Many owners of Redmi and Xiaomi smartphones face the intrusive behavior of the standard Mi Browser application, which is pre-installed on the system, consumes RAM and often offers advertising news that cannot be completely turned off by standard methods. Users who want to clean the MIUI or HyperOS interface of unnecessary “junk” are looking for a way to completely get rid of this component.
Unfortunately, simply clicking the "Delete" button in the application menu is not possible. The system browser has administrator rights and is protected from accidental removal in the usual way. However, there are proven methods to circumvent these restrictions, allowing you to deactivate or delete the application using a computer and special software.
In this article, we’ll look at the safe ways to get rid of the built-in browser. We’ll look at the ADB (Android Debug Bridge) methods that don’t require root rights, which will allow you to keep the device warranty, but still get a clean system without the intrusive services of the manufacturer.
Why you should get rid of Mi Browser
The main reason for deleting is an aggressive policy of data collection and monetization. Unlike pure Android, the MIUI shell integrates advertising modules deep into the system. The browser often acts as an entry point for notifications, which appear even when you are not using the application.
In addition, the background processes of the browser can significantly affect the battery life. The application constantly checks the updates of the news feed and synchronizes the data, which leads to excessive battery consumption. For owners of low-cost Redmi models with a small amount of RAM, this is critical.
⚠️ Note: Before removing system components, make sure you have an alternative browser installed.If you delete the only web browsing tool available, you will not be able to download another one over the Internet.
Another important aspect is privacy: Xiaomi’s standard tools collect telemetry about the sites visited. Removing Mi Browser via ADB does not violate the integrity of the Recovery system partition, making this method reversible and safe for further firmware updates.
Preparing a smartphone to remove applications
To perform the operation to remove the system applications, you need to activate the hidden developer mode. Without this step, the computer will not have sufficient permissions to interact with the phone's file system.
First, go to the Settings menu. → About the phone. Find the line "Version." MIUI» (or "Version" OS» In new firmware) and quickly click on it 7-10 The system will tell you that you have become a developer, and then a new option will appear in the settings menu "Additional" or "Extended settings».
Inside the developer menu, you need to find and activate Debugging over USB, and newer versions of the shell require you to enable the option “Debug over USB (security only)” if present, which will allow the computer to send deletion commands.
☑️ Checklist of preparations
It is important to use quality USB-Cheap cables can only work for charging and not transmit data, which will cause a connection error. Connect your smartphone to your computer and confirm the debugging request that appears on the device screen.
Method of removal via computer and ADB
The most reliable way is to use the command line and the Android Debug Bridge tool, so you don't have to be a programmer, you just have to do a sequence of things, and you can download the platform-tools from Google's official website and unpack the archive on disk C.
Open the command line (cmd) in the tool folder. Enter the adb device command to check the connection. If a device with device status appears in the list, the connection is correctly installed. Now you can go to the packet name search.
adb shell pm list packages | grep browserThis command will list all the packages that contain the word "browser." You need to find a line that corresponds to a standard browser, usually com.android.browser or com.mi.global.browser. Remember the exact name, as it will be required for the next command.
| Team team. | Description of action | Risk of error |
|---|---|---|
| adb shell pm list packages | Shows all the packages. | Low. |
| adb shell pm uninstall -k --user 0 [name] | Remove the application for the current user | Medium. |
| adb shell cmd package install-existing [name] | Restores the remote application | Low. |
| adb reboot | Reboots the device | Low. |
To remove the name directly, type the command: adb shell pm uninstall -k --user 0 com.mi.global.browser (replace the name with yours). Once successful, you will see the message "Success." The application will disappear from the menu and stop working.
Use of specialized utilities
If you find the command line difficult, there are graphical shells for ADB. Programs like Xiaomi ADB/Fastboot Tools or Universal Android Debloater make it much easier, they have a user-friendly interface and lists of safe applications to remove.
In these programs, the process is as follows: you plug in the phone, the program defines the model and offers a list of system applications with a note about the security of removal, you just have to find in the list of "Browser" or "Mi Browser" and click the button "Uninstall".
The advantage of graphical web sites is that they often have a knowledge base and alert you if you're trying to remove a critical component of the system, but it's worth remembering that these programs are third-party software and should only be downloaded from trusted sources, such as GitHub or the 4PDA forum.
Alternative browsers for Redmi
Once you remove the stock app, the system will not be left without the tools to get online, if you take care of the alternative in advance, and there are many lightweight and fast browsers on the market that are more stable than standard solutions.
- 🚀 Via Browser is an ultra-lightweight browser weighing less than 2 MB. Ideal for older Redmi smartphones, has no unnecessary functionality and advertising.
- 🛡️ DuckDuckGo – focuses on privacy, automatically blocks trackers and ad scripts, saving traffic.
- ⚡ Chrome or Edge – if you want full sync with the desktop version and the Google or Microsoft ecosystem.
- 🔒 Brave – built-in ad blocking and accelerated page loading by disabling the extra code.
The choice of alternatives depends on your needs. For weak devices, minimalistic options like Via or XBrowser are better suited, and they consume a minimum of RAM, which will positively affect the overall speed of the MIUI interface.
⚠️ Warning: Do not install multiple browsers “just in case.” Each additional browser can add its services to the boot, which will negate the effect of removing the system application.
Possible problems and solutions
In rare cases, after removing the system component, failures may occur, for example, links from other applications (messaging apps, emails) may stop opening or cause an error "Application not found", this is solved by installing the selected browser by default.
Go to Settings → Applications → Application Management → Three dots (menu) → Default apps. In the browser, select the alternative you just installed. Now the system will know how to open web links.
If you accidentally delete the wrong app or the system starts to run unstable, you can always get it back to the way it was. It uses the recovery command that we discussed in the table above. You don't have to refashion the phone or do a full reset.
Sometimes, an antivirus on a computer or phone can block the connection. ADB. In this case, try to temporarily disable the security software. Also make sure that the phone does not turn on the “Charge Only” mode in the settings. USB-connection.