Modern Xiaomi and Redmi smartphones, which are based on the MIUI shell and the new HyperOS, offer users a lot of widgets to personalize the interface. However, sometimes this functionality turns into an inconvenience: Notes or Notes widgets appear on the screen that overlap the wallpaper, prevent the launch of applications or simply are not needed at the moment.
There are several ways to remove these elements, and the choice of method depends on what you want to do: completely remove the widget from the screen, clear the list of recent notes inside the widget or hide the application icon from the menu. In this article, we will discuss all the nuances of working with memory widgets on Xiaomi smartphones, including hidden launcher settings and system restrictions.
It's important to understand that the desktop widget is just a shortcut for quick access, not the app itself. So removing it won't affect your data if it's not synced to the cloud and you haven't accidentally deleted the app itself. We'll look at secure interface cleanup methods that will help you get your smartphone back to its tidy look.
Removing the standard widget from the main screen
The most obvious and commonly used way to get rid of the interference element is to simply remove it from the desktop. This is a method that works if the widget is accidental or you don't plan on using it temporarily. The removal process is intuitive, but the MIUI and HyperOS shells have their own long-press behaviors.
To start, unlock your smartphone and go to the screen where the interference element is located. Find the Notes widget (it can be called Notes or Notes depending on the language of the system). Point your finger at it and hold the touch for 1-2 seconds until the interface goes into editing mode, at which point icons and widgets usually begin to shake or shrink in size.
⚠️ Warning: If after a long press a menu with “Change” or “Widget Settings” appears, don’t be afraid. you need to find the “Delete” button (often indicated by a basket or cross at the top of the screen) and drag the widget there.
Once you drag the item to the removal area, it disappears from the screen. If you have themes synced, the system can suggest that you restore the standard layout view — only agree if you want to return everything as it was when you bought it. Otherwise, just confirm the removal.
It is worth noting that on some firmware versions, deleting the widget can be blocked if it is part of the Must-have system suite for a given region, in which case temporary region switching in settings or using third-party launchers helps, as we will discuss below.
Clearing the history and contents of the note widget
Often, users are annoyed not by the fact that the widget is present, but by the fact that it displays confidential or simply unnecessary entries. The Notes widget on Xiaomi by default shows the latest created or edited entries. To remove text from the screen without removing the widget itself, you need to clear the history inside the application.
Open the Notes app through the menu of all apps. Find the entry that appears on the widget. Click on it to open, and select deletion. Once you delete the entry from the main storage, the widget automatically updates and shows the next entry on the list, or becomes empty if there are no more records.
- 🗑️ Swipe Delete: In the list of all notes, swipe from right to left on the desired record and press the red delete button that appears.
- 📂 Cleaning up the Recent folder: Sometimes notes are saved in system folders. Check the Images or Audio sections inside the Notes app if there are any extra files.
- ⚙️ Display settings: In some versions MIUI You can click on the widget itself (short press) to immediately go to edit the list of displayed notes.
If you want the widget to be always empty, create a new note with the name "." or space, without adding text, and then delete all the other entries. The widget will display this "empty" note, creating the illusion of a clean screen.
You can also hide specific notes from prying eyes with Hidden Notes, so when you create or edit a note, click three dots in the corner of the screen and select the appropriate item. Hidden notes will not appear on the widget without entering a password or fingerprint.
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To make the note widget always look neat, use the Favorites feature. Stick one neutral note in your favorites, and the widget will show that one, ignoring the new garbage.
Configure widgets through the editing menu
Xiaomi shells allow you not only to remove, but also to customize the appearance of widgets. This is especially true for the Notes widget, which can have different sizes and styles. Through the settings menu, you can change the font size, background color or number of lines displayed.
