Owners of Xiaomi, Redmi and POCO smartphones often encounter a pre-installed system application called GetApps, which can appear in the list of running processes or pop up as banner ads, causing confusion among users accustomed to pure Android, many perceive it as unnecessary garbage, occupying RAM and consuming traffic in the background.
In fact, GetApps is not a virus or a random process, but an official app store from a manufacturer that is deeply integrated into the shell of MIUI or HyperOS. It is designed to distribute programs, especially in regions where access to Google Play is limited, but in our latitudes it often serves as a platform for monetization through advertising. Understanding its nature will help you decide whether to keep it active or easier to get rid of it forever.
In this article, we will take a closer look at the functionality of the service, explain why it consumes resources, and provide step-by-step instructions for removing it completely or safely disabling it, learn the risks of uninstalling system components and how to configure your smartphone so that it works quickly and without intrusive notifications.
Functionality and differences from Google Play
GetApps (formerly known as the Mi App Store) is an alternative to the standard Google Play Market, which is designed to give users access to a software directory without being tied to a Google account. For global firmware versions, the app is often hidden or runs in the background, updating Xiaomi system components such as Security, Cleaner or Themes.
But the store's functionality is broader than just updating native utilities: In some regions, such as India or China, GetApps is the main distribution of software; in global versions, it is often used to promote affiliate games and applications that developers pay companies to install, which is why users may notice periodic pop-ups with suggestions to install a new game or utility.
The key difference from Google Play is the level of integration with the system. If Play Market works as a standalone application, GetApps is closely linked to MIUI system services. This allows it to work even when the main screen is locked, which sometimes leads to increased battery consumption. In addition, the recommendation algorithms in GetApps are often less personalized and more aggressive in terms of advertising compared to the Google store.
⚠️ Warning: Deleting the GetApps system component completely may disrupt the automatic update of other Xiaomi apps, such as Gallery or Explorer.Be prepared for the fact that you will have to update them manually or through third-party sources.
It is worth noting that the security of downloaded software in GetApps is controlled by internal verification algorithms, but it can be inferior to the strict standards of Google Play Protect.
Why GetApps is wasting battery and memory
One of the most common complaints users have is high resource consumption. GetApps is often listed in battery statistics as an application that uses a significant percentage of charge, which is due to the fact that the service is constantly hanging in the background, waiting for a command to check for updates or launch an advertising campaign.
The service’s mechanism involves periodic synchronization with Xiaomi servers, which is when installed applications are checked, metadata is downloaded, and when new versions are available, update packs are downloaded. If the connection to the server is unstable or the process freezes, GetApps can begin cycling to try to reconnect, which puts a strain on the processor and communication module.
It also stores a cache of images, icons and program descriptions, which can grow to several hundred megabytes over time, taking up precious space in the device’s memory, especially on smartphones with a small amount of built-in storage, where every megabyte counts.
Here are the main reasons for high resource consumption:
- 📡 Background synchronization: Constantly polling servers for updates for system and third-party applications.
- 📢 Advertising modules: Download and display banner ads in system interfaces, such as a lock screen or control center.
- 🔄 Auto Update: Automatically downloading data packets without the user’s knowledge, often in the background.
⚠️ Note: If you notice that GetApps consumes more 10-15% If you charge your battery per day, this may indicate a software failure or a "stick" of the upgrade process, in this situation, it is recommended to reset these applications or reinstall them.
To optimize the smartphone, many users prefer to limit the background activity of this service or remove it completely if they do not need the functionality of the store, but before that it is worth weighing the pros and cons, since it is a system component.
Should I Remove GetApps: Risk Analysis?
The decision to remove GetApps depends on how you use your smartphone. For the average user who is used to the Google ecosystem and installs apps exclusively from the Play Market, having a second app store is redundant, in which case removing it will only benefit: free up space, disappear ads and reduce battery load.
However, there are scenarios where deletion may not be desirable. If you are actively using Xiaomi’s themes, fonts or system utilities, GetApps acts as an updater, and without it, you will have to manually search and install new versions of these components, which is inconvenient.
Also, it’s worth considering that GetApps is sometimes used to distribute critical security patches for MIUI and HyperOS shells. Although major security updates come through the System Update menu, some Hotfixes for embedded applications can be streamed through this channel.
Technical details of dependency
If you choose to leave the app, but want to minimize its impact, you can use the restrictions settings, which will keep the updates functional, but will prevent the app from being active when you are not using it.
