How to remove Google News from the left side on Android

Many owners of Android smartphones are faced with a situation where when they swipe to the right of the main screen, an intrusive news feed opens Google Discover. This feature, designed to inform the user about world events and interests, is often perceived as an extra element of the interface, taking up space and distracting attention. This is especially annoying for those who prefer minimalism and use the left panel exclusively for widgets or quick access to applications.

Fortunately, the system developers provide the ability to flexibly customize the workspace. The disabling process may vary slightly depending on the model of your device and the version of the shell installed by the manufacturer. In this article we will analyze in detail how to remove Google News on various types of smartphones in order to regain full control over your interface.

You need to understand that the news feed is part of the Google ecosystem and is closely integrated into the standard launcher. However, this does not mean that its removal is impossible. We will consider both standard methods through the system settings, and alternative solutions for advanced users who want to customize their gadget to suit their needs.

Disabling the feed on pure Android and Pixel

Smartphones Google Pixel and devices with a pure version of Android use a standard launcher, where managing the feed is as simple as possible. First, you need to hold down an empty space on any free area of ​​the main screen. This action will bring up a context menu in which you should select the item Home screen settings.

In the menu that opens you will see a switch responsible for displaying the news feed. Usually it is signed as "Google Feed" or Google Feed. Move this toggle switch to the inactive position. After that, the next time you swipe to the right, the news page will no longer appear, and the screen will simply remain blank or go to the first desktop.

It is worth noting that in some interface updates this item may be hidden inside the "Advanced" section. If you don't see the switch right away, take a close look at all the available tabs in the launcher settings menu. This is standard practice for Android 12 and newer versions.

⚠️ Note: Disabling the feed does not remove the Google app from your device. It only hides the interface for quick access to news. The application itself will continue to work in the background for the voice assistant and other services.

Users often confuse widget settings and settings of the feed itself. Make sure that you are changing the global setting of the launcher, and not deleting a separate weather or calendar widget, which may accidentally appear on the first screen.

Setting up the interface on Samsung smartphones

Shell One UI from the company Samsung has its own specifics in the organization of the work space. Here the news feed is often called Samsung Global or Google Discover depending on the region and firmware version. To remove it, perform a long tap on a free area on the desktop.

A toolbar will appear at the bottom of the screen. You need to swipe left or right to find the panel settings screen, or directly tap on the settings icon (gear), if available. Find the item Swipe right or Swipe right.

• 📱 Select the "Home" option to turn off any feed and make a swipe return to the first screen.
• 🌐 Select "Google Discover" if you want to return the news feed back.
• 🗞️ Select “Samsung Global” if you prefer a news aggregator from the manufacturer itself.

After selecting the “Home” item, the swipe right function will be deactivated in the context of opening news. This frees up the gesture for other actions or simply removes visual noise. The interface One UI is known for its fluidity, and disabling unnecessary elements often makes navigation even faster.

If you have a custom theme installed, some menu items may be renamed or hidden. In this case, it is recommended to temporarily switch to the standard theme to check the settings. This is a common problem when using third-party designs from Galaxy Store.

Deleting news on Xiaomi, Redmi and POCO

Device running shell MIUI or new HyperOS from the company Xiaomi have an aggressive policy of integrating news aggregators. Here the ribbon may be called “Application Ribbon” or App Vault. Access to the settings is also carried out through a long tap on the desktop.

In the settings menu, find the section Additional or immediately go to the item "Application feed". Inside you will see a switch to activate or deactivate this screen. Disable it to remove the left panel. In some firmware versions, this item is located in the general settings of the phone in the “Desktop” section.

A feature of MIUI is that even after disabling the standard feed, the system may offer to install alternative news services. Be careful when updating the system: after a major update (for example, from MIUI 13 to 14), the launcher settings may be reset to factory settings, and the feed will have to be disabled again.

It is also worth checking the settings of the “Security” or “Cleaning” application, since in some regions Xiaomi integrates news modules directly there. This can create duplicate content even if the main feed is disabled.

Solution for third-party launchers

If standard methods do not help or you want to completely change the look of your smartphone, installing a third-party launcher is the best solution. Popular shells, such as Nova Launcher, Lawnchair or Smart Launcher, do not have integration with Google Discover by default.

