How to remove Xiaomi tabs from the main screen: a step-by-step guide

Why do unnecessary tabs appear on the Xiaomi home screen and can they be removed?

Owners of Xiaomi smartphones and TVs often face a problem: the main screen automatically appears tabs Mi Home, Mi Video, Games or Recommended, which take up space and interfere with comfortable use. These elements are part of the brand shell MIUI (for smartphones) and PatchWall (for TV), but not everyone needs them.

Unfortunately, the manufacturer does not provide a direct function of “remove the tab forever” in standard settings, but there are workarounds – from hiding through the system menus to using the system. ADB-In this article, we'll look at all the ways that work for different devices: Mi TVs. TV/Redmi TV (Google TV or PatchWall and smartphones on MIUI 14/15.

It is important to understand that some methods require administrator rights or debugging. USB, So, for beginners, it's best to start with the safe options, which are either a cover-up through settings or a launcher reset. ADB-Commands and modification of system files will give maximum control.

Method 1: Hiding tabs through launcher settings (for smartphones)

On Xiaomi’s MIUI-enclosed smartphones, some tabs can be removed without additional tools, which works for a standard launcher and does not require root rights.

Instructions:

• 📱 Open the Settings. → Annexes → Application management.
• 🔍 In the search bar, type the name of an unnecessary tab (for example, Mi Home or Games).
• 🚫 Click on the app. → Disable (if the button is active) or Hide.
• 🔄 Restart the device – the tab should disappear from the main screen.

⚠️ Note: Not all system tabs can be disabled this way, for example, Recommended is often blocked by the manufacturer, in which case a launcher reset or a launcher will help. ADB.

Add a launcher to the battery optimization exceptions

Make a backup copy of the main screen

Check the MIUI version in the About Phone settings

Turn off automatic launcher update-->

Method 2: Removing tabs via ADB (for power users)

If standard methods don’t work, you can use Android Debug Bridge (ADB), a deep-tuning tool that works for smartphones and some Mi TV models with Android TVs.

Before we start:

• 🖥️ Install. ADB Tools on PC.
• 📲 Turn on Debugging. USB on the device: Settings → The phone. → Version. MIUI (press 7 times) → Return to the Additional Settings → For developers → Debugging by USB.
• 🔌 Connect the device to the PC and confirm trust in the computer.

Tab removal commands:

adb shell pm hide com.miui.home # Hiding system launcher (temporarily)


adb shell pm uninstall -k --user 0 com.xiaomi.midrop # Removes Mi Drop




adb shell pm uninstall -k --user 0 com.miui.videoglobal # Deletes Mi Video

⚠️ Attention: Misuse of the right ADB The pm hide command is reversible (tabs will return after rebooting), and pm uninstall deletes the application completely - it will have to be restored through resetting.

Method 3: Set up the main screen on Xiaomi TVs (PatchWall/Google TV)

On Mi TVs, Redmi TVs and Xiaomi TVs, tabs are managed via the PatchWall shell (for models up to 2022) or Google TV (new models).

On some models (such as Mi TV 4S or Redmi Smart TV X), tabs can be moved to the end of the list, but not removed completely.

1. Press the OK button on the remote on the unnecessary tab.
2. Select Move and drag it to the right outside the visible area.
3. Save the changes.

PatchWall (until 2022)

Google TV (2022 and later)

Mi TV Stick

I don't know.-->

Method 4: Resetting the launcher to factory settings

If the tabs came back after the update or you accidentally restored them, the launcher reset will help.This method is secure and does not affect user data.

For smartphones:

1. Go to Settings → Applications → Application Management.
2. Find Louncher (or com.miui.home).
3. Click Warehouse → Clear the data and Clear the cache.
4. Reset the device.

For TVs:

• 📺 Go to Settings. → Annexes → System applications → Launcher.
• 🧹 Select Clear Data (not Reset All Settings"!).
• 🔄 Confirm the action and wait for the reboot.

⚠️ Warning: After the launcher is reset, all shortcuts and folders on the home screen will return to factory appearance.

💡

If the tabs appear again after reset, try to disable the automatic launcher update in Google Play (for smartphones) or in the system settings (for TV).

Method 5: Using third-party launchers (for smartphones)

If the system methods didn't work, you can completely replace the standard launcher with an alternative.

• 🚀 Nova Launcher – flexible configuration, gesture support, hiding elements.
• 🎨 Lawnchair – open source, minimalist design.
• 🔧 Microsoft Launcher – Windows integration, cloud backup.

How to determine:

1. Download the launcher from Google Play.
2. Open the app and follow the setup instructions.
3. In the launcher settings, find the option to Hide system applications or Set up the main screen.
4. Check out unnecessary tabs (such as Mi Home or Games).

⚠️ Note: Some Xiaomi models (especially with the MIUI 14+) system tabs can remain in the background even after installing a third-party launcher. ADB or manual removal through TWRP.

💡

The launcher side is the most reliable way to get rid of unnecessary tabs, but they can conflict with Xiaomi’s branded features (for example, “Dual Apps” or “Mode for Children”).

Frequent Mistakes and How to Avoid Them

When trying to remove tabs, users often face typical problems:

1. Tabs are returned after the update.Solution: Disable the automatic launcher update on Google Play or through ADB: adb shell pm disable-user --user 0 com.miui.home
2. ADB does not work on your TV. Solution: Enable USB debugging in the developer settings (Settings → About TV → Software version – press 7 times).
3. All settings have been reset after the launcher was cleaned. Solution: Use the backup via Mi Cloud or third-party apps like Swift Backup.

Another common mistake is trying to remove system applications through the file manager, which can lead to bootloop if you don't know the exact paths, such as deleting the /system/priv-app/MiVideo folder without root permissions will fail.

FAQ: Answers to popular questions