Hangouts on Xiaomi Redmi: why you need, how it works and how to remove

Did you open the app menu on your Xiaomi Redmi and find an unfamiliar icon with a green logo and Hangouts? SMS Don't be surprised, it's a standard Google app that's pre-installed on many smartphones with Google Mobile Services (GMS), But why do you need it when you use WhatsApp or Telegram? And why does it even appear on Xiaomi devices that already have their own Messenger?

In this article, we will take a closer look at what Hangouts is, how it is integrated into the Xiaomi Redmi ecosystem, and why some users prefer to remove it, how to customize the service to suit their needs, sync it with other Google accounts, and how to completely disable or uninstall it if you don’t need it, and pay special attention to the nuances of working on specific Redmi models (for example, Redmi Note 12 or Redmi 10), where the behavior of the application may differ.

What is Hangout and why you need it on Xiaomi Redmi

Google Hangouts is a multi-platform messenger from Google, which was originally positioned as a universal solution for messaging, video calls and even mobile messaging. SMS. It was launched in 2013 as a replacement for Google Talk and has long been a primary tool for corporate and personal correspondence within the Google ecosystem.

Xiaomi Redmi Hangouts is available for two reasons:

• 📱 Google Pre-Installation: All Devices with Certified Services GMS (And that's almost all Redmi except the Chinese versions) get a set of Google apps by default, including Hangouts.
• 🔄 Integration with SMS: On some firmware MIUI (especially older versions Hangouts can automatically become an app for SMS default if you have not installed an alternative (e.g. Google Messages).

But why do we need it today? Here are some key features that might be useful:

• 💬 Messaging: Support for text correspondence, stickers and media files.
• 📞 Video Calls: The ability to make calls over the Internet (alternative to Zoom or Skype).
• 📧 Gmail integration: New email notifications and quick answers right in the chat.
• 🔗 Sync with other Google services: Google Calendar or Drive.

In practice, however, most users of Xiaomi Redmi prefer other messengers. Hangouts today is more in demand in the corporate environment (for example, for communication within the company through Google Workspace) or among those who actively use other Google products.

How Hangouts interacts with MIUI on the Redmi

Operating system MIUI Xiaomi has its own features of working with Google applications, and Hangouts is no exception here. Depending on the firmware version and the Redmi model (for example, Redmi Note 11 vs Redmi). 9A) The behavior of the service may be different. Let's look at the key nuances:

1. Automatic activation: On some devices, Hangouts is activated as SMS-the default app if you don't install an alternative (e.g. Google Messages) this can lead to duplicate notifications about messages.

2. Synchronization with contacts: MIUI It automatically pulls up contacts from Google account, so in Hangouts you will see all the friends who have mail. @gmail.com.

3. Restrictions on Chinese firmware: Hangouts works stably on devices with global firmware, and on Chinese versions MIUI (without GMS) It may not be at all.

It is important to understand that Hangouts is not a system application. MIUI — It is a Google product, so its behavior is dependent on Google Play Services policy, not Xiaomi.However, some firmware (especially older ones) may have conflicts with the native app.

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If Hangouts duplicates SMS-notifications, check the default settings in the Settings section → Annexes → Default applications → Annex for SMS.

How to set up Hangouts on Xiaomi Redmi: step-by-step instructions

If you decide to try Hangouts, you need to set it up correctly first. Here is a step-by-step algorithm for Xiaomi Redmi devices:

1. Open the Hangouts app (green dialog cloud icon). If it's not on the home screen, search the app menu or search (Swipe down the home screen). → enter "Hangouts").
2. Sign in to your Google account (unless you are logged in automatically) and use the same email as other services on your phone.
3. Press three horizontal lines (☰) in the upper left corner and select Settings.
4. In the section Your Google account enable the option to Sync Hangouts with SMS, If you want to see the usual messages in the app.
5. Return to the main menu and click New Chat (Icon"+"), to start correspondence.

To set up notifications:

1. Go to Settings. → [Your account] → Notifications.
2. Choose which notifications you want to receive: new messages, calls or mentions.
3. Set the sound and vibration to your liking.

If you want to use Hangouts for video calls:

• 🎥 Open the chat with the contact and click on the camera icon in the upper right corner.
• 🔊 Before calling, check the microphone and camera access permissions in the settings MIUI (Settings → Annexes → Hangouts → Permits).

Hangouts issues on Xiaomi Redmi and how to fix them

While simple, Hangouts can cause a number of problems on Xiaomi Redmi devices, and here are the most common ones and ways to fix them:

1.Duplicate SMS-notice

If you get the same messages in both the standard Messages app and Hangouts, it's because of the default application conflict.

