How to Remove Google from Xiaomi Redmi 4X: From Shutdown to Deep Cleanup

Why Google is getting rid of Redmi 4X and is it worth it?

Xiaomi Redmi 4X (codenamed santoni) is still popular 6+ years after its release due to its reliability and low price, but many owners face a problem: Google’s pre-installed services (Play Market, GMS, Google Play Services) take up memory, consume battery and transfer data to the corporation, especially for devices with 16 GB of memory, where every megabyte is on the account.

But before you start removing it, it’s important to understand that completely removing Google is not just uninstalling apps; Google’s services are integrated into the system at the firmware level, and removing them can cause MIUI malfunctions, update issues, or even a device brik, for example, many applications (including banking) will stop working without Google Play Services, and some MIUI features (such as contact synchronization) will not be available.

In this article, we'll look at 5 ways, from the safest (disable services) to the radical (flash to custom firmware without GMS). Each method has its pros, cons and difficulty level. If you're a beginner, start with the first two ways — they do not require root rights and do not violate the warranty.

Method 1: Disabling and removing Google updates (without root)

It’s the simplest and most secure method, and it doesn’t require any special knowledge, it doesn’t remove Google completely, but it stops the back-end activity of the services and frees up to 200-300MB of storage.

Steps:

• 📱 Go to Settings. → Annexes → Application management.
• 🔍 In the search, type in Google – the system will show all related applications (Google Play Market, Google Play Services, Google Account Manager, etc.).
• ⚙️ For each application: Click Disable (if the button is active). Select Remove Updates (will return the application to the factory version.
• 🔄 Reboot your smartphone.
• Reboot to TWRP And do the Wipe. → Advanced Wipe, note: Dalvik / ART Cache System Data Cache Firmware, then (if necessary) GApps and Magisk. Reboot to the system. ⚠️ Castom firmware may contain bugs, especially on older devices like Redmi. 4X. Before installing, check the reviews on the forums (for example, XDA Developers or 4PDA). Please note that certain functions (for example, IR-blaster FM-radio may not be operational. 💡If after firmware custom OS disappeared mobile Internet, check the settings APN. Often, manually entering operator parameters (you can find them on your provider's website) helps. Method 5: Using alternative services (without deleting Google) If you do not fundamentally delete Google, but want to reduce its impact, you can replace standard services with alternative ones. It is safer than complete removal and does not require technical skills.Service Google Alternative Advantages Google Play Market Aurora Store or F-Droid No Tracking, anonymous downloads Google Chrome Bromite or Firefox Focus Ad Blocking, Gmail tracking protection FairEmail or K-9 Mail Open Source, Google Maps OsmAnd encryption or Maps.me Offline maps, no data collection 📌 How to replace services: Install an alternative app (e.g. Aurora Store instead of Play Market) in Android settings (Settings) → Annexes → Default: Assign it to the default app. Turn off notifications and background activity from the original Google services (see Method 1). ✅ The advantages of this method: ✔️ No risk of damage to the system. ✔️ Access to the Play Market (if necessary). ✔️ Improved privacy and battery life. What happens if you completely remove Google from Redmi? 4X: Deleting Google services may seem like the perfect solution, but it has serious consequences: ❌ Application problems: Many programs (including banking, social media, and games) require Google Play Services to work, and without them, they either won’t start or will constantly give out errors. ❌ No security updates: Without Play Market, you won’t be able to get app updates (you’ll have to manually monitor them). ❌ Failures in MIUI: Some firmware features (such as Mi Cloud or Themes) will stop working. ❌ Push Notifications: Google Firebase Cloud Messaging (FCM) Many messengers (such as WhatsApp or Telegram) will not send notifications. ❌ Recovery difficulties: If you decide to bring Google back, you may need to completely reflash your device. 🔹 Who is the right person to completely remove Google: 🛡️ Users who are sensitive to privacy (such as journalists or activists). 📱 People who use their smartphone only for calls, SMS offline applications. 🔧 Enthusiasts willing to put up with bugs for the sake of the "purity" of the system. 🔹 Who doesn't fit: 🎮 Gamers (most games require Google Play Games). 💳 Users of banking applications (many banks block devices without any access to them) GMS). 📱 People who frequently install new applications. 💡If you're not sure, start with Method 1 or 5 -- they're reversible and won't harm the system (ADB, Magisk, custom firmware, should be used only if you understand the risks. FAQ: Frequent questions about Google’s removal from Xiaomi Redmi 4X ❓ Can you delete Google without a computer? Yes, but the options are limited. Without a PC, you can only disable Google services (see below. Method 1) or install alternative applications (Method 5). ADB (requires PC) or root rights. ❓ Will Google services return after resetting? Yes. Hard reset. → Dumping or TWRP) remotely ADB Google's packets will recover because they're embedded in the system partition, so to avoid that, you either have to flash custom firmware without it. GMS, repeat the procedure ADB post-discharge. ❓ How do you check if Google is completely removed? There are several ways: Open Settings → Apps and check if there are still packages called Google. Install the App Inspector app from F-Droid and check the list of system packages. Enter in the terminal (via ADB or Termux appendix: pm list packages | grep google If the team does not return results – Google is deleted. ❓ Can I update you? MIUI After Google was removed? Depends on the method of removal: If you used the method 1 or 2 (shutdown/ADB), Update through Settings → The system update will work, but can restore deleted Google packages. If you have stitched custom firmware (Handbook) 4), update MIUI will be unavailable, and will have to be updated TWRP manually. ⚠️ Attention: Update MIUI The standard installer can return Google services even if you have removed them through the ADB. To avoid this, make a backup in the TWRP Be prepared to repeat the removal procedure. ❓ What apps will stop working without Google? list of apps that require Google Play Services or FCM (Firebase Cloud Messaging): 💰 Banking applications (Sberbank, Tinkoff, VTB, etc.). 🎮 Online gaming (PUBG, Clash of Clans, Brawl Stars). 📱 Messengers (WhatsApp, Viber – notifications may not come). 🗺️ Navigators (Google Maps, Yandex.Navigator) – some functions will not work). 📺 Streaming services (Netflix, YouTube – can block devices without Google certification). 💡 Solution: Some apps (like Telegram or OsmAnd) have alternative versions without depending on Google.Look for them on F-Droid or APKMirror.