How to view all installed applications on Xiaomi: hidden and system

On Xiaomi, Redmi and POCO smartphones running MIUI, the list of installed apps is not always obvious – some are hidden in system folders, and some are not displayed at all in the standard menu. If you need to find all programs (including Google and Mi preinstalled services), uninstall unnecessary ones or check the device for suspicious software, this guide will help you figure out.

We’ll look at 5 working methods, from basic (via phone settings) to advanced (using ADB and third-party tools), focusing on hidden applications that aren’t visible in a regular launcher, but take up memory and can affect performance. All methods tested on MIUI 14/15 (including global and Chinese versions of firmware).

1. Standard method: through MIUI settings

The easiest method is to use the built-in tools of the system, which is suitable for most users and does not require additional programs.

Open Settings → Applications → Application Management. This will show you a list of all installed programs, including system ones, to see hidden or disabled:

• 🔍 Click on the three dots in the top right corner and select Show all apps.
• 📁 The Everything tab will display the full list, including pre-installed Mi Account, Mi Video and more.
• 🔄 For sorting by size or installation date, use a filter (funnel icon).

Important: This section shows even programs that are not visible in the app menu (e.g. Google Play services or MIUI system utilities). However, some system components (e.g. com.miui.analytics) may not be available, requiring superuser rights to view them.

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If there are too many unnecessary apps on the list, use a category filter (e.g., “Games” or “Social Networks”) to speed up your search.

2. Through the launcher: how to find hidden applications

Some programs (such as duplicates of Google services or Xiaomi regional apps) are hidden from the main screen but remain in the system.

1. Swipe your finger up from the bottom edge of the screen to open the app menu.
2. Touch three dots (or an icon "⚙️ Settings") in upper right corner.
3. Select Hidden Applications – this will show all the programs that you or the system have previously hidden.

If there is no Hidden Applications, try an alternative path:

• 📱 Keep your finger in the free seat of the main screen. → Screen settings.
• 🔍 Go to Hidden Apps or Show all icons (name depends on version) MIUI).

⚠️ Note: Some firmware (for example, for Xiaomi) 12T or POCO F5) Google's duplicate services (e.g. Google Play Music or Google Duo) are automatically hidden, and can be returned to the menu by unchecking the launcher settings.

3. Viewing through MIUI Security (Security)

Built-in Security Application (MIUI Security allows not only scanning the device for viruses, but also viewing the full list of installed software, including potentially dangerous programs.

Instructions:

1. Open the Security app (shield icon).
2. Go to the Scanner or Application Management section (depending on version).
3. Click View all applications – even those programs that are not visible in the standard manager will be displayed here.

The advantage of this method is that it can be sorted by risk (e.g., applications with high battery consumption or suspicious permissions).

• 📊 Use statistics (how much time you spent in each application).
• 🔋 Battery consumption by programme.
• 📥 Auto-Run – What apps run when you turn your phone on.

Remove unused applications | Turn off autorun for unnecessary programs | View permissions for suspicious applications | Clear cache for memory release

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4.Using ADB for Advanced Users

If you want to get a complete list of all packages (including system components that are not visible in the GUI), use ADB (Android Debug Bridge), which requires connecting the phone to your computer, but provides as much detail as possible.

Steps:

1. Enable USB Debugging in the Developer Settings (Settings → About Phone → MIUI Version – Press 7 times, then return to Additional → For Developers).
2. Connect your phone to your PC and open the command line (or Terminal on Mac/Linux).
3. Enter the command: adb shell pm list packages -f It will display a list of all installed packages with paths to their.apk files.

To save the list to the file, use:

adb shell pm list packages > apps_list.txt

This will be useful if you want to:

• 🔍 Find hidden system applications (e.g. com.miui.analytics or com.xiaomi.midrop).
• 🗑️ Remove malware that is not removed by standard methods.
• 📦 Backup a list of programs before resetting your phone.

⚠️ Note: Removing system packets through ADB It can lead to unstable work MIUI. Before deleting, check the purpose of the package (for example, on the APKMirror website).

5. Third-party applications for analysis of installed software

If standard methods don't give you a complete picture, use specialized utilities.

• 📊 Visualize the use of memory by application.
• 🔍 Find duplicates and unused programs.
• 🛡️ Scan for viruses and spyware.

The best options for Xiaomi:

Example of work with App Inspector:

1. Install the app from Google Play.
2. Open it and grant access to information about the programs.
3. Go to the All Apps tab – all packages, including system ones, will be displayed here.
4. Click on any app to see its Package Name, permissions, and version.

Using MIUI |Use Launcher |View MIUI Security |Use ADB|Third Party Apps

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Frequent problems and solutions

When trying to view the list of applications, Xiaomi users face typical difficulties.

🔹 System applications are not displayed

If you don’t have any pre-installed programs in Settings → Applications (e.g. Mi Music or Mi Browser), it doesn’t mean they’re not on the system.

• Hidden in the launcher (see section 2).
• Disabled (check in Settings → Applications → Disabled).
• Hidden in the system partition (visible only through ADB).

🔹 You can not remove unnecessary applications

Many system programs (e.g. com.miui.video or com.android.browser) do not have an delete button.

• 🛑 Disable the application (button Disable in the settings).
• 🗑️ Remove through ADB (see section 4).
• 🔄 Do debloating (removal of embedded software) using custom firmware (for example, Xiaomi.eu).

🔹 Apps appear again after removal

Some system programs (such as Mi Pay or Mi Community) are restored after the MIUI update.

• 🔧 Use it. ADB flag-drop --user 0 (Remove it for your profile only).
• 📵 Turn off automatic updates MIUI In Settings → The phone. → Updating the system.

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If the application cannot be removed by standard methods, try disabling it first.This is safer than uninstalling it via ADB, and does not require superuser rights.

FAQ: Answers to popular questions