How to Disable or Remove Apps on Xiaomi: 5 Proven Ways

Xiaomi, Redmi and POCO smartphones come with dozens of pre-installed apps, many of which users never run. These programs not only take up space in memory, but also consume battery power in the background, send notifications and can collect data about your activity. Unlike devices on pure Android, on MIUI you can not just delete system applications — this requires special methods.

In this guide, we will look at all the current ways to disable and uninstall programs on Xiaomi in 2026, from standard MIUI features to hidden features for power users, learn how to safely get rid of unnecessary software without disrupting the system, and what to do if the application does not turn off in the usual way, and pay special attention to the differences between disconnection (the program remains in memory, but does not work) and deletion (complete erasure of application files).

1. Standard shutdown via MIUI settings

The easiest and safest way to do this is to use the built-in MIUI tools, which are suitable for most user and some system applications, and it's important that this method doesn't remove the program completely, it just freezes it, preventing it from starting and operating in the background.

To disable the application:

1. Open Settings → Applications → Application Management.
2. Select the program from the list (use the All Apps filter to see the system ones).
3. Click Disable (if the button is inactive – the application is critical to the system).
4. Confirm the action in the dialog window.

⚠️ Note: Do not disable apps called com.android., miui. or google.* – this can cause malfunctions in the smartphone. For example, disabling com.miui.securitycenter will disrupt the security center, and com.google.android.gsf – synchronization with Google services.

☑️ What can be turned off without risk

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Once disabled, the app will disappear from the menu, stop sending notifications and consuming resources, its data will remain in memory, and if necessary, the program can be activated again through the same settings, this method is reversible and does not require superuser rights.

2. Remove applications via ADB (without root)

If a standard shutdown doesn’t help or you want to completely remove an unnecessary app, you can use the ADB tool (Android Debug Bridge), which works without obtaining root rights, but requires connecting the smartphone to your computer.

Before we start:

• 🔹 Install. ADB and Fastboot Tools on PC.
• 🔹 Enable Developer Mode on Xiaomi: Go to Settings → About the phone and 7 times click on the version MIUI.
• 🔹 Activate Debugging on USB In Settings → Additionally. → For developers.
• 🔹 Connect your phone to your PC and confirm your trust in your computer.

Next, run the following commands in the command line (or terminal):

adb devices

(Your device should be displayed)

adb shell


pm list packages | grep 'name packet'

(Replace the name of the package with the application name, such as miui.browser)

pm uninstall -k --user 0 name packet

Examples to remove Mi Browser:

pm uninstall -k --user 0 com.android.browser

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To see the full list of packages, enter pm list packages and export the output to a text file for easy search.

⚠️ Note: Removing system applications through ADB It may result in the inability to obtain OTA-Updates. Before the procedure, back up your data through Settings. → System system → Backup.

3. Use of applications for freezing (without root)

If working with ADB seems difficult, you can use third-party utilities that allow you to freeze applications without removing them.

• 📱 App Inspector – shows hidden system applications and allows you to disable them through the interface MIUI.
• ❄️ Ice Box – creates a sandbox for unnecessary programs, blocking their activity.
• 🛡️ Bloatware Remover – a specialized tool for removing preinstalled software (requires caution).

Example of working with Ice Box:

1. Download and install the app from Google Play.
2. Provide access to Special Opportunities (in your phone settings).
3. Select the freezer apps from the list.
4. Confirm the action – the programs will be disabled before the reboot.

The advantage of this method is reversibility and no need to connect the phone to a PC, but some system applications can automatically defrost after MIUI updates.

4. Complete removal with root rights

For users with an unlocked bootloader and installed Magisk or SuperSU, advanced features are available to remove system applications, which allows you to irrevocably erase programs, freeing up space in the /system partition.

Popular tools:

• 🔧 Titanium Backup – allows you to remove system and user applications with backup.
• 🗑️ System App Remover - a specialized utility for removing embedded software.
• 📦 SD Maid – Clears residual files after uninstallation.

Instructions for System App Remover:

1. Install the application and provide root access.
2. In the list, tick off unnecessary programs (use the filter "System").
3. Click Delete and confirm the action.
4. Reset the device.

⚠️ Attention: Removing critical system components (e.g. com.miui.home) can lead to a “bootloop” before mass deletion, check each packet’s information on the forums. 4PDA or Xiaomi.eu.

5. Disconnection via Safe Mode (Security Mode)

If the application does not turn off standard methods or causes crashes, you can use Safe Mode, a diagnostic mode in which only system programs work, which will help temporarily block problematic software.

How to run Safe Mode on Xiaomi:

1. Press the power button until the shutdown menu appears.
2. Press and hold the option to turn off (or reboot on some models).
3. Confirm the transition to Safe Mode.

In this mode:

• 📵 All third-party applications will be disabled.
• 🔍 You can remove or disable the problem program through settings.
• 🔄 After restarting, the phone will return to normal.

Safe Mode is useful if an application blocks access to settings or cannot be removed in the usual way, for example, some viruses or aggressive advertising SDKs disguise themselves as system processes and do not appear in the standard application manager.

6.Reset to factory settings as a last resort

If none of the methods worked, and the smartphone is full of unnecessary programs, you can perform a full reset (hard reset), which will delete all user data and applications, returning the device to the state of “out of the box”.

How to reset:

1. Create a backup of important data (photos, contacts, messages).
2. Go to Settings → About the phone → Reset settings.
3. Choose to erase all data and confirm the action.
4. Wait for the process to be completed (it will take 5-10 minutes).

⚠️ Warning: After resetting all pre-installed Xiaomi apps will return.To avoid this, before first setting up your phone, turn off the internet (do not connect Wi-Fi or do not connect to the phone). SIM-card) and remove unnecessary software through ADB before entering the Mi Account.

This method is recommended only in extreme cases, as it requires reconfiguration of the device, but it is guaranteed to remove all third-party programs and return the smartphone to its original state.

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Resetting to factory settings is the only way to completely clear the /data partition of the residual files of remote applications.

7. How to prevent re-installation of unnecessary applications

Even after removal, system applications can return after the MIUI update.

• 🔄 Turn off automatic app updates on Google Play → Settings → Auto-update of applications.
• 📥 Block the installation through ADB: adb shell cmd package install-existing --reinstall-if-exists Packet name (replace the packet name with the previously deleted application).
• 🛡️ Use firewalls like NetGuard or AFWall+, to block the network activity of unnecessary programs.
• 📦 Install custom firmware (e.g. Xiaomi.eu or LineageOS) where there are significantly fewer pre-installed apps.

It is also worth checking the list of installed programs regularly through Settings → Applications → Application Management and removing suspicious or unused utilities.

FAQ: Frequent questions about disabling apps on Xiaomi