Xiaomi, Redmi and Poco smartphone owners often experience intrusive content that appears on the desktop immediately after buying a device. Depending on the region of the firmware and the software preinstalled, it can be Yandex Zen news feed, recommendation widgets or built-in MIUI and HyperOS carousel services. They consume RAM, consume traffic and just annoy if you are used to minimalism.
The problem is that standard methods to remove system widgets are not always possible. Some elements are rigidly tied to your Mi Account or are part of the system application "Browser" or "Music." However, there are several proven ways to completely or partially eliminate information noise. Below we will look at step-by-step instructions that will help you return a clean desktop.
It is important to understand that the interface may vary depending on the version of Android and regional settings. Somewhere it is enough to simply turn off the switch in the settings, and some will require the use of the switch. ADB-We will take a look at all the current options, from simple to complex, so that you can choose the right one for your level of training.
Disabling the feed of widgets and recommendations in MIUI
The most common source of irritation is the widget carousel, which swipes to the right of the first desktop, often integrating news and recommendations from Yandex or other aggregators, and to remove this element, you need to look at desktop settings, which works on most current versions of the shell.
Go to the system settings and find the partition that controls the appearance of the interface. The path may be slightly different, but the logic remains the same: you need to find an option associated with the desktop or the main screen. There is a switch that activates the additional tape.
⚠️ Note: On some global firmware, this option may be hidden or renamed to Advanced Desktop Settings. If you don't see the switch right away, carefully review all subsections of the settings menu.
To perform the procedure, follow the algorithm, make sure that you are in the system settings of the phone, and not in the settings of a particular application.
Settings → Desktop → Tape of widgets (off)If the standard path didn't work, try the alternative through the settings of the screen itself. Click the empty space on the desktop with your finger for a few seconds until the edit menu appears. In the lower right or left corner, there's usually a "Settings" button or a gear. Going there, you'll see the option "Ribbon widgets" or "Google Discover" (which is sometimes replaced with Zen depending on the region).
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Before making changes to your desktop settings, take a screenshot of the current icon layout to quickly restore the familiar structure in the event of a failure.
Setting up the system browser and disabling news
Often users confuse the desktop widget with the news feed inside the Mi Browser system browser or the Yandex application, which is preinstalled at the factory. If Zen opens when you start the browser or takes the start page, the situation can be corrected in the browser settings. This will not delete the application, but will clean the start page of information debris.
In Xiaomi’s system browser (Mi Browser), the news feed is usually located in the News tab or the start page. To turn it off, click on the profile icon or menu (three bars) at the bottom or top of the screen. Select Settings. Find the Start Page Settings or News Feed section. You need to check the Recommendations, News, or select the Empty Page/Sites Only option.
The logic is similar in Yandex (if installed as a system) and open the app, go to the settings (cog or profile). Look for "Recommendment Tape", "Zen" or "Show news." Turn off all content-related switches. It's also worth checking the settings of the Yandex widget on the desktop: long-clicking on the widget often allows you to select its size or type of information displayed, removing the news feed and leaving only the search bar.
- 🔍 Open the browser menu (three dots or stripes).
- ⚙️ Go to the "Settings" section" → "Main page".
- 🚫 Select the "No News" option or turn off the "Show Ribbon" switch".
After applying the settings, it is recommended to completely close the browser through the running application manager and open it again, which ensures that the cache of the news feed will not display old data.
Using third-party launchers to completely replace the interface
If the built-in MIUI shell means do not completely get rid of intrusive elements, the radical and most effective solution will be to install a third-party launcher. Launcher is an application that completely replaces the standard desktop, application menus and control panel. Popular options such as Nova Launcher, Microsoft Launcher or Lawnchair give 100% control over the appearance and ensure no built-in advertising and Zen.
Installing a third-party launcher requires several steps. Once you download the application from Google Play or APKPure, the system automatically prompts you to select the app for the home screen, you need to select a new launcher and click "Always". If no automatic request is made, go to Settings. → Annexes → Application management → Three dots (top right) → Default applications → Desktop and select the installed launcher.
