How to Remove Empty Desktops on Xiaomi TV: 5 Proven Ways

Have you turned on a Xiaomi TV, and instead of a regular launcher, a few empty desktops that only take up space and interfere with navigation? This problem is familiar to many owners of Mi TV, Redmi TV and other models based on MIUI TV or Android TV. Empty screens appear after updates, resets or even for no apparent reason - but removing them is not as easy as it seems.

In this article, we’ll break down 5 workable ways to get rid of unnecessary desktops, including hidden developer settings, launcher resets, and manually editing configuration files. You’ll learn why standard methods (like long-pressing screens) often don’t work, and what to do if empty pages return after a reboot. The instructions are relevant for all modern Xiaomi models, from the budget Redmi Smart TV to the flagship Mi TV Q2 and Mi TV Master.

Why are there empty desktops on Xiaomi TV?

The problem with empty screens is related to the features of the MIUI TV shell, which is based on Android TV, but has its own desktop management algorithms.

• 🔄 Firmware update: After installing the new version MIUI TV The system can reset the launcher settings, creating "spare" empty screens.
• 📱 Application portability: If you have removed or moved icons from your desktop, the shell sometimes leaves a blank page instead of automatically removing it.
• 🔧 Resetting: Even a partial reset (for example, through Settings) → Annexes → Launcher → Warehouse → Clearing data) may lead to duplicate screens.
• 🤖 Sync Errors: If your TV is tied to your Xiaomi account, conflicts between local and cloud settings sometimes create “ghost” desktops.

It's important to understand that blank screens are not a bug, but a feature of MIUI TV logic that reserves space for widgets and new apps, but if there are more than two, that's too much and can be safely removed.

Method 1: Standard removal by long pressing

On most Xiaomi TVs, empty desktops can be removed in the standard way, but only if they are not locked by the system.

1. Go to the empty desktop you want to remove.
2. Press and hold OK (center button) on the remote for 3-5 seconds.
3. If the context menu appears, select Delete Desktop (or Remove screen in English firmware).
4. Confirm the action by pressing OK again.

⚠️ Note: On some models (e.g. Mi) TV 4S Redmi Smart TV X) this menu may not appear due to the limitations of the shell. If a long press does not work, proceed to the next method.

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If you have a remote with a microphone, try saying “Delete Desktop” in your voice – this works even when manual removal is blocked on some firmware.

Method 2: Reset the launcher settings without data loss

If standard deletion doesn’t work, the next step is to reset the launcher settings, which won’t affect your apps or accounts, but will return desktops to factory status (usually 1-2 screens remain).

Instructions:

1. Open Settings (cog in the upper right corner of the main screen).
2. Go to the Apps → All applications.
3. Find the Launcher (or MIUI Launcher, TV Launcher) in the list.
4. Select Warehouse → Clear the data and confirm the action.
5. Restart the TV (Settings → About TV → Reboot).

After the reboot, the empty screens should disappear. If this does not happen, check if you have a third-party launcher (for example, an ATV Launcher or Wolf Launcher) - in which case you need to reset the settings in it.

Method 3: Remove through Developer Settings

For power users, there's a deeper method, which is to turn off backup desktops through the developer menu, which works even on locked firmware, but requires caution.

Steps:

1. Activate Developer Mode: Go to Settings → About TV. Find the Build Number line and click on it 7 times in a row (you will be notified "You became a developer").

Settings

For developers

Minimum number of work desks

Minimum home screens

1

2

Save the changes and restart the TV.

⚠️ Note: On some models (Mi) TV P1, Mi TV Q1) Do not change other settings in the developer menu without understanding their purpose, which can lead to unstable operation of the system.

Method 4: Installation of a third-party launcher

If system methods don't work, a radical solution is to replace the standard launcher with an alternative one, which not only removes empty screens, but also adds new features (such as customizing icons or gestures).

The best launchers for Xiaomi TV:

• 📌 ATV Launcher is simple and lightweight, supports Russification.
• 🎨 Wolf Launcher - flexible settings, the ability to hide unnecessary applications.
• 🔧 TVLauncher - optimized for large screens, supports widgets. Available from the Mi App Store.

How to determine:

1. Download. APK-launcher file on a flash drive or through the TV browser.
2. Open the File Manager and install the application.
3. Launch the launcher and select Use by default in the settings.
4. Reboot the TV.

⚠️ Attention: On TVs with MIUI TV 4.0 and later, you may need to disable third-party launcher protection. To do this, activate the option to Allow installation from unknown sources and Debug on the developer menu. USB.

Enable debugging over USB in the developer settings

Download APK from a reliable source (not from torrents!)

Check the compatibility of the launcher with your TV model

Backup of the current launcher settings (if possible)

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Method 5: Manual removal via ADB (for advanced)

If all previous methods fail, direct editing of system files via ADB is left, which requires connecting the TV to the computer and basic command line knowledge.

What you need:

• 💻 Computer with Windows/macOS/Linux.
• 🔌 Cable USB (or Wi-Fi connection via ADB).
• 📦 Android utility SDK Platform-Tools.

Instructions:

1. Turn on USB debugging in the TV developer menu.
2. Connect the TV to your computer via USB (or Wi-Fi if supported).
3. Open the command prompt (or Terminal) and execute: Adb devices Make sure the device is identified (serial number should appear).
4. Run the command to reset the launcher settings: adb shell pm clear com.miui.tvlauncher (Other models may require a different package, such as com.xiaomi.mitv.home.)
5. Reboot TV: Adb shell reboot

If you have empty screens, you can manually change the number of desktops through the launcher database.

1. Connect to the TV through ADB and perform: adb shell su sqlite3 /data/data/com.miui.tvlauncher/databases/launcher.db UPDATE workspace_screens SET screenRank=0 WHERE screenRank>1;.exit
2. Reset the device.

⚠️ Attention: Wrong commands ADB If you are not sure about your actions, consult a specialist or use more secure methods (1-4).

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ADB-The most powerful, but also the most risky, method of teams, use it only if other methods have not worked, and you understand the consequences.

What happens when empty screens return?

Sometimes, when you delete the empty desktops, they reappear again, and this is due to the automatic resetting of the MIUI TV system, to prevent them from reappearing:

• 🔄 Turn off automatic launcher update: Go to Settings → Annexes → Launcher → Auto Update. Select Do Not Update or Wi-Fi Only.
• 📵 Reset the system cache: Settings → Warehouse → Clear the cache
• 🔒 Block the changes through ADB (Adb shell settings put global settings home_screen_lock 1

If the problem persists, try rolling back the firmware to the previous version (if available) or contact Xiaomi with a description of the TV model and MIUI TV version.

FAQ: Frequent questions about empty desktops on Xiaomi TV