How to Remove Google Play from Xiaomi: 5 Ways to Remove Google Play

Xiaomi MIUI-based smartphones come pre-installed with Google services from Play Market to Google Play Services. For most users, this is convenient, but some want to get rid of these components for reasons of privacy, battery savings or the desire to use alternative app stores. However, simply removing the icon from the desktop does not solve the problem: services continue to work in the background, consuming the resources of the device.

In this article, we’ll look at all the possible ways to remove Google Play from Xiaomi, Redmi and POCO smartphones, from standard methods through settings to deep removal of system APKs through ADB. It’s important to understand that a complete deletion can cause some MIUI features to fail, including push notifications, geolocation and account synchronization. Before you start, read the risks and prepare a backup of the data.

If you use a smartphone with MIUI Global or MIUI Europe, please note that the manufacturer does not provide a standard method of removing Google services. All manipulations are performed at your own risk. For owners of devices with MIUI China (without Google out of the box), this instruction is not relevant - you no longer have preinstalled Google services.

1.What happens if you delete Google Play from Xiaomi?

Before you start removing, it is important to assess the consequences. Google Play Services is not just an app store, but a whole set of system components on which:

• 🔄 Push notifications for most apps (including WhatsApp, Telegram, VK)
• 📍 Geolocation and map operation (Google Maps, Yandex.Maps, 2GIS)
• 🔑 Authorization through Google account in games and services
• 🛡️ Security (checking apps for malware through Google Play Protect)
• 📱 Synchronization of contacts, calendars and notes

After Google Play Services is removed, many apps will either stop working or lose some of the features.

⚠️ Note: Uber, Bolt, Delivery Club and banking customers (SberBank Online, Tinkoff) require Google Play Services to work properly. Without them, you will not be able to order a taxi or pay for purchases through the Internet. NFC.

But there are also advantages:

• ⚡ Increased battery life (Google services consume up to a maximum of two hours) 10-15% day-load)
• 🛡️ Increased privacy (less data is sent to Google)
• 📱 More free space in memory (Google application package weighs 500 MB-1 GB)

If you're willing to put up with limitations, move on to the next section, and for those who want to keep some functionality, we've prepared alternative solutions.

2. Method 1: Turning off Google Play through MIUI settings

The safest method is not to delete, but to disable unnecessary services, which will not free up memory, but will reduce the load on the processor and battery.

Instructions for MIUI 14/15:

1. Open Settings → Applications → Application Management.
2. Click on the three dots in the top right corner and select Show All Apps.
3. In the search, type in Google Play Services and select the app.
4. Click Disable (if the button is inactive, click Remove Updates first).
5. Repeat the steps for Google Play Store, Google Play Movies and other unnecessary services.

This is a no-root option, and it's reversible: you can always turn the services back on, but there's still some background activity, even if it's smaller.

Method 2: Removal via ADB (without root)

A more radical method is to delete packets via Android Debug Bridge (ADB), which does not require superuser rights, but requires a connection to a computer.

What you need:

• 🖥️ Computer with installed ADB-driver
• 📱 USB-cable (preferably original)
• ⚙️ Included debugging by USB (Settings → The phone. → Version. MIUI — Press 7 times, then return to Settings → Additionally. → For developers → Debugging by USB)

Step-by-step:

1. Connect the phone to the PC and confirm the debugging permission on the smartphone screen.
2. Open the command line (Windows) or terminal (macOS/Linux) in the adb folder.
3. Enter the command to check the connection: Adb devices must appear serial number of your device.
4. Remove unnecessary packets one at a time. Examples of commands: adb shell pm uninstall -k --user 0 com.android.vending adb shell pm uninstall -k --user 0 com.google.android.gms adb shell pm uninstall -k --user 0 com.google.android.gsf

Once you've run the commands, the applications will disappear from the system, but their data will remain. To get it back, use the command:

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

⚠️ Warning: Deleting com.google.android.gms will cause the collapse of many apps, including YouTube, Gmail and Chrome.

