How to permanently remove the widget tape on Xiaomi Redmi Note 8: a step-by-step guide

Xiaomi Redmi Note 8 with a shell MIUI offers users a convenient tape of widgets to the left of the main screen — but not everyone likes it. Some consider it useless, someone is annoyed with constant updates of weather and news, and someone simply does not have enough space for their own widgets. In this article, we will discuss all the working ways to remove the tape widgets on the Redmi Note 8 — from simple concealment to complete shutdown by system methods.

It's important to understand that the widget tape in MIUI is integrated at the firmware level, so you can't remove it with a single button, but there are workarounds, both official (through settings) and semi-official (using ADB or third-party utilities), and we tested each method on the Redmi Note 8 with MIUI 12.5-14, and collected only those that are guaranteed to work without the risk of "bricking" the device.

If you're ready to get rid of an unnecessary interface element, read on. And if you're in doubt whether you need a widget tape at all, take a quick survey:

1.What is the Widget Ribbon in MIUI and why you want to remove it

The widget tape (or left MIUI screen) is an additional panel that opens with a swipe to the right of the main screen.

• 🌤️ Weather widget with 5-day forecast;
• 📰 News Feed (often in Chinese or English);
• 📅 Calendar and reminders;
• 🎵 Music widgets (if installed Xiaomi player).

On paper, it sounds convenient, but in practice, many users of the Redmi Note 8 face problems:

• 🔄 Automatic content updates consume traffic and battery power;
• 📱 Random swipes open the tape instead of the desired screen;
• 🌐 News often in foreign languages or irrelevant;
• 🚫 It is not possible to add your widgets (for example, from Google or third-party apps).

In addition, the widget feed doesn’t sync with Google Now (as opposed to pure Android), making it useless for users of Google services. And if you use alternative launchers like Nova Launcher or Action Launcher, duplicate MIUI tape only gets in the way.

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If you don't like the news in the feed, you can turn it off separately: go to Settings → Security folder → Cleaner → Settings → Disable recommendations. This won't remove the tape completely, but will make it less intrusive.

Method 2: Simple Hiding of Widget Ribbons (without root)

The safest and most reversible method is to disable the swipe gesture that opens the tape, which won't physically remove it, but it will make it unavailable 90 percent of the time.

1. Open the settings on the phone;
2. Go to the desktop (or Home in some versions of MIUI)
3. Select the Desktop Settings;
4. Find the left screen option (or the widget tape);
5. Turn off the slider Show left screen.

After that, swipe right from the main screen will stop opening the tape.

• ✅ The tape will remain in the system, but will not interfere with;
• ⚠️ In some versions MIUI The option is hidden – then you need another way;
• 🔄 After updating the firmware settings can be reset.

If this item is not on the menu, your version of MIUI doesn't support it, so move on to the next method.

Method 2: Disconnect via ADB (without root but with PC)

If the hidden settings didn’t work, you can disable the widget tape with the ADB command. This method doesn’t require superuser rights, but it will require a computer and 5 minutes of time.

You'll need:

• 💻 Computer with Windows/macOS/Linux;
• 📱 Cable USB (preferably original);
• 🔧 Included debugging by USB phone-on;
• 📥 Utility. ADB (You can download from the official Android website).

Step-by-step:

1. Turn on USB Debugging on Redmi Note 8: Settings → About Phone → MIUI Version (tap 7 times until “You’re a developer”) Settings → Additional → Developers → Debugging on USB (enable)
2. Connect the phone to the PC and confirm the trusted device;
3. Open the command prompt (or Terminal on macOS/Linux) in the ADB folder.
4. Enter the command: adb shell pm hide com.miui.miservice This command does not remove the application, but only hides it from the system, so the risk is minimal.
5. Reboot the phone.

If the widget tape disappeared after the reboot, the method worked. If not, try an alternative command:

adb shell pm disable-user --user 0 com.miui.miservice

Debugging is on. USB|Installed drivers Xiaomi on PC|Download utility ADB|The phone is connected in file transfer mode (MTP)-->

⚠️ Warning: If the phone starts to glitches after the command is executed (for example, system applications stopped working), return everything back with the command: adb shell pm unhide com.miui.miservice or adb shell pm enable com.miui.miservice

Method 3: Removal through third-party launchers

If you don’t really want to use a standard MIUI launcher, you can replace it with an alternative one (like Nova Launcher, Action Launcher or Lawnchair).Most third-party launchers don’t support MIUI widget tape, so it will automatically disappear.

How it works:

1. Install any launcher from Google Play (we recommend Nova Launcher).
2. When you first start, select it as the default launcher.
3. Customize your desktop – the MIUI widget tape will no longer appear.

Pros of the method:

• ✅ Does not require rooting or ADB;
• ✅ Provides more opportunities for customization;
• ✅ It works on any version. MIUI.

Cons:

• ⚠️ Certain functions MIUI (For example, double-touch locking may not work;
• 📱 Possible bugs with the display of icons;
• 🔄 When the launcher is reset by default, the tape can return.

If you decide to go back to the standard launcher, the widget tape will reappear – but it can be hidden again in the first way.

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The launcher side is the safest way to get rid of the widget tape, but they change the usual MIUI interface. If you care about the "native" shell, choose other methods.

5. Method 4: Complete removal of system applications (root only)

If you have root rights (like Magisk), you can remove the widget tape permanently by removing the system applications responsible for it, and this is the most radical and irreversible method without flashing it.

Which apps are responsible for the widget tape:

How to delete:

1. Install a file manager with root support (such as Root Explorer or FX File Explorer).
2. Go to /system/app/ or /system/priv-app/
3. Find the folders with the names from the table above;
4. Remove them or rename them (add at the end of.bak);
5. Reboot the phone.

⚠️ Attention: Removing system applications can lead to unstable phone operation, interface errors, or even freezes.Before deleting, back up through TWRP Or Orange Backup. If you have problems after deleting, restore deleted files from the backup.

6. Method 5: Reverse the firmware to a version without the widget tape

In older versions of MIUI (before MIUI 10), there were no widget tapes at all, and if you're critical to get rid of it, you can roll back to earlier firmware, but there are serious downsides to this method:

Pros:

• ✅ The widget tape will disappear forever;
• ✅ Possibility to use “clean" MIUI functionless.

Cons:

• ⚠️ Loss of new features and security patches;
• 🔒 Possible problems with application compatibility;
• 📱 Risk of “bricking” with improper rollback;
• 🔄 It is difficult to return to the new version without a complete reset.

If you do decide, follow the instructions:

1. Download the archive with the necessary firmware from the Xiaomi Firmware Updater website;
2. Unclose the file and put it in a folder downloaded_rom phone-on;
3. Go to Settings → About the phone → System update;
4. Click on the three dots in the upper right corner and select Select the firmware file;
5. Select the downloaded file and wait for the installation to be completed.

Once rolled back, the widget tape will disappear, but you will lose all the data on the phone (if you don’t back up), a method only suitable for advanced users who are willing to sacrifice the relevance of the firmware to remove one element of the interface.

7. Frequent mistakes and how to avoid them

When trying to remove the widget tape, Redmi Note 8 users often face problems.

If none of the methods worked, check:

• 📱 Version MIUI (Settings → The phone. → Version. MIUI);
• 🔧 Updates (sometimes bugs are fixed in new versions);
• 🛠️ System File Integrity (through Settings) → Security folder → System verification).

FAQ: Answers to Frequent Questions