How to permanently remove the Game Center from the phone Xiaomi: 5 proven methods

Why users want to get rid of the Game Center on Xiaomi

The Game Center is a standard app on Xiaomi, Redmi and Poco smartphones that automatically installs with MIUI firmware. On paper, it promises to optimize gameplay: block notifications, clear memory, and even record gameplay. But in practice, many users face aggressive advertising, background battery consumption, and unsolicited push notifications about “hot games.”

According to a 2023 Mi Community survey, 68 percent of Xiaomi owners in Russia turn off or delete Game Center in the first months of using the phone, reasons ranging from the banal “don’t play mobile games” to more serious claims: an app can arbitrarily turn on mobile data to download updates or even restart after resetting. Unfortunately, standard deletion through the app menu often doesn’t work – the system simply deactivates it until the next update.

In this article, we will discuss 5 ways to get rid of Game Center forever, including methods without superuser rights (root) and with them, you will also learn how to block the automatic return of the application after the MIUI update and what to do if the phone after manipulation stopped booting.

Method 1: Disconnect via settings (without deleting)

If you don't need radical measures, start with the safest option, which is to deactivate the application, which does not require root rights or disrupt the system, but has a disadvantage: after the update, the MIUI Game Center can be activated again.

Instructions:

• 📱 Open the Settings. → Annexes → Application management.
• 🔍 In the search bar, enter the Game Center (or Game Center in English firmware).
• ⚙️ Click on the app, then select Disable (or Disable).
• ✅ Confirm the action in the pop-up window.

Once disabled, the icon will disappear from the desktop and the background processes will stop, but the application files will remain in memory and will take up to 150-200 MB (depending on the version of MIUI).

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To hide the disabled application from the list in the settings, use the "Show System" filter (turn it off).

Method 2: Removal via ADB (without root)

A more radical method is to remove the application package via ADB (Android Debug Bridge), which does not require superuser rights, but requires connecting the phone to a computer, the advantage is that the Game Center will be removed completely, not just disabled.

What you need:

• 💻 Computer with installed Xiaomi drivers and platform-tools package.
• 📱 Included Debugging by USB on the phone (Settings) → The phone. → Version. MIUI → 7 times tap to unlock the developer's settings).
• 🔌 USB-cable (preferably original).

Step-by-step:

1. Connect the phone to your PC and type in the command line (cmd): adb devices Make sure the device is identified (serial number should appear).
2. Run the command to remove Game Center: adb shell pm uninstall --user 0 com.xiaomi.gamecenter.sdk.service For some versions of MIUI, an additional command may be required: adb shell pm uninstall --user 0 com.xiaomi.glgm
3. Reboot the phone.

USB-tools enabled | Xiaomi drivers installed on PC| Phone connected in file transfer mode | Platform-tools package unpacked in C--> disk root

Important! On some models (Xiaomi 12 Pro, Redmi Note 11) the app may return after the MIUI update. To avoid this, block its update via Settings → Apps → Game Center → Remove updates (if the button is active).

Method 3: Remove with root rights (for power users)

If you have root rights (e.g., through Magisk), you can delete Game Center at the system file level, a method that ensures that the app won’t return after updates, but caution is needed: wrong actions can lead to system failure.

Instructions:

1. Install a file manager with root support (such as Root Explorer or Solid Explorer).
2. Go to /system/priv-app/GameCenter or /system/app/GameCenter (the path may vary depending on the version of MIUI).
3. Remove the entire folder or rename it (for example, in the GameCenter_bak).
4. Reboot the phone.

The following is the Titanium Backup:

• 📌 Find in the list of applications the Game Center.
• 🗑️ Select Delete (not "Freeze!").
• ✅ Confirm the action.

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Removing system applications from root can disrupt MIUI. Always back up through TWRP before manipulation!

Warning: On some firmware (MIUI 14+), deleting Game Center may cause errors in Google Play services or problems with authorization in Mi Account. If there are failures after deleting, restore the folder from the backup.

Method 4: Blocking through Mi Account (for Chinese firmware)

Users of smartphones running Chinese firmware (China ROM) may find that the Game Center not only returns after updates, but also blocks the shutdown through settings, in which case, linking the device to Mi Account and then disconnecting through the cloud will help.

Algorithm of action:

• 🌐 Go to the Mi Account website and log in.
• 📱 Go to the Devices section → Your phone. → Application management.
• 🔍 Find the Game Center in the list and turn it off.
• 🔄 Synchronize settings on the phone (Settings) → Mi Account → Synchronization).

This method does not work on all versions of MIUI, but it can be useful for owners of Xiaomi Mi 11, Redmi K40 and other models with Chinese firmware. If the option is not available, try changing the account region to India or Russia (in profile settings).

Method 5: Flashing on custom firmware (extreme case)

If all previous methods failed, a radical solution remains to install custom firmware, such as LineageOS, Pixel Experience or Xiaomi.eu, which is devoid of most of Xiaomi’s standard applications, including Game Center.

What you need to know before the firmware:

The firmware process includes:

1. Unlock the bootloader via the Mi Unlock Tool (can take up to 72 hours to wait).
2. Installation of custom recavery (TWRP).
3. Formatting data, cache, system sections.
4. Installation of ZIP-archive with firmware.

Attention! Custom software firmware voids the warranty and may cause data loss. On some models (Xiaomi 13 Pro, Redmi Note 12), unlocking the bootloader blocks the use of banking applications (due to the lack of SafetyNet).

What to do if the phone does not turn on after removing the Game Center

In rare cases, incorrect removal of system applications can lead to a “bootloop” or failure to boot. If after manipulation with the Game Center, the phone stopped working, follow this algorithm:

1. Hard reboot: Press the power button for 10-15 seconds until the device shuts down. Then try turning it on again.
2. Recovery Mode: Press Power + Volume up to get into the standard Recovery. Select Wipe data.
3. Fastboot mode: If the phone doesn’t boot even to a recaveri, plug it into your PC and type: fastboot flash boot.img (where boot.img is the original firmware file for your model).
4. Download the official firmware for your model from the Miui Download website and run it through the Mi Flash Tool in Clean All mode.

If none of the methods worked, contact Xiaomi Service Center and let them know that the problem occurred after the system update – this will increase the chances of free repairs under warranty (even if you removed the application).

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Never delete system applications through a file manager without a backup! use TWRP Backup or Orange Backup to save the current firmware.

FAQ: Frequent questions about removing Game Center