How to find a hidden app on your Xiaomi phone: hidden folders, system utilities and ADB-team

Hidden apps on Xiaomi smartphones (including Redmi and POCO models) can appear for a variety of reasons, from viruses to deliberate concealment by the user through system functions. Unlike Android in its pure form, MIUI firmware has its own mechanisms for hiding programs that are not always obvious. For example, some system utilities (such as com.miui.analytics) do not appear in the application menu by default, but continue to work in the background.

If you suspect that your device has hidden programs — whether it’s a virus, spyware or just a forgotten application — it’s important to know where and how to look for them. In this article, we’ll discuss 7 working methods, including checking through settings. MIUI, File system analysis, use ADB-Special attention will be paid to hidden system processes that masquerade as standard Xiaomi services, but can consume traffic or battery resources.

1. Search through MIUI settings: hidden applications and system processes

The easiest way to detect hidden programs is to use the built-in MIUI tools. Xiaomi firmware allows you to hide applications from the home screen, but they still remain in the system and can be displayed in the list of all installed programs.

To see the full list:

1. Open Settings → Applications → Application Management.
2. Slip the filter in the upper right corner (funnel icon) and select All Apps.
3. Scroll down the list – gray icon programs (hidden by the user) or system utilities with Latin names (e.g. com.xiaomi.mipicks) can be displayed here.

Look at apps with unusual names or apps you haven't installed, like com.miui.daemon is a system process, but com.android.quicksearchbox can be replaced with malware in some cases.

2. Check hidden folders through the file manager

Some applications (especially viruses or surveillance programs) hide their files in hidden file system folders, and MIUI has system directories hidden by default, but can be made visible.

Instructions:

• 📁 Open the standard File Manager (or install Solid Explorer from Google Play).
• 🔍 Slip on three dots in the upper right corner → Settings → Show hidden files.
• 🕵️‍♂️ Go to the root folder (/storage/emulated/0/) and check directories:.thumbnails – thumbnail cache (may contain traces of deleted applications);.data or.system – often used to store data from spyware; Android/data/ — There may be folders from remote applications with residual files.

If you find a folder with the name of an unknown app (for example, com.sec.android.app.launcher on a Xiaomi device), this is a reason to be wary. To check, copy the name and search it on Google, often so you find masked viruses.

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Hidden folders in MIUI may not appear even after you have enabled the option, in which case use a root file manager (such as Root Explorer) or connect your phone to your PC via MTP and check the file system through Windows Explorer.

3.Use ADB to search for all installed packages

If you’re familiar with Android Debug Bridge (ADB), this method will provide a complete list of all installed packages, including hidden system and user applications.This is especially useful for detecting masked viruses that mimic Xiaomi’s system processes.

Instructions:

1. Install. ADB-pc-tool.
2. Turn on Settings → About Phone → MIUI version (tap 7 times to activate Developer Mode), then go back to Settings → Additional → For Developers and turn on Debugging over USB.
3. Connect your phone to your PC and type in the command line: adb devices (should display your device).
4. Execute the command to output all packets: adb shell pm list packages -f or to filter only user applications: adb shell pm list packages -3

And you get a list of all the packages.

• 🤖 Packets with names that do not match known applications (e.g., com.android.system.update may be a virus);
• 📦 Packages with random character sets (com.a.b.c.d);
• 🔄 Packages that duplicate system packages (e.g., two packages called com.android.settings).

4. Analysis of active processes through the "Task Manager"

Hidden applications often remain active in the background, consuming CPU resources or Internet traffic. MIUI has a built-in task manager that shows all running processes, including hidden ones.

How to check:

• 📊 Open the Settings. → Annexes → Task Manager.
• 🔄 Go to the Active or CPU Use tab.
• 🔍 Notice processes with unusual names or high resource consumption, such as com.qualcomm.atfwd, a system process that consumes >10% CPU, it's suspicious; android.process.media - can be swapped by a virus; Any processes with Chinese names (unless you've installed Chinese apps).

If you find a suspicious process, write down its name and check it through a search engine. For example, the process of com.sec.android.app.twlauncher on a Xiaomi device is a clear sign of a virus, as it refers to Samsung firmware.

Process consumes >5% CPU in the background|The name of the package does not match with known applications|The application is not in the menu, but is visible in the Task Manager"|The package has a random name (for example, com.a1.b2.c3)-->

5. Verification through third-party antiviruses and scanners

Standard MIUI tools don't always detect hidden threats, especially if the virus masquerades as a system process, and specialized utilities will help:

Before scanning, update your antivirus databases and run a deep check. Notice apps that ask for atypical permissions, such as:

• 📍 Access to geolocation (for calculator or flashlight);
• 📞 Reading SMS or call logs (for games);
• 📷 Using camera/microphone in the background.

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Even legitimate apps (like Facebook or TikTok) can contain hidden trackers.Use App Inspector to see the full list of permissions and revoke unnecessary ones.

6. Search through system logs (for advanced users)

If previous methods didn’t work, you can analyze Android system logs, which record all the actions of the applications, which requires root rights or ADB.

Instructions for viewing logs:

1. Connect your phone to your PC and activate USB Debugging (see ADB section).
2. Run the command to view logs in real time: adb logcat | grep -i "package" (this will show all the actions associated with installing / running packets).
3. Or save the full log to the file for analysis: adb logcat -d > log.txt

Look in the logs for:

• 📦 PackageManager lines – these show packet installation/removal;
• 🚨 Error messages with unknown packet names;
• 🔄 Repeated records of running the same process (may indicate a virus).

Example of suspicious log entry:

I/ActivityManager: Start proc com.xyz.abc for service com.xyz.abc/.MainService

If you do not know the com.xyz.abc package, this is a reason to check.

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For easy log analysis, use Logcat Reader (available on Google Play), which allows you to filter entries by keyword and identify suspicious activity.

7.Reset to factory settings as a last resort

If you're sure there's hidden malware on your phone but you can't detect it, the only reliable way is to completely reset your settings, and it will delete all user data and apps, including hidden viruses.

How to perform a reset on Xiaomi:

1. Back up important data (photos, contacts) through Settings → About phone → Backup.
2. Go to Settings → About the phone → Reset settings.
3. Choose Delete all data and confirm the action.

After discharge:

• 🔄 Do not restore data from a backup if it was created after an infection;
• 🛡️ Install antivirus and scan your phone before file recovery;
• 📱 Update. MIUI Up to the latest version through Settings → Updating the system.

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Factory reset removes all hidden applications, but does not guarantee protection against re-infection. After reset, change account passwords and do not install programs from unverified sources.

FAQ: Frequent questions about hidden apps on Xiaomi

If you haven’t found the source of the problem after checking all the methods, but the phone continues to behave suspiciously (for example, it discharges quickly or warms up), contact Xiaomi Service Center. In some cases, viruses can be introduced at the firmware level, and you will need to flash the device to remove them.