App Vault on Xiaomi: hidden features, security and how to disable without consequences

If you own a Xiaomi, Redmi or a smartphone POCO, I'm sure you've noticed a strange widget called App Vault (or "App Store" in Russian localization) on the home screen, which appears immediately after you buy the device and often raises questions: What it is, how to use it, and whether it can be removed without risk to the system. Unlike standard application folders, App Vault behaves in a way that is unusual, automatically grouping programs into categories, showing recommendations, and even integrating with system services. MIUI.

In this article, we will take a closer look at what App Vault is, what features it performs on modern Xiaomi smartphones (including models from 2023-2026), how it affects performance and privacy, and give you step-by-step instructions on how to disable or customize it for your needs, and pay special attention to myths and misconceptions – for example, why some users consider this widget “spyware”, and how these fears are justified.

What is App Vault and Why is it Necessary? MIUI

App Vault (often called App Storage or Quick Access in Russian) is a proprietary widget from Xiaomi that first appeared in the app store. MIUI 9 and has evolved since.It's essentially a dynamic dashboard that automatically analyzes your smartphone usage habits and offers quick access to your smartphone:

• 📱 Frequently used applications (based on launch statistics)
• 🔍 Recommended Programs (based on your interests and activities)
• 📊 System utilities (flashlight, scanner) QR, screen-recording.)
• 📰 News Feed (Integration with Xiaomi News or Google Discover, depending on the region)
• 🎵 Music services (player, radio, podcasts)

At first glance, the App Vault looks like similar solutions from Samsung (Samsung Free) or Huawei (Huawei Assistant), but it has a key difference: it is deeply integrated into the shell. MIUI And it uses your activity data to personalize, for example, if you often order food through the Delivery Club, the widget might bring that app to number one in the Recommended section. QR-codes, the scanner icon will appear in quick access.

However, not all users are happy with this "care"; many consider App Vault an unnecessary ballast that:

• 🐢 Slows down the interface (especially on Redmi budget models)
• 👁️ Monitors activity (collects data on applications launched)
• 🗑️ Takes up space on the main screen, which can be used for other widgets
• 🔄 Imposing content (news, advertising, promotions from Xiaomi)

So does this really matter? The answer depends on your habits. For some users, App Vault becomes a convenient time-saving tool, for others, an annoying element that you want to remove, and then we'll look at how it works under the hood and what settings you can change.

How App Vault Works: Technical Details and Integration MIUI

To understand whether or not you should keep App Vault on your smartphone, you need to understand how it functions at the system level. This widget is not just a static folder, but a dynamic service that:

1. Analyzes application usage logs through the com.miui.systemAdSolution system service (responsible for interface personalization).
2. Syncs with the cloud (if Mi Account is enabled) to offer up-to-date recommendations across devices.
3. Integrates with Google Services (on global firmware) to display news and weather.
4. Uses machine learning to predict what applications you may need in the near future (e.g., Yandex.Maps in the morning if you drive to work).

It is important to note that App Vault is not a separate application – it is part of the system process. MIUI, It can't be removed by standard means (like a regular program), but you can turn it off or limit its activity:

One of the main issues that users are concerned about is privacy: Is App Vault really spying on you? Technically, it collects data about:

• 📱 App Launch Frequency (but not what you do inside)
• 🕒 Time of use (for example, in the morning you open messengers more often)
• 📍 Geolocation (only if you have given permission) MIUI location-access)

This data is used solely for the personalization of the widget and is not shared with third parties (as Xiaomi claims), but if you are paranoid about privacy, you can limit the service’s access to your activity, as we will discuss in the next section.

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If you want to completely reset the statistics of app usage in App Vault, go to Settings → Annexes → Application management → App Vault → Warehouse → Clear the data. It'll reset all the factory recommendations.

Can App Vault be removed or disabled without harming the system?

Now, to the most popular question, how do you get rid of the App Vault if you don't need it, there are a few options, from simply disabling to completely deleting it (the latter requiring superuser rights).

Method 1: Remove the widget from the main screen (without disabling the service)

If you just don’t like the App Vault taking up space on your desktop, you can hide it:

1. Press the App Vault widget on the home screen.
2. Drag it up to the Remove (or Remove on English firmware) label.
3. Confirm the action.

This won't shut down the service completely, but it will take it out of sight. The widget can be returned back through the widget menu (Long tap on the desktop). → Widgets → App Vault).

Method 2: Disable personalization and data collection

If you’re concerned that App Vault is analyzing your activity, you can limit your options:

Open the Settings. → Confidentiality|Select Special Permits → Personalization of recommendations|Turn off the slider for App Vault|Reset the device-->

After that, the widget will stop showing “smart” recommendations, but will remain as a regular folder with applications.

Method 3: Completely disabling through ADB (without root)

For advanced users who want to completely deactivate App Vault, there is a way to ADB (Android Debug Bridge. It doesn't require superuser rights, but it does require a computer and a computer. USB-cable.

Instructions:

1. Turn on Developer Mode on your smartphone: go to Settings → About Phone and 7 times click on the MIUI version.
2. Return to Settings → Additional → For developers and enable USB debugging.
3. Connect your phone to your PC, open the command line and type in: adb shell pm disable-user --user 0 com.miui.appvault
4. Reset the device.