How to disable ads and notifications in GetApps
The safest way to combat intrusiveness is to set it up correctly, so you can leave the app on your phone, but you can completely stop it from showing ads and sending notifications, and it doesn't require root rights or complex code manipulation.
To start, you need to go to the settings of the app itself. Open GetApps, click on the profile icon or menu (usually three bars or dots), and find the Settings section. Here you are interested in the item related to personalization or advertising.
In the settings menu, perform the following actions:
- 🚫 Turn off push notifications: Find the “Push Notification” or “Recommendations” switch and turn it to the “Off” position".
- 🔒 Limit Auto Update: In the Auto Update section, select “Only via Wi-Fi” or “Do not update automatically” to control the process.
- 📉 Resetting Advertising Identifier: You can reset privacy settings ID advertising that will knock down the targeting settings.
Additionally, it is recommended to limit background work through Android system settings. Go to Settings → Apps → All apps → GetApps. In this menu, find “Activity Control” or “Battery Saving” and select “No Limits” (for updates) or “Strict Limit” (if you want to completely disable background work, but then there will be no update notifications).
☑️ Checklist for disabling ads
After these actions, the application will become “invisible” to the user, will stop disturbing notifications and will work only when you run it yourself to search for software.
Methods to remove GetApps from your device
If you are determined to get rid of the service, the standard system means to do this will not work — the button “Delete” will be unavailable, since GetApps is a system application. To remove you will need to use a computer and the tool ADB (Android Debug Bridge) or specialized applications uninstallers that do not require root rights.
The most reliable and secure method is to use the ADB command line, which allows you to remove the application for the current user without affecting the system partition recovery, which means that in case of which the application can be easily restored by factory reset.
Instructions for removal through ADB:
- Turn on the developer mode on your smartphone (7 times click on the build number in "About Phone").
- In the "Developers" menu, activate Debugging by USB.
- Connect your phone to your computer and install ADB drivers.
- Run the command line on the PC and enter the command to remove the packet.
adb shell pm uninstall -k --user 0 com.xiaomi.mipicksOnce the command is completed, the app will disappear from the menu and stop working. Please note that the batch name com.xiaomi.mipicks is relevant for global firmware versions. In Chinese versions or older builds, the package name may differ (for example, com.xiaomi.market).
⚠️ Note: Be extremely careful when typing commands ADB. Removing critical system packages (non-GetApps) can lead to a smartphone bootloop.
There are also graphical shells for ADB, such as Xiaomi ADB/Fastboot Tools or Universal Android Debloater.They allow you to remove applications by simply pressing a button in the program interface on your computer, which can be easier for inexperienced users.
Comparison of alternative app stores
After removing GetApps, the user is left with the question: where to get apps? The undisputed leader remains the Google Play Store, which offers maximum security and compatibility. However, there are other alternatives that can replace the functionality of the remote service.
For those looking for apps that aren’t available in the region, or wanting to access early betas, F-Droid (open source) or APKPure are great choices.
Comparative table of app stores:
| Criteria | Google Play | GetApps | APKPure / F-Droid |
|---|---|---|---|
| Security | High (Play Protect) | Medium | Depends on the source. |
| Integration with MIUI | Basic | Deep. | Absent. |
| Advertising | Moderate. | Aggressive. | Minimum/No |
| Availability | Globally | Depends on the region. | Globally |
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If you have removed GetApps, but you urgently need an app that is only there, you can temporarily install it. APK-GetApps store file from a third-party resource, download the desired application and immediately delete the store back.
The choice of alternatives depends on your needs. For most users, the Google Play + F-Droid bundle is the optimal and safe replacement for any pre-installed store.
Restore the service after removal
In some cases, after removing GetApps, users may experience unstable system performance or a desire to return everything as it was (--user 0), The application was not physically erased from the system partition, but only hidden, which makes it easy to restore it.
To restore, simply reconnect the smartphone to the computer with USB debugging enabled and execute a reverse command reinstal. This will return the application icon to the menu and resume all related services.
adb shell cmd package install-existing com.xiaomi.mipicksIf you've used third-party uninstallers, they usually have a "Recycle Bin" or "Backup" tab where you store remote system packages, and from there, you can recover in one click.
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Deleting GetApps via ADB is a reversible process. You can return the application at any time with the install-existing command without having to completely reset your phone.
It is also worth remembering that when you receive a major firmware update (for example, switching from MIUI 14 to HyperOS), the system can automatically restore remote system components to factory state, in which case the removal or configuration procedure will have to be repeated.