How to disable Mi Messages on Xiaomi Redmi: the full guide

Xiaomi and Redmi smartphone owners often encounter intrusive functionality that the system suggests activating when you first set up the device. One of the elements of the Mi Cloud ecosystem is the Mi Messaging app, which is designed to replace the standard "bell ringer" and the "Mi Messaging" app. SMS-Manager by adding chat features similar to iMessage or RCS However, for many users in Russia and CIS countries, this service is useless or even problematic, since it requires constant synchronization over the Internet and can conflict with conventional carriers.

The main difficulty is that simply uninstall the system application through a regular interface is impossible – it is deeply integrated into the MIUI or HyperOS shell. Moreover, even after disabling functions, the remnants of the service can continue to consume battery power or send hidden service SMS that are charged by the operator. In this article, we will discuss all the safe ways to deactivate the component, ranging from simple settings inside the menu to deeper methods through ADB if the standard paths do not help.

It is important to understand the difference between disabling sync and completely locking an application. Complete removal requires root rights or computer use, whereas disabling features is available to every user. We will look at both options so that you can choose the most suitable for your situation and the version of the operating system.

Why you should disable Mi Messaging

Many users ignore warnings about paid services, not realizing that activation of Mi Messages is often accompanied by sending hidden messages. SMS-This can cost money, especially if you are roaming or using an hourly rate.In addition, the service is constantly hanging in the background, waiting to connect to Xiaomi servers, which negatively affects the autonomy of the device.

Another reason for not using the built-in messenger is its unstable work with carriers that do not fully support the RCS protocol, which leads to the fact that regular SMS can arrive with a delay or not appear at all in the list if the system tries to send a message over the Internet first. Disabling Mi Messages returns control to a standard, time-tested application for SMS, ensuring that messages are delivered over the cellular network.

Also worth mentioning is privacy: Using Xiaomi’s proprietary services involves transferring metadata about your contacts and correspondence to the company’s servers to ensure synchronization between devices. If you don’t need a tablet or laptop SMS reader, it’s best to limit the transmission of this information.

• 📉 Reducing battery consumption by stopping background synchronization processes.
• 💰 Elimination of the risk of accidental activation of paid subscriptions or sending paid subscriptions SMS.
• 🛡️ Increasing the level of confidentiality of personal correspondence and contact data.
• ⚡ Resolving conflicts between system application and third-party messengers.

Disabling synchronization in the application settings

The first and safest step is to disable cloud sync functions within the app itself.This won't delete the program, but will stop transferring data to Xiaomi servers. To start, open the Messages app (yellow or blue with the Mi logo). Click on the three dots in the upper right corner or the profile icon to get into the settings menu.

In the list that opens, look for "Mi Message Settings" or simply "Settings." Here you're interested in the section associated with your Mi Account or the cloud. You need to find the Message Sync switch and turn it to "Off." The system can warn that your correspondence history will no longer be saved in the cloud, which is exactly what we need.

⚠️ Warning: After disabling synchronization, make sure that in the list of applications with access to the SMS Sometimes "Mi Messages" remain (by default) even after the sync is turned off, which can cause confusion.

Next, check the chat settings. In the same settings menu, find the "Chat" option or RCS. If there's a "Enable Chat" check, be sure to uncheck it. This action will forcefully break the connection to the enriched message servers and put the application into normal mode. SMS-transfers if you decide to keep them active.

Changing the application for SMS by default

Even if you can't completely uninstall the system app, Android makes it easy to replace it with an alternative.It's the most effective way to "beat" an intrusive service without resorting to complex technical manipulations. You can install any popular messenger from Google Play, such as Google Messages, Textra or QKSMS.

To make a replacement, go to Settings → Applications → Application Management. In the upper right corner, click on three dots and select Default Apps. In the list that opens, find SMS and tap it. The system will suggest you select an app from the installed list. Select Google Messages or another analog you have installed.

After this procedure, all incoming notifications will come through the new application, and the system will no longer use Mi Messaging resources to process incoming ones. The old application can be “freezed” or simply ignored by removing its icon from the desktop.

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Use Google Messages for better compatibility with Google’s business chats and RCS feature, which is more stable than Xiaomi’s implementation.

Restricting work through battery settings

If you don’t want to change the application by default, but want to minimize the impact of Mi Messaging on the system, you can use the built-in MIUI battery optimization tools. This method does not remove the application, but prevents it from running in the background, which actually “kills” its functionality until the next manual opening.

Go to Settings → Battery and Performance (or simply “Battery”). Find the tab or button “App Charges” (sometimes you need to click on a gear or three dots). In the list, find “Messages” (notice the icon so you don’t confuse it with Google).

In the restriction menu, select "No restrictions" -- stop, we need to do the opposite -- select "Limit background activity" or "Freeze." It's also helpful to turn off "Space" so that the service doesn't run with the phone, and this drasticaly reduces its impact on RAM.

⚠️ Note: With severe background restrictions, you can stop receiving notifications of new messages until you manually open the app. SMS.

Using ADB to remove system component

For advanced users who want to completely clean up the system of excess debris, there is a method of removing through Android Debug Bridge (ADB). This method does not require root rights, but necessitates connecting the smartphone to the computer. Be careful: removing system packages can lead to unstable work if you remove the wrong component.

First, activate Developer Mode. Go to Settings → About Phone and quickly press 7 times on MIUI Version (or OS Version). Then in Advanced Settings → For developers, turn on “Debugging on USB.” Connect your phone to your PC, install ADB drivers and tools.

In the command line on the computer, enter a command to search for a packet of messages:

adb shell pm list packages | grep message

Find a package with a name like com.android.mms or com.miui.messaging. Use the command to delete:

adb shell pm uninstall -k --user 0 com.miui.messaging

This command will remove the app only for the current user without affecting the system partition.This is safe and allows you to return everything back with a simple reset of the phone settings.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

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The most reliable way to get rid of Mi Messages problems is not to delete them aggressively, but simply replace the default app with Google Messages and disable synchronization in your account settings.