How to Remove Xiaomi Tab: The Complete Guide

Owners of Xiaomi, Redmi and POCO smartphones often encounter intrusive interface elements that appear without their knowledge. Most often, users are annoyed by the built-in news feed, advertising widgets on the desktop or an undeletable start page in the browser. Xiaomi tab can mean different things, from the video widget to the built-in Mi Browser, and understanding the specific source of the problem is the first step to solving it.

In this article, we’ll look at all possible scenarios for extra tabs and elements. You’ll learn how to disable system recommendations, remove preinstalled widgets, and even completely uninstall the built-in browser if you don’t need one. MIUI and HyperOS provide flexible settings, but they’re often hidden deep in the menu.

We will discuss safe methods of cleaning the system without obtaining root rights. Attention: removing system components requires caution, but the methods described below are proven and will not lead to unstable operation of the device if you follow the instructions.

Identification of the source of the "tab" in the MIUI system

Before you start deleting, you need to define exactly what you call a tab. In the Xiaomi ecosystem, users often mean completely different interface elements, such as a browser’s start page, a desktop widget, or a system folder.

When it comes to a browser, it’s usually the Mi Browser (or Mi Browser Pro) that is set by default and often opens when you click on links from other apps. Its homepage is full of news and recommendations that many consider trash, in which case “delete the tab” means either changing the start page or removing the app itself.

Another option is a video widget or a tape widget on the desktop, which is a special panel that swipes to the left of the first screen, and it streams content from partners and news, and it's important to distinguish between these cases, because they have different methods of disconnecting.

• 📱 Desktop widget: a square or rectangular element that displays weather, music or news.
• 🌐 Built-in browser: Browser app with yellow or blue icon that opens the news feed.
• 📂 System folder: A pre-installed group of applications that cannot be removed in the standard way.

⚠️ Note: Before removing system applications, make sure you have an alternative. For example, when you delete a standard browser, you should make sure you can download another one via Google Play or Google Play. APK-file.

The third common case is ad pop-ups, which users mistake for tabs, which can appear in the Tools folder or when you unlock the screen, most often the MSA (MIUI System Ads) service is responsible for them, and turning this service off is the key to a quiet life in MIUI.

Removal and disabling of the video widget and news feed

One of the most common queries is how to get rid of the tab on video and news that is to the left of the home screen, which is a content aggregator that consumes CPU traffic and resources even if you don't use it, and fortunately, with modern versions of HyperOS and MIUI, it can be disabled by standard means.

To do this, go to the main screen and swipe a long swipe to the right (or press and hold your finger in empty space) to go to the desktop editing mode. At the bottom of the screen, a menu will appear where you need to select Settings (the gear icon). In the list that opens, find the Widget Ribbon switch or Glance and deactivate it.

If the standard method doesn't work or the interface is different, you can try removing the widget itself. Click on the video widget and hold your finger until the action menu appears. Select Delete. In some cases, the system will require confirmation, as it is a system component.

There's also a more radical method of setting the widgets themselves: Go to Settings → Desktop. You can find the Video Widget here. Turn off the Desktop Show option. This action will hide the tab from access, but it won't delete the app files from memory.

• 🗑️ Direct removal: clamping the widget and dragging it to the basket.
• ⚙️ Through Settings: Desktop Editing Menu → Settings → Widget tape (off).
• 🚫 Through Apps: Settings → Annexes → All applications → Video services → Delete the data.

⚠️ Warning: After the system update, the widget settings may reset. If the tab appears again, check this settings section again.

Cleaning and removing the built-in Mi Browser browser

The embedded Mi Browser is an application that is hard to call a tab, but it is its home page that is often the object of users’ desire to “delete the extra.” Standard removal through the application menu is often not available, since it is a system component.

The first and easiest way is to disable the app. Go to Settings → Apps → All apps. Find the Browser (or Mi Browser) in the list. Click on it and select the Disable button. After that, the icon will disappear from the menu, and the application will stop working and update.

