How to Remove Games from Xiaomi Phone: From Standard Methods to Hidden MIUI Features

Xiaomi MIUI-based smartphones are often littered with unnecessary games, both pre-installed (Game Center, Mi Game Turbo) and user-installed (PUBG Mobile, Genshin Impact, Free Fire). Even after standard removal through the application menu, games can leave behind cache, saves and system files that take up gigabytes of memory. In this article, we will examine all possible ways, from basic to advanced, including deleting through ADB and cleaning residual data.

The MIUI feature is that some games (such as Mi Game Center) cannot be deleted by standard methods — they simply deactivate and stay in the system. We will show you how to get rid of them forever without resorting to root rights.

Important: Save progress in the cloud before removing games (if you plan to return to the game later), and some methods, such as cleaning through ADB, can result in the loss of all local saves without the possibility of recovery.

1. Standard removal through MIUI settings

The easiest way is to uninstall apps through the app menu, which is suitable for most custom games (Call of Duty Mobile, Clash of Clans, etc.), but does not work with Xiaomi system utilities.

Instructions:

• 📱 Open the Settings. → Annexes → Application management.
• 🔍 Enter the game name in the search bar (for example, PUBG).
• 🗑️ Press Remove (if the button is active).
• 🧹 After deleting, go back to the app menu and select Clear cache (if the option is available).

⚠️ Note: If the Remove button is inactive (grey), the game is a system game.

2. Remove preinstalled games (Game Center, Mi Game Turbo)

Xiaomi system games and utilities (Game Center, Mi Game Turbo, Quick Games) cannot be removed in the standard way, but they can be disabled or removed via ADB. Disabling hides the game from the menu, but does not free up memory. Complete removal requires a connection to a computer.

Method 1: Disconnect (without root):

• ⚙️ Go to Settings. → Annexes → Application management.
• 🔍 Find the Game Center or Mi Game Turbo.
• 🚫 Click Disable (button will appear if deletion is not available).
• 🔄 Restart your phone and the game will disappear from the menu.

Method 2: Complete removal via ADB (requires PC):

1. Download ADB Tools and unpack the archive.
2. Turn on USB Debugging on your phone: Settings → About Phone → MIUI version (click 7 times to activate Developer Mode), then Settings → Additional → Developers → Debugging over USB.
3. Connect your phone to your PC and type in the command line: adb devices (the name of your device should appear).
4. Enter the command to delete (example for Game Center): adb shell pm uninstall --user 0 com.miui.gamecenter.sdk

⚠️ Warning: Removing system games may disrupt Game Turbo. If you're actively playing heavy games, it's better to disable them rather than delete them.

3. Cleaning of residual files after deletion

Even after removing the game through the app menu on the phone remain:

• 📁 Cache folders in /Android/obb/ and /Android/data/.
• 💾 Save in the cloud Mi Account or Google Play Games.
• 📊 Logs and temporary files in /data/local/tmp/.

To completely clear the memory:

1. Connect the phone to the PC and turn on File Transfer mode.
2. Open folders: Internal Memory → Android → Obb Internal Memory → Android → Data Delete folders with the names of remote games (for example, com.tencent.ig for PUBG Mobile).
3. Clear the cache of system applications: Settings → Memory → Clear the cache

⚠️ Note: Do not delete folders with the names com.android. or com.miui. – this can lead to system failures.

4.Remove games through Safe Mode

If the game is not deleted due to errors or conflicts with other applications, try Safe Mode. In this mode, all third-party applications are disabled, which allows you to remove "stuck" games.

How to turn on Safe Mode on Xiaomi:

1. Press the power button before the turn off menu appears.
2. Press and hold the "Switch off" option (a suggestion will appear to go to safe mode).
3. Confirm transition. The phone will reboot with the message Safe Mode at the bottom of the screen.
4. Try to remove the game in the standard way (section 1).
5. Reboot your phone to exit safe mode.

This method helps if:

• 🔄 The game hangs when removed.
• 🚫 Error: "Cannot be deleted".
• 📱 App not listed in Application Management.

5. Use of third-party utilities (without root)

If standard methods don't work, you can use third-party deep cleaning apps.

How to use SD Maid:

1. Install the application and give access to the memory.
2. Select the CorpseFinder section (search for residual files).
3. Click Scan and wait until it is completed.
4. Mark the files of the deleted games and click Delete.

💡

Before using SD Maid, back up important data. The application can delete files that seem to be garbage but are needed for other programs to work.

6. Remove games from the memory card (if installed there)

Some games (especially heavy ones like Genshin Impact or Honkai: Star Rail) are installed on a memory card, and they need to be deleted differently than applications in internal memory.

Instructions:

• 📁 Open any file manager (e.g., Mi File Manager).
• 🔍 Go to the Memory Map. → Android → obb and Android → data.
• 🗑️ Delete folders with game names (e.g. com.miHoYo.GenshinImpact).
• 🔄 Go to Settings. → Apps and remove the game itself (if it is still on the list).

⚠️ Note: If the game was transferred to the memory card through the Adoptable Storage function, it can take up to 10 minutes to delete the card!

7 What to do if the game is not deleted?

If none of the methods worked, the reasons may be as follows:

Extreme measures:

• 🔧 Reset to factory settings (remove ALL, including photos and contacts).
• 🛠️ Fastboot Flashing (for experienced users).

💡

If the game is not removed by standard methods, try ADB first, then Safe Mode. Reset to factory settings only as a last resort!

FAQ: Frequent questions about removing games on Xiaomi