Removing applications on Xiaomi Redmi 4: from simple to advanced

Owners of Xiaomi Redmi 4 smartphones often face a shortage of internal memory, as the hardware of this model no longer meets modern requirements of data volumes. Built-in 16 or 32 gigabytes quickly fill up with media, messenger cache and, most annoyingly, pre-installed software. The MIUI system installed on the device, by default contains many services that the user may never use, but which occupy precious space and consume RAM.

Cleaning your device of digital debris requires careful attention, especially when it comes to system components. Standard methods can only remove user software downloaded from the Google Play store or GetApps. However, to fully optimize the work of Redmi 4 often requires intervention in the system partition, which involves the use of special tools or activation of hidden debugging modes.

In this article, we will look at all the available ways to get rid of excess software, from banal removal through the menu to advanced methods using a computer. You will learn to distinguish between safe to remove components and critical system files, the disruption of which can lead to instability of the gadget. Proper cleaning will not only free up space, but also significantly speed up the interface.

Standard removal of user applications

The easiest and safest way to free up space on your Xiaomi smartphone is to uninstall programs you installed yourself.This method does not require root rights, a computer connection, or a deep knowledge of the Android architecture.

Click on the app icon and hold your finger until the context menu appears. Depending on the version of the MIUI shell, you will be prompted to drag the object to the basket or select Delete in the pop-up. If the program was downloaded from an official source, the system will request confirmation of the operation, after which the data will be erased.

The alternative is through device settings. Go to Settings → Applications → All apps. Here's the full list of installed software. Find the name you want in the list, click on it and select the Remove button. This is convenient because it allows you to see the actual amount of space you're taking up.

Some programs, even though they are user-generated, may be system-based or integrated into the manufacturer's shell, in which case the delete button will be inactive and only the "Disable" option is available. Disabling hides the application from the menu and stops its processes, but does not delete files from the disk.

⚠️ Note: Do not attempt to remove standard system utilities (calculator, watch, conductor) through third-party launchers or managers without understanding the consequences. MIUI.

After removing a few heavy games or social networks, it is recommended to restart the device, which will allow the Android system to correctly redistribute the freed up space and update the cache of indexing files.

MIUI Limitations and Hidden System Processes

The Android-based MIUI shell is known for its aggressive background policies, but it protects its own services from being removed by the user. The Xiaomi Redmi 4 preinstalled a whole suite of Google and Xiaomi programs that are considered Essential for the ecosystem to work.

Trying to remove these apps in the standard way is impossible, because the action button is simply not on the menu, such as Mi Cloud, Mi Video, Themes, and Google services like YouTube or maps, if they are sewn into the firmware manufacturer.

To work with such objects, the average user has only two ways: shut down or freeze. Disabling makes the application invisible to the system and the user, stopping its execution, but the installer file remains in the /system section. Freeze is a softer option available through special utilities.

It is important to understand the difference between the user partition /data and the system partition /system. Everything in the second partition is protected by superuser rights. Without obtaining advanced access rights (Root) or using USB debugging (ADB), you can not directly delete these files.

• 📱 System applications are the basic components of the OS, the removal of which can lead to a cyclic reboot (bootloop).
• 🛑 Pre-installed software (Bloatware) – programs from partners or manufacturers, often not carrying a critical function, but occupying the space of the software.
• 🔒 Secure packets – security and update components blocked by security mechanisms MIUI.

Many users mistakenly believe that removing the label from the desktop eliminates the program, but in fact, in the case of system applications, you only hide the icon while the process itself continues to work in the background.

Activation of the developer mode and debugging via USB

To perform a deep cleaning of the Xiaomi Redmi 4 from built-in garbage, you need to activate the hidden developer menu. This is a standard Android feature that is hidden from the eyes of the average user by default to avoid accidental system failure.

The activation process is simple and does not require an Internet connection. → About the phone. Find the line "Version." MIUI» And press it fast. 7-10 Once in a row, after a series of clicks, a pop-up notice will appear, "You've become a developer».

