How to remove widgets from your Xiaomi phone: all the ways (including hidden)

Widgets on Xiaomi smartphones are a convenient tool for quick access to information, but over time they can clutter the desktop, slow down the system or just annoy with constant notifications. This is especially true for MIUI users, where widgets often duplicate application functions or take up extra space by default. In this article, we will discuss all possible ways to remove widgets, from a standard swipe to forced reset through the developer settings.

It is important to understand that the process may differ depending on the shell version (MIUI 12/13/14) and the phone model (Redmi Note 12, POCO X5, Xiaomi 13T, etc.). We have taken these nuances into account and prepared universal instructions that will be suitable even for outdated devices. If you are faced with a situation where the widget is not removed in a standard way due to a system failure or manufacturer’s limitations, the article has solutions for such cases.

1. Standard removal of widgets from the desktop

The easiest and safest way is long-press removal, which works on all versions of MIUI and doesn't require any additional knowledge.

1. Find the widget on the desktop that you want to remove.
2. Hold your finger for 1-2 seconds until the menu or basket icon appears.
3. Drag the widget up the screen to the "Delete" * * (or basket icon).
4. Release your finger to confirm the action.

If after a long press the widget simply enlarges or opens the settings menu, try an alternative method:

• 📱 Click on the free desktop space and hold until the editing menu appears.
• 🔍 Select "Widgets"** (or Widgets in English version).
• 🗑️ Find the desired widget in the list, pinch it and drag it to the basket.

⚠️ Note: Some system widgets (e.g., Weather or Calendar) may not be removed in the standard way, in which case additional actions described below will be required.

2. Remove widgets through MIUI settings

If the widget is not removed by the swipe, try disabling it through system settings, which is suitable for widgets that are part of applications (for example, Google Search or Mi Fit).

Instructions:

1. Open Settings → Applications → Application Management.
2. Find the app that the widget belongs to (e.g. Mi Browser for the news widget).
3. Go to the “Widgets” or “Notifications and widgets” section.
4. Turn off the slider next to the widget name or click “Delete”**.

For Google widgets (such as Search or Assistant), the path may be different:

Settings → Google → Settings for applications → Widgets

Check the version of MIUI in Settings → About the phone

Make a backup of the desktop (Settings → Desktop → Backup)

Close all background applications

Turn off the internet (if the widget is linked to online services)-->

3. Forced removal through “Developer Settings”

Some widgets (especially system ones) are blocked from being deleted by MIUI, in which case the developer mode will help. Attention: incorrect actions in this menu can disrupt the phone, so follow the instructions carefully.

Steps to activate and remove:

1. Activate Developer Mode: Go to Settings → About Phone. Click on MIUI Version 7 times in a row until the notification “You’ve become a developer!” appears.

Settings → Additional settings → Developer settings

«Debugging by USB»**

“Special permits”

After that, try to remove the widget in the standard way (see section 1). If you do not succeed, proceed to the next method.

4. Removal via ADB (for power users)

If the widget is built into a system application (such as Mi Home or Mi Video), it can only be removed via Android Debug Bridge (ADB), a method that requires connecting the phone to a computer and basic command line knowledge.

Step-by-step:

1. Download and install ADB Tools on PC.
2. Enable “USB Debugging”** on your phone (see Section 3).
3. Connect your phone to your computer and type in the command line: adb devices (the name of your device should appear).
4. Find out the widget package: adb shell pm list packages | grep "widget" or find it manually through the App Inspector (software analysis application).
5. Remove the widget command: adb shell pm uninstall -k --user 0 name packet

Examples of popular widget packages:

⚠️ Note: Deleting system packages may cause some features to fail (e.g., sync your Xiaomi account or updates over the air). TWRP.

5.Reset launcher settings (if widgets are not removed)

If the widgets are stuck on the desktop and do not respond to actions, resetting the MIUI launcher will help.This method does not delete application data, but returns the desktop to factory settings.

How to drop the launcher:

1. Open Settings → Applications → Application Management.
2. Find the Louncher app** (or com.miui.home).
3. Click on “Storage” → “Clear Data” and “Clear Cache”**.
4. Reboot the phone.

After the reboot:

• 🔄 The widgets will disappear, but they can be added again.
• 📁 App folders and shortcuts will also reset.
• 🔧 Wallpaper and icon settings will return to standard.

💡

If widgets reappear after the launcher is reset, it means that they are tied to the system application, in which case only removal through ADB (see section 4) or installing a third-party launcher will help.

6.Using third-party launchers to hide widgets

If you can't remove the widget, you can hide it with alternative launchers, which is root-free and safe for the system.

• 🌟 Nova Launcher – allows you to hide system widgets and customize gestures.
• 🎨 Apex Launcher – Supports desktop backup.
• ⚡ Lawnchair is a lightweight open source launcher.

Instructions for Nova Launcher:

1. Install a launcher from Google Play.
2. Click on the free desktop space → “Settings” → “Widgets”.
3. Find the unnecessary widget in the list and move the slider to the “Hide” position.
4. Save the settings.

Advantages of the method:

• ✅ Does not require the removal of system files.
• ✅ The widget will remain in the system, but will not be displayed.
• ✅ You can return the standard launcher at any time.

7. Features of removing widgets on different Xiaomi models

The process may vary depending on the phone model and MIUI version, and the following are the key nuances for popular devices:

For POCO Launcher devices (e.g., POCO F4):

• 🔧 Go to Launcher Settings → Widgets.
• 🗑️ Click on the basket icon next to the unnecessary widget.
• 🔄 If the widget is system, use the command ADB flag-headed --user 0.

💡

On devices with MIUI 14, the Weather and Calendar widgets are tied to system services, and deleting them can disrupt the timing and notifications, in which case it is better to hide the widget through a third-party launcher.

Frequently asked questions