How to remove games from your Xiaomi phone: the complete guide

Xiaomi’s modern smartphones have a powerful hardware, but over time, the internal memory is filled with unnecessary content, especially pre-installed and downloaded games that can take up gigabytes of space. If you’re wondering how to remove games from a Xiaomi phone, this article will help you free up space and speed up the device.

The process of removing applications on the MIUI shell or HyperOS may be different from pure Android, but it remains quite simple. We will consider all available methods, from standard deleting through the desktop to advanced methods through system settings. Proper cleaning allows not only to free up space, but also to reduce the load on the processor.

In some cases, users encounter situations where the delete button is inactive or the application is hidden. This often happens with system components or games that were installed long ago and integrated into the system. Below we will discuss in detail how to circumvent these restrictions and safely clean the device.

Standard method of removal through the desktop

The fastest way to get rid of an unnecessary toy is to use the desktop interface. On most Xiaomi models, just pinch the app icon with your finger. After that, a pop-up menu will appear or the icon will start to shake, offering various actions. You need to select Delete, which is often indicated by the bin icon.

If you don't see a menu after a long time, try dragging the icon to the top of the screen, and there's usually a removal zone that's activated when you hover, which works for most custom apps downloaded from Google Play or GetApps, but system games may not lend themselves to this simple way.

It's important to note that when you delete it, the app data is also erased. If you plan to return the game later, make sure your progress is saved in the cloud. Some games require you to log in to your Google or Mi Account account to sync your saves.

• 🎮 Press the game icon on the desktop before the menu appears.
• 🗑️ Drag the application to the "Delete" area or click on the cart.
• ✅ Confirm the action in the dialog window that appears.

⚠️ Note: When removed from the desktop, some system components may not disappear completely, but will only cease to appear on the screen.

Sometimes users confuse deleting the shortcut with deleting the application itself. If after manipulating the icon, the game remained in the list of all programs, then you only deleted the shortcut.

Removing applications through system settings

A more reliable method to control all installed components is in the settings menu. To get there, go to Settings and select the App section. Then click on All Apps, which will display the full list of installed software. Find the unnecessary game in the list and click on it.

In the app information menu that opens, you'll see the Delete button. If it's active, just click on it and confirm the action. This method ensures that the app is completely removed from the system, including all cached data and configuration files, which is especially useful for heavy-duty games with a lot of data.

In some cases, the delete button may be gray or missing, which means that the application is system-based and protected from removal by standard methods. For these cases, there are alternative solutions, which we will discuss below, and for the time being, it is worthwhile to focus on cleaning user software.

• 📱 Open the settings and go to the "Applications" section».
• 🔍 Find the game in the list of all installed programs.
• 🚫 Click the “Delete” button and confirm the action.

Remember that after deleting the game, its data may remain in the storage folders, and for complete cleaning, it is recommended to use built-in memory cleaning tools or third-party file managers, which will help remove the "tails" that can take up space.

How to Remove System Games and Applications

Many users want to get rid of the pre-installed software that comes with the phone. Standard methods do not remove such applications, because they have administrator rights. However, there is a way to disable the application that hides the application and stops it from working.

A more advanced method involves the use of ADB-Android Debug Bridge, which requires you to connect your phone to your computer and have special drivers, and you can force the command line to remove any system application, even if the deletion button is inactive. Removal of critical system components can cause unstable phone performance.

Before starting the procedure, make sure that the phone is debugging over USB. This is done in the Developers section, which is hidden by default. To activate it, you need to click on the build number several times in the About Phone section. After connecting to the PC, execute the command to delete the package.

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

Where the packet name is the technical name of the application (for example, com.miui.gamecenter), you can find out the exact name of the package through special analyzer applications or in the menu about the application.

⚠️ Note: Removal of system components through ADB may disrupt OTA-Update or cause a cyclical restart of the device.

Cleaning of residual files after deletion

Even after a successful game is removed, the phone may still have files that have taken up space, such as cached images, error logs, or temporary files, and you can use the built-in Security app that every Xiaomi has to delete them, run a scan, and select a garbage cleaner.

It's also worth checking the Android/data folder in the file manager, and there are often folders with names of remote games, and if you're sure that the app is no longer needed, you can remove those folders manually, which will free up extra space that the system doesn't always consider occupied.

For deep cleaning, it is recommended to use specialized utilities such as SD Maid or Files by Google, which are able to find “orphaned” files that are left after removing programs, and regular cleaning of such residues helps to keep the system in good shape.

• 🧹 Launch the Security app and click Cleanup».
• 📂 Check the folder. Android/data play-off.
• 🗑️ Delete the folders with the names of remote applications.

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Use the Deep Cleanup feature in the Security app once a week to automatically locate and remove residual debris.

Remember that some files may be hidden, turn on the hidden files in the file manager settings to see all the directories, and this will help to clean the device as completely as possible.

Use of operating modes and game accelerator

If your goal is not so much to remove the game as to limit its impact on the system, you should pay attention to game modes. Xiaomi phones have Game Turbo feature that optimizes resources for games. However, if you want to limit children's access to games, you better use Second Space or Parental Control.

Second Space creates a separate user profile, where you don't have your personal data or games if you want, and you can just not install entertainment software, which is a great way to separate work and leisure, and to limit access to certain applications.

You can also use the App Limitation feature, which allows you to hide your app icons or require a password to run them, which is more effective than completely uninstalling if you need access to the game sometimes, but not constantly.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

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Complete removal of system games is possible only through ADB, but carries risks to system stability; for most users, a standard removal or disabling is sufficient.

To sum up, game management on Xiaomi is flexible and multifaceted: you can quickly remove unnecessary items from your desktop or do a deep cleaning of the system. The main thing is to act consciously and not remove components that you do not know what they are supposed to do. Regular memory cleaning extends the life of your smartphone and makes it work faster.