If the "Disable" button is inactive, you'll need to use a computer and an ADB (Android Debug Bridge) tool. This is a secure method that doesn't require root rights, but requires a PC connection. You'll need to download the SDK Platform Tools for your operating system.

adb shell pm uninstall -k --user 0 com.android.browser

This command will remove the browser for the current user. Importantly, the package can be called in different ways, such as com.mi.global.browser or com.android.browser. Use the adb shell pm list packages command to find the exact name if the standard one doesn't work.

Once the command is executed, the application will disappear from the installed list. If you want to return it, you just need to reset the phone or use the command adb shell cmd package install-existing com.android.browser. This will return the system application to its place.

Setting up the Start Page and Removing Advertising

If your goal is not to remove the browser, but to clean its start page of debris, then the settings of the application itself will help solve the problem. Mi Browser allows you to flexibly configure what you see when you start.

Open your browser and click on the three-bar menu at the bottom. Go to Settings. → Home page settings. You can turn off news, recommendations and video feeds here. Select the Empty Page option or set your own. URL-Address in the field "Main page».

Also, pay attention to privacy settings. In Settings → Privacy & Security, disable ad personalization, which will reduce the amount of intrusive content that fits your interests.

Another useful tip is to use the default Incognito mode or install extensions to block ads if the browser version supports it. However, for Android, it is more efficient to simply use third-party browsers like Brave or DuckDuckGo.

Blocking MSA System Advertising

Often, users call the tab pop-ups or ad units that appear in system applications, which is responsible for the MSA (MIUI System Ads) service, which is a mandatory step for the owner of Xiaomi.

Go to Settings → Passwords and Security → Access to Personal Data. Search the msa list and turn off the slider. The system will ask you to wait 10 seconds, then press “Cancel.” If the first time failed (often the “failed to withdraw” error), try 3-5 times.

Also, turn off recommendations in the apps themselves. Go to Settings → Passwords & Security → Privacy → Special Permits → Access to Personal Data. Go through the list of system applications (Music, Video, Explorer) and turn off Internet access or personalization where possible.

• 🔒 Withdrawal of permissions: Settings → Passwords and security → Access to personal data → msa (Off).
• 📉 Personalization: Settings → Passwords and security → Confidentiality → Advertising services (Off).
• 🛑 Notifications: Settings → Notifications and Control Centre → Disable advertising notifications.

⚠️ Attention: after the withdrawal of permits from the service MSA The ads may not disappear instantly, but within 24 hours.

Using ADB for advanced system cleaning

For those who want to achieve perfect purity, there is a method of removing system tabs and applications through ADB. This allows you to remove what can not be removed through the interface: for example, the Tools folder (which is technically a set of widgets) or Mi Video.

The process starts with enabling USB debugging. Go to Settings → About Phone and 7 times click on the MIUI version to become a developer. Then in Advanced Settings → For developers, turn on USB debugging.

Connect your phone to your PC and type a command to remove an unnecessary component, such as to remove Mi Video (which often creates tabs with content), use:

adb shell pm uninstall -k --user 0 com.mi.android.globalFileExplorer

Be extremely careful with removal commands. Removing critical system packages such as Security or Settings can lead to a cyclic bootloop and the need to flash the device. Always check the name of the package online before typing the command.

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Use ADB AppControl for Windows, which has a graphical interface that shows you which apps are safe to remove and which ones are best left out, and makes it easier for beginners to use ADB.

Alternative solutions and replacement of standard applications

Instead of fighting Xiaomi’s built-in solutions, it’s often more effective to simply replace them with better-quality counterparts from Google Play, which solves the tab problem dramatically – you just stop using problematic software.

Replace the standard launcher with Nova Launcher or Lawnchair. They let you completely ignore the left tab of Google or Mi, have no built-in advertising and work faster. The standard interface will fade into the background.

To watch videos, use VLC or MX Player instead of Mi Video. To read the news, set up the Google Discover widget or use aggregators like Flipboard, which do not integrate as deeply as Xiaomi services.

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Replacing system applications with third-party analogues is the most reliable way to get rid of the intrusive functionality of MIUI without the risk of damaging the system.

Remember that HyperOS and newer versions of MIUI are becoming more and more closed. Some system tabs and services can be integrated into the system framework, and removing them will require root rights, which is not recommended for ordinary users due to loss of warranty and security.

FAQ: Frequently Asked Questions