How to turn off the widget tape on Xiaomi: all the ways for MIUI 12-15

The widget tape on Xiaomi smartphones is the left-hand panel that appears when swiped to the right of the home screen. It contains weather, calendar, fast action and other services. For some users, it is a convenient tool, for others, an unnecessary element that takes up space and distracts. If you are in the second category, this article will help you figure out how to completely turn off the widget tape or at least hide its unnecessary elements.

It is important to understand that different versions of the MIUI shell (12 to 15) and different models (Redmi Note 12, Poco X5, Xiaomi 13, etc.) the process may be slightly different. We will look at universal methods, and also point out the features for specific devices. In addition, you will learn how to return the tape back if you change your mind, and what to do if the standard settings do not work.

Why can a widget tape interfere?

Before we get to the instructions, let’s understand why users want to remove the widget tape on Xiaomi:

• 📱 Random swipes: When using a smartphone actively, it’s easy to touch the screen and open an unnecessary panel, which is annoying.
• 🔋 Battery consumption: Weather, news and other services widgets are updated in the background, consuming charge.
• 🚫 Unnecessary information: Many users prefer minimalism and do not want to see extra data on the screen.
• ⚡ Slowing down the interface: On weak devices (e.g. Redmi) 9A POCO M3) widgets can slow down.

In addition, in some versions of MIUI, the widget tape does not sync with the themes of the design, which spoils the uniformity of the interface. If you know at least one of these points, read on how to hide or disable the tape forever.

Method 1: Disconnect via theme settings (MIUI 12–14)

The easiest method is to use the built-in shell options, which works on most Xiaomi, Redmi and Poco devices with MIUI versions 12 to 14.

1. Open the Themes app (icon with brush).
2. Go to My Profile (the person icon in the lower right corner).
3. Select the settings of the lock screen and wallpaper.
4. Scroll down to the widget tape block and turn off the switch.

After that, the left panel will disappear, and the swipe to the right will open the first desktop, and if this item is not there, then your version of MIUI does not support such a disablement, and you need to try other ways.

Check the version of MIUI in Settings → About the phone

Make sure the device has enough charge (over 30%)

Close all background applications

Backup important data (optional)-->

Method 2: Hiding through launcher settings (MIUI 15)

In the latest version of the shell (MIUI 15), the developers moved the widget tape control option to the launcher settings to find it:

1. Press the empty space on the main screen before the menu appears.
2. Slap the icon. ⚙ Settings (or Home Screen Settings).
3. Find the section of the Widget Ribbon and move the slider to the "Off" position.

If this section is not available, try updating the launcher via Google Play (search for MIUI Launcher).

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If after turning off the tape still appears, restart the smartphone - this will help apply changes.

Method 3: Remove the widgets separately

If you can't turn off the tape completely, you can remove the widgets that you don't need, leaving only the ones you need.

1. Swipe to the right to open the tape.
2. Slip and hold your finger on any widget.
3. In the menu that appears, select Delete or Set up.
4. To completely remove widgets, click Clear All (if the option is available).

This method won't remove the tape itself, but it will make it empty, and the downside is that when you swipe to the right, you'll open a blank panel, which can be annoying.

Method 4: Disconnect via ADB (for power users)

If standard methods don’t work, you can use USB debugging and ADB commands. This method is suitable for all versions of MIUI, but requires a computer and minimal technical skills.

Here's what we need to do:

1. Turn on Developer Mode: Go to Settings → About Phone. Tap 7 times on MIUI Version. Go back to Settings → Additional → Developer. Activate USB Debugging.

adb shell pm hide com.miui.miservice

This command hides the system application that controls the widget tape, and once you reboot, the panel disappears.

To return the tape back, use the command:

adb shell pm unhide com.miui.miservice

What to do if the widget tape is not turned off?

Sometimes users find that none of these methods work, and here are the possible causes and solutions:

• 🔄 An outdated version MIUI: Update the firmware through Settings → Updating the system.
• 📱 Modified firmware: On custom ROM (For example, Pixel Experience tape may behave differently.
• 🔧 System settings failure: Try resetting the launcher settings: adb shell pm clear com.miui.home

If nothing helps, the last option is to disable through editing system files, but this will require root access, which is not recommended for inexperienced users.

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Before using ADB or root, back up your data – incorrect commands can disrupt your system.

How to return the widget tape if you change your mind?

If you have turned off the tape, but then decided to return it, use one of the methods:

• 🔙 Through theme/launcher settings: Repeat steps from Method 1 or 2, but turn on the switch.
• 💻 Through ADB: Execute adb shell pm unhide com.miui.miservice.
• ⚙️ Resetting launcher settings: Go to Settings → Annexes → Application management → Launcher and press Reset.

Usually, the tape returns immediately after the device restarts, and if it doesn’t, check to see if a third-party app (such as Nova Launcher or Action Launcher) is blocking it.

FAQ: Frequent questions about Xiaomi widget tape

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If neither method worked, check if your device has firmware for another region (Global/China/EU) – these may have different settings.