HMS Core in Xiaomi: What is it, how does it work and can it be removed?

You opened up a list of apps on your Xiaomi smartphone and found a strange name, HMS Core, which takes up space in your memory, is updated periodically through the Play Market, but you've never used it, and you have to ask the logical questions: what is it, what is it for, and most importantly, can it be safely removed to free up space on the device?

In fact, HMS Core is not a virus or malware, but a system component that Xiaomi integrates into all its Android smartphones. It is closely connected to the ecosystem of Huawei (yes, the manufacturer that is under US sanctions) and acts as an intermediary between your device and Huawei Mobile Services (HMS). But why is it installed on Xiaomi if they are competing brands?

In this article, we will discuss in detail:

• 🔍 What is HMS Core and how did it get to Xiaomi smartphones?
• ⚙️ What functions does this application perform and does it need to be used by the average user?
• 🛡️ Is it safe to remove and what consequences could it have?
• 📱 How do you shut it down or limit it if it interferes?

What is HMS Core and why is it installed on Xiaomi?

HMS Core (abbreviated from Huawei Mobile Services Core) is a set of system libraries and APIs developed by Huawei to run its services on Android devices, essentially analogous to Google Mobile Services (GMS), but from a Chinese manufacturer, which includes:

• 📊 Tools for analytics and data collection about application performance;
• 🔑 User authentication system (Huawei ID)
• 📍 Geolocation and map services;
• 💬 Push notifications for applications;
• 🛒 Payment system Huawei Pay.

But why is this component being installed on Xiaomi smartphones that use its own MIUI ecosystem and Google services?

1. In China, Google’s services are blocked, so local manufacturers (including Xiaomi) are forced to use alternative solutions, Huawei offers one of the most advanced, HMS Core.
2. Support for cross-platform applications: Many Chinese applications (e.g. WeChat, Alipay, TikTok in Chinese) are optimized for HMS Core. To work correctly on Xiaomi, you need this component.

So even if you don't use Huawei services, HMS Core can be pre-installed for compatibility with popular applications in China. On global versions of MIUI (e.g. Europe or Russia), it is often removed, but on Chinese firmware (China ROM), it remains.

What tasks does HMS Core perform on a smartphone?

HMS Core is not one application, but a set of services that run in the background, and its main functions can be divided into three categories:

In practice, a typical user outside of China is unlikely to notice the work of HMS Core, unless you install Chinese applications.

• 🔄 The application is updated automatically through the Play Market (if installed) or through system updates MIUI.
• 📊 It can consume traffic and battery power in the background, especially if Chinese services are actively used.
• 🔒 Some applications (e.g., Huawei AppGallery or Petal Search) refuse to work without HMS Core.

Interesting fact: on some Xiaomi models (e.g. Redmi Note 10 Pro or POCO X3 Pro), HMS Core can appear even on global firmware if the user manually installed applications from Huawei (e.g., Huawei Health for fitness bracelets), in which case the system automatically loads the missing components.

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If you don’t use Chinese apps, you can turn off the auto-update of HMS Core in the Play Market. Go to Settings → Applications → HMS Core → Disable Auto-Update.

Can you remove HMS Core from Xiaomi and what will it lead to?

Technically, removing HMS Core is possible, but it can lead to unstable system performance, especially if you are using Chinese firmware or applications that depend on Huawei services.

⚠️ Warning: On devices with China ROM (Chinese firmware), deleting the HMS Core can cause system applications such as Mi Browser, Mi Video or Themes to crash.

Consequences of disposal:

• ❌ Apps that use Huawei ID for authorization (e.g. Huawei Health, Huawei Cloud) will no longer work.
• ❌ Push notifications from Chinese messengers (WeChat, QQ) will disappear.
• ❌ There may be errors when updating firmware via OTA (if the updates are signed using Huawei services).
• ✅ Free 50-150MB of memory (depending on version).

If you want to get rid of HMS Core, there are two ways:

1. Disable (without deletion): Settings → Applications → Application Management → HMS Core → Disable This will stop it from working, but will not delete files. Suitable for most users.
2. Complete Deletion (Enabled Users Only): Activate Developer Mode (Settings) → The phone. → Version. MIUI → 7 press once) Settings → Additionally. → For developers → Enable debugging on USB Connect your phone to the PC and use it ADB-Command: adb shell pm uninstall --user 0 com.huawei.hms.core ⚠️ Attention: Removal through ADB This may cause system updates to fail. Create a backup copy through Settings before the procedure. → Additionally. → Backup and reset.

Create a backup copy of the data

Check if there are any important Chinese apps

Disable Auto Update in Play Market

Make sure the firmware is not China ROM

Have a firmware on hand to restore-->

How to limit the activity of HMS Core if it is dangerous to remove it?

If you don’t want to risk system stability, but you want to reduce the impact of HMS Core on smartphone performance, you can use several methods:

1. Restriction of background activity

Go to Settings → Applications → HMS Core → Battery → Limit background activity.This will reduce charge and traffic consumption, but may lead to delays in getting notifications from Chinese apps.

2. Auto-start prohibition

In the same app settings, find AutoStart and turn it off. This will prevent the HMS Core from automatically starting when you turn on your smartphone.

3. Blocking Internet access

If you do not use Huawei services, you can completely block HMS Core access to the network:

Settings → Applications → HMS Core → Mobile data and Wi-Fi → Ban

This will stop sending analytics and updates, but may disrupt some apps.

4. Use of alternative firmware

XDA Developers and 4PDA forums have custom firmware (like LineageOS or Pixel Experience) that has HMS Core removed by default, but require the bootloader to be unlocked and may be unwarranted.

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Restricting HMS Core through system settings is the safest way, and removing it completely is only recommended if you are not using Chinese apps and are prepared for possible crashes.

HMS Core and Security: Does it Collect Data?

One of the most common questions is, is HMS Core spyware that transmits data to China?

On the one hand, Huawei officially states that HMS Core only collects information necessary for the services to work (for example, location data for maps or error logs for debugging), on the other hand, independent research (for example, from Citizen Lab or The Washington Post) shows that some components of Huawei can transfer data to servers in China, even if the user did not consent to it.

What exactly can HMS Core collect:

• 📱 Device information: model, version MIUI, system language;
• 📍 Location data: if Huawei geolocation services are enabled
• 🔗 Application logs: failures, usage times, interactions with other services;
• 🔑 Account information: if you are logged in via Huawei ID.

How to defend yourself:

1. Opt out of using Huawei ID and delete associated accounts in Settings → Accounts.
2. Disable HMS Core from accessing geodata and contacts in the resolution settings.
3. Use a VPN to block connections to Huawei servers (e.g., via NetGuard or AdGuard).

HMS Core vs Google Mobile Services: What’s the Difference?

Many users confuse HMS Core with Google Mobile Services (GMS), but these are fundamentally different ecosystems.

The main difference is that HMS Core cannot completely replace GMS outside of China, as most global applications (such as WhatsApp, Instagram, Netflix) depend on Google services. However, in China the situation is reversed, where GMS is blocked, and HMS Core becomes the main platform.

On Xiaomi smartphones, the two ecosystems can coexist in parallel, but this leads to:

• ⚠️ Increased memory consumption (both service sets work simultaneously)
• ⚠️ Conflicts when receiving push notifications (some applications may duplicate notifications via FCM and Huawei Push Kit);
• ⚠️ Faster battery discharge due to background activity of the two systems.

FAQ: Frequent questions about HMS Core on Xiaomi