How to disable Google Maps on Xiaomi: 5 working methods (including hidden MIUI settings)

Google Maps is deeply integrated into MIUI, which is often a source of frustration for Xiaomi users: The app consumes battery power in the background, collects location data and takes up space in memory — even if you don’t use it. In this article, we’ll look at all possible ways to disable, including radical (deleting system files) and sparing (restricting rights).

The thing about MIUI is that simply removing an icon from your desktop doesn't solve the problem -- it's still in the background. We've tested the methods on devices from the Redmi Note 10 Pro to the Xiaomi 14 Ultra (versions of MIUI 12-15) and identified those that are guaranteed to work. Importantly, some actions require super-user rights (root) -- without them, only basic restrictions are available.

Why Google Maps Cannot Be Just Removed Like a Regular App

Unlike third-party programs, Google Maps in MIUI is a system application, which means:

• 🔹 The appendix is pre-installed in the section /system/priv-app/ or /system/app/ and protected from removal.
• 🔹 It has extended rights, including access to geolocation, microphone and the Internet even in the background.
• 🔹 MIUI Automatically restores remote system APK After rebooting (if there are no root rights).
• 🔹 Some Xiaomi features (such as Quick Teams or Weather) may depend on Google services, including Maps.

Even if you turn off the app through settings, it will continue to consume resources through background activity. For example, com.google.android.gms (Google Play Services) can run Maps to update location data. To completely stop it, you will need a combination of methods.

Method 1: Disconnect via application settings (without root)

The easiest way is to deactivate the app through the settings menu, which won't delete it completely, but it will stop the background activity and remove the icon from the desktop.

1. Open Settings → Applications → Application Management.
2. In the search bar, enter Maps and select Google Maps.
3. Click Disable (if the button is inactive, click Stop first).
4. Confirm the action in the dialog window.

After the shutdown:

• 📍 The app will disappear from the menu and stop updating.
• 🔋 Battery consumption will be reduced by ~5-15% (depending on the model).
• ⚠️ Some features (e.g., geolocation in photos or weather on lock screen) may not work properly.

⚠️ Note: On some devices (POCO F5, Redmi K60) When you turn off Maps, Google's voice assistant stops working. If you need it, use Method 3 (Limitation of Rights).

Method 2: Removing updates and resetting to factory version

If you don’t want to completely disable Maps, but want to reduce their impact on the system, you can return the application to the factory version.This will remove all updates that often add unnecessary features and increase resource consumption.

1. Go to Settings → Applications → Google Maps.
2. Click on the three dots in the top right corner and select Remove Updates.
3. Confirm action. The app will return to the version preinstalled in MIUI.
4. (Optional) In the Play Market, turn off automatic updates for Google Maps.

Advantages of the method:

• 🛠️ The factory version takes 2-3 times less space (for example, the space is not available, ~50 MB instead of 150 MB).
• 📉 Reduces the load on the processor when working in the background.
• 🔄 You can return updates at any time.

On devices with MIUI 14+, Maps can automatically update after 24 to 48 hours after resetting updates. To avoid this, turn off background sync for Play Market in your Google account settings.

Method 3: Restriction of rights through ADB (no root)

If the shutdown does not work, you can deprive the Card of critical permissions using the commands ADB (Android Debug Bridge).This does not require root rights, but will require connecting the smartphone to the computer.

What exactly are we going to turn off:

• 📍 Access to geolocation (most voracious resolution).
• 🔄 Auto-start (obstructing launch in the background).
• 📶 Mobile data in the background.

Instructions:

1. Turn on Developer Mode on Xiaomi: go to Settings → About Phone and 7 times click on the MIUI version.

adb shell pm revoke com.google.android.apps.maps android.permission.ACCESS_FINE_LOCATION


adb shell pm revoke com.google.android.apps.maps android.permission.ACCESS_COARSE_LOCATION




adb shell cmd appops set com.google.android.apps.maps RUN_ANY_IN_BACKGROUND deny




adb shell cmd appops set com.google.android.apps.maps RUN_IN_BACKGROUND deny

After you execute the commands, restart the device. You can check the result in Settings → Applications → Google Maps → Permissions – access to geolocation should be disabled.

💡

If after completing the commands, Maps continue to work in the background, further disable the battery optimization for the application in the MIUI settings (Settings → Battery → Battery Optimization → All Apps → Google Maps → Without restrictions).

Method 4: Complete root removal (for power users)

If you're willing to take drastic measures and you have root rights, you can delete Google Maps completely, which will free up up to 200-300 MB of memory and stop all background processes.

Warning: Removing system applications may result in:

• ⚠️ Errors in the Play Market (some apps require maps).

Instructions for root owners:

1. Go to /system/priv-app/PrebuiltGmsCore/ or /system/app/Maps/ (the path may vary depending on the version of MIUI).

.bak

Reset the device.

⚠️ Attention: On some firmware (MIUI 13+ for POCO) After deleting the Maps, quick location determination in other applications (for example, in Yandex.Navigator) stops working. Before deleting, check whether the software you need is using them.

Method 5: Replacement with alternative cards (Yandex, 2GIS, OSMAnd)

If you need maps but don’t want to use Google services, consider alternatives. We tested 5 popular apps on the Xiaomi 13T Pro and highlighted the best ones:

To replace Google Maps completely:

1. Install an alternative app from Play Market or APKMirror.
2. Turn off Google Maps (see Method 1).
3. Set up the new map as the default navigation app: Go to Settings → Apps → By default. Select Maps and specify the desired application.

💡

Alternative maps are not a substitute for Google’s system services, so some MIUI features (such as gallery geotags) may not work properly.

What to do if after disconnecting the cards stopped working other functions

Sometimes deactivating Google Maps causes MIUI to malfunction. Let’s look at typical problems and solutions:

• 🌡️ Weather is not updated on the lock screen: Check if geolocation access is disabled for the Weather app. Install an alternative weather widget (e.g. AccuWeather).
• 📸 Geotaggs in photos don't work: Enable geolocation for the Camera app in the settings. Use third-party galleries (e.g. Google Photos or Simple Gallery).
• 🚗 Navigation in other applications (Uber, Yandex.Taxi): Install alternative maps (see Method 5). MIUI geolocation access for these applications.
• 🔄 Smartphone constantly reboots: This is a sign of a critical failure after deleting system files.Restore Maps via ADB Or reset the settings to the factory.

If the problem is not solved, try resetting the location settings:

1. Go to Settings → System → Resetting settings.
2. Select Reset Location Settings, Wi-Fi and Bluetooth.
3. Confirm the action and restart the device.

FAQ: Frequent questions about turning off Google Maps on Xiaomi