Xiaomi and Redmi smartphones are famous for their flexible personalization system, but sometimes the interface of the MIUI or HyperOS shell can be saturated with unnecessary elements. Weather, news, hot apps or advertising units often take up useful space on the desktop, preventing comfortable use of the device. Users who first encountered the Chinese ecosystem may not immediately understand the nuances of interaction with these objects.
Removing the widget is a simple operation that does not require root rights or complex code manipulations. In most cases, it is enough to perform one or two touches to clear the interface of unnecessary debris. However, depending on the firmware version and the type of widget (system or third-party), the algorithm of actions may vary slightly.
In this article, we will take a closer look at all the available ways to remove items from the desktop.We will look at standard methods through editing menus, working with preinstalled services, and solving problems when a widget is not removed in the usual way. System widgets such as Google Search or Global Search often require disabling through settings rather than simply removing it from the screen.
Basic ways to remove standard widgets
The most common method, which works 95% of the time on all modern Xiaomi, Redmi and Poco smartphones, is to use desktop editing mode, which is intuitive and does not require deep immersion in the technical settings of the system. It is suitable for removing weather widgets, clocks, calendar and any other elements added by the user or installed by default.
First, you unlock your smartphone and go to the home screen. Find the widget you want to remove. Make a long finger tap right on the widget body. In a split second, the interface changes: a frame will appear around the object, and additional control buttons will appear at the top or bottom of the screen. At this point, you should not release your finger immediately, so as not to activate accidental drag and drop.
After activating the edit mode, a basket icon or button that says "Delete" usually appears at the top of the display. In some versions of MIUI, this button can be represented by a red cross. You need to drag the object into the basket area without releasing the widget (or releasing it and re-selecting it if the mode resets).
An alternative option is available if a simple drag and drop doesn't work. After a long tap on the widget when the context menu appears, select "Widget Settings" or "Change." In the window that opens, the option to remove or hide an item is often available, a method that is especially relevant for composite widgets that consist of several blocks.
☑️ Pre-deletion check
It's important to note that some widgets are part of system applications, like the Music widget tied to the Mi Music app, and if you delete the widget itself, the widget will stay in the system, and if you delete the app, the widget will disappear automatically, so before you clean the desktop, you should analyze what software is generating these visual elements.
Working with widgets in the editing mode of the desktop
The MIUI shell editing mode provides advanced screen space management capabilities, and in addition to simple deletion, you can change the size of widgets, their position, and even replace some elements with others, and understanding the logic of this mode will help you not only delete the extra, but also organize the remaining data correctly.
To enter full editing mode, pinch your two fingers on your desktop (put your fingers together). The screen will shrink and you will see all available desktops as thumbnails. In this mode, widgets are often displayed as separate blocks. By clicking on the "Widgets" button on the bottom menu, you will be taken to the library of all available items.
You can find both system and third-party elements in the widget library. If you see a widget that takes up space on the screen but can't find it on the desktop (for example, it's hidden on another page), search for it or scroll through the list. Deletion from here is not usually available, because it's a tool store, but from here you can see which widgets are active if the system highlights the ones used.
Special attention should be paid to composite widgets. The new versions of HyperOS and MIUI 14 have a feature called Super Widgets, which combine several functions. Removal of such a widget is the standard scheme: long press -> drag and drop in the cart. However, if the widget is part of the theme of the design, its removal can lead to a change in the appearance of the entire theme.
⚠️ Note: When you remove widgets that are part of paid or downloaded themes, the interface may go or return to the standard style. MIUI Themes, be prepared for the fact that removing the key widget will require applying the theme again.
You can also turn off automatic widget additions in editing mode, and go to your desktop settings (usually through the “More” menu or the gear in edit mode) and find “Add widgets to your desktop,” which will prevent new items from appearing when you install apps.
Removing widgets through application settings
Not all widgets are removed by drag and drop. Some Xiaomi and Google system services can be tightly integrated into the launcher. In such cases, removing the visual element requires tampering with the settings of the specific application that generates that widget. This is a deeper level of system management.
First, determine which app belongs to the widget. Usually the name appears when you press it long or in the About widget menu. Most often the sources of intrusive elements are: Google, Mi Browser, Mi Video, Music or Security. Go to the Settings menu → Apps → All applications.
