Owners of Xiaomi, Redmi and POCO smartphones often face system processes that are not always clear, such as com.xiaomi.finddevice, which is responsible for the Device Search function, which allows you to remotely track the location of a gadget, block it or erase data in the event of a theft.
However, for many users, this feature is not necessary, or it causes conflicts with other applications. Sometimes users buy used phones with Mi Account lock enabled, and this process does not allow full use of the device, in such situations, there is an urgent need to deactivate the system service.
Below we will discuss what this process is, why it can’t be simply “removed” by standard methods, and what are the safe ways to disable it, and it’s important to understand that interfering with system services can affect the performance of the manufacturer’s ecosystem, so all actions must be done consciously.
The com.xiaomi.finddevice process is an integral part of the MIUI and HyperOS shell. It provides communication between your device and Xiaomi Cloud servers. The main purpose of this service is to constantly monitor geolocation and Internet connection status. If the phone is lost, this component will allow you to see it on the map through the i.mi.com web interface.
And it's also an activation locking component, and it's a security mechanism that ties the device to your Mi Account, and even after you completely reset your device, you'll need to enter a password from an account that you've synced before, and you won't be able to unlock someone else's or a forgotten phone without disabling it.
Many users confuse this process with a virus or malware, as it consumes battery power and uses Internet traffic to transmit coordinates.It is actually a regular security feature, but its work can be redundant for those who are not afraid to lose their gadget or already use third-party tracking solutions.
It is worth noting that the complete removal of a system application requires root rights, which deprives of warranties and can disrupt the operation of banking applications, so the most rational approach is to disable or freeze the process without physically removing it from the system partition.
⚠️ Warning: Disabling the Find Device service will make it impossible to remotely search for and lock the phone in the event of a theft.
Preparation for system services shutdown
Before you start manipulating system packages, you need to perform a number of preparatory steps. Standard Android tools can not turn this process off, because the button “Disable” in the application menu will be inactive. You will need access to advanced settings.
First of all, you need to activate the developer mode. To do this, go to Settings, select About Phone, and find the MIUI Version (or OS Version) string. Click on it quickly 7-10 times in a row until you notice that you have become a developer.
Once you activate the hidden menu, go back to the main settings menu and find the Additional (or Advanced Settings) section, and there will be a Developers item. There are two options on this menu: USB Debugging and USB Installation if possible. Without these permissions, the computer will not be able to send commands to the phone.
You will also need a computer (Windows, macOS or Linux) and a USB cable. The computer must install a minimum set of ADB (Android Debug Bridge) tools.
Disconnection method through ADB (without Root)
The most secure and common way to deactivate com.xiaomi.finddevice is to use the ADB command line. This method does not require unlocking the bootloader and does not violate the integrity of the system partition, which allows you to return everything as it was at any time.
Connect your smartphone to your computer with a cable. You may see a request for debugging permission on your phone screen — click "Allow" and check "Always Allow." Open the command prompt (CMD or PowerShell) in the ADB folder on your computer and type in the link check command:
adb devices
If a device that says device appears on the list, it's connected. Now you can move to deactivate the packet. The command to hide the application for the current user is as follows:
adb shell pm disable-user --user 0 com.xiaomi.finddevice
Once you enter the command and press Enter, the process will stop, and the device search icon and functionality will disappear from the interface. The system will assume that the application is removed for the current user, although the files will physically remain on the disk.
The good thing about this method is that it's reversible, so if you decide to restore functionality or sell the phone, you just have to execute a command to turn the package back on, which makes it safe for most use cases.
What to do if the team is not executed?
If you get a Failure [not-installed] error or Failure [not-allowed-for-user] error, make sure you enter the package name correctly. Also check if the Device Search service is disabled in the phone's security settings. Sometimes you need to exit Mi Account first. For those who do not want to work with the command line, there are graphical shells for ADB. One of the most popular and tested is the Xiaomi ADB/Fastboot Tools program or the Universal Android Debloat Utility, these tools have a list of programs with the name and use of the phone, usually you need to run it. Pressing this button automatically generates and sends the necessary ADB-The advantage of using pre-built utilities is that there are knowledge bases, and the software can alert you if you try to disable a critical system component that is needed to run calls or network. However, you should always recheck the name of the package so as not to turn off the extra one. MIUI, But it doesn't work in all regions and firmware versions. → Security → Find the device and try to disable the switchboard. If it's active (grey and not pressed), then no switch. ADB The way you choose to disable depends on your goals and skills. For a typical user who just wants to get rid of the unnecessary process, the method will be suitable. ADB. For advanced users planning to flash, deeper methods are relevant. Complexity Needs Root Risk Reversibility of MIUI settings Low No Full Minimum ADB (command line) Medium No Full Low ADB Utilities (GUI) Low No Full Low Deletion from Root High Yes Bootloop As seen from the table, using ADB is the "golden mean." This gives full control over the process without having to break system protection (Root), which retains the ability to use banking applications and services can face frequent problems with their upgrades. This happens if the com.xiaomi.finddevice process is a dependency for other Xiaomi services, sometimes after a shutdown, notifications from system applications may stop working correctly or sync settings may be reset. In rare cases, a phone can go into a cyclic bootloop if a critical security process is affected, which is why Root removal is considered risky. If you notice strange system behavior, it is recommended to restore the package immediately. Adb shell pm enable com.xiaomi.finddevice It is also worth remembering that on some global firmware versions (Global). ROM) Disabling this package may cause errors in the Mi Account, as it is used for authorization in system services. ⚠️ Note: Before buying a used Xiaomi phone, be sure to check whether the Find Device lock is activated. If the previous owner did not untie the device from his account, you will not be able to fully use the phone even after reflashing it. Disabling Find Device frees up RAM and reduces battery consumption, as GPS And the communication module is not constantly being questioned by the background, and for users who value autonomy, this can be a noticeable improvement. But if you lose this service, you lose the ability to remotely lock the phone. If the phone is stolen, the attacker can just take out the phone. SIM-The card and the device, because the server won't get a lock command, is a significant trade-off between privacy/autonomy and security. In addition, some banking sector applications can check the integrity of system security services. Although an ADB disconnect is not usually detected as a violation, in rare cases it can raise suspicions among security systems. It is also important to consider that when selling a phone to a new owner will either need to completely reset the settings with the disabled service (which can cause activation errors), or pre-include the package back. Otherwise, the new owner will face problems during the initial setup. Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) Can you delete com.xiaomi.findevice forever without using a computer and ADB completely remove this system package. The standard interface does not give Android applications permission to remove the systems. You can only try to disable the function in the security settings if the firmware allows it, but the process itself will remain in the system. Is it safe to disable this process through ADB? Yes, it is safe, since the disable-user command only hides the application for the current user, without deleting the files physically. You can restore it at any time by the enable command. Problems can only arise when the files with Root rights are physically deleted. Why is the com.xiaomi.findevice process consuming the battery? It constantly turns to GPS modules and the network interface to transmit coordinates to the server. If the network signal is weak, the communication module will increase the power supply after the service is disabled. When you completely reset your Wipe Data, the settings will return to factory settings, and the service com.xiaomi.finddevice will be activated again. You will have to repeat the procedure of disabling through ADB again if you want to deactivate it. Can this application be a virus? com.xiaomi.findevice itself is a legitimate system component of Xiaomi. However, if you see a similar name in the list of running processes with strange behavior (for example, advertising), it is worth checking the device with an antivirus, since masking malware as system processes is a common practice.