How to completely disable games on Xiaomi phone: all ways

Tired of constantly notifying you of new levels in Genshin Impact or Free Fire that distract you from work? Or trying to limit your child’s playing time on the Xiaomi Redmi Note 12 or POCO X5 Pro? MIUI has several built-in tools for blocking games — from simple deletions to fine-tuning parental controls. But not all of them are obvious: some features are hidden in the depths of the menu, and others require technical nuances.

In this article, we’ll discuss 5 working ways to disable games on Xiaomi, including methods for different versions of MIUI (12 to 14) and models (Redmi 9A to Xiaomi 14 Ultra), learn how to block games without root rights, set time limits, hide the game launcher and even use third-party apps for tight control, and what to do if a child tries to bypass restrictions through guest mode or resetting.

1. Remove games through application settings

The most radical and reliable way is to completely remove gaming apps, which is suitable if the games are installed locally (not through Google Play Games or cloud services) and you do not plan to return to them. Xiaomi has two options for removing them: standard and deep (with cache and data clearing).

To delete the game:

• 📱 Open the Settings. → Annexes → Application management.
• 🔍 In the search box, enter the name of the game (for example, PUBG Mobile or Brawl Stars).
• 🗑️ Click Delete (if the button is inactive – first click Disable).
• 🧹 For complete cleanup, select Clear Data and Clear Cache before Deletion.

⚠️ Note: Some games (such as Call of Duty Mobile) leave files in the folder after deleting. /Android/obb/. They must be manually removed through the file manager, otherwise, when re-installed, the game will "remember" the old progress.

2.Blocking through parental control (MIUI Family Guard)

If the phone is used by a child, the best option is built-in parental control from Xiaomi (MIUI Family Guard allows you to not only block games, but also set time limits, limit purchases, filter content. MIUI 12 and newer (including Redmi 10, POCO F4, Xiaomi 13T).

How to set up:

1. Go to Settings → Special Options → Parental Controls.
2. Create a profile of your child (you will need to link your Mi Account).
3. In the Application Limitations section, select the games you want to block.
4. Set a time limit (for example, 1 hour per day) or choose Block completely.
5. Activate Safe Mode so that the child cannot turn off control through settings.

⚠️ Note: If your child knows the password from your Mi Account, they can reset parental controls through Settings → Xiaomi account → Delete your account. To avoid this, link two-factor authentication to your account and don't save your passwords in your browser.

3. Hiding the Game Launcher (Game Turbo)

Many games on Xiaomi are launched through Game Turbo, Xiaomi’s signature game launcher that optimizes performance. If you turn off the launcher itself, the games won’t disappear, but will become less accessible. This method is suitable for users who want to reduce the temptation to play, but are not ready to remove the games completely.

Instructions:

• 🛠️ Go to Settings. → Annexes → Application management.
• 🔍 Find Game Turbo (or Game Mode on Russian-language firmware).
• 🚫 Click Disable (if the button is inactive – Stop first).
• 🗃️ To hide the launcher icon, press it on the home screen and drag it to Delete (this will not remove the application itself, but only remove the shortcut).

Once the Game Turbo is disabled, games will run as standard, without optimization. Some features (such as Do Not Disturb while playing) will stop working. On Xiaomi 12S Ultra and the newer Game Turbo models, it is integrated into the system - it can not be turned off completely, only restrict access through parental control.

4. Use of third-party applications (AppLock, Digital Wellbeing)

If the built-in MIUI features are not enough, you can use third-party tools.

• 🔒 AppLock (from DoMobile Lab) – blocks games with a password or fingerprint.
• ⏳ Digital Wellbeing (from Google) – limits the time spent on games.
• 👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 Kids Place – creates a sandbox with allowed apps.

Example of setting up AppLock:

1. Install AppLock from Google Play.
2. Launch the application and install it. PIN-code.
3. In the Blocked Apps section, select the games you want to hide.
4. Activate Hidden Mode so that game icons disappear from the home screen.

⚠️ Note: Some blocking apps (such as AppLock) may conflict with MIUI Optimization is a built-in optimization service. If the phone starts to brake after installing the blocker, add it to Battery Exclusions (Settings) → Battery → Optimizing the battery).

5. Blocking through Google (Digital Wellbeing) settings

If your Xiaomi has Google services installed, you can use the Digital Wellbeing tool, which is built into Android 9 and later, and allows you to set limits on the use of applications, including games, the advantage of this method is that it works even if the child resets MIUI (but does not reset Google account).

How to set up:

• 📊 Open the Settings. → Digital Wellbeing and Parental Control.
• 🕒 Select the Control Panel and find the game in the list.
• ⏱️ Click on the Hourglass and set a daily limit (e.g. 30 minutes).
• 🔒 To block the game completely, set a limit of 0 minutes.

Digital Wellbeing also allows you to set up Sleep Mode (block games overnight) and Focus Mode (temporarily disabling all distracting apps), which sync with your Google account, so it will work even after you reset your phone to factory settings.

💡

If your child is trying to bypass the restrictions through the guest profile, turn off this feature in Settings → System → Multiplayer. In MIUI 14, the guest mode is disabled by default, but it can be activated through the developer (click 7 times on the MIUI version in the phone settings).

6. Radical methods: disabling Google Play Games and resetting advertising ID

If previous methods have not worked (for example, a child installs games through APK or cloud services), you can go to extreme measures:

1. Disable Google Play Games: Many mobile games require this service to authorize and sync progress. If you disable it, the games will either stop running or lose connection to the account. Settings → Applications → App Management → Google Play Games → Disable
2. Block APK installation: Prohibit installation of applications from unknown sources: Settings → Privacy → Special permissions → Installation of unknown applications

⚠️ Note: Disabling Google Play Games may disrupt not only games, but also some system applications (such as YouTube or Google Pay).Be sure to check before using this method if you are using services that depend on Play Games (such as cloud saves in Asphalt 9 or Clash Royale).

💡

The most reliable way to block games is a combination of parental control (MIUI Family Guard) + Digital Wellbeing + disabling the APK installation. This closes all ways of circumventing restrictions, except for a complete reset of the phone.

FAQ: Frequent questions about blocking games on Xiaomi