How to permanently remove Yandex Zen from the smartphone Xiaomi: from simple ways to radical

Yandex Zen has become an integral part of MIUI firmware on Xiaomi, Redmi and POCO smartphones, but not all users like it. The app not only takes up space in memory, but also consumes traffic in the background, shows intrusive notifications, and sometimes even is not removed by standard methods through the Apps menu. If you are looking for a way to completely get rid of Zen - from temporary shutdown to deep deletion of system files - this article will help you understand all the nuances.

We’ve tested all the current methods on devices with MIUI 12-15 and Android 10-14, including the Xiaomi 13/14 series, Redmi Note 12/13 Pro and POCO F5/X5. It’s important to understand that some methods require superuser rights (root) or work with ADB, so before you start to evaluate your technical skills. If you’re a beginner, start with the simplest options and then move on to radical measures.

1. disable Yandex Zen through system settings

The safest and most reversible way is to deactivate the app without physically deleting it, which will stop background activity, notifications and updates, but Zen itself will remain on the system, a method suitable for users who do not want to risk the stability of MIUI.

Instructions:

• 📱 Open the Settings. → Annexes → Application management.
• 🔍 In the search box, enter “Zen” or “Yandex Zen".
• ⚙️ Click on the app, then select Disable (or Remove Updates if the button is active).
• 🔄 Confirm the action in the dialog window.

Once disabled, the Zen icon will disappear from the home screen and the com.yandex.zen process will no longer appear in Task Manager, but the next major MIUI update may allow the app to activate automatically again, a method that does not provide a 100% guarantee.

⚠️ Note: On some firmware (for example, MIUI Global for the European region, the "Disable" button may be blocked, in which case proceed to the next method.

2.Removal of updates and reset to factory version

If Zen was originally preinstalled on the system but later updated through Google Play, you can return it to factory status, this will remove all settings and cache, and roll back the application to a minimal version that weighs less and shows less notifications.

How to do this:

1. Go to Settings → Applications → Yandex Zen.
2. Click on the three dots in the top right corner and select Remove Updates.
3. Confirm action. If the button is inactive, there are no updates.
4. Return to the app menu and click Clear Cache and Clear Data.

This method won’t remove Zen completely, but it will reduce its impact on the system. For example, on the Redmi Note 11 Pro+, after the rollback, the app version decreased from 120 MB to 30 MB, and notifications stopped coming.

3. Removal via ADB (without root rights)

For users willing to work with ADB (Android Debug Bridge), there is a way to remove Zen without getting root. It's Google's official tool that lets you manage system packages via a computer. The method works on all versions of MIUI, but requires you to connect your smartphone to a PC.

Step-by-step:

1. Download and install ADB Tools on your computer.
2. Turn on the smartphone Developer Mode (7 times click on the MIUI version in Settings → About phone).
3. Activate Debugging by USB in Settings → Additional → For developers.
4. Connect the phone to the PC and type in the command line:

adb devices

(Your device should have a serial number.)

adb shell pm uninstall --user 0 com.yandex.zen

If the command is successful, Zen will be removed for the current user (without affecting system files).

• ✅ The app will disappear from the menu and settings.
• ✅ Notifications will stop coming.
• ❌ After resetting to factory settings, Zen may return.

⚠️ Note: On some firmware (for example, MIUI China) can be called com.yandex.browser.zen or com.yandex.zen.ui. Check the exact name through the command adb shell pm list packages. | grep yandex.

Download ADB Tools on PC|Enable developer mode on Xiaomi|Activate debugging over USB|Connect phone with original cable |Test the name of the Zen--> package

4. Complete removal with root rights

If you're willing to take drastic measures, getting root permissions will open up access to Zen removal at the system file level, which is irreversible and can lead to MIUI instability if done incorrectly, and we recommend it only to advanced users.

What you need:

• 📱 Smartphone with unlocked bootloader (instructions for Xiaomi here).
• 🔧 Established custom recovery (TWRP Or OrangeFox).
• 💻 Root Explorer or Magisk.

Instructions:

1. Get root rights through Magisk.
2. Install a file manager with root support (such as Solid Explorer or FX File Explorer).
3. Go to /system/priv-app/YandexZen or /system/app/YandexZen.
4. Delete the YandexZen folder and all files with the.apk and.odex extensions.
5. Reset the device.

Zen will be removed forever, but there are risks:

5. Blocking through hosts file (for experienced)

If Zen is not removed, you can block its access to the Internet by adding rules to the hosts file, which will stop the content and notifications from downloading, but the application itself will remain in the system, and the method requires root rights or the use of ADB.

How to edit hosts:

1. Download any root-enabled text editor (like QuickEdit).
2. Open the file on the path /system/etc/hosts.
3. Add the following lines to the end of the file: 127.0.0.1 zen.yandex.ru 127.0.0.1 mobile.yandex.net
4. Save the changes and restart the device.

After that, Zen will stop updating the tape and showing ads, and the downside is that when you reset your settings or update your firmware, the hosts file will return to its original state.

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Before editing hosts, back it up. To do this, copy the file to any folder on the internal memory of the smartphone.

6.Alternative methods: disabling through Mi Account and third-party utilities

If the standard methods didn't work, you can try less obvious options, for example, on some firmware Zen is tied to a Mi Account account, and its activity depends on synchronization.

What can be done:

• 🔄 Exit Mi Account in Settings and Check if Zen Has Disappeared.
• 🛡️ Use utility like App Inspector or Package Disabler (require root).
• 📵 Disable background activity through Settings → Battery → Battery Optimization (select All Apps and find Zen).

On the POCO F4 GT, users noted that after leaving the Mi Account and resetting the advertising ID (Settings → Google → Advertising → Reset ID), notifications from Zen stopped coming for 2-3 weeks.

Comparison of methods: which one to choose?

To determine the method of removal, evaluate your goals and technical capabilities:

For most users, the best solution is to switch off via settings + delete updates + block notifications, which does not require technical skills and does not pose a risk to the system.

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If you are not sure about your actions, start with the safest methods (disable, delete updates, ADB) Leave it for an emergency, as they can lead to unstable firmware operation.

FAQ: Frequent questions about removing Yandex Zen on Xiaomi