To return the App Vault back, use the command:

adb shell pm enable com.miui.appvault

Method 4: Removal with root rights (for experienced)

If you have root access, you can delete App Vault permanently using a file manager (such as Root Explorer) or command:

su


pm uninstall --user 0 com.miui.appvault

⚠️ Warning: Removing system applications can lead to unstable work MIUI. Before that, make a backup copy through TWRP Mi Cloud.

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Disabling App Vault does not affect the basic functions of the smartphone, but it can disrupt integration with some Xiaomi services (for example, Mi Pay or Mi Home).

App Vault vs. Google Discover: What’s Better and How They Differ

Many Xiaomi users confuse App Vault with Google Discover widget (formerly Google Feed), which also shows news and recommendations on the home screen.

So which widget is better? It depends on your preference.

• 🔹 Select App Vault if you need quick access to applications and system utilities (scanner) QR, flashlight.).
• 🔹 Choose Google Discover if you care about quality news and personalized content (sports, finance, technology).
• 🔹 Turn off both if you prefer a minimalist desktop without unnecessary widgets.

Most Xiaomi smartphones with global firmware have the App Vault installed by default, but it can be replaced with Google Discover:

1. Click on the free space on the main screen for a long time.
2. Pick the Widgets.
3. Find Google Discover (or Google Assistant) and drag it to the screen.
4. Remove the App Vault widget as described earlier.

⚠️ Note: On Chinese firmware (China) ROM) Google Discover may not work due to lack of Google services, in which case the alternative will be the Mi Browser widget or third-party launchers like Nova Launcher.

App Vault on different models Xiaomi: features and bugs

The functionality of the App Vault may differ depending on the smartphone model and version MIUI. For example, on flagships (Xiaomi) 13T Pro, Redmi K60 Ultra widget is stable and offers advanced settings, while on budget devices (Redmi) 12C, POCO M6 Pro) it may inhibit or give irrelevant recommendations.

Here’s how App Vault behaves on different lines:

On some devices, users are faced with bugs:

• 🐞 App Vault does not open – cache cleaning helps (Settings) → Annexes → App Vault → Clear the cache).
• 🔄 Settings are constantly resetting - the fault of updates MIUI; Solution: roll back the version through ADB.
• 📱 App icons disappear – linked to the conflict of topics; try changing the theme.

If you are experiencing problems, first check the version. MIUI (Settings → At 2026, stable builds (e.g., telephone, MIUI 14.0.5) perform better than beta, and it’s also helpful to roll back to previous firmware if bugs have appeared after the update.

Alternatives to App Vault: what widgets can be used instead

If you're going to get rid of App Vault, but want to keep it easy to access apps quickly, consider alternative solutions, which fall into three categories:

1. Third-party launchers with support for widgets

Popular launchers such as:

• 🌟 Nova Launcher – allows you to create your own folders and widgets with flexible configuration.
• 🎨 Apex Launcher – Supports gestures and adaptive icons.
• 🚀 Lawnchair is an open source lightweight launcher.

Advantage: full control over the interface, no unnecessary recommendations.

2. Widgets for quick access

If you only need App Vault functionality (fast application launch and utilities), try:

• 🔧 QuickShortcutMaker – creates shortcuts for any action in applications.
• 📱 Sesame Shortcuts – Smart Search and Launch Keyword Apps.
• 🔍 Edge Gestures – calling panels with swipe apps around the edge of the screen.

3. System solutions from Xiaomi

Even without the App Vault in MIUI There are built-in tools for convenience:

• 🔘 Control panel (called swipe down the main screen) - quick access to the flashlight, calculator, scanner QR.
• 📂 Desktop folders – you can manually group frequently used applications.
• 🔍 Search by system (Settings) → Searching for applications by name.

On smartphones with MIUI 14 and later there is a hidden function “Smart Assistant” (Settings) → Special facilities → Smart assistant, which partially duplicates the capabilities of the App Vault, but without collecting statistics.

Security and privacy: Myths and reality about App Vault

One of the hottest debates around the App Vault is about privacy, and many users believe that the widget is spying on them, collecting data about the apps they run and feeding it to Xiaomi, and to see if those concerns are well-founded.

Facts about data collection:

• ✅ App Vault really analyzes what apps you run and how often, and that data is stored locally and used to make recommendations.
• ✅ If you have Mi Account sync enabled, some of the statistics may be sent to Xiaomi servers to improve the algorithms (this is spelled out in the privacy policy).
• ❌ There is no evidence that Xiaomi is transferring this data to third parties or using it for targeted advertising outside the ecosystem. MIUI.
• ⚠️ On Chinese firmware (China) ROM) Data collection may be more aggressive due to local monitoring laws.

How to protect your privacy:

1. Turn off personalization in Settings → Confidentiality → Personalization of recommendations.
2. Disable App Vault from geolocation and contacts (Settings) → Annexes → App Vault → Permits).
3. Use it. MIUI without binding to Mi Account (or create an account without real data).
4. Install a third-party launcher (like Nova Launcher) that is not integrated with the launcher. MIUI.

⚠️ Note: If you use Xiaomi at work and keep confidential information, it is recommended to completely disable App Vault via the app. ADB In the corporate environment, it is better to use devices with Android Enterprise or Google Pixel, where there are no proprietary widgets from the manufacturer.

To be sure, you can check what data App Vault sends, using tools like NetGuard or PCAPdroid, which show network activity and help identify suspicious connections.

FAQ: Frequent questions about App Vault on Xiaomi