To get into the settings menu, make a long tap on the widget. In the context menu that appears, select Settings widget (if available for this version). Here you can see options for changing style. For example, HyperOS has transparent widgets that merge with the wallpaper and become less visible.
| Parameter | Description | Screen impact |
|---|---|---|
| Size (Size) | Change of dimensions (1x1, 2x2, 4x2) | It takes up less space, frees up space for icons. |
| Style (Style) | Classical, Minimalist, Transparent | Changes visual perception, makes it less catchy |
| Font (Font) | Text size and fattyness | Reducing font allows you to fit more text into a small widget |
| Color (Color) | Selection of the theme of design | Allows you to harmonize the widget with the current theme of the system |
If the standard tools don’t work, you can use third-party apps from Google Play that offer alternative widgets for notes, which often have more flexible transparency and size settings.
Remember that changing the size of the widget can cause other icons to shift on the desktop, and it is recommended to adjust when the screen has a minimum number of important shortcuts, so that nothing is lost sight of.
☑️ Checking the widget settings
Hiding the app icon from the app menu
Removing the widget from the desktop does not hide the app itself from the menu. The Notes icon will remain in the general list of programs. If your goal is to completely remove the traces of the existence of this application from view (for example, for a child or to avoid confusion), you can use the app hide feature.
MIUI and HyperOS have a built-in Hidden Apps feature. To activate it, open the Security app (green lightning icon). Scroll down to Hidden Apps or search it through an in-app search. Turn on the switch and add Notes to the hidden list.
After that, the icon will disappear from the general menu, so to run the application, you will need to enter a special password in the All Apps interface, or use a fingerprint if this option is configured, which creates an additional level of privacy.
⚠️ Note: Hiding an application does not delete its data. All your records will remain in the memory of the phone. However, the widgets of the hidden application may stop working or update on the desktop.
The alternative is to use Second Space, and you can create a separate user profile where the Notes app simply won't be installed or it's empty, and you can switch between spaces through a password or a special fingerprint.
For advanced users, there is the option of freezing the application through ADB or root rights, but this can lead to unstable system operation, as Notes is a system component of Xiaomi.
Using third-party launchers for full customization
If standard MIUI tools don't seem flexible enough, the best solution is to install a third-party launcher. Launcher is a program that completely replaces the desktop, application menu and control panel. Popular options are Nova Launcher, Microsoft Launcher, Smart Launcher.
Once you install the launcher from the Play Market and assign it to the default app, you will have full control over the widgets. You will be able to remove the standard Notes widget and replace it with any other one, change the screen grid, remove icon signatures, and even hide the system's standard apps.
- 🚀 Nova Launcher: Allows you to create invisible shortcuts and has the most powerful widget editor.
- 🎨 Microsoft Launcher: It integrates well with OneNote notes, replacing Xiaomi’s standard Notes.
- 🧹 Smart Launcher: Automatically sorts applications and allows you to flexibly configure widgets on the home screen.
When switching to a third-party launcher, be prepared for the fact that some of Xiaomi’s branded features (such as one-hand gestures or specific swipes) may work differently or require additional customization.
On low-end Redmi or Poco models with a small amount of RAM, this can lead to more frequent closure of background applications.
How do you get back the standard launcher?
Solving problems: the widget is not removed or returned
Sometimes users encounter bugs when the Notes widget cannot be removed, it returns after a reboot or the delete button is inactive.This may be due to launcher cache errors or system update conflict.
First, try clearing the cache of the desktop system application. Go to Settings → Apps → All apps, find Desktop (or System Launcher), click Clear → Clear Cache. This will not delete your data, but reset the icon display settings.
If the problem persists, check if Screen Sticking or Parental Controls are enabled, which can block the change in desktop structure, and check for updates to the Notes system and app in the GetApps or Play Market store.
In extreme cases, if the widget is part of an intrusive advertising block (often in Chinese versions of firmware), it will help to disable the recommendation in the launcher settings. Go to the desktop settings and disable the "Receive recommendations" or "Tape widgets".
⚠️ Warning: Resetting the launcher settings will return all icons and widgets to their original state. Before this action, make sure you remember the location of important folders, or take a screenshot of the desktop.
If nothing works, you can try temporarily changing the region in your phone settings (for example, India or the United States), removing the widget, and then returning the region back, often shaking up the widget system settings.
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If standard methods don’t work, cleaning the desktop app cache solves 90% of the problems with undeleteable widgets on Xiaomi.