How to completely disable YouTube on the phone Xiaomi Redmi Note: all working methods

Are you tired of YouTube’s constant notifications that distract from work or school? or want to restrict access to the platform for a child on the family Xiaomi Redmi Note? In this article, we’ll look at all the possible ways to disable YouTube – from simply removing the app to deep system restrictions that work even without superuser rights (root).

It’s important to understand that MIUI (Xiaomi firmware) has its own peculiarities, so standard Android methods don’t always work here. We tested each method on Redmi Note 10/11/12 models with MIUI 12-14 versions and identified those that are guaranteed to block access to YouTube, including:

• 🗑️ Complete removal of the application (including system components)
• 🔒 Blocking through Parental Controls and Digital Well-being
• 🛠️ Disabling background activity and notifications
• 📱 Using third-party launchers to hide icons
• 🔧 Editing the hosts file (without root)

If you're looking for a way to permanently discard YouTube or temporarily restrict access to it, here's a solution for any problem, let's start with the simplest and move on to advanced methods.

1.Removal of YouTube as a User Application

The most obvious way is to delete YouTube through the standard settings. However, on the Xiaomi Redmi Note, the app is often sewn into the system, and the "Delete" button may not be active. Here's how to get around this limitation:

If you have manually installed YouTube (not previously installed by Xiaomi), do:

1. Open Settings → Applications → Application Management.
2. Find YouTube on the list and tap it.
3. Click Remove (if the button is active).

If the "Delete" button is not available or is inactive:

• 🔹 Try disabling the app – this will remove all updates and return it to the factory version (often less functional).
• 🔹 Use Clear Data and Clear Cache to reset all settings and account logins.

💡

If YouTube continues to work after you turn off, check for duplicate apps (such as YouTube Music or YouTube Kids) – they should also be removed.

⚠️ Note: Some Redmi Note models (e.g. Note 10 Pro with a MIUI 13) even disabled YouTube can automatically update via Google Play. To avoid this, block automatic updates for this application in the Play Store settings.

2. Block YouTube through Digital Well-being (without deletion)

If you don’t want to remove the app completely, but you need to limit your use (for example, for a child), use the built-in Digital Wellbeing feature, which works on all Redmi Notes with MIUI 12 and later.

Instructions:

1. Go to Settings → Digital Well-Being and Parental Controls.
2. Select the Control Panel (may need to be configured) PIN-code).
3. Find YouTube in the list of apps and tap the hourglass icon.
4. Set a time limit (e.g., 1 minute per day) or select Suspend the app.

Advantages of the method:

• 🔐 No need to delete the app – YouTube will remain on the system but will be blocked.
• 🕒 You can flexibly adjust the time of use (useful for parental controls).
• 🔔 Blocking notifications from YouTube.

* A special application will be required to edit hosts without root (see Section 5).

3. Disable notifications and YouTube background activity

If you are only annoyed by notifications and YouTube background activity (like autoplay in the background), you can turn them off without removing the app.This won't block access to YouTube, but will make it less intrusive.

How to disable notifications:

1. Press the YouTube icon on the home screen → select App Information.
2. Go to Notifications.
3. Turn off the Display Notifications switch.
4. For a complete shutdown, also prohibit: 🔔 Notification sounds 📌 Badges on the lock screen 📱 Pop-up notifications

How to turn off background activity:

1. In the same menu, select the Battery.
2. Set the background activity limit to the Restricted position.
3. In the AutoRun section, disable the AutoRun permission.
4. Turn on USB Debugging: Return to Settings → Additional → Developer. Activate the USB Debugging Switch.

Connect the phone to your computer and confirm your trust in the device.

ADB Tools

Open the command prompt (Windows) or terminal (macOS/Linux) in the folder with ADB.

adb devices

(Your device should be displayed)

adb shell pm uninstall -k --user 0 com.google.android.youtube

If the command is successful, YouTube will be deleted for the current user.

• ✅ The app will disappear from the menu and launcher.
• ✅ Updates through the Play Store are blocked.
• ❌ YouTube system files will remain (but not be active).

5. Block YouTube via hosts file (no root)

This method blocks access to YouTube at the network level by blocking platform domains, and is suitable if you want to block YouTube across all browsers and applications, including embedded services.

On Xiaomi Redmi Note, you can not edit the hosts file directly without root rights, but you can use the Hosts Editor application (available in the Play Store).

Instructions:

1. Download and install the Hosts Editor.
2. Open the application and grant it permission to change system files (confirmation via ADB or manual copying of the file is required).
3. Add the following lines at the end of the hosts file: 127.0.0.1 www.youtube.com 127.0.0.1 m.youtube.com 127.0.0.1 youtubei.googleapis.com 127.0.0.1 youtube.com
4. Save the changes and restart the phone.

After application:

• 🌐 YouTube will be unavailable in any browser (Chrome, Mi Browser, etc.).
• 📱 YouTube app will open but will not be able to download content (network error).
• 🔄 To return access, remove the added lines from hosts.

⚠️ Note: Some apps (e.g. Google or Gmail) may use the same domains to download embedded videos. In rare cases, this will lead to errors in other services. If you notice problems, delete the lines from youtubei.googleapis.com.

6.Hide YouTube with Alternative Launchers

If you just need to hide YouTube from the home screen but leave it to run through search, use third-party launchers.This method doesn't block the app, but makes it less visible.

Recommended launchers for Xiaomi Redmi Note:

• 🏆 Nova Launcher – allows you to hide apps from the menu.
• 🎨 Lawnchair - light launcher with the function of hiding icons.
• 🔒 Apex Launcher – Supports password for hidden apps.

How to hide YouTube in Nova Launcher:

1. Install Nova Launcher and make it the default launcher.
2. Click the free space on the main screen → Settings.
3. Go to Application Settings → Hidden Applications.
4. Select YouTube from the list.
5. Now the icon will disappear from the menu, but the application will remain in the system.

Advantages of the method:

• ⚡ Does not require root or complex manipulation.
• 🔄 Easy to cancel (it is enough to remove the application from the hidden ones).
• 🎯 You can also hide other unnecessary system applications (e.g. Mi Video or Mi Music).

💡

Hiding through the launcher is the only method that doesn’t affect how YouTube works in the background (for example, if you use it for music but don’t want to see the icon).

7.Extreme measures: reset to factory settings

If none of the methods worked and YouTube is critically intruding (for example, because of viruses in the app clones), you can perform a complete phone reset, which will delete all user data, including YouTube, if it was installed as a non-system application.

How to reset Redmi Note to factory settings:

1. Make a backup copy of important data (photos, contacts, messages).
2. Go to Settings → About the phone → Reset settings.
3. Choose to erase all data.
4. Confirm the action and wait for the reboot.

After discharge:

• 🔄 YouTube will be deleted if it is not embedded in the firmware.
• 📱 The phone will return to the "out of the box" state".
• ⚠️ All accounts, apps and settings will be deleted.

⚠️ Note: New Redmi Note models (e.g. Note 12 Pro)+) YouTube can be part of Google Mobile Services (GMS) It will recover after the first Internet connection, so to avoid this, do not log into your Google account immediately after the reset or use the method of using the Internet. ADB (section).

FAQ: Frequent questions about disabling YouTube on Xiaomi