How to Remove Google Chrome from Xiaomi Phone: Full Guide

Xiaomi smartphone owners running MIUI shells or the new HyperOS often face intrusive preinstalled software. Google Chrome is the default system component on all certified Google-enabled devices. However, many users prefer alternative solutions such as Yandex Browser, Opera or minimalist browsers like Via and DuckDuckGo.

The problem is that standard methods do not allow the app to be completely removed due to Android’s security policy, which blocks the removal of critical components, such as the web browser, from the search giant, but there are proven ways to deactivate it or hide it from view, freeing up space and removing unnecessary notifications.

In this article, we will discuss all available methods, from simple disconnection to advanced removal through the computer, you will learn what risks a complete uninstallation of system packages carries and how to safely configure your Redmi or Poco to your needs without losing warranty.

Why you can’t just delete Chrome with the “Delete” button

When you try to remove Google Chrome through the standard app menu, the delete button is often missing or inactive, because the browser in the Android ecosystem is a system application, integrated into the deep layers of the operating system, and used by other services to open links.

System restrictions are designed to ensure that the user does not accidentally disrupt the smartphone. If you remove the basic component responsible for rendering web pages, some features of Google Play or third-party applications can stop displaying content correctly, which is why the developers of Xiaomi and Google hide the possibility of direct uninstallation.

In addition, devices with a blocked bootloader have no superuser (Root) rights. Without these rights, you can not change the system partition of memory where the browser installation file is stored. Normal deletion is only available for user applications downloaded from the store.

⚠️ Warning: Attempts to obtain Root rights to delete system files may result in loss of warranty on Xiaomi device and disruption of banking applications.

However, there is a compromise solution, forced shutdown and shutdown, which does not physically erase files, but makes the application invisible and inactive to the system, which in effect is equivalent to deleting for the average user.

Basic method: Disconnect via MIUI and HyperOS settings

The safest and most recommended way to get rid of an intrusive browser is to use the built-in shutdown feature, which does not require a computer connection, installing additional software, or complex manipulation of code, but is completely reversible and safe for system stability.

To start, you need to go to the application management menu. Find the App section on your desktop or in the Settings menu. In some versions of the firmware, the path may look like Settings → Applications → All apps. In the list, find Chrome.

Once you have access to the app properties, you will be able to access the Disable (or Disable) button, and clicking on it will result in the following actions:

• 📱 The application will disappear from the list of all programs and from the desktop.
• 🚫 Browser will no longer receive updates via Google Play.
• 🔋 The background work of the process will stop, which will save battery power.
• 🗑️ Free some of the user’s memory from cache and data.

It's important to understand that installer files will remain in the system partition, which is hidden from the user. You can't use the free space to install games or photos, but visually the browser will disappear. If you decide to return it, just go back to the settings and click Enable.

Advanced method: Removal via ADB without Root rights

For those who want to get a complete removal APK-file from the system, there is a method using tools ADB (Android Debug Bridge is Google's official developer utility that allows you to control your device from a computer, and it allows you to remove system packages that are hidden from the average user.

Before starting the procedure, you need to prepare your Xiaomi smartphone. Go to Settings → About Phone and press 7 times on the MIUI Version (or OS Version) to activate the developer menu. Then go to Advanced Settings → For Developers and turn on Debugging over USB.

After preparation, follow the following steps:

1. Download and install Platform Tools (ADB) on your computer.
2. Connect your phone to your PC through quality USB-cable.
3. On the smartphone screen, confirm the request for debugging permission.
4. Open the command line on your computer and enter the communication check command:

adb devices

If your device's serial number appears on the list, the connection is successfully installed. Now you can proceed to delete.

adb shell pm uninstall -k --user 0 com.android.chrome

The --user 0 option means that the application is only removed for the current user, without affecting the system partition at the write level, which allows you to save the ability to restore factory settings in the future.

⚠️ Note: When removing system packets through ADB There is a risk of disrupting Google Play Services. If authorization or sync stops working after deletion, a factory reset will be required.

Alternative browsers to replace Chrome with Xiaomi

Once you get rid of the standard browser, you'll have to choose a replacement. The Android ecosystem offers a variety of options that can run faster and consume less resources than heavy Chrome. The choice depends on your priorities: speed, privacy or integration with services.

For users who value privacy, browsers with built-in tracker locking will be a great choice. They don't collect telemetry and often have a lightweight interface. For those who are used to the ecosystem of Yandex or Mail.ru, there are versions with bookmark and password synchronization.

Let’s look at the popular alternatives in the table below:

When choosing a new browser, pay attention to support for extensions. For example, Firefox and Kiwi Browser allow you to install add-ons from the Chrome Web Store, which greatly expands the functionality.

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Install an alternative browser BEFORE disabling Chrome so that the system does not lose the file association and links are opened correctly.

Setting up the browser by default in the Android system

Once you install a new browser, you need to tell Xiaomi that this app should open links, otherwise the phone may ask you how to open the URL each time, or try to run Chrome that has already been disabled, causing errors.

The configuration process in the MIUI 14 and HyperOS shell is as follows:

• 🔍 Open the smartphone settings.
• 📲 Go to the Appendix section.
• ⚙️ Select the Application Management option.
• ☝️ Click on three dots in the corner and select the Default Apps.
• 🌐 In the browser bar, select the installed alternative.

Now all links from messengers, social networks and documents will automatically open in the app of your choice, an important step for comfortable use of the smartphone after removing the standard component.

Sometimes the system can reset these settings after major firmware updates, in which case the default browser selection procedure will have to be repeated. This is normal Android security behavior.

Possible problems and solutions

Removing or disabling system applications is rarely a smooth process, and Xiaomi users may face a number of specific problems related to aggressive memory optimization and system protection, and knowing these nuances will help avoid panic and data loss.

One of the common problems is that you get bugs when you run applications that are tied to WebView, which is a component that allows you to open web pages inside other programs, and if you delete Chrome, you affect system libraries, some applications may stop working.

To address this problem:

1. Go to Settings → Applications → All applications.
2. Find the Android System WebView list.
3. Try updating it through Google Play or, conversely, uninstall the update if the problem appears after the update.

⚠️ Note: If after manipulations the phone began to constantly restart or hang on the Xiaomi logo, you need to reset to factory settings (Wipe Data).

Also worth remembering is the "Security" feature: Xiaomi's built-in anti-virus can flag third-party browsers or ADB scripts as potentially dangerous. When working with ADB, you must give constant debugging permissions, otherwise the connection will break.

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The safest way is to disable via settings, not completely delete via ADB if you are unsure of your actions.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)