and MIUI 14
HyperOS shell and later versions of MIUI 14 brought significant changes in the logic of desktop interaction, with the introduction of a smart folder and larger widgets that occupy several grid cells, and the mechanics of removing them have become more stringent: accidental deletion has become more difficult, but finding the delete button is sometimes difficult.
Newer interfaces emphasize visual purity: Widgets often have a transparent background and are integrated into wallpaper; when you try to remove such an element, the system can request confirmation of action to prevent loss of important data or settings; and the behavior of drag and drop has changed: the removal zone is now often hidden and only appears after the object begins to move.
Features of removal in new versions:
- 🔍 When you press the weather widget long enough, you can open detailed information, not the edit menu, in which case you need to click again on the widget header or select the option “Edit” in the menu that appears.
- 🧩 Smart Folders widgets are removed as normal applications, but their content (icons inside) can remain on the desktop if you do not select the option “Delete folder and contents».
- ⚙️ Some widgets in HyperOS are linked to either Mi Home or Mi Health services, and deleting them may require disabling syncs in the respective applications.
Removal of system and non-removable widgets
There is a category of widgets that Xiaomi considers critical or compulsively promotes, including the “Security,” “Conductor,” “Music” widgets and Google’s search bar, which are often impossible to remove by standard methods, as the delete button is simply inactive or absent.
To combat these elements, you can use the built-in launcher settings. In some versions of MIUI, you can turn off the display of the search bar on the home screen, and you need to go to the desktop settings, usually available through a long tap on the empty area and select Settings or gears.
If the widget cannot be removed, users resort to more radical, but effective methods:
- 🚫 Shutdown through ADB: Computer use and debugging USB Allows you to completely remove the packet responsible for the widget (for example, com.miui.weather2).
- 📵 Change of launcher: Installing a third-party launcher (Nova, Lawnchair) completely ignores system widgets MIUI, replacing them with their own analogues.
- 🎨 Use of themes: Some themes in the official Themes store do not support certain system widgets, hiding them visually.
☑️ Check before removing system widgets
⚠️ Note: Removal of system components through ADB This can cause a smartphone or a bootloop to run unsteady (cyclic reboot) and only remove packages that you are fully confident of.
Grid setting and hiding elements
Often the problem is not the widget itself, but its size or location, which interferes with usability. Xiaomi allows you to flexibly adjust the desktop grid. Changing the number of rows and columns can automatically “shift” or deform the widget, making it impossible to remove, or, conversely, make room for its comfortable placement before removal.
In the desktop settings (Settings → Desktop), you can find the Grid option, reducing the size of the cells will allow you to place more elements, but make the widgets smaller, and increasing the cells, on the contrary, can cause a large widget to stop fitting on the screen and have to be removed or replaced with a compact counterpart.
Comparison of methods of space management:
| Method | Efficiency | Difficulty | Risks. |
|---|---|---|---|
| Long press. | Tall. | Low. | No. |
| Plug mode | Medium | Low. | No. |
| ADB team | Maximum | Tall. | High-pitched |
| Third-party launcher | Tall. | Medium | Medium. |
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The optimal balance between screen cleanliness and functionality is achieved by setting up the grid, rather than completely removing all widgets.
Solution: widgets are returned or not deleted
Users often experience a situation where a deleted widget appears again after a page is reloaded or updated, and this is typical of widgets associated with active services such as the "Widget Tape" (swipe left) or the Glance/Lockscreen Magazine news widgets.
If the widget isn't removed, it might be fixed to the Widget Ribbon (one screen), and to get it out of there, swipe to the left-hand side, scroll to the bottom and select Settings, where you can turn off unnecessary content sources like Yandex, News, or Recommendations.
Also worth checking is the battery settings. MIUI's aggressive energy saving can kill the processes responsible for removing the elements correctly, or, conversely, restore them for quick loading. Try removing restrictions for the Desktop application in Settings → Battery → Permissions.
⚠️ Note: If the widget is constantly reappearing, check the installed applications. Some programs (cliners, antiviruses, browsers) have the right to add their widgets to the home screen without the explicit consent of the user at each update.