How to Uninstall an App or Firmware Update on Xiaomi Redmi 9: The Complete Guide

App and system updates on Xiaomi Redmi 9 often bring new features, but sometimes become a source of problems, from sudden bugs to critical performance declines. Users face situations when a fresh version of MIUI or an application (for example, com.miui.home or com.android.vending) begins to slow down the device, drain the battery in a few hours or block access to important functions.

In this article, we will discuss all working ways to remove updates on Redmi. 9 (model M2003J15SC/M2003J15SS), including rollback of system applications through ADB, Resetting firmware through Recovery, and even manual removal APK-Special attention will be paid to the risks of data loss during rollback MIUI It's irreversible without a backup, and if you're looking for a way to get your phone back running after a bad update, read on.

โš ๏ธ Important: The methods of removing updates fall into two categories: secure (for custom applications from Google Play) and risky (for system components). MIUI). The latter can lead to bootloop or loss of warranty.

1. How to remove the update of the regular app (from Google Play)

If the problem arises after an app update from the Google Play Store (e.g. YouTube, Chrome or Mi Browser), the easiest way to return the previous version is to use the same method, which does not require super-user rights (root) and is suitable for 90% of users.

Standard algorithm:

  1. Open Settings โ†’ Applications โ†’ Application Management.
  2. Find the problem app in the list (use a title search).
  3. Slip on the three dots in the top right corner and select "Delete Updates".

If the button is inactive or not, the application is system-based (e.g. Mi Video or Security).

โš ๏ธ Warning: Once rolled back, the application can automatically update again to avoid this:

  • ๐Ÿ“ต Turn off auto-update for it in Google Play (on the app page) โ†’ โš™๏ธ โ†’ ยซAuto-updateยป โ†’ ยซNot updateยป).
  • ๐Ÿ”’ Install an update blocker, such as App Blocker (requires) ADB).
๐Ÿ“Š Which app is most often slowed down after updating?
Google Chrome
YouTube
Mi Browser
Facebook
Other

2. rollback of MIUI system applications via ADB (no root)

Xiaomi system applications (e.g. com.miui.gallery or com.miui.weather2) are updated via MIUI Updater and do not have the Remove Updates button in the settings. To return them to the factory version, you will need USB debugging and an ADB command.

Step-by-step:

  1. Turn on Developer Mode: Go to Settings โ†’ About Phone and tap the MIUI version 7 times.
  2. Return to Settings โ†’ Additional โ†’ For developers and activate โ€œDebugging by USBโ€.
  3. Connect Redmi 9 to your PC and confirm your trust in your phone.
  4. Download ADB Tools and unpack the archive.
  5. Open the command prompt (cmd) in the ADB folder and type: adb shell pm list packages -f Find the problem application package in the list (for example, package:/data/app/com.miui.calculator-1/base.apk=com.miui.calculator).
  6. Run a rollback command (replace com.miui.calculator with the desired package): adb shell pm uninstall-k --user 0 com.miui.calculator Flag -k saves application data, --user 0 applies changes for the current user.

After the reboot, the app will return to the factory version. If the command doesn't work, try adding --user 0 to the end (for some MIUI firmware, this is a must).

Install Xiaomi drivers on PC|

Enable debugging over USB on your phone |

Download ADB Tools latest version|

Check the connection on command `adb devices`| -->

3. Remove updates via Recovery Mode (for MIUI firmware)

If after updating the entire MIUI system (for example, from version 12.5 to 13) the phone began to brake, overheat or give errors, you can try to roll back through Recovery.

โš ๏ธ Note: Firmware rollback via Recovery deletes all data on your phone (photos, contacts, messages). be sure to backup via Mi Cloud or Google Account before starting!

Instructions:

  1. Download the full firmware for Redmi 9 (model M2003J15SC/SS) from Xiaomi's official website. Choose a version older than the current one (for example, if you have MIUI 14, take 13.0.6).
  2. Rename the file to update.zip and place it at the root of the phoneโ€™s internal memory.
  3. Turn off the device. Press the Power + Volume Up before the Mi logo appears, and you'll be taken to Recovery Mode.
  4. Select the language, then go to Install update.zip to System.
  5. Confirm the installation and wait for completion (10-15 minutes).

If the phone has been stuck on the Redmi logo for more than 20 minutes after rolling back, do a hard reset:

  1. Return to Recovery (Powder Power + Volume Up)
  2. Choose Wipe Data โ†’ Wipe All Data.
  3. Reset the device.
What if Recovery doesnโ€™t see update.zip?
If the file is not displayed in Recovery, check: 1) The correct file name (update.zip, no spaces). 2) Placement in the root of the memory (not in folders). 3 Archive integrity (unpack it on a PC - if it gives an error, download again). 4) The authenticity of the firmware (only official files from the Xiaomi site).

Manual removal APK-Update files (for experienced ones)

This method is suitable if you know the exact name of the package of the problem application and are ready to work with the file system. You will need root access or ADB with permission to write to the system folders.