Then, in the main settings menu, in the "Advanced" section, a new "Developers" item will appear. Go to it and find the "Debug USB" switch. Activate it. The system will warn you of the risks - confirm the action.

Settings → About Phone → (7 times click on the version of MIUI) → Additional → For developers → Debugging by USB

When you first connect your smartphone to your ADB computer, you'll see a request for debugging confirmation on your screen, and you'll check "Always Allow from this computer" and click "OK." Without this step, your computer won't be able to send commands to delete packets.

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If the item "For developers" disappeared after the restart, just repeat the procedure of clicking on the version of MIUI - the settings could be lost or hidden depending on the firmware version.

After all cleaning procedures are completed, it is recommended to turn off this mode.

Removing System Garbage Through ADB on a Computer

The most effective method of cleaning Redmi 4 without obtaining Root rights is using the ADB (Android Debug Bridge) toolkit, which allows you to remove system applications for the current user, which is effectively equivalent to a complete removal, but leaves the possibility of recovery.

To get started, you’ll need a computer (Windows, macOS or Linux) and a USB cable. On a PC, you’ll need to download and unpack Platform Tools from Google’s official website, and you may need drivers for your Xiaomi device.

Connect your smartphone with a cable to your computer. Open the command line (CMD) or terminal in the folder with the ADB tools. Enter the connection check command:

adb devices

If a device with a serial number appears on the list, the connection is successfully established. Now you can start searching for packages. Type a command to output a list of all installed packets:

adb shell pm list packages

The list will be huge, so it’s better to look for specific names associated with the application being removed, for example, to remove a standard MIUI browser, you need to find a package containing the word “browser”.

To remove the application directly, use the command: adb shell pm uninstall -k --user 0 packet name. The --user 0 flag means that the application is removed for the main user, but remains in the system in case of resetting.

⚠️ Note: Pm uninstall command without flag --user 0 will attempt to remove the app entirely from the system partition, which on modern versions of Android may be blocked or lead to errors.

Use of specialized uninstallation applications

If working with the command line seems too difficult for you, there are shell applications for ADB, They're installed directly on a PC and have a graphical interface. One of the most popular and secure tools is Xiaomi. ADB/Fastboot Tools or Universal Android Debloater.

These programs automatically identify your Redmi 4 model and offer a list of preinstalled software with security removal notes. You don’t need to know the exact names of the packages – the interface displays clear names like “Mi Cloud”, “Facebook”, “Google Maps”.

The process of working with graphics utilities usually comes down to several steps: connecting the phone with debugging enabled, running the program on a PC, selecting unnecessary applications by ticks and pressing the Uninstall or Debloat button.

The advantage of these slits is that they have "Safe to remove" lists compiled by the community of developers, which minimizes the risk of accidentally removing a critical component of the system that is responsible for network or call operation.

• 🚀 Speed up work – removing background services reduces the load on the processor and RAM.
• 🔋 Battery savings – System applications often run in the background and consume charge, even if you do not use them.
• 🧹 Cleanliness of the system – freed up space not only from the applications themselves, but also from their cache and data.

It is worth noting that after updating the MIUI firmware, the applications removed in this way can return, as the system partition is restored to a factory state, in which case the procedure will have to be repeated.

Recovery of Removed Components and Frequent Errors

Even if you carefully remove it from the --user 0 ADB, there's a risk of mistakenly removing something important. The good news is that it's reversible without flashing the device over. You can reinstalle the remote packet for the current user.

To recover, use the command: adb shell cmd package install-existing the name of the packet. This command will return the application from the system storage to the active state of the user. ADB It is considered safer than completely erasing files from a partition. /system.

A common mistake for beginners is to remove Package Installer or Google Play Services components, without which you can not install new applications from APK files or update existing ones, and do not touch applications that have the words “Security”, “Framework” or “Telephony” in their name.

If the phone starts to behave strangely after cleaning (heating, quickly discharges), try turning off recently deleted services back or perform a reset. On Redmi 4 with its limited memory capacity, even a slight inflating of system debris can become critical.

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The main rule of system modification is never to uninstall an application unless you know exactly what it is responsible for and what consequences it will entail.

Details and questions on the topic