Xiaomi’s current smartphones, which run on MIUI and HyperOS shells, offer users a variety of visual elements for personalization. However, often after buying or updating the system, users find extra widgets, news feeds or recommendations on the lock screen that not only occupy usable space, but also consume Internet traffic. Deleting these elements can seem difficult, as manufacturers hide the appropriate settings in different sections of the menu.
In this article, we’ll take a look at all the ways you can remove a widget from your Xiaomi lock screen, whether it’s a Glance system component, part of the theme, or the result of installing a third-party app. Understanding the source of the widget is the first step to getting your device running clean and fast.
We will look at both standard methods through system settings, and deeper ways to control through theme menu and special applications. A clean lock screen not only looks more aesthetically pleasing, but also allows you to unlock the gadget faster without being distracted by extraneous information.
Identification of the widget type on the lock screen
Before you start deleting, you need to determine exactly which mechanism displays unwanted content on your device. In the Xiaomi ecosystem, three main components can be responsible for this: the Glance system service (formerly known as Lock Screen Magazine), built-in MIUI shell widgets or third-party applications that have received appropriate permissions. Incorrect identification of the source will cause the widget to reappear after a reboot.
Note the behavior of the item. If images change automatically every time the screen is turned on, the lock log is likely activated. If only the weather or currency rate is static, this may be part of the established theme. Third-party launchers and memory cleanup applications also often implement their widgets without the user's knowledge.
⚠️ Note: Some system widgets, such as watches or battery status, are part of an active design theme and are not removed by standard methods until the theme itself is changed to standard.
To determine the exact source, try pressing the widget area for a long time. If the edit or delete menu appears, you are on the right track. If the screen just goes out or unlocks, the settings are hidden in deep areas of the system.
Disabling Glance service and lock log
The most common reason for newsfeeds and changing wallpapers is Glance (called Lock Screen Magazine or Wallpaper Carousel in some regions), which is built into the system and is often activated by default when you first set up your smartphone or after a major HyperOS update.
Navigation may vary depending on the firmware version. You need to find the section responsible for the lock screen. In newer versions of MIUI, the path often looks like Settings → Lock screen. In older versions or global firmware, look for Wallpaper Carousel or Glance for Xiaomi in the general list of applications.
- 📱 Open your smartphone settings and go to the Lock Screen section.
- 🔍 Find a switch called Glance, Lock Log, or Wallpaper Carousel.
- ❌ Transfer the switch to the "Switched off" position and confirm the action if the system requests confirmation.
- 🗑️ If there is a button "Clear cache" or "Remove downloaded wallpaper", use it to free up memory.
Once the service is disabled, the lock screen will return to the static image you installed as wallpaper.The Glance service can continue to work in the background if you do not turn it off completely, so it is also recommended to check the list of installed applications and, if necessary, disable notifications for the Glance system component.
☑️ Checking out the Glance shutdown
Managing widgets through the Topics menu
Users are often surprised where complex widgets with currency rates, pedometers or quotes came from on the lock screen. 90% of the time, these elements are part of a third-party theme downloaded from the Themes store. Xiaomi's standard theme usually contains only a clock and date, but third-party designers are actively using the lock screen space.
To remove these widgets, you don't have to delete the whole theme, although this is the fastest way. You can try editing the theme components if this is supported. However, the most effective method is to go back to the classic design. Go to the Themes app on your device.
In the user profile (human icon), select My Themes. Here you will see a list of all installed designs. Select a standard theme (usually called Classic, Default or has a MIUI logo) and click Apply. This action will reset all the widgets of the lock screen to the factory look.
| Type of element | Source of origin | Deleting method | Difficulty |
|---|---|---|---|
| News and articles | Glance/Lock Screen Magazine Service | Settings → Lock screen | Low. |
| Currency rate/Shares | Third-party theme of design | Replacement of the topic with standard | Low. |
| Banner advertisements | Third-party application (virus/junk) | Removing suspicious APK | Medium |
| Weather (animation) | Theme component or MIUI widget | Theme editor or widget settings | Tall. |
If the widgets are left after the theme change, they may be part of the MIUI+ system widget or other system service, in which case a long tap on the widget area (if the screen is responsive) to call the delete menu will help.
Why do widgets come back after the reboot?
Removal of third-party applications and widgets
When advertising or unknown widgets appear on the lock screen, it often indicates the installation of unwanted software, such as “memory cleaners”, “battery accelerators” or flashlight applications that mask their activity as system processes.
Carefully review the list of newly installed programs. Often these apps don’t have an icon on the menu or are hidden under neutral names like “System Service” or “Update.” Go to Settings → Applications → All applications and sort the list by installation time.
- 🕵️ Find an app with a suspicious name or missing icon.
- 🚫 Click on it and select "Delete." If the button is inactive, first click "Permissions" and turn off the right to "Display over other windows".
- 🛡️ Use the built-in Security antivirus to scan your system for malware.
⚠️ Note: If the application is not removed in the standard way, it may have received device administrator privileges. → Passwords and security → Confidentiality → Special permits → Device administrators and revoke the rights of suspicious software.
After removing the malicious application, it is recommended to restart the smartphone, which will allow the system to clear temporary files and permanently remove the remnants of the code responsible for displaying the widget on the lock screen. Digital hygiene is important for the security of your data.
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Before you delete an unknown application, take a screenshot of the lock screen with a widget to help identify the application by the process name in the Task Manager if the name in the application menu is hidden.
Configure the MIUI 14 and HyperOS widgets
In the current versions of MIUI 14 and the new HyperOS, Xiaomi has introduced a new widget system that allows more flexible control of the screen content. However, the same update has brought new ways of widgets. Now some of them can be removed directly from the lock screen, if the theme supports it.
Try unlocking your phone, but not swiping up, but sticking on the lock screen. In some configurations, you get an edit button or a pencil in the corner. Pressing it puts the screen in edit mode, where you can remove the extra drops. If you don't, use the long press method.
For deep customization, go to Settings → Lock screen → Watch format or Lock screen style. Here you can choose the "Classic" option, which is guaranteed to remove all modern widgets and only save time. Customization of the interface in new firmware allows you to create a minimalist design.
It's also worth checking the Smart Lock Screen settings, which analyzes your habits and can show taxi, food delivery, or alarm widgets at specific times, and turn off this option if you want a static picture.
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In HyperOS, widget management has become more centralized, but complete removal often requires a reset of the theme to the standard, since third-party themes take precedence over system display settings.
Solving problems with undeleteable widgets
There are times when the widget on the lock screen Xiaomi is not removed by any of the above methods, it can be "stitched" into a specific modification of the firmware for a particular region or be the result of a failure of system files, in such situations requires a more radical approach.
The first step is to clean up the system applications that handle the theme and lock screen. → Annexes → All applications, find the Themes and Wallpapers app. For each, select "Clean" → "Clear all data." This will reset the cache and display settings.
The path to the data reset:
Settings → Applications → All Applications → (Menu 3 points) → Show System → Themes → Clean → Clean all dataIf that doesn’t work, check if Kiosk or Guest Mode is enabled, which can limit interface changes, and make sure that the device doesn’t activate superuser rights (Root), which can block the change of widget system files by third-party utilities.
- 🔄 Completely reboot the device (not just turn off the screen, but restart it).
- 📉 Try temporarily shutting down the internet so the widget can’t load the content, and check if it disappears.
- 💾 Back up your data and consider resetting to factory settings if the widget critically interferes with work.