How to turn off Mi Video on Xiaomi Redmi Note 8 Pro

Xiaomi and Redmi smartphone owners often encounter the intrusive system application Mi Video, which plays all videos by default. On the Redmi Note 8 Pro model, this player is integrated deep into the MIUI shell, which causes irritation among users who prefer third-party solutions like VLC or MX Player. The main complaints are pop-up ads, excessive load on RAM and the inability to choose another player when opening video files from the gallery.

Complete removal of a system application without superuser rights (Root) is impossible, as it is part of a secure partition of the system. However, there are a number of effective methods to completely neutralize its operation, hide the icon from the desktop and forcibly redirect all video streams to third-party software. Below we will discuss in detail the safe ways to deactivate Mi Video through standard settings and advanced debugging tools.

It is important to understand that disabling the system component requires care. Mistakes can lead to unstable gallery work or errors when playing media. In this article, we will focus on methods that do not require flashing the device and keep the warranty on the Redmi Note 8 Pro. You can customize your smartphone to work exactly as you want, and not as the developers of the ad modules intended.

Why you should turn off the standard video player

The standard Mi Video player on the MIUI shell is often criticized for overconsumption of resources in the background. Even if you don't use it to watch movies, the process can remain active, draining the battery of the Redmi Note 8 Pro. This is especially noticeable on large-screen models, where background processes affect the autonomy of the device during the day.

In addition, the app is often updated automatically through the GetApps store, returning remote settings or adding new features that the user did not request. The only way to guarantee that you get rid of in-app advertising is not just to close it, but completely ban startup and access to the network. Many users also note that third-party players are better at handling codecs and subtitles than the standard solution from Xiaomi.

Disabling a native application frees up system resources and prevents accidental startup when opening files from messengers or file manager. This makes the system interface cleaner and more responsive. If you are used to a certain set of features in MX Player or nPlayer, there is no point in putting up with the limitations of embedded software.

Preparation for system modification

Before making changes to the system applications, you need to perform a number of preparatory steps, which will protect your data and allow you to return everything as it was in the case of unforeseen errors. On the Redmi Note 8 Pro, the preparation process takes no more than 5-10 minutes and requires no special skills.

First of all, make sure you have an alternative video player installed. Without it, after you turn off Mi Video, you simply won't have the default video opening app. Download and install the selected player from Google Play, then open it and give the necessary permissions to access the device's memory.

• 📱 Install a third-party video player (for example, VLC or MX Player and set it up as the main one.
• ☁️ Backup important contacts and settings in your Google or Mi Cloud account.
• 🔋 Charge the Redmi Note 8 Pro battery to at least 50% to avoid being turned off during setup.
• 🔒 Remember or write down the current file display settings in case you need to reset.

It is also recommended to disable automatic updates of system applications through the GetApps store. This will prevent the system from restoring Mi Video after the next update. Go to the store settings, find the auto-update and select "Never" or turn off the update only for system components.

Disconnection method through application settings

The safest and easiest way to neutralize Mi Video is to use the built-in Android App Manager, a method that doesn't require you to connect to a computer or use debugging commands, but allows you to force the process to stop and stop it from running, although the icon can remain on the menu.

To start, go to the Settings menu of your Redmi Note 8 Pro. Find the Apps section and select All Apps. You must find Mi Video (can be simply called "Video" or have a Xiaomi logo) and click on the app name to open the application management page.

On the page that opens, you'll need to do several actions sequentially. First, click Stop to complete ongoing processes. Then select Delete Data and Clear Cache, which will reset all player settings and temporary files that may have been accumulating.

⚠️ Note: The Remove button may be inactive (shadowed) as it is a system application. Do not try to use third-party removal programs without root rights, this may lead to system errors.

Once the data is cleared, find Other Permits or Permits, where you want to prevent the app from accessing storage, microphone and, most importantly, network access (Wi-Fi and mobile data), blocking Internet access will prevent ads from downloading and checking for updates.

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If the Stop button immediately becomes active again, then the application is running in the background. Try to clear the cache first, and then click Stop again.

Using ADB for Deep Deactivation

For users who want to completely hide the application from the list of installed, the method using the ADB (Android Debug Bridge: This method requires the Redmi Note 8 Pro to be connected to a computer via a computer. USB-It allows you to delete system applications for the current user without compromising the integrity of the system partition.

Before you start, you need to activate the developer mode on your smartphone. → About phone and quickly press 7 times on the item Version MIUI. Then you'll see a new option on the menu, for developers, and you'll need to turn on the debugging. USB and if there is, USB-debugging (only through secure computers) – this item is better to disable to simplify the connection.

On your computer, you will need a minimum set of tools ADB. Download the archive with platform tools for Windows or macOS from the official Android developer site. Unpack the archive in a convenient folder. Connect your smartphone with a cable, select the File Transfer mode and confirm the debugging request on the phone screen.

Open the command prompt or terminal in the ADB folder and enter the command to check the connection:

adb devices

If a device with a serial number appears on the list, the connection is successful. To delete Mi Video for the current user, use the following command:

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

Once the command is executed, the application will disappear from the menu and no longer occupy a place in the list of programs. It is important to note that the files will physically remain in the system, but they will not be downloaded. This is a secure method that can be canceled at any time.

⚠️ Note: Be careful when entering the name of the package. Removing system components with similar names (for example, com.android.providers.downloads) may cause downloads or gallery to fail.

Set priorities for opening files

Once you have disabled or restricted Mi Video rights, you need to make sure that the system is responding correctly to the launch of video files. In MIUI, you often find a situation where when you try to open video from a gallery or conductor, the system still tries to use a standard player, giving an error or a black screen.

To fix this, reset your default settings. Go to Settings → Apps → All Apps. Click on the three-dot menu in the upper right corner and select the default Apps. Find the item related to video or media and make sure your new player is selected there.

If it doesn't exist or it doesn't work, do this: find Mi Video itself in the app list (if it's still visible), go to its settings and press Default Start, then Reset. The next time you run any video file, the system will ask you what to open the video. Select your new player and click Always.

In some versions of MIUI for Redmi Note 8 Pro, there is a bug when the gallery ignores the default choice, in which case cleaning the cache of the Gallery and Explorer application itself helps, which will cause the system to ask again for preferences when opening media files.

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The key is not just to disable Mi Video, but to explicitly assign a default alternative, otherwise the system may behave unpredictably when running a video.

Possible problems and solutions

In the process of optimizing the system, users may face a number of typical problems, most often due to the fact that some of the system functions of the Redmi Note 8 Pro are tied to a standard video engine, for example, previewing video in the gallery may stop displaying thumbnails or play without sound.

If you have stopped opening WhatsApp or Telegram videos after you have disabled Mi Video, check the permission settings for your new player. It should be allowed access to storage and, in some cases, phone access (to determine the call and pause status of the video).

Another common problem is the return of the application after the system update. Xiaomi periodically releases security patches that can restore the original state of the system packages. In this case, the procedure through ADB will have to be repeated. You can automate this process with special scripts, but for the average user it is easier to manually execute a command every few months.

• 🔄 Video won't open: Check if the codec is installed in a third-party player or try a different file format.
• 📉 Missing audio in video: Reset the sound settings in the Sound and Vibration menu and check if the "Do Not Disturb" mode is on".
• 🔋 Quick discharge: Make sure that the Mi Video process is actually stopped in Task Manager, sometimes it hides under the name Media Server.

Remember that the Redmi Note 8 Pro is a powerful device, but memory optimization in MIUI can be aggressive. If you use heavy video in 4K, make sure that your third-party player supports hardware acceleration on the Helio G90T processor that is installed in this model.