Owning a Xiaomi smartphone often involves adapting the system to your own needs, and one of the most common problems is the standard calling app. Many users are faced with the fact that the preinstalled Google Dialer does not have the necessary functionality or does not work correctly, causing battery discharge and incoming misses. The desire to replace this component with a more advanced counterpart or return the old version is quite natural, because telephony is the basic function of the device.
The process of replacing a system application requires caution, since the call is deeply integrated into the MIUI or HyperOS shell. Wrong actions can lead to the phone no longer accepting calls or permanently closing with an error. In this article, we will discuss in detail the safe methods of replacing, configuring the number determinant and solving typical errors without requiring root rights.
Before you start deleting or disabling, you need to understand why a standard application might not work, often intrusive advertising, no flexible spam blocking, or just a bad interface, and a good replacement will allow you to install Truecaller, Yandex, or any other convenient software, making communication comfortable.
Reasons to Replace the Standard Google Dialer App
The main motivation for many Xiaomi owners is to get a more powerful tool for filtering calls. Google’s standard number detector is good on a global scale, but in the Russian-speaking segment often inferior to specialized services for the database of numbers. Users are looking for ways to remove the call from Google to free up the system resources and get rid of background processes that can slow down the interface.
Another important reason is functional limitations: the built-in software does not always allow you to log in detail, record conversations in a convenient format or configure complex redirect scenarios. Installing an alternative allows you to automatically record all conversations without notifying the interlocutor (depending on the Android version) and integrate with instant messengers.
- 📞 Extended spam database: third-party applications often update fraud databases faster than standard ones.
- 🎙️ Quality Conversation Recording: Ability to save audio to the cloud or memory card without system constraints.
- 🎨 Customization of the interface: changing theme, fonts and button location for ease of use with one hand.
However, it is worth considering that the complete removal of the system component may require the use of the system component. ADB-For most cases, it is enough to simply disable the application and assign another by default, which is a safe method for the average user.
⚠️ Before any manipulation of system applications, make sure that you have an alternative method of communication (second phone or SIM card in another device) so that you do not remain without communication in the event of a critical system error.
It’s also important to keep in mind compatibility: Newer versions of Android (11, 12, 13 and above) have strict restrictions on access to the microphone and telephony, so older versions of calls may simply not run.
Preparing a smartphone for the installation of alternatives
The first step before trying to remove a call from Google on Xiaomi is to prepare a safe environment for experimentation. You need to download the installation file (APK) of the selected application from a reliable source. Popular options are Simple Dialer, Truecaller or modified versions of Google Phone with unlocked features.
Once you download a file, you have to allow installation from unknown sources. MIUI is known for its aggressive protection, so you have to go through several warning screens. Go to the security settings and find the item that allows you to install applications from file managers or browsers.
☑️ Preparation for the replacement of the call
You can back up your contacts, because if you crash your phone book, you can lose your data, sync your numbers with your Google or Mi Account, or export them to a.vcf file on your memory card, which takes a couple of minutes, but saves you from losing important information.
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Use a file manager with access to system folders if you plan to replace manually, but for 90% of users, a simple installation on top of or next to a standard application is enough.
Instructions: How to Disable and Replace a Standard Caller
The safest method, which doesn't require any technical expertise, is to assign a new application by default. Android allows you to have multiple calls installed, but only one is active. To remove the activity from the standard, first install the chosen alternative and launch it.
When you first start a new application, the system will ask for permission to work with contacts and calls. After that, click the Home button or the call button. If the system does not offer a choice automatically, go to the settings: Settings → Applications → Application Management → Three dots in the corner → Default Applications → Dial. Here select your new application.
| Action. | The Way to the MIUI/HyperOS Menu | The result |
|---|---|---|
| Default appointment | Settings → Applications → Applications by default | The system uses a new application for outbound |
| Turning off the old one | Settings → Applications → Management → Google Phone → Disable | The standard call stops working and disappears from the list. |
| Clearing the data | Settings → Applications → Management → Google Phone → Clean | Resetting settings and call history of the old app |
If the "Disable" button is inactive (gray), it means that the application is critical to the system in its current configuration, in which case you can try to remove updates through the menu of the same application in the settings, returning it to the factory version, and then try to disable again.
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After changing the default app, the old Google Dialer can be safely frozen or removed so it doesn’t consume resources in the background.
Removal via ADB for advanced users
For those who want to cut the component out of the system completely, there is a method using USB debugging, which is effective when standard means to remove the call is not possible, you will need a computer, a USB cable and an installed ADB driver (Android Debug Bridge).
You need to activate the developer mode on the phone, and you need to tap the build number seven times in the About Phone section, then turn on "Debugging USB" in the Developer menu. Connect the smartphone to your PC and type in the command to check the connection:
adb devicesOnce confirmed on your phone screen, use the command to delete the packet. The name of the standard call packet is usually com.google.android.dialer.
adb shell pm uninstall -k --user 0 com.google.android.dialerThis command removes the application only for the current user (user 0), without affecting the system partition, which allows you to return everything back to the factory reset. Be careful when typing commands, as removing the wrong package can lead to a bootloop (cyclic reboot).
⚠️ Note: Removal of system components through ADB It can disrupt other services that depend on telephony, for example, SMS Do this only if you understand the risks.
Solving the problem with the determinant and lock
Once a call is replaced, users often find that the number determination or ad blocking stops working, because new versions of Android restrict third-party apps from accessing the call database, and to fix this, you need to manually issue all the necessary permissions.
Go to Settings → Applications → Application Management, find your new call, and go to Permissions. Make sure that the items “Phone”, “Contacts”, “SMS” (sometimes required for identification) and “Above other applications” are activated. Without the last item, the incoming call pop-up window may not appear.
- 🔋 Battery savings: prevent the system from "killing" the call process in the background by fixing it in the menu of recent apps.
- 📶 Network access: Make sure the app is allowed to access the internet, otherwise the number database will not be updated.
- 🔔 Notifications: Enable all notification categories for missed calls and spam.
If the detector still doesn't work, try clearing the cache of the new application and restarting the device. Sometimes the system takes time to index contacts and initially sync with database servers.
Return to factory settings of the call
If the experiment failed and the new call didn't like it, it was pretty easy to return it as it was. In case you just changed the default app, just go back to the settings and select Google Phone as the main one. If you removed the updates, click "Three dots" in the app menu and select "Delete Updates" or "Restore the factory version."
When using the ADB method for return, it is enough to execute the command:
adb shell cmd package install-existing com.google.android.dialerThis will restore the system package. In a pinch, if the phone stops loading or ringing, a full reset to the factory settings (Wipe Data) through the Recovery menu will help, and remember to save important data before you do so, as it will be deleted.