Xiaomi and Redmi smartphone owners often encounter intrusive content that appears in system interfaces, especially users who actively use Yandex services, as their bundle with the MIUI shell or the new HyperOS creates many entry points for a Zen news feed, which can be a widget on the desktop, a ribbon in the browser or, most annoyingly, news on the lock screen.
The constant stream of recommendations, videos and articles distracts and consumes traffic, and also affects the speed of battery discharge. Many users do not even realize that behind beautiful weather widgets there is a mechanism for downloading content that can and should be controlled. In this article, we will detail how to completely remove Zen from all corners of your smartphone.
The process of disconnecting depends on where the tape is displayed: in the Yandex application, in the browser or in the shell system widgets. It is important to understand that Zen is not just an application, but a recommendation service integrated into the ecosystem. Therefore, the approach should be comprehensive to exclude any accidental appearance of the news feed in the future.
Disabling Zen in the Yandex application
The main source of news is the official Yandex app with its proprietary “Tableboard”, which is set by default to actively demonstrate recommended content. To change this situation, you need to delve into the settings of the application itself, since the standard interface is sharpened for consumption of information.
First, launch the app and go to the profile menu by clicking on the icon of the person or avatar in the upper or lower left corner (depending on the version of the interface). Next, select Settings. In the list that opens, look for the section associated with the “Recommendation Tape” or “Settings tab”, which is where the main switches responsible for displaying articles hide.
You'll need to find an option that might be called "Show Zen Ribbon," "Recommendations," or "Interesting." Once you put the slider in an inactive position, the tape on the app's home screen will disappear, giving way to the search bar or service widgets, an action that won't remove the app, but will make it a "clean" search tool.
- 🔍 Open a user profile in the Yandex application.
- ⚙️ Go to the Settings section and find the "Tape" block».
- 🚫 Turn off the "Recommendations" or "Zen" switchboard».
- 💾 Check the changes on the main screen of the application.
It is worth noting that application updates can return some default settings, so it makes sense to periodically check this section. Also, some versions of Xiaomi software may pre-installe the Yandex.Rent widget, which works regardless of the settings inside the application itself, it must be removed separately from the desktop.
Removing Zen tape from Xiaomi lock screen
One of the most annoying features for many users is the appearance of news when the screen is turned on. On Xiaomi smartphones, this is often the function of “Wallpaper Carousel” or lock widgets, which can download content through the services of Yandex or its own MIUI system.
To get rid of this, go to the basic smartphone Settings. Find the Lock Screen (or Wallpaper & Personalization → Wallpaper Carousel) section. Inside this menu, you need to find the source of content. If Yandex or Recommendations are selected, just switch the source to No or turn off the Carousel feature itself.
⚠️ Warning: Fully shutting down the Wallpaper Carousel will return a static picture to the lock screen. If you like beautiful backgrounds but don't need news, try selecting a favorite or national park source in the Carousel settings if this option is available in your firmware version.
If you use a third-party application to block from Yandex (for example, Yandex.Run or individual widgets), it should be deleted or revoked administrator rights. Go to Settings → Passwords and security → Device administrators and uncheck the suspicious application.
☑️ Checking the lock settings
In some cases, especially on global firmware versions, settings may be called something else. Look for items that say Glance, Lock Screen Magazine, or Wallpaper. The principle is the same everywhere: find the source of dynamic content and replace it with a static image.
Set up widgets and desktop
The MIUI and HyperOS shells allow you to place widgets of different sizes on your desktop. Often users accidentally add a Yandex.Zen or News widget that occupies a significant portion of the screen and is constantly updated, removing such a widget is the first step to cleanliness of the interface.
Press and hold your finger on the news widget. In the context menu that appears, select Delete (basket or cross icon). If the widget is part of a system application that cannot be removed, you can simply replace it with another, more useful widget, such as hours or weather without a news feed.
It's also worth checking the negative first screen settings (the screen that opens when you swipe to the right of the home page), and often has a "Assistant" or "Ribbon" widget installed by default that broadcasts Zen. To change this:
- 📱 Make a pinch with two fingers on the desktop to enter editing mode.
- 👈 Swipe right to see the first screen (or click on the gear settings).
- 🗑️ Select the option “No widget” or “Google Discover” if you only need search prompts.
Why does the widget return after the reboot?
If standard methods do not work, you can use a third-party launcher, such as Nova Launcher or Microsoft Launcher. They completely replace the standard desktop and give full control over which widgets and where they are displayed, ignoring the system tinctures Xiaomi.
Cleaning the browser and search bar
Even if you remove the widgets, the news can stay in the browser. In mobile Yandex.Browser and Chrome (if you have a Yandex search bar installed), Zen tape is the central element. In the Yandex browser, it is located on the Tablet start page.
To turn off the Yandex.Browser, click on the three menu bars (usually at the bottom right or top), go to Settings → Recommendment Tape. You can completely disable the feed or customize its contents by removing certain topics. However, you can not completely hide the “Recommended” block in some versions of the browser, you can only minimize its impact.
The Google search bar, if replaced by Yandex, can also display content to return the standard line:
- Go to the phone settings.
- Choose Desktop or Search.
- In the “Search engine” or “Search bar” option, select Google instead of Yandex.
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Use the Incognito mode to check: if there is news in normal mode, but incognito there is no news, then the problem is in the cache or cookies. Clear the browser data in the application settings.
It's important to distinguish between the launcher's search bar and the browser widget. If you delete the widget but the search bar is still there, check its settings separately. Often there's a "Show news" or "Show pictures" checkbox that you need to remove for a minimalist look.
Comparison of disconnection methods
Various methods of combating intrusive content have their pros and cons, and the choice of the particular method depends on how deeply the service is integrated into your system and whether you are willing to sacrifice convenience for the sake of cleanliness.
Below is a table that will help you determine the best method for your case, and it compares the effectiveness of disabling through application settings, removing widgets, and using third-party launchers.
| Method | Efficiency | Difficulty | Impact on the system |
|---|---|---|---|
| Application settings | Medium | Low. | Minimum |
| Removal of widgets | High (locally) | Low. | Absent. |
| Third-party launcher | Maximum | Medium | Replaces the desktop |
| Carousel shutdown | Tall. | Low. | Changes the lock screen |
As you can see from the table, using a third-party launcher is the best thing, but it requires getting used to the new interface. In-app settings are the safest, but not always guaranteed, and combining methods gives the best result.
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A comprehensive approach, including setting up the application, removing widgets and adjusting the lock screen, ensures the complete disappearance of the Zen tape.
Frequent problems and their solution
Even after completing all the instructions, users may find that news is returning, often due to automatic app updates or synchronization of settings through a Mi or Yandex ID account.
If the Zen widget appears again after the phone restart, check the auto-update of the apps in Google Play or GetApps. Sometimes the new version of the Yandex app resets the privacy settings and turns on recommendations again, in which case the disabling procedure will have to be repeated.
Multiple profiles or accounts can also be a problem, and if you use your phone in Guest mode or switch between Google accounts, the settings can only apply to your current profile, and make sure that the cleanup is done in the profile you use by default.
⚠️ Note: Do not attempt to remove Yandex system components (e.g. com.yandex.search) through third-party root-rights-free removal programs.This can lead to unstable system operation, search errors, and even a cyclical restart of the device.
In the rare cases where nothing works, you can resort to a radical method of disabling the application's access to the Internet. Go to Settings → Applications → Yandex → Access Control (or "Data Use") and prohibit data transmission over Wi-Fi and mobile network. The application will stop downloading news, but other functions may stop working.