How to permanently disable Google Chrome on Xiaomi phone: from manual removal to hidden MIUI settings

Google Chrome is pre-installed on most Xiaomi, Redmi and POCO smartphones as a system application. Even if you don't use it, it takes up space in memory, consumes resources in the background and can be automatically updated through Google Play. Complete removal of Chrome without root rights is impossible, but there are legal ways to disable, hide or replace it with an alternative browser.

In this article, 5 working methods for deactivating Chrome on Xiaomi with MIUI 12, 13 and 14, including hidden developer settings, ADB commands and Google circumvention. All instructions are tested on Redmi Note 12 Pro+, POCO F5, Xiaomi 13T and Black Shark 5 models with Android 12-14. If you need to not just disable, but completely remove Chrome, at the end of the section you will find a method using ADB (requires a PC).

Why Chrome Cannot Be Deleted in Standard Ways

Google Chrome on Xiaomi belongs to the category of system applications that are protected at the firmware level.

• 📱 Google Requirements: To Certify Google Mobile Services (GMS) Manufacturers must pre-instal Chrome, YouTube and other apps.
• 🔗 Integration with MIUI: The browser is used to open links from system notifications, Quick Ball and widgets.
• 🔄 Automatic Updates: Even after you turn off Chrome can be activated again after you update MIUI or Google Play.

But there are workarounds.

• 🚫 Disable the application through settings (will remain in the system, but will not work).
• 🔧 Hide the icon from the menu and search MIUI.
• 📴 Block background activity through ADB.
• 🗑️ Remove updates by returning the browser to the factory version (without the possibility of updating).

⚠️ Note: On some Xiaomi models (e.g, POCO X3 Pro or Redmi 10C) After disabling Chrome, links from Gmail, Google Drive and other services may stop opening, in which case you will need to install an alternative browser and assign it to the default application.

Method 1: Disable Chrome through MIUI settings

The easiest method is to deactivate the browser in the app menu. This will not delete Chrome files, but will stop its work and background activity.

Instructions:

1. Open Settings → Applications → Application Management.
2. In the search box, type Chrome (or com.android.chrome).
3. Slip on Google Chrome in the search results.
4. Click the Disable button (or Remove Updates if the Disable button is inactive).
5. Confirm the action in the pop-up window.

After the shutdown:

• 🔴 Chrome icon will disappear from the app menu.
• 📵 The browser will not start when you click on links (unless another browser is assigned by default).
• 🔄 Updates via Google Play will stop.

⚠️ Attention: On some firmware MIUI (For example, on Xiaomi. 12S Ultra) after disabling Chrome may be missing the ability to open PDF-File Manager files, in which case install a separate reading app PDF (For example, Adobe Acrobat).

Method 2: Remove Chrome Updates (Return to the factory version)

If the Disable button is inactive, try removing the updates, which will return the browser to the factory version (usually Chrome 70-80), which takes up less space and does not update automatically.

How to do this:

1. Go to Settings → Applications → Application Management → Chrome.
2. Slip on the three dots in the top right corner and select Remove Updates.
3. Confirm the action.
4. After removing the updates, the Disconnect button should become active.

Advantages of the method:

• 📉 Reduced space (from 200-300 MB to 50-80 MB).
• 🔒 Automatic updates are stopped.
• 🛠️ Ability to disable the browser after returning to the factory version.

Disadvantages:

• ⚠️ Previous articleOld Chrome may contain security vulnerabilities.
• 🔄 Some sites may not display properly due to an outdated engine.

💡

If Chrome has updated again through Google Play after removing the updates, turn off the auto-update for it: open Google Play → Profile → Device Management → App Auto-Update → Select “Do not update automatically”.

Method 3: Hide Chrome through the MIUI launcher settings

If you just need to remove the Chrome icon from the menu but leave the browser working (for example, to open links from other apps), use the Hidden Apps feature in MIUI.

Step-by-step:

1. Click the empty space on the home screen and select Settings (or Launcher Settings).
2. Go to the Hidden Applications section (on some firmware – Hide applications).
3. Find Google Chrome in the list and tick it.
4. Save the changes.

What's going to happen?

• 👁️ Chrome icon will disappear from the app menu and search MIUI.
• 🔗 The browser will remain functional and will open links if assigned by default.
• 📱 The app will not appear in Recent (unless manually launched).

To return the icon, repeat the steps and uncheck the Google Chrome box.

Method 4: Block Chrome through ADB (for power users)

If standard methods don’t work, you can block Chrome completely with commands. ADB (Android Debug Bridge: This method requires connecting the phone to a PC, but allows you to disable the browser at the system level.

What you need:

• 🖥️ Computer with Windows, macOS or Linux.
• 📱 Cable USB (preferably original).
• 🔧 Installed drivers Xiaomi and ADB Tools.

Instructions:

1. Turn on Developer Mode on your phone: Go to Settings → About Phone → MIUI Version. Tap the MIUI Version 7 times until you become a developer.

USB debugging

• Back to Settings → Additionally. → For developers.
• Turn on the debugging switch over USB.
• Connect your phone to your PC and open Command Prompt (Windows) or Terminal (macOS/Linux).
• Enter the command to check the connection: Adb devices should appear the name of your device.
• Run the command to disable Chrome: adb shell pm disable-user --user 0 com.android.chrome

Result:

• 🚫 Chrome will be completely disabled and will not appear in the system.
• 🔧 If you need to return the browser, follow the command: adb shell pm enable com.android.chrome

⚠️ Attention: On some firmware MIUI (For example, Xiaomi.eu or custom command disable-user may not work. In this case, use the alternative command: adb shell pm uninstall -k --user 0 com.android.chrome This will remove all Chrome updates for the current user, but will not affect system files.

Method 5: Replacing Chrome with another browser by default

If you need to leave Chrome on the system, but force MIUI to use another browser to open links, follow the following steps:

How to assign the default browser:

1. Install an alternative browser (such as Firefox, Brave, or Opera).
2. Open Settings → Applications → Application Management.
3. Find the installed browser and tap it.
4. Choose Open by default (or App by default).
5. Click Clear Default Settings (if another browser has been previously assigned).
6. Open any link (such as Gmail or Telegram) and select a new browser in the dialog box.
7. Always tick (or use it by default).

Advantages of the method:

• 🌐 All links will be opened in the selected browser.
• 📵 Chrome will not automatically start up.
• 🔄 You can return the default settings at any time.

List of recommended browsers for Xiaomi:

💡

The default browser designation is the only way to completely eliminate Chrome from automatically running when opening links from other apps (Gmail, Telegram, WhatsApp, etc.).

What to do if Chrome turns on after the MIUI update

On some Xiaomi smartphones (especially Redmi and POCO with global firmware), Chrome can automatically activate after updating MIUI or Google Play Services.

Methods of blocking autoactivation:

• 🔧 Turn off Chrome Auto Update: Open Google Play → Profile → App management.Look for Chrome and turn off auto-update.
• 🛡️ Block background activity: Go to Settings → Annexes → Chrome → Battery. Select Limit background activity.
• 📵 Use Tasker or MacroDroid to automatically disable Chrome after the update (requires settings for automatic rules).

If Chrome is still on:

1. Check if you have updates installed for Google Play Services (sometimes they reset settings).
2. Try to roll back to the previous version of MIUI (if the problem has appeared after the update).
3. Install custom firmware (such as Xiaomi.eu or Pixel Experience) where you can completely uninstall Chrome.

FAQ: Frequent questions about turning off Chrome on Xiaomi