Find the app you want and open its properties, and you're interested in the "Delete" or "Disable" button, and if the app is system and the "Delete" button are inactive (gray), use the "Disable" function, which will hide the app and all associated widgets from the desktop and menu.
| Source appendix | Type of widget | Deleting method | The risks of disconnection |
|---|---|---|---|
| Search, News | Disconnection in settings | Incapacity of the assistant | |
| Security | Cleaning up memory | Desktop removal | No (widget duplicates function) |
| Mi Browser. | News feed | Cleaning up data + disconnecting | Reset browser settings |
| Topics | Recommendations | Disabling recommendations | Theme updates will be missing |
In some cases, especially with Google widgets, simply turning off may not be enough. The widget may return after updating Google Play services. Then you need to go to the settings of the widget itself (if you have access) and uncheck the "Show on desktop" box. Also an effective method is to clean up the data of the Google application through the Settings menu → Apps → Google → Memory → Clear.
What if the widget returns after the reboot?
Cleaning of advertising widgets and tape "Global Search"
A separate category of issues are advertising widgets and embedded news feeds known as Global Search or Yandex (depending on the region), which are often perceived by users as garbage to be removed, occupying the entire screen to the left of the main desktop and containing news, advertising and recommendations.
To delete the left page with news, you need to swipe from right to left to go to this page. Then click the menu button (three dots or gear) in the corner of the screen or pinch the empty space. In the menu that opens, find the switch "Tape of widgets", "Global search" or "Yandex" and move it to the position "Off." After that, when swipe to the left, the page will no longer appear.
If you have ad widgets on your desktop that you haven't installed, it could be a sign of malware activity or aggressive behavior of installed applications. Check the list of recently installed programs. Often, these widgets create applications for "battery saving", "lightlights" or "memory cleaners".
To combat intrusive advertising in Xiaomi system applications (MSA - MIUI System Ads), it is recommended to disable recommendation receipt. Go to Settings → Passwords and security → Access to personal data. Find in the msa list and turn off the slider. Confirm the action, waiting for the countdown to end (10 seconds).
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To completely clean up the ads, it is also recommended to disable receiving recommendations in each system application separately. Go to Settings inside the Security, Downloads, Cleanup and Music apps, find the Get Recommendations section and turn it off.
It is important to distinguish between system advertising and third-party launcher widgets. If you use an alternative desktop (like Nova Launcher or Microsoft Launcher), widget management occurs through the launcher settings themselves, not through the standard Xiaomi menu.
Removal of third-party application widgets
Third-party apps from the Google Play Store often offer their own widgets for quick access to functions, such as messenger widgets, weather services (Gismeteo, Yandex.Weather), calendars or widgets from operating systems (for example, iOS widgets on Android), the mechanism for removing them is standard, but there are nuances.
When you delete the widget of a third-party app, the app itself remains in the phone's memory. If you want to get rid of the widget forever, you'd better delete the app. To do this, find the app icon in the menu, pinch it and select "Delete." All associated widgets will disappear automatically.
If you need an app but a specific widget is in the way, use the standard desktop removal method. However, some smart widgets may have their display settings inside the donor app. Go to the app's settings, look for the "Widgets" section, and check if there are any hidden or deactivated options.
⚠️ Note: When removing financial app widgets (banks, crypto trackers), make sure you don’t remove important shortcuts for quick payments if you use them daily. Restore the exact configuration of the widget (size, color, data) can be more difficult than re-create it.
Often users confuse widgets and "live wallpaper." If you try to remove an object, you only see a change in background, then you interact with the wallpaper. To change them, you need to go to Settings → Wallpaper and select a static image.
Problems in removal and their solution
Sometimes users are faced with a situation where the widget is not deleted: it is not dragged to the cart, the delete button does not appear, or the object returns to the place after rebooting.This can be caused by launcher errors, administrator rights or system bugs.
The first step for these problems is to reboot the device. Banal reboot often resets temporary interface errors. If that didn't work, try clearing the launcher cache. Go to Settings → Apps → All Apps → Find Desktop (or Launcher). Select Clear → Clear Cache. This won't delete your data, but will update the desktop configuration.
If the widget belongs to an application with administrator rights (rarely, but it happens in corporate profiles or antiviruses), you first need to revoke the rights. Way: Settings → Passwords and security → Privacy → Special access rights → Device administrators. Uncheck the suspicious application, after which its widget must be removed.
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If standard methods don’t work, resetting the launcher settings to factory settings will return the desktop to its original state by removing all custom widgets and icons, but saving the apps.
As a last resort, if the widget is a virus or a miner that masquerades as a system element, you will need to check with antivirus or reset your phone to factory settings, but for conventional weather widgets or watches, such drastic measures are not required.