Modern smartphones based on Android offer users many tools for personalization, but sometimes standard functions cause more irritation than benefit. One such feature is the left sidebar, often called Google Discover or Google Feed. It automatically appears when you swipe to the right of the home screen and contains a news feed, weather widgets and application recommendations.
Many users prefer a clean desktop without unnecessary information that can distract or consume bandwidth. Fortunately, the system allows you to flexibly customize this interface element. The disabling process depends on the version of the operating system and the shell installed by the manufacturer of your device, be it Samsung, Xiaomi or pure Android.
In this guide, we will examine in detail all the known methods of deactivating the sidebar. You will learn how to manage widgets, change launcher settings and use system utilities to achieve the perfect look for your smartphone. Let's start with the most common methods available to most gadget owners.
Standard launcher and desktop settings
The easiest and safest way to remove the left panel is to use the built-in desktop settings. Smartphone manufacturers often hide this option in the settings menu of the launcher itself, which can be called up by long pressing on an empty space on the screen. In the menu that opens, look for the “Desktop Settings” or “Screen Settings” item.
Inside the settings menu you need to find the switch responsible for displaying the news feed. On devices with clear Android this may be the “Show Google Discover” option. On smartphones Samsung with a shell One UI this element is called “Summary” or “Google Discover”.
After finding the desired toggle switch, it must be switched to an inactive state. The interface will immediately respond to changes, and when you swipe to the right, the news feed will no longer appear. If you do not find such an option, your carrier or manufacturer may have blocked this feature and you will need to use alternative methods.
Before making changes to the launcher settings, take a screenshot of the current location of widgets to quickly restore them if necessary.
It is worth noting that disabling the feed does not remove the application Google from your device, but only hides its interface from the main screen. This is an important nuance for those who are afraid of disrupting system services. The functionality of the voice assistant and other services will remain completely intact.
Disabling through the launcher settings is a standard method that does not require the installation of third-party software and is safe to guarantee the device.
Managing widgets and Google Discover
The left panel is often associated with the service Google Discover, which aggregates news and content based on your interests. This service is controlled not only through the screen settings, but also through the user profile in the application Google. To access the settings, you need to open the search engine application and click on the profile avatar.
In the account settings menu, select the “Settings” section and then go to the “General” item. This is where the “Discover” switch is located. By disabling it, you will prevent the system from creating a personalized feed, which will automatically clear the left panel of news content.
- 📱 Open the Google application and click on the profile avatar.
- ⚙️ Go to the “Settings” → “General” section.
- 🚫 Find the “Discover” switch and deactivate it.
- ✅ Return to the desktop and check the result by swiping.
If after these steps the panel still displays empty space or system widgets, it may be a proprietary shell. For example, Xiaomi and Huawei have their own news aggregators, which require separate disabling in the theme or desktop settings.
It is important to understand the difference between a weather widget, which can be on the main screen, and an entire panel. Widgets - these are individual elements that can be deleted by long pressing and dragging them to the trash. The panel is part of the navigation structure of the launcher.
Specifics of Samsung, Xiaomi and Huawei shells
Large manufacturers make significant changes to the interface Android, so there is no universal “turn everything off” button. Each brand has its own logic for placing controls. Let's look at the features of popular shells so that you can find the desired setting faster.
On devices Samsung with a shell One UI the left panel is called “Summary”. To remove it, you need to go to Settings → Home screen. There will be a "Summary" switch, which is often enabled by default. Disabling this option completely removes the panel on the left.
Owners Xiaomi (shell MIUI or HyperOS) should act differently. Here you need to go to Settings → Desktop. The option may be called "Widget Feed" or "Google Discover". In some firmware versions, you need to additionally disable “Cards Mode” in the theme settings.
| Brand / Shell | Path to settings | Option name | Additional actions |
|---|---|---|---|
| Samsung (One UI) | Settings → Home screen | Summary | Launcher restart required |
| Xiaomi (MIUI/HyperOS) | Settings → Desktop | Feed widgets | Check the theme settings |
| Huawei (EMUI) | Settings → Desktop | Smart Assistant | Can be called “Today” |
| Google Pixel | Google Settings → Discover | Discover | Through the Google application |
Devices Huawei i Honor are characterized by the presence of a “Smart Assistant” or a “Today” screen. The path to management is usually located in Settings → Desktop and Wallpaper. Here you can choose which content source to display on the left, or disable this function altogether.
