Owners of Xiaomi, Redmi and Poco smartphones often face intrusive pre-installed apps, among which Google Chrome ranks among the first in terms of consumed resources. Even if you use an alternative browser like Opera or Firefox, the system process of Chrome can periodically start in the background, consuming battery power and RAM of the device, this is especially noticeable on models with a small amount of RAM, where every megabyte is in the account.
Unfortunately, standard Android tools cannot completely remove this component, as it is integrated into the system partition. However, there are proven ways to deactivate it by turning it into a sleeper application that will not interfere with the work of the gadget. In this article, we will discuss all the available methods, from simple settings to the use of advanced debugging tools.
Before you start taking drastic measures, it is important to understand that disabling and deleting are different processes from the point of view of the file system.We will help you choose the best option that will not disrupt the stability of the MIUI or HyperOS shell.
Why you should think about disabling the system browser
Many users ignore the presence of background processes until they encounter sudden battery drain or interface brakes. Google Chrome, being a heavy app, is prone to caching large amounts of data and constantly updating tabs in the background. On Xiaomi devices with aggressive memory optimization, this can lead to constant reboots of active tabs in other browsers.
In addition, the presence of multiple browsers can cause conflicts when opening links from third-party applications. The system can automatically select Chrome by default, ignoring your preferences. Disabling the system component is the only guaranteed way to prevent the launch of the browser when clicking on links in messengers or social networks.
There are several reasons why users are trying to limit the activity of this service:
- 🔋 Energy savings: background synchronization and geolocation processes consume up to 15% of the charge per day.
- 🚀 RAM Free: Disabling Google’s Heavy Services Improves Multitasking on Budget Smartphones.
- 🔒 Privacy: Reduced Telemetry Data Collected by Google.
However, it is worth remembering that some system widgets or Tapes features on the desktop may depend on Chrome components. Before fully deactivating, it is recommended to test the device as normal with the application disabled.
Basic Disconnection through Android Settings
The safest and easiest method available to every user without having to connect to a computer is in the standard settings menu, which does not delete the application files, but completely blocks its launch and operation in the background.
In the menu that opens, find the App, then select All Apps. In the installed program list, find Chrome. Click on it to open the management page. Here you are interested in the Disable (or Turn Off) button in some firmware versions.
The system will alert you that the application will stop working and disappear from the list of recent tasks. Confirm the action. After that, the browser icon will disappear from the desktop and its processes will stop.
If the “Disable” button is inactive (gray), it means that your device has installed updates of the system component that block this function, in which case you first need to click the “Delete Updates” button in the same menu, wait for the process to complete, and only then the “Disable” button will become available.
It is important to consider the following nuances when using this method:
- 🔄 Auto-return: after resetting the settings to factory or flashing the application will again be active.
- 📉 Memory space: This method does not free up space in permanent storage, as system files remain in place.
- 🛡️ Security: the risk of damage to the system is minimal, unlike root-right methods.
☑️ Pre-switch check
Using ADB for deep cleaning of the system
For those who want to not just disable, but actually remove the system package so that it does not occupy space and loom in the list of applications, you will need to use the ADB toolkit (Android Debug Bridge), which requires a computer (Windows, macOS or Linux) and a USB cable. It allows you to send commands directly to the operating system, bypassing standard interface restrictions.
The first step is to activate the developer mode on your Xiaomi. Go to Settings → About Phone and quickly press 7 times on the MIUI Version (or OS Version). After the notification “You became a developer” appears, go to Additional Settings → For developers and turn on the USB Debugging Toggle.
Connect your smartphone to your computer with a cable. You'll see a request for debugging permission on your phone screen -- make sure you tick "Always Allow" and click "OK." On your computer, you'll need to download ADB platform tools from Google's official website and unpack them into a handy folder.
Open the command prompt (Terminal or CMD) in the ADB folder and enter the command to check the connection:
adb devicesIf a device with device status appears on the list, the connection is established. Now you can proceed to delete. The command to remove user updates and deactivate the system package looks like this:
adb shell pm uninstall -k --user 0 com.android.chromeOnce the command is executed, the application will disappear from the system for the current user. It will not take up space and cannot be launched.
How to return Chrome after deleting it via ADB?
Comparison of deactivation methods
The choice between standard shutdown and ADB depends on your goals and technical background. The first method is suitable for most users who just want to remove unnecessary processes. The second method is for enthusiasts who want to maximize the purity of the system.
The table below gives a detailed comparison of the two approaches so you can weigh the pros and cons:
| Parameter | Standard shutdown | Removal via ADB |
|---|---|---|
| Difficulty | Low (2 minutes) | Medium (PC required) |
| Liberation of the place | No. | Yes (partial) |
| Recovery capability | Instant (with one click) | Requires re-entering commands |
| Risk to the system | Absent. | Minimum (in case of team error) |
| Post-discharge retention | Resetting. | Resetting. |
It is worth noting that none of the methods physically removes the browser from the system partition /system. This requires Root rights, obtaining which on modern Xiaomi smartphones with a blocked bootloader is a complex and risky procedure that disrupts the operation of banking applications.
So for 95 percent of users, the best solution is to bundle, which is to delete updates through settings + disable, and that reduces the amount of time you take to the minimum you can do without tampering with system files.
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Before using ADB, make sure to back up important data. Although the risk is minimal, any manipulation of system packages requires caution.
Possible problems and solutions
When you deactivate Google Chrome on Xiaomi, you may encounter a number of specific problems. Users often complain that after you turn off links inside apps like Telegram, Viber or Instagram stop opening, because the system tries to invoke the default browser, which is now unavailable.
To solve this problem, you need to manually assign a new default browser. Go to Settings → Applications → Application Management → Three dots in the corner → Default Apps. In Browser, select your preferred option, such as Yandex Browser or DuckDuckGo.
⚠️ Note: If after disabling Chrome, you notice that the Google Discover widget on your desktop has stopped updating or is not working correctly, this is a normal reaction, since it is tied to Google services. In this case, it is easier to leave Chrome on, but limit its background activity in the battery settings.
Another common mistake is to try to remove the com.google.android.webview package, which is absolutely impossible, because this component is responsible for displaying web pages in many other applications, its removal will lead to unstable operation of the entire smartphone.
There are also situations where the system automatically turns the browser back on after a major MIUI update, in which case the procedure will have to be repeated, and it is almost impossible to automate this process without root rights.
Alternatives and setting up privacy
Once you’ve successfully gotten rid of Chrome’s dominance, it’s worth considering how to replace it. The mobile browser market offers a host of solutions that can be lighter or privacy-focused. Xiaomi devices with their optimizations are well suited to browsers with built-in ad blocker.
Among the popular alternatives are:
- 🦊 Firefox Focus: Perfect for private surfing, automatically deletes history after session.
- 🛡️ Brave: known for its aggressive tracking and advertising blocking, which speeds up page loading.
- 🚀 Via Browser: ultra-lightweight browser weighing less than 2 MB, which works great on older Redmi models.
Remember that even after you turn off your standard browser, Google services continue to work in the background. For full privacy control, you should also go to your Google account settings and limit the collection of data about your web search activity and YouTube.
Regularly cleaning the cache and data of new browsers will help keep the system in good shape. On Xiaomi, this can be done through the built-in “Security” application, which effectively cleans up the garbage accumulated by any browsers.
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Disabling system applications is a balance between freedom of action and stability of the system. Do not remove components whose purpose you do not know.