How to completely remove the virus from the phone Xiaomi: 5 working methods

Viruses on Xiaomi smartphones are not uncommon, especially if you install apps from unverified sources or ignore security updates. Malware can steal personal data, show intrusive ads or even block your device. But don’t panic: 90% of the time, the virus can be removed without the help of a service center.

The main problem for owners of Redmi, POCO and other Xiaomi lines is hidden threats that masquerade as system processes. For example, a virus can be called com.android.system.update or Google Play Services so that the user does not suspect a trick. In this article, we will analyze all the current cleaning methods, from manual removal to hard reset, and learn how to distinguish the real virus from false positives of the antivirus.

Signs of Xiaomi phone infection with a virus

The first step is to confirm that the virus is the problem, not a system failure or a congestion.

• 📱 Unknown programs appear in the menu (for example, Fast Save, Lucky Draw or Cyrillic names).
• 🔋 Fast battery discharge - the battery sits down for 2-3 hours without active use and in the settings → Battery seen unknown process with high consumption.
• 💰 The money from the account comes in. SMS Payments for services you have not ordered (often disguised as content subscriptions).
• 📛 Advertising over all windows – banners appear even in the system menus, lock the screen or redirect to Google Play.
• 🔒 Blocking the screen with a demand for payment – a message like “Your phone is blocked” FBI, pay 50$ unlockable".

If you notice at least 2-3 items on the list, the probability of infection is close to 100%, but not all symptoms are unequivocal: for example, battery discharge can be caused by a worn-out battery, and advertising - aggressive monetization in legal applications (for example, in MIUI Launcher).

How to check your Xiaomi phone for viruses without antivirus

Take your time to download the antivirus – first use the built-in MIUI tools. They are less effective against complex threats, but will help to identify obvious problems.

Open Settings → Applications → Application Management and sort the list by installation date (Recently Installed).

• 📌 Applications with incomprehensible names (set of letters, numbers or Cyrillic).
• 📌 Programs that cannot be deleted (the "Delete" button is inactive).
• 📌 Processes with administrator rights (checked in Settings) → Passwords and security → Administrator rights).

Also analyze traffic consumption: go to Settings → SIM-maps and mobile networks → Traffic consumption: If an unknown app eats gigabytes in the background, that's a sure sign of a virus. For example, the Joker Trojan can consume up to 500MB per day to send a message. SMS pay-per-room.

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V MIUI 14 and later, there is a hidden security check mode. To activate it, type the code ##4636## in the Phone app, then select Battery Information" → "Usage statistics. This shows all active processes, including hidden processes.

Method 1: Removing the virus through safe mode

Safe Mode only downloads system applications, blocking all third-party applications, including viruses, and removing malware that normally protects itself from uninstallation.

To get into safe mode on Xiaomi:

1. Press the power button before the off menu appears.
2. Press and hold the "Switch off" (or "Switch off power") for 3-5 seconds.
3. Confirm the transition to safe mode when the request appears.

When you download, the bottom right corner of the screen will say "Safe Mode." Now:

• 🔍 Go to Settings. → Apps and remove suspicious programs.
• 🔧 Check the list of administrators in Settings → Passwords and security → Administrator rights – disable permissions for unknown applications.
• 📂 Clear your browser cache and data (especially if the virus has penetrated through a phishing site).

If the virus blocks access to settings, try removing it via ADB (instructions in the next section).

Method 2: Removal of the virus via ADB (for power users)

If the virus has blocked removal or is hidden under the system process, Android Debug Bridge (ADB), a computer debugging tool, will help.This method requires debugging over USB and is suitable for users willing to work with the command line.

Preparation:

1. Download ADB Tools from Google’s official website.
2. Turn on Settings → About Phone → MIUI version (click 7 times to activate developer mode).
3. Return to Settings → Additional → For developers and enable USB Debugging.

Next, connect your phone to your PC and execute commands in the terminal (Windows or Terminal command line on Mac/Linux):

adb devices


adb shell pm list packages | grep "suspicious name"




adb uninstall -k --user 0 com.virus.package

Replace com.virus.package with the name of the virus packet (e.g. com.android.fakeupdate). To find the exact identifier, use the command:

adb shell pm list packages -f | grep -i "suspicious"

Note: Removing system packages via ADB may cause your phone to fail.Do not delete processes called miui., com.android. or com.xiaomi. without being sure they are malicious.