When installing such a launcher, the system will ask which application to use for the default home screen. Select the installed launcher. In its settings you can fully control the number of desktops, gestures and widgets. The news feed is either absent there or connected as a separate widget at your request.

Launcher name	Complexity of setup	Presence of advertising	Flexibility
Nova Launcher	Average	No (in Prime)	High
Lawnchair	Low	No	Average
Smart Launcher 6	Low	Yes (in free)	Automatic
Microsoft Launcher	Low	No	Medium

Using a third-party launcher provides another advantage - increased performance. Standard shells often consume more RAM due to the background loading of news widgets. Lightweight launchers work faster and smoother on older devices.

However, it is worth considering that some functions are specific to the manufacturer (for example, one-handed control gestures on Samsung or double tap to turn on screen on Xiaomi), may not work correctly or require additional configuration in third-party shells.

⚠️ Attention: When changing the launcher, widget settings and icon placement may be lost. It is recommended to take a screenshot of the current location of applications before installing a new shell to quickly restore order.

Disable via Google application settings

Sometimes the problem lies not in the launcher settings, but in the settings of the application itself Google. This method is especially relevant if the switch in the desktop settings is missing or inactive. Go to the settings menu of your smartphone and find the “Applications” section.

In the list, find the application Google (not Chrome, but the application with the colored letter G). Go to its settings and select General or General. Here you will find the option Google Feed or Discover. Disable this switch.

After performing this action, the system may require you to restart the launcher. This usually happens automatically, but if the ribbon remains in place, try forcibly stopping the Google app in Settings and starting it again. This will forcefully update the interface configuration.

Why might the setting be reset?

Sometimes updates to Google Play Services may return settings to default. If you notice that the feed appears again after the update, simply repeat the disabling procedure in the application settings. This is not a bug, but a feature of profile synchronization.

This method is the most universal, as it affects the root setting of the service, and not just the visual part of a specific launcher. This ensures that even if you change the theme or minor system update, the news feed will not return.

Radical methods and disabling system components

For advanced users who want to be sure to get rid of any mentions of Google News and free up memory space, there is a method for disabling system components. This method requires enabling developer mode and using ADB (Android Debug Bridge).

Connect your smartphone to your computer, enable USB debugging and enter the command to disable the package responsible for the tape. This action is irreversible without reconnecting to your PC, so use it with caution.

adb shell pm disable-user --user 0 com.google.android.googlequicksearchbox

This command disables the Google Search application, which is closely associated with the Discover feed. As a result, not only the feed will disappear, but also the Google search widget, as well as the Google Assistant voice assistant, if it is not configured separately. This is a last resort measure that should only be used if other methods have not helped.

You can return everything back with the command adb shell pm enable com.google.android.googlequicksearchbox. Please be aware that tampering with system packages may affect the software warranty in some rare cases, although this is usually reversible.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Will the news feed return after resetting the phone?

Yes, if you perform a full factory reset (Factory Reset) all changes in the configuration of the launcher and applications will be lost. The system will return to its out-of-the-box state, where the Google Discover feed is usually enabled by default. You will have to repeat the disabling procedure after initially setting up the device.

Does disabling the feed affect the operation of voice search?

No, disabling the visual news feed does not affect the operation of the voice assistant. You'll still be able to activate Google Assistant with a button or the voice command "Hey Google." The search functions inside the application will also remain available, the automatic feed of news on the main screen will simply disappear.

Is it possible to replace the Google feed with another one, for example, Yandex or Flipboard?

On the standard launcher, you cannot directly replace the Google feed with a third-party one. However, many manufacturers (for example, Xiaomi or Samsung) allow you to select an alternative aggregator in the swipe settings. If there is no such option, the only solution is to install a third-party launcher that supports integration with other news services.

Why did the feed appear again after an Android update?

Major operating system updates sometimes overwrite the launcher configuration files, returning the settings to default values. This is done to ensure compatibility with new interface features. Just go to the home screen settings and turn off the feed again - it will take a few seconds.

Will this action delete my Google account?

Absolutely not. All the methods described relate only to displaying the interface and news feed. Your Google account, contact synchronization, Gmail mail and access to the Play Market will remain fully functional and unaffected by these changes.