Method 3: Complete removal with root rights

If you're willing to take drastic measures, you can get root rights and remove Google services at the system level, a method that is suitable for power users, as it requires unlocking the bootloader and installing a customized Recovery (such as TWRP).

Advantages of the method:

• 🧹 Complete removal of all Google tracks (including background processes)
• 🔧 Ability to fine-tune the system
• 📦 Release up to 1-1.5 GB of memory

Instructions:

1. Unlock the bootloader through the official Xiaomi tool (requires a binding Mi Account and wait 7-30 days).
2. Install TWRP Recovery for your model (see instructions on XDA Developers).
3. Download Magisk to get root rights.
4. In TWRP, go to Mount → System and connect the device to your PC.
5. Use a Explorer (such as Root Explorer) or ADB to delete folders: /system/priv-app/PrebuiltGmsCore/ /system/app/GmsCore/ /system/priv-app/GooglePlayServices/ /system/app/GooglePackageInstaller/
6. Reset the device.

Once removed, some MIUI features (such as Mi Cloud or Theme Store) may not work properly, and we recommend installing alternative services, such as microG for emulating Google Play Services.

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Before you delete your system files, make a full backup through TWRP (Backup section), which will allow you to restore the system if something goes wrong.

5. Method 4: Install custom firmware without Google (GApps)

The most reliable way to get rid of Google is to install firmware that doesn’t originally contain its services.

For custom firmware installation:

1. Unlock the bootloader (as in Method 3).
2. Install TWRP or another custom recaveri.
3. Download the firmware and, if necessary, the microG package (to replace Google Play Services).
4. In TWRP, run Wipe → Advanced Wipe (mark Dalvik, Cache, System, Data).
5. Install firmware and microG (if necessary).

The advantage of this method is a clean system without unnecessary background processes, and the disadvantage is the possible instability and lack of official support.

Method 5: Using Magisk Modules (for root)

If you don't want to delete Google completely, but you want to limit its activity, you can use modules for Magisk.

• 🔇 Disable background activity of Google services
• 🛡️ Block data collection
• ⚡ Optimize battery consumption

Popular modules:

• 🔧 DisableFlags – Disables unnecessary Google features
• 🚫 NoGoogle – blocks connections to Google servers
• ⚡ Battery Optimizer – Optimizes background activity

How to determine:

1. Download the module (for example, with XDA).
2. Open Magisk Manager and go to the Modules section.
3. Click Install from Storage and select the downloaded file.
4. Reset the device.

This method is less risky than complete removal, but requires root rights.

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Magisk modules are the best option for those who want to keep some of the functionality of Google, but reduce its impact on the system.

7. Google Play Alternatives: Which App Stores to Use?

If you removed Google Play, you'll need alternative sources of apps. Here are the most popular options:

You can use the Aurora Store or Obtainium for automatic updates (for applications with GitHub/GitLab).

If you need Google apps (like YouTube or Gmail), they can be installed manually via APK, but they can run unstable without Google Play Services.

• 📹 NewPipe (alternative to YouTube)
• 📧 FairEmail (replacement of Gmail)
• 🗺️ OsmAnd (offline maps instead of Google Maps)

8 Possible problems and solutions

After deleting Google Play, you may encounter the following problems:

• ❌ Do not work push notifications Solution: Install microG or use alternative messengers with their own notification servers (for example, Telegram in the background).
• ❌ No Location Determined Solution: Enable Device Only in Geolocation Settings or use OsmAnd with Offline Maps.
• ❌ Banking applications do not work Solution: Install MagiskHide or use web versions of banks.
• ❌ System Errors and Lag Solution: Reset to factory settings or return remote packets via ADB.

If the device stopped booting after manipulation, use Fastboot mode and reflash the official MIUI through the Mi Flash Tool.

⚠️ Note: Some Xiaomi models (e.g. Redmi Note 12 or X-ray) POCO X5) Deleting Google Play Services may result in Mi Account blocking due to Anti-Rollback protection. Before experimenting, check if your model supports firmware rollback.

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Before any system manipulation, check if your model has custom firmware and recovery methods. Some new devices (such as those on MediaTek processors) are harder to unlock.

FAQ: Frequent questions