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ADB is the most powerful way to remove viruses, but it requires caution: If you are not sure about the name of the package, first check it on Google or forums (for example, 4PDA).

Method 3: Reset to factory settings (if nothing helps)

If the virus is deeply integrated into the system or blocks all removal attempts, hard reset remains, a method that erases all data from the phone, including viruses, but requires a prior backup.

How to make a reset on Xiaomi:

1. Save important data (photos, contacts) in Mi Cloud or on your computer.
2. Go to Settings → About the phone → Reset settings.
3. Select “Erase all data” and confirm the action.

If the phone is blocked by a virus and does not let you into the settings, reset through the recovery mode:

1. Turn off the phone.
2. Press the power button + increase the volume before the MI logo appears.
3. In the Recovery menu, select Wipe Data → Wipe All Data (manage volume buttons, confirmation – power button).

Important: After a reset, do not restore data from a backup created after an infection - the virus can come back. Use only clean backups or transfer files selectively.

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On Xiaomi models with the bootloader unlocked (for example, after the firmware TWRP), the virus can even survive reset, in which case you will need to flash through the Fastboot.

Method 4: Use antivirus software (but not all!)

Android antiviruses are often criticized for being useless, but some of them do help against viruses on Xiaomi, the main thing is to choose a proven solution and not install an “antivirus” that will prove to be malicious.

Recommended antiviruses (2026):

How to properly scan your phone:

1. Install the antivirus only from Google Play (not from APK!).
2. Before scanning, turn off the Internet – some viruses block antiviruses through the network.
3. Start a deep scan (not fast!).
4. If the antivirus finds threats, follow its removal instructions.

⚠️ Warning: Do not install antiviruses from unknown developers (e.g. Super Cleaner, Virus Cleaner 2026) Many of them are viruses themselves or display false threats to sell a premium version.

Method 5: Flashing the phone (extreme case)

If a virus has damaged system files or has been embedded in firmware (such as Triada or XHelper), it may require a complete firmware reflash, a method that is more difficult than others, but is guaranteed to remove even the most persistent threats.

Step-by-step:

1. Download the official firmware for your model from the Xiaomi Firmware website.
2. Unpack the archive and place the update.zip file in the root of the phone’s memory.
3. Press the power button + increase the volume to enter Recovery.
4. Select Install update.zip and confirm the installation.

For models with a locked bootloader (for example, Xiaomi 13T) you will need to unlock through the Mi Unlock Tool and firmware through Fastboot. Detailed guides are available on the 4PDA forum in the section of your model.

⚠️ Warning: Firmware flashing through unofficial firmware (e.g. LineageOS) may take you out of warranty and cause problems with Widevine (Netflix, Disney won't work)+ into HD).

How to protect Xiaomi from viruses in the future

Removing the virus is half the battle, and to avoid re-infection, follow these rules:

• 🔒 Disable the installation from unknown sources: Settings → Passwords and security → Unknown sources (should be turned off for all applications).
• 🔄 Update. MIUI Regularly: new versions close vulnerabilities that viruses exploit. → The phone. → Updating the system.
• 🛡️ Use Google Play Protect: Open Google Play → Profile → Play Protect → Scan.
• 📥 Don't download. APK Even popular apps (such as WhatsApp or TikTok) can be modified and contain viruses.
• 🔍 Check reviews before installing: if the application has 2-3 Stars and comments like “After installation there was an advertisement” – this is a red flag.

You can also activate the hidden security mode in MIUI:

1. Open the Settings. → Passwords and security.
2. Activate "Blocking the installation of malicious applications".
3. Enable "File Scanning" in the "Device Protection" section.

Important: Even official apps from Google Play can contain viruses. In 2023, Google removed more than 100,000 malicious apps, but some slipped. Always check the permissions the program requests (for example, why does the messenger need SMS rights?).

FAQ: Frequent questions about viruses on Xiaomi