Where updates are stored:

  • ๐Ÿ“ Customized APK: /data/app/[package_name]-1/base.apk
  • ๐Ÿ“ System updates: /system/priv-app/[package_name]/ or /system/app/

How to manually remove:

  1. Connect to your phone via ADB and get superuser rights: adb shell su
  2. Find it. APK-update file: find /data/app -name "package_name"
  3. Remove it (replace the path): rm -rf /data/app/com.example.app-1
  4. Reset the device.

โš ๏ธ Note: Removing files from /system If you're not sure, you can use root, you can use bootloop. ADB uninstall from the section 2.

Recoil methodRequired rightsRisk of data lossDifficulty
Removal through SettingsNo.Low.โญ
ADB uninstallUSB debuggingLow.โญโญ
Recovery ModeNo.High (full discharge)โญโญโญ
Manual removal of APKRootcriticalโญโญโญโญ

5. How to block automatic updates of applications

To avoid repeated problems, set up Redmi 9 to block unwanted updates.

๐Ÿ“Œ For Google Play:

  • ๐Ÿ›‘ Open the Play Store โ†’ profile โ†’ Settings โ†’ Network preferences โ†’ Auto-update of applications โ†’ Select โ€œDo not update automaticallyยป.
  • ๐Ÿ” For individual applications: find it in the Play Store, tap on โš™๏ธ โ†’ uncheck the box with "Enable auto-updateยป.

๐Ÿ“Œ For system applications MIUI:

  • ๐Ÿ”ง Turn off Auto Update. MIUI In Settings โ†’ The phone. โ†’ Updating the system โ†’ โš™๏ธ โ†’ Auto-downloading updates.
  • ๐Ÿšซ Use it. ADB, to block updates for specific packages: adb shell dpm set-device-owner com.example.app/.AdminReceiver (Device Owner requires pre-configuring).

๐Ÿ’ก

Create a separate user on your phone (Settings โ†’ System โ†’ Additional โ†’ Multiplayer) and test updates on it before installing on your main profile.

6. Frequent mistakes and how to avoid them

When rolling back updates, Redmi 9 users often face typical problems.

๐Ÿ”ด Error: โ€œFailed to delete updatesโ€ (button inactive).

๐Ÿ”น Reason: The application is system-based or secure MIUI.

๐Ÿ”น Solution: Use ADB (section 2) or manual removal APK (section).

๐Ÿ”ด Error: phone is stuck on logo after rollback via Recovery.

๐Ÿ”น Reason: Incompatibility of the firmware version or damaged update.zip.

๐Ÿ”น Solution: Run Wipe Data in Recovery or run the full firmware through Fastboot.

๐Ÿ”ด Mistake: ADB can't see the device.

๐Ÿ”น Reason: Xiaomi drivers are not installed or debugging is not included USB.

๐Ÿ”น Solution: Download Mi USB Driver and check the developer settings.

๐Ÿ’ก

Before any firmware rollback, check the compatibility of the version with the phone model. Installing the firmware from Redmi Note 9 on Redmi 9 will cause the device to fail.

FAQ: Answers to Frequent Questions

Can MIUI be rolled back to the factory version without losing data?
No. Firmware rollbacks via Recovery or Fastboot always result in a full reset (Wipe Data).The only way to save data is to backup through Mi Cloud, Google Account or third-party utilities (such as Swift Backup with root rights).
Why is the application updated again after rollback?
Google Play and MIUI Updater automatically checks version relevance. To block updates: Turn off auto-update in the Play Store settings. Use ADB, To remove the application from the current user (pm uninstall) -k --user 0 package_name). Install an alternative store (such as the Aurora Store) where you can disable updates selectively.
How to find out the current version of MIUI and firmware on Redmi 9?
Go to Settings โ†’ About the phone. Look for lines: The MIUI version โ€” for example, 13.0.6 Stable. Android version โ€” for example, 11 RKQ1.200826.002. The build number โ€” for example, QKQ1.191215.002. For firmware, also check the model code (M2003J15SC or M2003J15SS) โ€” this is critical when choosing a file to roll back.
What if Googleโ€™s services stopped working after the rollback?
This is a typical problem when manually removing system APKs. Solution: Download the latest version of Google Play Services from APKMirror. Install the APK manually (allow installation from unknown sources to Settings โ†’ Applications โ†’ Special Rights). Reboot the device. If the problem persists, re-sweep the firmware through Fastboot with the Clean All tick.
Can I roll back the update of the game or social network (for example, Facebook, Instagram)?
Yes, but only if the app was installed via Google Play. Use the method from Section 1. For cache games (e.g., for example, for the app, PUBG Mobile or Genshin Impact) may require a reboot of data after a rollback โ€“ make sure you have enough memory. โš ๏ธ Attention: The rollback of a Facebook or Instagram client can lead to authorization issues.In this case, upgrade the app to the minimum supported version.