How to turn off news on the lock screen Xiaomi: 5 proven methods

Xiaomi’s lock screen isn’t just about protecting your smartphone, it’s also about the dashboard that’s loaded by news, weather and advertising by default. For many users, this feature becomes a source of annoyance: unnecessary notifications are distracting, traffic is consumed in the background, and privacy suffers from collecting data about your interests. This is especially true for owners of Redmi Note 12, Poco X5 or Mi 11, where news widgets are integrated deep into the MIUI 14 shell.

In this article, we’ll look at all the ways you can disable your news feed on your lock screen, from standard settings to hidden features to bypassing manufacturer restrictions, learn how to completely remove widgets, block them from updating or replace them with useful information (such as calendar or notes), and find out why settings can be reset after a MIUI update and how to prevent this.

Why news on the lock screen Xiaomi automatically appear

News widgets are part of Xiaomi’s ecosystem, which is monetized through display of ads and affiliate materials, and by default, the system downloads content from multiple sources:

• 📰 Mi Browser is a built-in browser that collects data about your search queries and offers “relevant” news.
• 🌍 Xiaomi News – a news aggregator service integrated into the MIUI (Google Discover).
• 🎯 Advertising partners – banners from Alibaba, Tencent and local media (depending on the region).
• 🔄 System Updates – After Installing a New Version MIUI widgets can be turned on again.

The main problem is that even after manually shutting down, widgets can come back after rebooting or updating software, which is because Xiaomi considers the news feed a “useful feature” and forces it to activate, and fortunately, there are ways to get around this behavior.

Method 1: Disconnect via standard MIUI settings

The most obvious method is to use built-in system options, which is suitable for most MIUI 12-14 devices, but may vary depending on the firmware version and region.

1. Unlock the phone and swipe left on the home screen to open the widget bar.
2. Press and hold your finger on any news block (such as the headline of an article).
3. In the menu that appears, select Widget Settings (or Widget Management).
4. Move the slider Show news on the lock screen to the off position.
5. Save the changes and restart the device.

If this item is not on the menu, try an alternative path:

1. Open the Settings → Lock screen.
2. Select Lock Screen Style (or Additional Settings).
3. Find the Widgets section and disable all switches related to news.

⚠️ Note: On some firmware (for example, MIUI Global for the European region) the shutdown option may be hidden.

Method 2: Block through the settings of the "News" application

The news widget on the lock screen is controlled by a separate system application, com.miui.weather2 (weather + news) or com.xiaomi.channel (older versions).

1. Go to Settings → Applications → Application Management.
2. In the search box, type in News or Weather.
3. Choose the Weather app (or Xiaomi News).
4. Press Permissions and turn off: 📱 Display over other windows 🔄 Auto-start 📡 Mobile data and Wi-Fi 📍 Access to location

Limit background activity

Limit

Banned

MIUI

This method does not remove the widget completely, but stops updating the content.The lock screen will remain an empty block or the last downloaded news that will not change.

💡

If the Weather app can't be disabled through settings, try removing its updates. To do this, click three dots in the app menu → Remove updates. This will return it to the factory version, where the widget may not work properly.

Method 3: Using ADB to Deep Shut Down

For advanced users who are ready to work with Android Debug Bridge (ADB), there is a radical method – completely disabling system widgets through commands, which will help if the standard settings do not work or after the MIUI update, the widgets return.

You'll need:

• 🖥️ A computer with installed Xiaomi drivers and ADB.
• 📱 Included Debugging by USB on the phone (Settings) → The phone. → Version. MIUI — Press 7 times, then return to the Additional Settings → For developers).
• 🔌 USB-cable (preferably original).

Instructions:

1. Connect your phone to your PC and open the command prompt (cmd on Windows or Terminal on macOS/Linux).
2. Enter the command to check the connection: Adb devices should appear the name of your device.
3. Run the command to disable news widgets: adb shell pm disable-user --user 0 com.miui.weather2 Older versions of MIUI may require: adb shell pm disable-user --user 0 com.xiaomi.channel
4. Reboot the phone.

⚠️ Note: Disabling system applications through ADB It can cause some functions to function unstable (such as weather or calendar) and if you have problems, return the application with a command:

adb shell pm enable com.miui.weather2

Method 4: Installation of an alternative launcher

If you are tired of not only the news, but also the entire design of MIUI, you can replace the standard launcher with a third-party one (for example, Nova Launcher or Lawnchair).

• 🎨 Completely customize the lock screen (in some launchers).
• 🚫 Remove all system widgets, including news.
• ⚡ Speed up the interface (relevant for Redmi budget models).

How to do this:

1. Download an alternative launcher from Google Play (like Nova Launcher).
2. Install it and select as the default launcher when you first start.
3. In the launcher settings, find the Lock Screen or Widgets section and disable all unnecessary elements.
4. For full control, you can install KWGT Kustom Widget Maker and create your own widget instead of news.

The downside of the method: some MIUI features (like quick notes or smart assistant) may become unavailable, and not all launchers work correctly on Xiaomi with a locked bootloader.

Method 5: Reset the lock screen settings (last resort)

If none of these things worked, and news keeps coming, you can reset the lock screen settings, which will bring all the settings back to factory settings, but will not affect personal data (photos, contacts, apps).

Instructions:

1. Open Settings → System and device → Resetting settings.
2. Select Reset the lock screen settings (or Reset interface settings).
3. Confirm the action and wait for the reboot.

After discharge:

• 🔧 Configure the lock screen again by choosing a minimalist style without widgets.
• 🔒 Turn off automatic updates MIUI In Settings → The phone. → Update the system to avoid re-enabled news.

⚠️ Note: On some models (Poco) F4, Redmi K50) Reset may result in loss of fingerprints and pattern lock. check backup unlocking methods in advance!

💡

Resetting the lock screen settings is the most reliable way to remove news, but it also removes all customizations (wallpaper, widgets, animations) and use it if other methods have failed.

Comparison of methods: what way to choose

To make it easier for you to determine, we have collected a comparative table of all methods with their pros and cons:

Frequent problems and their solutions

Even after the news is turned off, users are faced with the return of widgets.

Problem 1: After the MIUI update, the news came back.

Solution: Before updating, back up your settings through Settings → Additional → Backup. After updating, restore the lock screen settings from the backup.

Problem 2: The news widget is gone, but in its place is empty space.

Solution: Install an alternative widget (such as a calendar or weather from Google) through a long tap on the lock screen → Add a widget.

Problem 3: There is no item in the settings to turn off news.

Solution: Check the firmware region. MIUI China has fewer options than Global or EEA. Try changing region through ADB:

adb shell settings put global region EEA

(reboots required).

💡

If you often encounter widget returns, install the MacroDroid application and create an automatic rule: when you start the system, turn off background activity of the News application.

FAQ: Answers to popular questions