How to disable the application on Xiaomi MIUI 12: the complete guide

Modern Xiaomi smartphones running on the shell of MIUI 12, often oversaturated with pre-installed software that not only takes up precious space in memory, but also consumes CPU resources. Many users face a situation where standard services continue to work in the background, reducing the autonomy of the device and causing heating of the case. Owners often look for ways to disable the application on Xiaomi MIUI 12 to get rid of intrusive advertising and speed up the gadget.

The process of deactivating software components can range from simply hiding an icon to deep freezing system services through special tools. It is important to understand the difference between removing user software and disabling critical system processes, the disruption of which can lead to instability of the operating system. In this article, we will discuss in detail the safe methods of optimizing your device.

Proper management of running processes allows you to significantly extend battery life and free up RAM for more important tasks. We will consider both the standard means of the MIUI shell, and advanced methods that require connection to a computer, but give maximum control over the device.

Why you should turn off applications on MIUI

The main reason users are trying to limit background activity is because of aggressive power optimization and data collection policies: pre-installed services like Mi Browser, Mi Video or various analytics modules often start automatically after the phone is turned on, which leads to the fact that even when the device is at rest, it continues to consume battery power.

In addition, many embedded applications contain ad modules that can display notifications or pop-ups in various parts of the system, disabling such components not only removes visual noise, but also increases the overall responsiveness of the interface, the system stops spending resources on updating content in widgets and services that you don’t need.

⚠️ Note: Before mass deactivation of system components, it is strongly recommended to create a complete backup of data, as an erroneous shutdown of critical services can lead to a cyclical restart of the device.

Also worth mentioning is privacy: Some services collect telemetry about user behavior, location, and preferences, and by limiting their performance, you increase your digital security, especially for devices that use corporate or sensitive personal information.

Standard methods of disconnection through settings

The easiest and most secure way to manage programs is built directly into the shell interface. First, you need to go to the settings menu and find the section responsible for managing installed software. The path usually looks like Settings → Applications → All applications. Here is a complete list of all the software on the device.

If you select the app you are interested in, you will see the "Disable" or "Delete" button. If the program is system, the delete button will not be available, but the shutdown function will completely stop it from working. Once confirmed, the application icon will disappear from the desktop, and all associated processes will be frozen by the system.

Some users prefer not to turn off apps completely, but only to limit their background activity. To do this, there is a section on the menu of a particular application called "Saving Charge", where you can choose "No restrictions" if you want the application to work permanently, or "Limit background activity" so that the system decides when to stop it.

It is important to note that standard methods do not disable some critical components, such as Security or Explorer, and protect them from accidental deactivation so that the user does not lose access to the basic functions of the phone.

Use of Developer Mode and ADB

To clean up the system more thoroughly from unnecessary software that cannot be removed by standard means, you will need to use USB debugging and the ADB tool (Android Debug Bridge), which requires connecting the smartphone to the computer and executing commands via the command line, first you need to activate the developer mode by quickly clicking on the build number in the About Phone section several times.

After the developer mode is turned on, you need to activate the item "Debugging by USB". Then a platform is installed on the computer. ADB, And the smartphone is connected by a cable, and you put a command in the command line of the computer to check the connection:

adb devices

If the device is correctly identified, you can go to a list of all packets. the adb shell pm list packages will display a complete list of application identifiers. To disable a particular application, you use the command:

adb shell pm disable-user --user 0 name.package

This method allows you to disable even those components that are hidden from the user in the usual menu, but this requires special care, since disabling system packages responsible for communication or interface can make the phone inoperable without flashing.

Specialized Utilities for Package Management

For those who don’t want to mess with the command line, there are graphical shells for ADB, such as Xiaomi ADB/Fastboot Tools or Universal Android Debloater. These programs automatically identify the connected device and offer a list of applications that can be safely disabled. The interface of such utilities is usually intuitive and contains descriptions of the functions of each package.

Using these tools minimizes the risk of error, because community developers label dangerous components with warning colors, and you just tick the box against the unwanted software and click on the Uninstall or Disable button, which takes a few minutes and requires no technical knowledge.

Remember, even the most advanced utilities don't give 100% warranty. It's always worth checking the information about the package before it's removed. There are databases on the Internet that describe the purpose of each system process for different Xiaomi, Redmi and Poco models.

Limiting background activity and notifications

If you can't or don't want to shut down an application completely, you can take the other route, which is to restrict it. MIUI 12 has a powerful permission control mechanism. By going to privacy settings, you can prevent the application from accessing the microphone, camera, geolocation and contacts, and that doesn't stop the program from working, but it will stop it from collecting data.

Notification management is a particular concern, and it's often not the application itself that's annoying, but the constant pop-ups that are coming up, and in the app-specific notification menu, you can completely turn off the curtain and lock screen, which helps you keep your focus and not get distracted by noise.

⚠️ Warning: Disabling notifications from system services such as Security or Updates may cause you to miss critical messages about viruses or release new versions of the software.

There's also a AutoStart feature that allows you to stop programs from running when you turn on your phone, and it's one of the most effective ways to speed up the booting of your system. → Permits → Auto-start.

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Use In-Air mode for 10-15 seconds after a massive shutdown of system services, which will help reboot network modules and reset the frozen processes that may have remained in memory.

Possible risks and system recovery

Any interference with the operating system carries certain risks. The most common problem after disabling system components is the appearance of errors in the interface or a cyclical reboot. For example, disabling the package responsible for the operation of the lock screen can cause the phone to stop responding to touches after turning on.

If the device stops loading normally, the first thing you can do is try to enter Recovery mode, you need to press the volume button and the power button at the same time, and in the recovery menu you can try to reset the settings to factory (Wipe Data), which will return all the applications that have been disabled to their original state.

In more complex cases, when the phone goes into bootloop (endless reboot), it may be necessary to flash the device through the Mi Flash Tool. That is why before any manipulation of system packages through ADB, it is important to know how to enter Fastboot mode and where to find the official firmware for your model.

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The golden rule of system modification is never to turn off packages that you are not 100% sure of, and it is better to leave more than to lose the device.

Restore a remote or disabled application through the reverse command ADB: adb shell pm enable name.packet. If you used graphical utilities, there is usually a button "Restore" that returns all changes made during the current session.

FAQ: Frequently Asked Questions