How to completely disable or delete Google Maps on your Xiaomi smartphone

Google Maps is pre-installed on most Xiaomi, Redmi and Poco smartphones as part of Google Mobile Services (GMS) package. For many users, this application becomes unnecessary: it takes up space in memory, consumes battery power in the background and collects location data. However, simply removing it through the standard menu will not work – MIUI blocks the uninstallation of system applications.

In this guide, we’ll take a look at all the current ways to disable Google Maps on Xiaomi devices (including models from 2023-2026): from simple rights restriction to complete removal using the help of Google Maps. ADB You will also learn how to block the background activity of the application if you only need alternatives like Yandex.Maps or 2GIS.

Important: the procedure differs depending on the version of MIUI (12, 13 or 14) and whether the bootloader is unlocked.

Why Google Maps Cannot Be Deleted in the Standard Way

Google Maps is one of the system services that Xiaomi integrates into firmware under an agreement with Google.

• 🔒 Delete Protection: The Remove button in the app menu is inactive (it is replaced by Disable or Remove Updates»).
• 📦 Built-in firmware: application files are stored in the section /system/priv-app/, Protected from change without root rights.
• 🔄 Auto Update: Even if you roll back the version, Google Play Store will try to update it the first time you connect to the Internet.

Moreover, in MIUI 14 (based on Android 13/14), Xiaomi tightened control over system applications, now removing them requires not only ADB, but also disabling integrity check (MIUI Optimization), otherwise the application will recover after the reboot.

⚠️ Attention: on devices with MIUI for Russia (without Google services) the Google Maps application may not be available initially. → Annexes → Application management.

Method 1: Disable Google Maps without deleting

If you don't have to completely remove an application, just block it, use this method. It works on all versions of MIUI and doesn't require any additional tools.

Steps:

1. Open Settings → Applications → Application Management.
2. Search Google Maps (use a list search).
3. Slip on the app and select Disable (or Remove Updates if the Disable button is inactive).
4. Confirm the action in the dialog window.

After the shutdown:

• 🚫 The app will disappear from the menu and launcher.
• 📵 Background activity (geolocation, notifications) will cease).
• 🔄 Updates through the Play Store are blocked.

However, the application files will remain in memory (taking ~100-300 MB). To free up space, proceed to the following methods.

Method 2: Removal via ADB (without root)

The Android Debug Bridge (ADB) tool allows you to uninstall system applications without obtaining root permissions, a method that is suitable for most Xiaomi, Redmi and Poco models on MIUI 12-14.

What you need:

• 🖥️ Computer with Windows, macOS or Linux.
• 🔌 Cable USB Type-C (original, for stable connection).
• 📥 ADB Tools (download platform-tools for your OS).
• ⚙️ Included debugging by USB smartphone.

Step-by-step:

1. Activate USB debugging: Go to Settings → About Phone → MIUI version and tap 7 times on this item to unlock Developer Mode. Return to Settings → Additional → For Developers and enable: Debugging over USB OEM Unlock (if any)

Connect your smartphone to your PC:

Select File Data Transfer Mode (MTP) when you connect.

On your computer, open the terminal (cmd for Windows or Terminal for macOS/Linux) and go to the folder with the platform-tools:

cd path do folder/platform-tools

Check the connection:

Enter the command:

adb devices

If the device appears in the list (with serial number), go further. If not, confirm the debugging permission on the smartphone screen.

Delete Google Maps:

Follow the command:

adb shell pm uninstall --user 0 com.google.android.apps.maps

If there is a mistake DELETE_FAILED_INTERNAL_ERROR, Try an alternative team:

adb shell pm uninstall -k --user 0 com.google.android.apps.maps

The result: the app will be removed for the current user (without affecting system files). After the reboot, it will not recover, but updates through the Play Store can return it - disable auto-update in the store settings.

⚠️ Note: on some devices with MIUI 14 after removal through ADB Other Google services (such as Play Store) may be lost, in which case use the recovery manual.

Method 3: Complete removal with root rights

If you have an unlocked bootloader and root access (for example, through Magisk), you can completely erase Google Maps from the system partition, freeing up space and preventing them from being restored.

Warning: This method is risky - wrong actions can lead to bootloop.We recommend you to back up the firmware through TWRP before starting.

Instructions:

1. Install a file manager with root access (such as Root Explorer or Solid Explorer).
2. Go to the system folder: Open the path /system/priv-app/PrebuiltGmsCore or /system/priv-app/Maps (the name may vary depending on the version of MIUI).
3. Delete the application files: Find a folder called com.google.android.apps.maps or similar and delete it. Also check the Maps.apk file at /system/app/.
4. Clear cache and data: In any root-access file manager, delete the contents of folders: /data/data/com.google.android.apps.maps /data/app/com.google.android.apps.maps-*
5. Reset the device.

Pros of the method:

• 🧹 Full vacancy (up to 500 MB).
• 🔒 Guaranteed lack of recovery.
• 🚀 Acceleration of the system (less background processes).

Cons:

• ⚠️ Risk of disrupting other Google services.
• 🔧 Requires technical skills.

💡

Before you delete system files, check their dependencies! some applications (like Google Photos) may use Maps components for geolocation.

Method 4: Blocking background activity

If you want Google Maps for navigation only, but you don't want them to work in the background, limit their rights and activity.

How to limit:

1. Go to Settings → Applications → Application Management → Google Maps.
2. Select Permissions and Disable: 📍 Location (or set "Only during use»). 📸 Camera and Microphone (unless you use Street View). 📁 Storage (if you do not save the cards offline).

Return to the app menu and select Battery → Background activity.

Set a limit on “Limit background activity.”

Turn off auto-start:

In the same menu, find AutoRun and deactivate it.

You can also disable notifications from the maps:

1. Press the app icon on the home screen → Notifications.
2. Turn off all notification categories.

Effect: The application will only be manually launched, without expending resources in the background. Geolocation will only be requested when used actively.

Alternatives to Google Maps on Xiaomi

If you have removed or disabled Google Maps, install one of the alternative navigators. We tested them on the Xiaomi 13 Pro and Redmi Note 12 with MIUI 14:

For maximum comfort, we recommend installing Yandex.Maps + 2GIS: the first for navigation, the second for searching for addresses and organizations.

Frequent problems and solutions

When you turn off or delete Google Maps, users experience some common errors, and we've collected the most common ways to fix them:

• 🔄 The app recovered after the reboot:
• 📵 Play Market Stopped Working:
• 🚫 You cannot disable the application (button is inactive):
• 🔋 Increased battery consumption after removal:

⚠️ Note: if after manipulating Google Maps, the smartphone stopped booting (bootloop), try resetting via Fastboot: fastboot erase userdata fastboot reboot This will delete all user data, but restore the system to work.

💡

Before any changes to system applications, backup with MIUI Backup or TWRP!

FAQ: Answers to popular questions