How to Disable or Remove Google Play Store on Xiaomi Redmi: All the Working Methods

The Google Play Store is an integral part of the Android ecosystem, but not all Xiaomi Redmi users want to use it, and the reasons range from wanting to save battery power to switching to alternative app stores like APKMirror or Aurora Store. Unfortunately, the manufacturer does not provide an easy way to remove this system application — but there are workarounds.

In this article, we will discuss 5 proven methods to disable or completely remove the Play Store on Redmi Note 12/13, Redmi 10/11 and other models running MIUI 14/15. Importantly, some methods require unlocking the bootloader or root rights, which can affect the warranty and security of the device, we will specify the risks for each option and give recommendations for system recovery in case of errors.

If you're looking for a way to just hide an app from the menu, there's a separate section with no technical manipulations, and for advanced users, here are ADB commands and Hidden Settings MIUI methods, which don't require superuser rights, but give you more control over system processes.

Why you can’t just remove the Play Store with standard tools

The Play Store is part of Google Mobile Services (GMS), a set of proprietary services that Xiaomi licenses from Google for pre-installing on devices, which are integrated into the system at the firmware level, so:

• 🔧 There is no “Delete” button in the application menu – only “Disable” or “Delete Updates".
• 📱 Systemic constraints MIUI Block the removal of key packages, even if you have developer rights.
• 🔄 Automatic Recovery: After Rebooting or Updating MIUI Deleted files can be returned.

The Play Store is initially absent on Redmi models for the Chinese market (without GMS) – it has to be installed manually through APK. If your device is purchased in Europe or Russia, Google services are pre-integrated into firmware, and their removal will require additional actions.

Before proceeding with manipulation, check whether the Play Store is used to:

• 🔑 Authorizations in other apps (e.g. Google Pay or YouTube Premium).
• 📱 Data synchronization (contacts, calendar, backups).
• 🎮 Works with online communities (e.g. Genshin Impact or PUBG Mobile).

⚠️ Warning: Disabling the Play Store may disrupt Google Play Services, leading to errors in applications that use geolocation, push notifications or cloud services. Before making changes, back up your data via Settings → The phone. → Backup.

Method 1: Disable Play Store without removal (the safest method)

If you just need to stop the background activity of the application, but save the possibility of turning it on in the future, use the built-in MIUI settings. This method does not require superuser rights and is reversible.

Instructions:

1. Open Settings → Applications → Application Management.
2. In the search bar, enter the Play Store and select the app from the list.
3. Click Disable (if the button is inactive, click Stop first).
4. Confirm the action in the dialog window.

After the shutdown:

• 📵 The app will disappear from the menu and stop updating.
• 🔄 Background processes com.android.vending will be stopped.
• 📥 Notifications about application updates will not come.

To get it back, repeat the steps and click Enable, which is a way to temporarily shut down, for example, if you want to test an alternative app store.

Method 2: Remove updates and reset to factory version

The Play Store, like any system application, consists of two parts:

1. The basic version is sewn into the firmware and is not removed.
2. Updates – downloaded through the Play Store itself and can be removed.

Reset to the factory version will allow:

• 🛠️ Resolve errors caused by incorrect updates.
• 📉 Reduce the space occupied (from 100)+ MB to ~20MB).
• 🔒 Disable automatic updates.

How to reset:

1. Go to Settings → Applications → Play Store → Storage.
2. Click Delete Data and Clear Cache.
3. Return to the app information screen and select Remove Updates.
4. Confirm the action and restart the phone.

After the reboot, the Play Store will return to the version that was installed in the factory to prevent automatic updates:

1. Open Settings → About Phone → MIUI version (click 7 times to activate Developer Mode).
2. Back to Settings → Additionally. → For developers.
3. Turn off the auto-update system option.

⚠️ Note: On some Redmi models (e.g. Redmi Note 10 Pro) after resetting the Play Store can automatically update via Google Play Services. To avoid this, turn off the Internet immediately after the reset and delete your Google account in the settings.

Method 3: Removal via ADB (without root rights)

For users willing to work with Android Debug Bridge (ADB), there is a way to remove the Play Store without obtaining root permissions.This method requires connecting the phone to a computer, but does not violate the integrity of the system partition.

