How to Remove the App on Xiaomi Redmi: The Complete Guide

The Android operating system on Xiaomi and Redmi smartphones is famous for its functionality, but often overgrown with redundant software that takes up precious space. Users often face a situation where standard methods can not remove unnecessary programs preinstalled by the manufacturer, which makes it necessary to find alternative ways to clean the internal memory of the device to speed up its operation.

Xiaomi and Redmi owners often wonder why some icons just disappear from the desktop but continue to take up storage space. Deep cleaning requires understanding the structure of the MIUI or HyperOS shell, as well as knowing the hidden features of the system. In this article, we will examine all available methods, from simple to advanced, that will help free up space.

Effective management of installed software is not just about removing shortcuts, it's about managing processor and RAM resources. The right approach to uninstallation allows you to extend battery life and improve overall responsiveness of the interface. Let's take a look at what tools are available to you right now.

Standard method of removal through the settings menu

The most obvious and safe way to get rid of unnecessary software is to use the built-in operating system tools, a method that works for most custom applications that have been downloaded from the Google Play store or GetApps, and ensures that system files are not corrupted during the cleanup process.

First, you go to the main menu and find the Settings icon. In the list that opens, you select the App item, and then click on All Apps. This displays the full list of installed software, sorted by frequency of use or alphabet.

⚠️ Note: Do not remove system components that have the words "System", "Framework" or "Services" in their name unless you are sure of their purpose.

When you find an unnecessary program, click on the name to open the information page. At the bottom of the screen, there is usually a red Remove button. If the button is gray or missing, then the application is system-based and requires a different approach to uninstall.

Once confirmed, the system will completely remove APK-The cache is cleaned automatically, which eliminates the need for manual manipulations, and this is the most recommended way for ordinary users.

Removal through the desktop and application menu

There is a faster way to remove programs directly from the lock screen or desktop without going deep, especially when you need to quickly get rid of a few newly installed games or utilities, but it doesn't work for all types of software.

Go to the menu of all apps and find the shortcut you want. Press it and hold your finger for one to two seconds until the context menu pops up. From the list of options, select the basket icon or Delete. The system will request confirmation, after which the program will be uninstalled.

• 🗑️ Standard removal works for most custom applications downloaded from the outside.
• 🚫 For Xiaomi system applications, the method is often not available – the delete button will be missing.
• 📂 When deleting application folders, you need to delete each program separately inside the folder.

It's important to understand the difference between deleting and moving. Sometimes, if you press it long enough, the shortcut will fly to the top of the screen that says Delete, but if you let it go early, it will simply move to another part of the desktop, and the accuracy of your finger movements is key here.

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If the delete button doesn’t appear with a long press, try dragging the shortcut to the top right corner of the screen, where the uninstallation zone is often hidden in different versions of MIUI.

Some users prefer to use the desktop editing mode caused by a two-finger pinch, which also allows you to remove widgets and folder widgets, although the applications themselves are removed from here less often, they are simply hidden from view.

Working with system applications and MIUI shell

Xiaomi and Redmi smartphones come with a vast set of pre-installed software that cannot be removed by standard methods. Apps like Mi Video, Mi Music, Mail or various advertising services often take up a significant amount of memory, and require special rights or the use of ADB to work with them.

The first step in the fight against system debris is to try to disable the application. From the Settings menu → Apps → All apps, select an unnecessary service. If the Remove button is inactive, try clicking Disable, which will hide the program from the menu and stop its processes, although the files will remain in memory.

Completely uninstalling system components often requires computer and USB debugging, a method that allows you to remove even programs that do not make themselves felt in a normal interface, but the riskiness of the procedure requires care and accurate follow-up.

Using superuser rights (Root) opens access to any system files, but it deprives of warranties and can disrupt the operation of banking applications. Deleting critical system packages through ADB without Root rights is the safest compromise for experienced users.

Using ADB for Advanced Cleaning

Android Debug Bridge (ADB) is a powerful command-line tool that allows you to control your device from your computer, and it can remove system applications that are not deleted in the usual way, and it doesn't require you to get a Root right, which is its main advantage.

To get started, you need to enable USB debugging in the Developer Menu. If this is hidden, you need to quickly click seven times on the build number in the About Phone section, and after connecting the smartphone to the PC and installing the drivers, you can start executing commands.

adb shell pm uninstall -k --user 0 name.packet

The command above removes the application for the current user without affecting the system partition completely, allowing you to recover the phone reset in case of an error. To find out the name of the package, you can use the command adb shell pm list packages or the application analyzers on the smartphone itself.

Be very careful with packages that contain the name framework, system or settings, and their removal can lead to an endless restart of the device (bootloop), in which case recovery is possible only through firmware or Recovery Mode.

Removing viruses and malware

Sometimes the memory and strange behavior of the smartphone are caused by malware, on Xiaomi devices they can disguise themselves as system processes or have no icons on the menu, signs of infection are pop-up ads in random windows and fast battery discharge.

The first step is to scan with the built-in Security antivirus, which is often able to detect and neutralize known threats. If the standard scanner is powerless, it is recommended to load the smartphone into Safe Mode, to do this, you need to press the turn off button, and then hold the "Stop" item on the screen for a long time until the suggestion to go to Safe Mode appears.

• 🛡️ In Safe Mode, only system applications are loaded, which allows you to remove the virus if it does not have administrator rights.
• 🔍 Check the list of applications with administrator rights in the Settings menu → Passwords and security → Confidentiality → Special rights of access → Applications of the device administrator.
• 🧹 Use third-party antiviruses like Malwarebytes or Dr.Web to scan your file system in depth.

⚠️ Warning: If the virus is not removed and is constantly coming back, the only reliable solution may be a full reset to the factory settings (Hard Reset) with the prior saving of important data.

After removing the malware, it is recommended to change the passwords from important accounts, as there is a risk of data leakage, and it is also worth checking the permission list of the remaining applications, revoking access to the microphone and camera from suspicious utilities.

Cleaning of residual files and cache

Even after successful uninstallation of the application, the smartphone can still have empty folders, logs and temporary files in its memory. Over time, this digital garbage accumulates and can take up gigabytes of space. Regular cleaning helps keep the system clean.

The built-in Cleaner app in MIUI automatically finds unnecessary files, but for a deeper cleanup, you can use a file manager like Files by Google or built-in Explorer. Manually check the folders with the names of remote applications in the root of internal memory.

Special attention should be paid to the Android/data and Android/obb folder. This is where the game cache and application data are stored, and you should only delete the contents of these folders if you are sure that the relevant programs are no longer needed or installed again.

Remember to periodically clear the cache of popular messengers such as Telegram or Viber through their internal settings. These applications tend to accumulate huge volumes of media files that are not formally part of the system, but critically affect the free space.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

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Systematic cleaning of unwanted applications and their residual files is the best way to prevent slowdown of the Xiaomi smartphone throughout its life.