The advantage of this method is a high degree of customization: you can adjust the grid of icons, animations, gestures and the appearance of folders. Xiaomi standard widgets will stop working or will be replaced with universal Android widgets, which will also positively affect the performance of the device, as the heavy rendering processes of Zen tape will be completely stopped.
⚠️ Note: When you first start a third-party launcher, some system widgets (calendar, weather from Xiaomi) may not display correctly. You will need to install their analogues from Google or the launcher itself.
For users who appreciate speed, Nova Launcher is great, it consumes minimal resources and allows you to create a completely clean interface. In the Nova settings, look for the Desktop section and make sure that the "Show Google Now" option (or analog) is turned off, this is guaranteed to remove any news feeds when you swipe to the right.
Removing System Applications Through ADB
For advanced users who want not just to hide, but physically remove the Yandex system application or components responsible for recommendations, there is a method using Android Debug Bridge (ADB). This method requires connecting the smartphone to the computer through USB-It allows you to remove even those applications that do not have the "Delete" button in the standard menu.
Before starting the procedure, activate the developer mode. Go to Settings → About Phone and quickly press 7 times on the MIUI Version (or OS Version) until the message appears "You are a developer." Then in the Advanced Settings menu → For developers, turn on USB Debugging. Connect your phone to your PC, allow debugging on your smartphone screen and install ADB drivers on your computer.
adb shell pm uninstall -k --user 0 com.yandex.browser
adb shell pm uninstall -k --user 0 com.mi.global.browser
adb shell pm uninstall -k --user 0 com.android.quicksearchboxThe above commands remove Yandex browser, Mi system browser and quick search component respectively. Be extremely careful: removing critical system packages can lead to unstable system operation or cyclic restloop. Use this method only if you are sure of the destination of the deleted packet.
☑️ Pre-use checks ADB
If you encounter problems after deleting, you can return the application with the command adb shell cmd package install-existing <name packet> or simply resetting the phone to factory settings.
Comparison of Desktop Cleaning Methods
The best way to choose depends on your goals and technical skills. Simply disabling widgets is safe, but not always effective against all types of advertising. Installing a launcher gives you complete control, but changes the familiar interface. ADB-So the teams are radical and need to be careful, and here's a comparison table that will help you figure out how to do this.
| Method | Difficulty | Efficiency | Risks. |
|---|---|---|---|
| Disconnection in settings | Low. | Medium | No. |
| Third-party launcher | Medium | Tall. | Minimum |
| ADB (removal) | Tall. | Maximum | Tall. |
| Ad blockers | Low. | Partial | No. |
For most users, the optimal balance between convenience and cleanliness is the combination of disabling widgets in settings and installing a lightweight launcher, which allows you to preserve the functionality of the Xiaomi shell, but remove visual noise.
Why is Zen coming back after the update?
Additional measures: blockers and DNS
Even after disabling visible elements, some background processes may try to load advertising content. To prevent this, you can use system locking tools. In modern versions of Android (starting with version 9), there is the possibility of installing Personal DNS (Private DNS), which filters traffic at the system level, blocking requests to known ad servers.
To activate this feature, go to Settings → Connection and Sharing → Private DNS (the path may vary). Select the option “Host Name of the DNS provider” and enter the address of a trusted blocker, such as: dns.adguard.com. Save settings. This action will not only remove the remnants of ads in system applications, but also speed up the loading of pages in the browser, cutting off trackers.
- 🛡️ Blocking Advertising Within Apps and Games.
- 🚀 Speeds up the loading of web pages by cutting off trackers.
- 🔒 Increases privacy by hiding your activity from ad networks.
Using dns.adguard.com is the most secure and versatile solution for users who don’t want to install additional blocking apps, which works globally for the entire device and does not require root rights.
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The combination of disabling widgets, installing a clean launcher and setting up a Private DNS gives a 100% guarantee of getting rid of Zen and advertising on Xiaomi.