Many owners of Xiaomi smartphones and Poco sub-brand, in particular the popular X3 NFC or X3 Pro, are faced with the desire to free internal memory from pre-installed applications. Google’s standard browser takes up space, consumes RAM in the background and sometimes imposes its services, which annoys advanced users. However, with the regular tools of the Android operating system, full removal of system components is often impossible, since they are protected by superuser rights.
In this article, we will take a closer look at all available uninstallation methods, from simple disabling to complete deletion through a computer using USB debugging. It is important to understand that Google Chrome in MIUI firmware is often integrated deep into the system, and its incorrect removal can affect the operation of newswidgets or system links. Therefore, the approach must be considered and technically competent, so as not to disrupt the stability of the device.
Before you start taking action, you need to assess the risks and prepare the device. We will consider not only the deletion process, but also what you can replace a standard browser to make your Poco X3 work faster and more autonomous. Carefully follow the steps described below to avoid accidental errors when working with system files.
Why it’s impossible to simply delete Chrome through settings
The Android operating system, as well as Xiaomi’s MIUI add-on, classify Google Chrome as a system application, which means that the “Delete” button for it is inactive or replaced with “Disable” in the program management menu, a restriction that developers have imposed to ensure the basic functionality of the system, since many other applications and services use WebView libraries, which are often updated with the browser.
Poco X3 users often notice that even after clearing the data and cache, the application continues to take up a significant amount of memory and appear in the lists of working processes. This is because the installation file (APK) remains in a secure part of the system. The standard settings interface does not grant rights to modify this partition without obtaining root rights, which in itself is a complex and risky procedure, entailing a loss of warranty.
⚠️ Attention: Attempts to get root rights (unlock the bootloader) on Xiaomi Poco X3 This could lead to the blocking of banking applications and the reduction of the security of personal data.
However, there is an effective way to get around this limitation using Android Debug Bridge (ADB) debugging tools, which allows you to remove applications for the current user, effectively hiding them from the system and stopping all related processes, which for the average user is equivalent to completely removing, but without the risk of violating the integrity of the system partition.
Preparing Poco X3 to remove system applications
To perform the removal procedure, you will need not only the Poco smartphone itself. X3, But also a personal computer or laptop running Windows, macOS or Linux. USB-cable, preferably original, to ensure a stable connection without interruptions during the transmission of commands. 10-15 minute.
The first step is to activate the hidden developer menu on your device, and without this step, your computer won't be able to access the phone's file system, so you need to go to settings, find information about the MIUI version, and click on it several times until the system reports that the developer mode has been activated.
☑️ Pre-deletion check
Then you have to turn on USB debugging directly, which is a critical parameter that allows an external device (your PC) to send commands to the phone, and without debugging enabled, all subsequent actions will be impossible, and the computer will simply charge the smartphone without seeing it as a data transfer device.
Once you have all the necessary switches on, when you connect the cable to your computer, the Poco X3 will have a system dialog box asking for debugging permission, and you must press "Allow" and, if possible, the "Always Allow" box from this computer, so as not to enter confirmation every time, this ensures the stability of the connection during operation.
Removal of the Android Debug Bridge (ADB)
The most reliable and professional way to remove Google Chrome is to use the command line through the ADB utility. This method does not require superuser rights, but gives you access to package management. You will need to download the minimum set of Platform Tools from the official Android developer site and unpack them on your computer.
Once you connect your phone and open the command line in the tool folder, the first command is to check the connection. Enter adb devices and make sure your device with a serial number appears on the list. If the device status is listed as unauthorized, look at the phone screen and confirm access. Only the device status indicates readiness.
To delete a browser, we need to know the exact name of its package. For standard Google Chrome on Android, it's usually com.android.chrome. The removal command is as follows:
adb shell pm uninstall -k --user 0 com.android.chromeExecuting this command will result in the application being removed for the current user (user 0). Files will remain in the system partition, but they will not be active, will not consume resources and will not be visible in the interface. If you want to return the browser, you will need to reset the phone to factory settings, which reinstals all system applications.
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If the command is successful, you will see a message "Success." If an error occurs, check that the packet name is spelled correctly and that the connection is active.
Alternative: Disconnecting and cleaning data
If using a computer and command line seems too difficult or risky, there is a milder option: completely disabling the application through the settings of the smartphone itself. This method does not physically delete files, but completely stops the browser from running and receiving updates.
To do this, go to Settings → Apps → All apps. Find it in the Chrome list. Click on it and select the "Disable" option. The system will alert you that the application will stop working and other apps may not behave correctly. For basic phone use, this warning can be alerted because the basic OS functions will not be affected.
Additionally, it is recommended to clear the data and cache before shutting down, which will free up several hundred megabytes of space in the user's memory partition, click on "Memory", and then select "Clean" and "Clean All", after which the application will weigh the minimum possible value for the system component.
| Parameter | Complete removal (ADB) | Disconnection (Settings) | Stop (Dispatch) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Liberation of the place | Partial (User data only) | Partial (User data only) | No. |
| RAM consumption | 0 MB | 0 MB | Temporarily 0 MB |
| Possibility of return | Just drop to the factory. | Incorporation in settings | Automatic launch |
| Difficulty | High (PC needed) | Low. | Minimum |
It is important to note that even after a shutdown, the system may periodically try to update the component through Google Play services. To prevent this, you can also disable automatic updates of applications in the settings of the Play Market store or specifically for this package, if such an option is available in your version of the interface.
How to replace the standard browser on Xiaomi
Once you remove or disable Chrome, you don't have a built-in web browsing tool. Make sure you install an alternative in advance. The Android browser market is rife, and many of them run on the Chromium engine but are not tied to Google services, which has a positive effect on the autonomy of the Poco X3.
One of the best options is Mozilla’s Firefox, which uses its own Gecko engine, which provides a high degree of privacy and independence from the Google ecosystem, and supports the installation of extensions such as ad blockers, which significantly speeds up page loading.
- 🦊 Mozilla Firefox is a great choice for those who appreciate privacy and the ability to fine-tune the interface.
- ⚡ Brave – a browser that blocks trackers and ads out of the box, which saves traffic and battery power.
- 🛡️ DuckDuckGo is a minimalist browser with a focus on anonymity and automatic deletion of data after a session.
Impact on the system
Lightweight browsers like Via or Aloha are also worth looking at, taking up less than 1MB of storage versus hundreds of megabytes of Chrome, and are ideal for devices where every megabyte of RAM is on the bill. For Poco X3, which is known for its customization capabilities, installing an alternative launcher or browser is standard practice.
Possible problems and solutions
Users may encounter a variety of errors when removing system components, and one of the common problems is the message "Package not found" when trying to delete via ADB. This may mean that your device has a different version of the browser installed (for example, a beta version or a version from the manufacturer), and the name of the package is different.
To find out the exact name of the package, you can use the command:
adb shell pm list packages | grep chromeThis command will display all the packages that contain the word "chrome" in the title, find the one you want and use its ID to delete it, and there may be situations when antivirus or built-in protection is available. MIUI They block the debugging connection, so you can try to turn off Wi-Fi and use the mobile connection, or you can change the connection. USB-port.
⚠️ Note: Do not delete packages that you do not know the names of. Removing the system components that run the Google Play Services framework can cause navigation, maps, and many third-party apps to fail.
If Chrome has stopped opening links within other apps after deleting, you need to manually assign the default browser. Go to Settings → Apps → App Management → Three dots in the corner → Default apps and select your new browser in the Browser category. This will restore normal operating system logic.
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Removing system applications via ADB is safe for the hardware of the smartphone, but requires careful input of commands so as not to disrupt the operation of Android software components.