Users of the Xiaomi ecosystem often face intrusiveness of Google's built-in services, in particular YouTube. In some cases, it is necessary to completely disable access to the video platform: whether it is restricting access for children, saving traffic or eliminating background load on the processor. Standard removal methods do not always work, since the application often has the status of a system.
In this article, we will look at the comprehensive ways to deactivate the service on smartphones and Android TV consoles of the brand. You will learn how to use system settings, third-party utilities to remove system software and network filters. Attention: some methods require advanced rights or a connection to a PC.
Before embarking on radical measures, it is worth considering the need for a complete shutdown, often enough to limit background activity or use special versions of client applications, but if the goal is guaranteed lockdown, follow the instructions below.
Disconnection through standard Android settings
The safest and easiest way to limit the functionality of an application is to use the built-in operating system application manager, which does not require root rights or changes to system files, which preserves the device's warranty, but it is worthwhile to understand that the application will not disappear from the screen completely, but only go into sleep mode.
To do this, open the Settings menu for your device. Find the Apps or All Apps. Search YouTube in the Installed Apps list. Click on it to open the Control page. Here you are interested in the Disconnect or Stop button.
Once you click, the system will warn you that the application will stop working and disappear from the menu. Confirm the action. If the button is inactive (gray), then the application is protected from removal by standard MIUI or HyperOS methods, and more advanced tools will be needed.
- 🔒 Disabling blocks the application from being launched by the user.
- 📉 Background processes and notifications are stopped.
- 🚫 Updates to Play Market will stop coming.
- 🗑️ Cache and application data are stored until manual cleaning.
⚠️ Warning: Once disabled, the app icon may disappear from the desktop but remain on the system process list.
Using ADB to remove system packets
If the standard menu doesn't work, the Android Debug Bridge (ADB) comes to the rescue, allowing you to manage packages at the system level, effectively removing them for the current user, even if they're embedded in the firmware.
First, activate the developer mode on your Xiaomi. Go to Settings → About phone and quickly click on the MIUI or HyperOS version seven times. Then, in the menu, additionally turn on USB Debugging. Connect your phone to your PC with a cable.
On your computer, run the ADB console and type in a command to delete the packet. For YouTube, this usually looks like deleting the com.google.android.youtube packet. Once the command is executed, the app will disappear from the user interface.
adb shell pm uninstall -k --user 0 com.google.android.youtubeYou should also be careful about removing other system components so as not to disrupt Google Play Services.
- 💻 Requires a PC and installed driver ADB.
- 🔧 No need for root rights, just debugging USB.
- 🔄 The application is restored after a complete reset (Wipe).
- ⚡ Effectively removes the process from the list of employees.
⚠️ Note: Enter commands carefully. Removing critical system packets (e.g., security or interface related) can cause a cyclical device reboot.
Block access via DNS and hosts file
The alternative approach is not to remove the app itself, but to block its access to the Internet. If YouTube can't connect to its servers, it won't play content and waste traffic. This method is effective for all applications at once and doesn't require deleting files.
The easiest way is to use a private DNS. In your Android network settings (Connect and Sharing or Wi-Fi), find the Private DNS field. Enter the ad blocker address, such as dns.adguard.com, which will cut off trackers and can block the video service.
A more complex but reliable method is to edit the hosts file, which requires root rights, and you have to add lines that redirect YouTube domains to a local address, which makes the phone think that YouTube servers are inside the device, where they are not, of course.
127.0.0.1 www.youtube.com
127.0.0.1 m.youtube.com
127.0.0.1 youtube.comUse of the DNS-Filtering also helps protect your device from ads in other apps and adult sites if you choose the appropriate server.
- 🌐 Blocks access to all devices on the Wi-Fi network (when setting up a router).
- 🛡️ Increases privacy and reduces traffic consumption.
- 📱 No need to remove APK-file.
- ⏳ It may slightly increase the response time of the network.
Restriction of access for children (parental control)
Often, the question of how to disable is raised by parents who want to keep their child safe from unwanted content, in which case removing an app altogether is less effective than setting restrictions correctly, and Google and MIUI provide powerful tools to do so.
Use the Google Family Link app, which allows you to remotely manage your child's account, you can completely disable YouTube installation or limit the time you use the app, and Xiaomi devices also have a built-in Digital Well-Being.
You can set limits in parental controls, like allowing YouTube to only 30 minutes a day or blocking it after 20:00, and filtering content to hide videos for adult audiences is also available.
☑️ Set up a safe mode
This method is the most flexible, as it allows you to temporarily remove restrictions as a child grows up without reinstalling the system or applications.
Specificity of locking on Android TV (Mi Box, Stick)
Owners of Xiaomi Mi Box or Mi Stick TVs and consoles face a different problem: built-in YouTube on a large screen can be annoying with advertising or auto-run. Deleting the system application here is risky, as it can disrupt the remote or voice search.
The recommended way for TV is to use third-party launchers or blockers. You can install a launcher that simply won't display the YouTube icon on the home screen. There are also modified versions of the client, such as SmartTube, that have no ads, but technically it's not a shutdown, but a replacement.
If the goal is to completely remove the standard player, use the ADB method described above, but with caution. Removing the system component on the TV can lead to errors in the work of the voice assistant Google Assistant, which is tied to video services.
| Method | Difficulty | Efficiency | Risks. |
|---|---|---|---|
| Disconnection in settings | Low. | Medium | No. |
| ADB (Uninstall) | Medium | Tall. | Medium. |
| DNS Lockdown | Low. | Tall. | Low. |
| Root + Hosts | Tall. | Maximum | High-pitched |
Why is YouTube coming back after the update?
Restoration of the annex
If you decide to return YouTube back, the procedure depends on the previously chosen method of blocking. For a standard shutdown, just go back to the application settings and click the Enable button.
If you use ADB, the recovery is done via the install command, you need to reconnect the device to your computer and input a command to install the package from the system storage, which will return the application to the "out of the box" state.
adb shell cmd package install-existing com.google.android.youtubeIn the case of DNS-The method is to remove the registered server address in the network settings, replacing it with "Auto" or the address of another provider. Access to the video will be restored instantly after updating the page.
- 🔄 Standard Enablement Returns All Settings.
- 💾 User data (history, subscriptions) is stored in the cloud.
- ⚙️ Teams. ADB Reversible and not damaging the system.
- 🌍 Shift. DNS lock off.
⚠️ Note: After restoring the application through ADB You may need to reboot the device so that the icon appears on the desktop and services begin to sync correctly.
💡
Before any manipulation of system applications through ADB, make sure to make a full backup of important data. Although the risk is minimal, losing contacts or photos will be unpleasant.
💡
The safest and most reversible way to turn off YouTube on Xiaomi is to use the standard Apps menu or set up parental controls. Methods with ADB and Root require technical literacy.