What you need:

• 💻 A computer with installed Xiaomi drivers and ADB Tools.
• 📱 USB-cable (preferably original).
• 🔧 Initiated Debugging Mode USB phone-on.

Step-by-step:

1. Activate Developer Mode (as in the previous method).
2. Enable USB debugging in Settings → Additional → For developers.
3. Connect the phone to the PC and confirm the debugging permission.
4. Open the command line (Windows) or terminal (macOS/Linux) and type:

adb devices

(Your device should be displayed.)

adb shell pm uninstall -k --user 0 com.android.vending

If the command is successful, the Play Store will be removed only for the current user (without affecting system files).

adb shell cmd package install-existing com.android.vending

Important: This method doesn't remove the app completely -- it will stay in the system partition, but it won't show up and work. When you reset your phone to the factory settings, the Play Store will return.

💡

Before execution ADB-Check if the bootloader is locked on your device. To do this, type in the fastboot oem device-info terminal - Device unlocked: true means that the bootloader is unlocked.

Method 4: Complete removal with root rights (for experienced)

If you're willing to take drastic measures and have an unlocked bootloader with Magisk installed or another root solution, you can delete the Play Store completely. This method is irreversible without flashing and can lead to unstable system operation.

What needs to be done:

1. Install a root conductor (such as Root Explorer or FX File Explorer).
2. Go to /system/priv-app/PrebuiltGmsCore or /system/app/.
3. Find files with names: Phonesky.apk (main Play Store file) Vending.apk (alternative name)

Phonesky.apk.bak

/data/app/com.android.vending*

Reset the device.

Alternative method via Termux with root access:

su


mount -o rw,remount /system




rm -f /system/priv-app/PrebuiltGmsCore/Phonesky.apk




rm -f /system/app/Vending.apk




reboot

After removal:

• 🚫 Play Store will disappear from the system forever (before flashing).
• ⚠️ There are possible errors in Google Play Services.
• 🔄 Some apps (such as Gmail or Maps) may stop updating.

⚠️ Attention: On devices with MIUI 15 and later, the complete removal of the Play Store can lead to a cyclical restart (bootloop), if the system depends on Google services. TWRP Or OrangeFox Recovery.

Method 5: Use MIUI Hidden Settings (Hidden Settings)

MIUI firmware has hidden menus that allow you to manage system applications without root rights, and one way is to use MIUI Hidden Settings through code commands.

How to open hidden settings:

1. Open the Phone app.
2. Enter the code: ##4636###.
3. Select the phone information (or Usage statistics).
4. Click on the three dots in the top right corner and select Manage applications.

In the list, find the Play Store and:

• 🔕 Turn it off via the app menu.
• 🚫 Prohibit auto-start and background activity.
• 📵 Limit Internet access (in the application settings).

An alternative method through ADB to hide the application:

adb shell pm hide com.android.vending

This command hides the Play Store from the launcher, but doesn't remove it completely. To regain visibility, use:

adb shell pm unhide com.android.vending

Advantages of this method:

• ⚡ Doesn't require root rights.
• 🔄 Reversible (can be returned at any time).
• 🛡️ Does not violate the integrity of the system partition.

💡

Hidden MIUI settings allow you to turn off the Play Store without risking damage to the system, but do not guarantee a complete stop to Google's background processes.

What to do if the Play Store is back after the MIUI update

One of the common problems is that the Play Store automatically recovers from a firmware update, which is because Xiaomi includes Google services in service packs to prevent the app from returning:

Methods of blocking:

• 🔧 Turn off automatic updates: Go to Settings → The phone. → Update the system. Press three dots. → Settings → Turn off the auto download over Wi-Fi.
• 📵 Block Google Domains: Use AdGuard or Blokada to block hosts: android.clients.google.com, play.googleapis.com.
• 🛡️ Install custom recovery: TWRP OrangeFox will allow you to remove system applications after each update.

If the Play Store is back:

1. Repeat the steps from Method 2 (remove updates).
2. Use ADB to re-delete (see Method 3).
3. For root devices, delete Phonesky.apk and Vending.odex files to /system/priv-app/.

On some firmware (e.g. MIUI 14 Global) it helps to disable the Google Play Services service:

adb shell pm disable-user --user 0 com.google.android.gms

But this will make most Google apps, including YouTube and Gmail, inoperable.

FAQ: Frequent questions about turning off the Play Store on Redmi