Xiaomi carousel on TV: what it is and how to work with it

If you own a Xiaomi TV (or other device with MIUI TV firmware), you’ve probably noticed a horizontal tape at the bottom of the screen with a content preview — this is a “carousel.” Many users underestimate its capabilities, considering it just a banner, but in fact it is a powerful tool for quickly accessing your favorite apps, recommendations and even managing a smart home. In this article, we will understand what a Xiaomi carousel is, how it works, and why it should be customized for yourself — instead of immediately turning it off.

The carousel was introduced in Xiaomi firmware for a reason: it is designed to solve the problem of fragmented content on Smart TV. Instead of flipping through dozens of apps looking for the right movie or broadcast, you get a personalized feed based on your preferences. However, not everyone likes its default behavior — for example, automatic recommendations can seem intrusive, and animation can slow down the system. Next, you will learn how to optimize the carousel for your tasks, from basic settings to hidden features that are not written in the official instructions.

The carousel (or Content Bar in the official documentation) is a dynamic panel in the MIUI TV interface that appears at the bottom of the main screen. It performs three key functions:

  • 📺 Quick access to installed apps (YouTube, Netflix, Prime Video, etc.) without having to open a full list.
  • 🎬 Content recommendations based on your browsing history (films, TV shows, live streams).
  • 🏠 Smart home management (if the TV is connected to the Xiaomi Mi Home ecosystem).

Externally, the carousel resembles a social media feed: it scrolls horizontally, and each element can be clickable (for example, a movie banner will redirect you to the corresponding application). It is important to understand that this is not just “advertising” – Xiaomi algorithms analyze your actions and adjust content to your tastes. For example, if you often watch sports broadcasts, matches or team reviews will appear on the carousel.

But the carousel has a downside: it consumes TV resources (especially on budget models like the Mi TV 4A), can slow down when the Internet connection is weak, and sometimes shows irrelevant content.

📊 How often do you use a carousel on Xiaomi? TV?
Constantly.
Sometimes.
I used to, but I turned it off.
Never tried.

The carousel in MIUI TV is not a static interface element, but a dynamic system that interacts with several components of the TV:

  • 📡 Xiaomi servers: download personalized recommendations based on your Mi Account (if you’re logged in).
  • 📱 Local data: analyzes browsing history and frequently used apps.
  • 🔄 System cache: Stores thumbnails and previews to speed up loading when reopening.

Fun fact: The carousel is updated not only when the TV is turned on, but also in the background (if the TV is connected to the Internet), which means that even if you haven’t used it for several days, the next time it turns on, it will show current recommendations, but this can also cause slowdowns, especially on models with low RAM (for example, Mi TV 4S 32 with 1 GB RAM).

Technically, the carousel is implemented as a separate process in the Android TV firmware on which MIUI TV is based. It uses the com.miui.tv.launcher API to interact with other system components. If you're interested, you can see its activity in Settings → Applications → All Applications → System Processes (look for ContentBarService).

How to remove the carousel completely (for experienced users)
This method requires root rights and can disrupt the TV. Using ADB, run the command: pm uninstall --user 0 com.miui.contentbar After the restart, the carousel will disappear, but some features (such as fast app launches) may not work properly.

Many users don't know that the carousel can be customized -- hide unnecessary items, change the order of the display, and even turn off animations.

  1. Open the settings on the remote (button with a gear).
  2. Go to Screen Settings → Main Screen → Content Carousel.
  3. Here you will see a few options: 🔄 Automatic Update – Includes/disables background download recommendations. 🎨 Display style – the choice between “Cards” and “List». 📌 Fixed applications – the ability to fix frequently used services.

The most useful item is "Apps attached," where you can add up to 10 apps that will be displayed first on the carousel, regardless of the recommendation algorithms, for example, if you watch YouTube and Twitch every day, pin them so you don't search the list.

Also, check out the Display Recommendations option, and if you don't want to see banners with movies or ads, turn it off, and the carousel is a simple launcher for apps, without any extra content.

☑️ Optimizing the carousel Xiaomi

Done: 0 / 4

If the carousel is in your way, you can turn it off completely.

  1. Go to Settings → Screen settings → Main screen.
  2. Find the option to Show content carousel and move the slider to the off position.
  3. Confirm the action (the TV may suggest a reboot).

Another useful feature is integration with Mi Home, and if you have Xiaomi smart devices (lamps, sockets, robot vacuum cleaners), their states and fast commands can be displayed directly to the carousel.

  1. Open the Mi Home app on your TV.
  2. Go to Settings → Widgets on the main screen.
  3. Select the devices you want to see in the carousel (e.g. Yeelight or Mi Robot Vacuum).

You can now turn on the lights or start cleaning without opening a separate app.

💡

The carousel can become a centralized control panel of a smart home if it is properly configured.

Despite the convenience, the carousel sometimes doesn't work properly, and here are some common problems and ways to fix them:

⚠️ Warning: If after updating the firmware carousel disappeared or became empty, do not try to reset the TV to factory settings. First check the Internet connection - without it, the carousel does not download content.

  • 🐢 Carousel brakes: Reason: cache overloaded or little RAM Solution: clear the cache (see tip above) or turn off automatic updates.
  • 📵 Recommendations don't load: Reason: Mi Account or Internet problems Solution: re-enter your account or check your network connection.
  • 🔄 Carousel resets after reboot: Reason: Failure in profile settings. Solution: Create a new user profile in Settings → Accounts.

If none of the methods worked, try resetting the carousel settings through the engineering menu.

  1. On the remote, click sequentially: Menu → Settings → All Settings → General → Device Preferences → About → Build.
  2. Click the build number 7 times to activate the developer mode.
  3. Go back and open the Developer Options → Reset Content Bar.

⚠️ Warning: Resetting the carousel through the engineering menu will remove all attached apps and style settings.

Can I return the carousel after the shutdown?
Yes, go to Settings → Screen Settings → Home Screen and turn on the option to Show Content Carousel. If there is no item, then your TV model does not support this feature (for example, very old versions of Mi TV 3).
Why does the carousel show content in Chinese?
This happens if the Mi Account settings indicate China. To fix: Open Settings → Accounts → Mi Account. Click on your profile and select Region. Set up Russia or another suitable region. After changing region, the carousel will update within 24 hours.
How do you get the ads off the carousel?
You can't completely remove ads, but you can reduce the number of ads: Turn off Personalized Recommendations in the carousel settings; Secure your apps to show them instead of banner ads; Use Mi Account without social media (they transmit data for targeted advertising).
The carousel doesn't scroll with the remote.
The problem could be a remote malfunction or a firmware failure. Try: Use the Mi Remote app on your smartphone to check. Reboot the TV (power button on the case hold for 10 seconds). Reset the remote settings: Settings → remote control → Reset.
Can I transfer the carousel settings to another Xiaomi TV?
Yes, if both TVs are tied to the same Mi Account, the carousel settings (fixed apps, display style) are synced over the cloud, but the history and recommendations are not always portable, depending on the region and the firmware version.