Owners of Xiaomi, Redmi and Poco smartphones often notice an app called GetApps in their system. This shortcut can appear on the desktop suddenly, after another firmware update, or be found in the list of all installed programs. Users rightly worry about the question: is this software a system component, a virus or just an intrusive store that is worth getting rid of?
At its core, GetApps is Xiaomi’s official app store, designed to be an alternative to Google Play. However, in global firmware versions (Global ROM), its functionality is often limited, and its main purpose is to display advertising and promote games. Unlike standard system services, this store can be removed or disabled without risking the stable operation of the Android operating system.
In this article, we will discuss the purpose of this service, analyze the risks of using it, and provide step-by-step instructions for its complete removal, you will learn why it can consume traffic and how to permanently free up space in the memory of your device.
Purpose and functionality of GetApps on Xiaomi devices
GetApps (formerly known as App Market) was originally created for the Chinese market, where Google services are not available. For local users, it is the main source of software, similar to Google Play or the App Store. In international versions of Redmi and Xiaomi smartphones, this store is formally present, but its usefulness for the average user from Europe or the CIS is extremely low.
The app’s main stated function is to provide access to verified apps and games. Xiaomi developers claim that all files are virus-tested. However, in practice, GetApps is more likely to serve as a monetization platform in global firmware, and it is used to distribute advertising notifications, offers to install additional games and affiliate software.
⚠️ Note: In some regions, the app may automatically download updates for system components or games without the user’s explicit consent, consuming mobile traffic.
It is worth noting that GetApps is closely integrated with the shell. MIUI And HyperOS. It can pop up when you install it. APK-This creates the illusion of having to have it, although the standard Android or Google Play Protect virus scanner successfully copes with this task on its own.
Why Users Want to Delete GetApps
The desire to get rid of GetApps is not just for most Xiaomi owners. There are a number of objective reasons why this application is considered redundant and sometimes harmful to the user experience, primarily in terms of obsession and resource consumption.
Here are the main reasons why users want to remove or disable this service:
- 📢 Intrusive Advertising: The app regularly sends push notifications offering to download games or watch news, even if you don’t use it.
- 🔋 Battery consumption: Store background processes can prevent smartphone deep sleep by increasing battery life in standby mode.
- 💾 Place Occupation: App cache, downloaded temporary files, and installation packages themselves can take up hundreds of megabytes of internal memory.
- 🌐 Privacy: Collecting data about user preferences and smartphone usage history for targeted advertising raises questions for those who value privacy.
In addition, having two app stores (Google Play and GetApps) can be confusing, asking which store to open links to apps through, or trying to update programs through a less reliable source, removing the extra link makes it easier to interact with the operating system.
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Before removing system applications through ADB, it is recommended to make a complete backup of important data in case of unforeseen system errors.
Is it safe to remove GetApps from Redmi and Xiaomi?
One of the most common questions forum users ask is, "Will my phone break if I remove this store?" The answer is unequivocal: GetApps is not a critical system component for basic smartphone functions. Deleting it will not lead to reboots, loss of communication or inability to make calls.
The Android operating system on Xiaomi smartphones is fully functional without this store. All the necessary applications, including instant messengers, social networks and banking programs, are available on Google Play. The only thing you may encounter after removal is periodic pop-ups from the system, offering to "restore" remote system applications.
It is important to understand the difference between deleting via settings and completely deleting via ADB. Standard deleting (if the button is active) simply hides the shortcut and stops the processes. Deep deleting via the computer removes the packet completely. Both methods are safe for the hardware of the device.
| Deleting method | Difficulty | Efficiency | Risks. |
|---|---|---|---|
| Through settings (if available) | Low. | Medium (files remain) | Absent. |
| Disconnection in settings | Low. | Low (working in the background) | Absent. |
| Through ADB (computer) | Medium | High (complete removal) | Minimum |
| Root rights | Tall. | Maximum | High (loss of warranty) |
Method 1: Disconnect and delete via smartphone settings
The easiest and safest way to get rid of GetApps intrusiveness is to try to remove or disable it with standard MIUI interface tools. However, there is a caveat: depending on the region and firmware version, the delete button may not be available (painted in gray).
To start, try to find the app in the installed program list. Go to Settings → Apps → All apps. In the list, find GetApps (may appear as App Market). Click on it to open the management menu.
If the Remove button is active, just press it and confirm the action, which will completely delete the application and all its data. If the button is inactive, you can use the Disable feature (if you have one) or limit the application's capabilities manually.
☑️ Pre-deletion check
If you cannot remove it, follow the following steps to minimize harm:
- 🔕 Turn off notifications: Go to Notifications and disable all types of alerts.
- 🚫 Limit background activity: In the AutoStart section, uncheck GetApps so it doesn’t start with the system.
- 📉 Clear the data: Press Memory → Clean to remove accumulated debris.
This approach won’t remove the application files from the system partition, but will make it “invisible” and inactive to the user, a good compromise for those who are afraid to experiment with more complex methods.
Method 2: Complete removal through ADB without Root rights
If standard methods don’t work, the most effective solution is to use USB debugging and the Android Debug Bridge (ADB) tool, which allows you to remove system applications without obtaining superuser rights (Root), which preserves the warranty on the device.
To start, activate the developer mode. Go to Settings → About Phone and quickly press 7 times on the MIUI Version (or OS Version). Once you have the "You became a developer" label, go back to the main settings menu, select Additional Settings → For developers and turn on the Debugging by USB option.
⚠️ Warning: When you connect to your computer, you'll see a request for debugging permission on your smartphone screen. Be sure to tick "Always Allow from this computer" and click "OK".
Next, you’ll need a computer (Windows, macOS or Linux) and a suite of Google’s Platform Tools. After unpacking the archive and connecting the smartphone with a cable, open the command line in the ADB folder and enter a command to check the connection:
adb devicesIf a device with device status appears on the list, you can proceed to delete the app store package usually named com.mi.globalmarket or com.xiaomi.miglobalmarket.
adb shell pm uninstall -k --user 0 com.mi.globalmarketOnce you have successfully completed the command, you will see the Success message. The application will disappear from the menu and cease to exist for your user. To return it (if you need it), use the command adb shell cmd package install-existing com.mi.globalmarket.
What to do if your computer can’t see your phone?
Alternatives and setting up notifications
After removing GetApps, users are left with the question: where to get apps? The undisputed leader remains the Google Play Store, which is pre-installed on all global versions of smartphones. For those looking for alternatives, there are stores like F-Droid (for open source) or Galaxy Store (if you use Samsung devices, but this is not our case).
To install applications outside stores (APK-Modern versions of Android themselves check the security of downloaded files via Google Play Protect, so that additional antivirus from Xiaomi via GetApps is not necessary.
If you want to leave the store, but want to minimize its impact, set up privacy settings. In the GetApps app itself, go to profile and turn off ad personalization. → Passwords and security → Access to personal data can be denied to the store access to the list of applications and location.
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Completely removing GetApps via ADB is the cleanest way to get rid of ads and background processes without losing your smartphone warranty.
In conclusion, GetApps is a typical representative of bloatware (pre-installed junk software) in global firmware, which is not critically useful for users outside China, and removing it brings only the advantages of a clean interface, saving charge and no annoying advertising.