⚠️ Attention: Settings interfaces may differ depending on the firmware version. If you do not find an exact match of names, look for synonyms like “Summary”, “Feed”, “Feed” or “News”.
Using third-party launchers
If the standard settings do not allow you to remove the left panel or the manufacturer’s interface is too cluttered, the best solution would be to install a third-party launcher. These are apps that completely replace the standard desktop, providing flexibility in managing all interface elements.
Popular launchers, such as Nova Launcher, Lawnchair or Microsoft Launcher, allow you to fine-tune the behavior of swipes. In their settings, you can explicitly specify that nothing should happen when you swipe to the right, or assign the launch of a specific application instead of the news feed.
☑️ Installing a third-party launcher
To activate the new launcher after installation, the system will ask for confirmation. You must select "Always" for the new application for it to become the primary interface. After this, the standard left panel from the manufacturer will disappear, since the new launcher does not have access to it by default.
Using third-party solutions provides another advantage - the ability to customize icons, fonts and the desktop grid. This turns the process of removing the panel into the beginning of deep personalization of the device to suit your needs.
Can a third-party launcher slow down your phone?
Modern launchers are optimized and work quickly. Slowdown is only possible on very old devices with a small amount of RAM (less than 2 GB), but in most cases the difference is unnoticeable.
Methods for advanced users (ADB)
For users who want to achieve complete control over the system and are not afraid to work with the command line, there is a method for disabling system components through ADB (Android Debug Bridge). This method allows you to hide even those elements that cannot be disabled through the settings menu.
First you need to activate developer mode. To do this, you need to quickly click on the build number in the section About phoneseven times. After the “You have become a developer” notification appears, a new section “For Developers” will appear in the settings menu, where you need to enable “USB Debugging.”
adb shell pm disable-user --user 0 com.google.android.googlequicksearchboxRunning this command through a connected computer will disable the Google application responsible for the Discover feed. However, be careful: this may affect how voice search and Google widgets work on your desktop. A safer option is to disable a specific component if its package name is known for your model.
⚠️ Warning: Using ADB commands requires precision. Disabling critical system packages may result in device instability or cyclic reboots. Always check the package name before entering the command.
If after experiments the system starts to work incorrectly, you can return everything back. To do this, use the command replacing disable-user by enable. This will return the functionality of the removed component to its original state.
Possible problems and solutions
During the setup process, users may encounter a situation where the panel disappears, but then appears again after a system reboot or update. This often happens due to the aggressive policy of restoring default settings that some manufacturers have.
Another problem is the presence of carrier widgets that cannot be removed. Mobile operators often pre-install their news and advertising panels, which are built deep into the system. It is impossible to remove them using standard methods; either root access or installation of an alternative launcher is required.
- 🔄 The panel returns after a reboot: Check system updates and repeat the setup.
- 📺 Problem with operator widgets: Use a third-party launcher to completely replace the interface.
- ⚡ The launcher crashes: Clear the cache of the new launcher in the application settings.
If nothing helps, you can consider resetting the launcher settings to factory settings. This will return the desktop to its default state, after which you can try the disabling procedure again, perhaps in a different order.
If the built-in tools do not help, installing a clean launcher (for example, Nova or Lawnchair) is the most reliable solution for getting rid of intrusive panels.
Is it safe to completely remove the Google app to disable the panel?
Complete removal of the Google system application can disrupt the operation of many services, including synchronization of contacts, maps and voice assistant. It is recommended to use the disable method through settings or ADB, rather than completely removing it if you are not sure of the consequences.
Does disabling the left panel affect battery consumption?
Yes, it does, but only slightly. The news feed constantly updates content in the background using your internet connection and processor. Disabling this feature may slightly increase battery life, especially on older devices.
Is it possible to restore a deleted panel?
Yes, if you simply disabled it in the settings, just return the switch to its original position. If ADB was used, you need to run the enable command. When installing a third-party launcher, simply select the standard launcher as the main one in the system settings.