How to Remove Google Chrome from Xiaomi Phone: Guidelines for MIUI 14 and below

Google Chrome is pre-installed on most Xiaomi smartphones as a system application, and it cannot be removed by standard methods through the Apps menu. This is annoying for users who prefer alternative browsers (Firefox, Brave, Mi Browser) or want to free up space in memory. In this article, we will discuss all possible ways to remove Chrome, from simple to radical, including methods for devices with root rights and without them.

It’s important to understand that removing Chrome completely can disrupt some Google services (such as bookmark sync or autocomplete) if you’re actively using them. Also, on some Xiaomi models (especially with MIUI for the global market), the browser is integrated deeper into the system than on the Chinese versions of firmware. We tested instructions on the Redmi Note 12 Pro+, Xiaomi 13 Ultra and POCO X5 Pro — the results are summarized in the table below.

Why Chrome Cannot Be Deleted in the Standard Way

The Google Chrome app on Xiaomi is a system application (or bloatware) that means it:

• 🔒 Established in section /system/app or /system/priv-app, change-proof;
• 🛡️ It has the status of a "protected" application in MIUI, What is blocking the "Delete" button";
• 🔄 Automatically recovers after resetting settings or firmware updates.

Even if you turn off Chrome through settings (Settings → Applications → Application Management → Chrome → Disable), its files will remain in the device’s memory, taking up to 150-200 MB (depending on the version).

Method 1: Turn off Chrome without deletion (for most users)

If you don’t want to physically delete your browser files, but you just need to hide it from the system and stop background activity, use this method. It does not require root rights and is suitable for all versions of MIUI (including MIUI 14 on Android 13/14).

1. Open Settings → Applications → Application Management.
2. In the search bar, type Chrome and select the app from the list.
3. Click Disable (if the button is inactive, press Remove Updates first).
4. Confirm the action in the dialog window.

After the shutdown:

• 📱 Chrome icon will disappear from the app menu;
• 🔄 Auto Update via Google Play will be blocked;
• ⚠️ Some links (such as those from Gmail or YouTube) may be opened with an error – in this case, set another browser by default.

💡

To assign another default browser, go to Settings → Applications → Default → Browser and select the desired application.

⚠️ Note: Some Xiaomi models (e.g. Redmi) 10A or POCO M4 Pro) disabling Chrome may cause Google Play Store to malfunction.In this case, use method 2 or 3.

Method 2: Removal via ADB (without root rights)

The method is suitable for users who are ready to connect the smartphone to the computer, it allows you to remove Chrome updates and return it to the factory version, which can then be disabled.

• 💻 Computer with Windows, macOS or Linux;
• 🔌 Cable USB Type-C (original or certified);
• 📦 Installed drivers ADB Fastboot (you can download from the Android Developers website).

Step-by-step:

1. Activate Developer Mode on Xiaomi: Settings → About Phone → MIUI Version (click 7 times)
2. Return to Settings → Additional → For developers and enable USB debugging.
3. Connect your phone to your computer and in the terminal (or Command Prompt) do: adb devices Wait for your device’s serial number to appear.
4. Enter the command to remove Chrome updates: adb shell pm uninstall -k --user 0 com.android.chrome
5. Reboot the phone.

After doing this, Chrome will be pumped to the factory version (usually Chrome 70-80, depending on the model), which takes up minimal space and does not update automatically. To hide it completely, disable the application as in Method 1.

⚠️ Attention: On devices with MIUI China (e.g. Xiaomi) 12S Ultra team ADB This may not work due to lack of Google services, in which case use Method 3 or install Google Installer for manual settings.

Method 3: Complete removal with root rights

This is the most radical method that physically removes all Chrome files from the system, and is only suitable for root-enabled users (for example, after unlocking the bootloader and installing Magisk).

• 🧹 Full vacancy (up to 200-300 MB);
• 🚫 Guaranteed absence of background activity;
• 🔄 Chrome will not recover after the update MIUI.

For removal:

1. Install a file manager with root support (such as Root Explorer or FX File Explorer).
2. Go to /system/priv-app/PrebuiltGmsCore or /system/app/Chrome (the path may be different!).
3. Delete folders: Chrome WebViewGoogle (if not in use)

Settings → Applications → Chrome

Reset the device.

The alternative is to use Termux root access.

su


mount -o rw,remount /system




rm -rf /system/priv-app/Chrome




rm -rf /system/app/WebViewGoogle




mount -o ro,remount /system




reboot

After complete removal:

• 📲 Chrome icon will disappear forever;
• 🔍 Search queries from the launcher MIUI It will be redirected to Mi Browser;
• ⚙️ Some features (like Google password syncing) will stop working.

💡

Before removing Chrome through root, back up your system to TWRP or OrangeFox, which will allow you to recover your browser files if you have problems with other applications.

How to Get Chrome Back If Something Goes Wrong

If you have a problem with Google Play, YouTube or other services, you can restore Chrome in two ways:

1. Through Google Play: Open the Chrome page; Click Install; Reboot your phone.

Through ADB (if Chrome has been removed completely):

adb shell cmd package install-existing com.android.chrome

If none of these methods worked, you can either reset (Settings → About Phone → Reset) or flash through Fastboot. On root devices, you can restore deleted files from a TWRP backup.

Chrome Alternatives for Xiaomi: Which browser to choose

If you have removed Chrome, you should install an alternative browser, and we tested several options on Xiaomi and ranked them for speed, security and compatibility with MIUI:

For maximum performance on Xiaomi, we recommend Brave — it blocks ads at the system level and supports Tor mode, which is relevant for users who care about privacy. If you want to integrate with the Google ecosystem, try Kiwi Browser — it is based on Chromium and supports extensions from the Chrome Web Store.

Frequent Mistakes and How to Avoid Them

When you delete Chrome, users often face some problems, and we've collected the most common ones and ways to solve them:

• 🔄 "Chrome has recovered after the update MIUI": This is due to the Automatic App Restore feature in Google Play. To disable it, go to Google Settings. → Recovery → Auto-Recovery and Deactivate the Option.
• 🚫 "Can't turn off Chrome - button is inactive": First, delete app updates (Settings) → Annexes → Chrome → Remove updates, then try disabling again.
• ⚠️ "After removal, some applications stopped working": Most likely, these applications depend on WebView. Install an alternative version (for example, Bromite WebView) from the official website.

⚠️ Attention: On devices with MIUI For the global market (e.g. Xiaomi) 13T Pro) Deleting Chrome completely may cause Google Play Services to crash, in which case limit yourself to Method 1 (disable) or use Magisk to freeze the application through the App Systemizer module.

FAQ: Answers to Frequent Questions