1. Go to Settings. → Annexes → Default applications → Annex for SMS.
2. Select either Messages (native app) MIUI), Or Hangouts, but not both at the same time.

2. Hangouts doesn't send SMS

Sometimes the app may not send normal messages, although the Internet messages work fine.

• 📶 Mobile networking (not just Wi-Fi).
• 🔄 In the Hangouts settings is the option enabled SMS through Hangouts.
• 📱 On some firmware MIUI You need to install Hangouts as an application for SMS manually (see paragraph 1).

3.The app is constantly flying out

This may be due to an outdated version or a conflict with Google Play Services.

• 🔄 Update Hangouts via Google Play Store.
• 🧹 Clear the application cache (Settings) → Annexes → Hangouts → Memory. → Clear the cache).
• 🔄 Reboot the phone.

4. Notifications are not coming.

Check it out.

• 🔔 Hangouts Settings Whether Notifications for Chats Are Included.
• 📵 In the settings MIUI Notifications for the application are disabled (Settings) → Notifications → Hangouts).
• 🔋 Battery Optimization: Add Hangouts to the Exclusion List (Settings) → Battery → Optimizing the battery → All applications → Hangouts → No restrictions).

How to remove or disable Hangouts on Xiaomi Redmi

If you don't plan on using Hangouts, you can disable it or remove it, but there's a nuance here that it's a Google app, not a Xiaomi app.

Option 1: Unplug (without deletion)

This is the safest way, as the application will remain in the system, but will not interfere with:

1. Go to Settings → Applications → Application Management.
2. Find Hangouts in the list and select it.
3. Click Disable (or Remove Updates if the Disable button is inactive).
4. Confirm the action.

Option 2: Complete removal (requires root rights)

Without the rights of the superuser, it will not be possible to completely remove Hangouts, since this is a system application. GMS. If you have a root, you can use it:

• 🔧 Apps like Titanium Backup or Root App Deleter.
• 💻 Team through ADB: adb shell pm uninstall -k --user 0 com.google.android.talk

Option 3: Hiding the badge

If you don’t want to delete the app, but you don’t want to see it either, just:

1. Press the Hangouts icon on the home screen.
2. Drag it up to the inscription Delete (this will not remove the application, but only remove the label).
3. Or move to a folder with underused applications.

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Disabling Hangouts will not affect the operation of other Google services (Gmail, YouTube, Play Store), as this application.

⚠️ Note: If you use Hangouts for corporate correspondence through Google Workspace, disabling it may lead to loss of access to work chats.

Next articleAlternatives Hangouts for Xiaomi Redmi: what to use instead

If Hangouts doesn't suit you, there are many alternatives available on Xiaomi Redmi.

If you need a replacement for video calls, pay attention to:

• 🎥 Google Meet – Google’s Official Video Conferencing Solution.
• 📹 Zoom is a popular service for group calls.
• 💬 Discord – if you need voice chats for communities.

For corporate communication, good alternatives are:

• 🏢 Slack - for teamwork.
• 💼 Microsoft Teams – if your company uses Microsoft Office Products.

On Xiaomi Redmi devices, all of these apps work smoothly, but check before installing if there is enough free memory and if your model supports the desired features (for example, VoLTE for quality calls).

The future of Hangouts: should you wait for updates on Xiaomi Redmi

In 2021, Google announced the phasing out of Hangouts in favor of Google Chat and Google Meet.

• 🔚 Hangouts support for regular users is now complete (only for Google Workspace enterprise customers).
• ⚠️ Xiaomi Redmi app may continue to work, but new features will not appear.
• 🔄 Google may remove Hangouts from Google Play altogether in the future, but it will remain on existing devices.

For Xiaomi Redmi users, this means:

• ✅ If you use Hangouts now, it will work, but it’s better to look for an alternative.
• ⚠️ On new Redmi models (such as the Redmi Note 13), the application may not be installed by default.
• 🔄 If Hangouts is important to work with, check with the administrator if you plan to switch to Google Chat.

So Hangouts on Xiaomi Redmi is a “going-out nature” and its presence on your device is more a tribute to tradition than a current solution. If you are not tied to this service, it is better to switch to more modern and supported alternatives.

⚠️ Attention: On some firmware MIUI (Trying to update Hangouts via Google Play can lead to errors due to lack of services GMS. In this case, either do not update the application, or install global firmware.

FAQ: Frequent questions about Hangouts on Xiaomi Redmi