How to Remove Google Chrome from Xiaomi Phone: A Step-by-Step Guide

Google Chrome is pre-installed on most Xiaomi smartphones and often runs in the background, consuming battery power and traffic. Many users want to remove it, either because of excessive resource consumption or to install alternative browsers like Firefox or Brave. However, standard removal through the application menu is often not available: the system gives an error "You can not delete the system application."

In this article, we will discuss 5 working ways to remove Chrome from Xiaomi (including models on MIUI 12-15 and HyperOS), from simple to advanced – using ADB, disabling through settings and even manually deleting application files.

Why can’t Chrome be removed in the standard way?

On Xiaomi smartphones, Google Chrome is a system application (even if installed as an update via Google Play).

• 🔒 Application protected by rights system/priv-app and cannot be deleted without the rights of a superuser (root) or special commands.
• 📦 Even after "deleting" through Settings → Chrome Apps May Recover After Google Play Services Reboot or Update.
• 🔄 Certain functions MIUI (For example, bookmark sync or quick search depend on Chrome components.

Moreover, since MIUI 14, Xiaomi has integrated Chrome deeper into the system: it is used to display web content in some system windows (for example, when logging into a Mi Account).

• 🚫 Errors when logging into Google Account.
• 🔍 Unworking search in Settings → Memory. → Cleanup.
• 📱 Failures when opening links from other apps (such as Telegram or WhatsApp).

⚠️ Note: If you use Xiaomi with firmware for the Chinese market (China) ROM), Chrome can be replaced with Mi Browser, in which case deleting Chrome will not affect the stability of the system, but it will not free up space - the application is simply absent.

Method 1: Disable Chrome through Settings (without root)

The safest method is not to delete Chrome completely, but to disable it and hide it from the menu.This will stop background activity and prevent automatic updates, but leave system files intact. Suitable for users who want to save battery power without the risk of crashes.

Instructions:

1. Open Settings → Applications → Application Management.
2. In the search bar, type Chrome and select the app.
3. Click Disable (if the button is inactive, click Stop first).
4. Confirm the action in the dialog window.

After the shutdown:

• 📵 Chrome will disappear from the app menu and stop running automatically.
• 🔄 Updates via Google Play are blocked.
• 🔗 Links will open in the browser by default (set it in Settings). → Annexes → Default applications).

⚠️ Attention: On some firmware MIUI After disabling Chrome, the ability to open may be lost PDF-files from email attachments. In this case, install an alternative app to view PDF (For example, Adobe Acrobat).

Method 2: Remove Chrome Updates (Free Space)

If Chrome isn’t removed as a system app, you can return it to the factory version by removing all updates, which will free up up to 100-150 MB of memory and turn off background activity, but the app itself will remain on the system.

How to do this:

1. Go to Settings → Applications → Application Management → Chrome.
2. Click on the three dots in the top right corner and select Remove Updates.
3. Confirm the action. The app will return to the version preinstalled on the phone.
4. (Optional) Turn off automatic Chrome updates in Google Play: Open Google Play, search for Chrome. Click on three dots → Remove from the update list.

Advantages of the method:

• 📉 Frees up space occupied by updates.
• 🛡️ Does not break system functions MIUI.
• 🔄 You can return updates at any time.

Disadvantages:

• 🔒 Chrome will remain on the system and can be updated when resetting.
• 🌐 Some web pages may be opened with errors (an outdated version of the Chromium engine).

💡

If Chrome continues to update after you delete the updates, check Google Play settings: it may have enabled automatic updates for all apps. Turn it off in Play Store Settings → App Auto Update.

Method 3: Remove Chrome through ADB (without root)

For users willing to use ADB (Android Debug Bridge), there is a way to completely remove Chrome without superuser rights.This works on most Xiaomi devices, except models with a locked bootloader (for example, the Redmi Note 12 for the Chinese market).

What you need:

• 🖥️ Computer with drivers installed ADB and Fastboot.
• 📱 Included debugging by USB on the phone (Settings) → The phone. → Version. MIUI → 7 times press to unlock Developer Settings, then enable Debugging by USB).
• 🔌 Cable USB (preferably original).

Step-by-step:

1. Connect the phone to the PC and confirm the debugging permission.
2. Open the command prompt (cmd on Windows or Terminal on macOS/Linux) and type:

adb devices

If the device appears in the list, follow the command to delete Chrome:

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

For devices with MIUI 14+, an alternative command may be required:

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

Result:

• ✅ Chrome will be removed for the current user (without affecting system files).
• ⚠️ When you reset or update your firmware, Chrome may return.
• 🔧 If the team doesn’t work, try replacing com.android.chrome with com.chrome.

⚠️ Note: On HyperOS devices (e.g. Xiaomi) 14) team ADB may return the error DELETE_FAILED_DEVICE_POLICY_MANAGER. In this case, try first disabling the Chrome Administrator Device in the security settings.

Method 4: Manually delete Chrome files (root required)

For users with unlocked bootloader and root rights, Chrome can be completely deleted by deleting its files from system folders, which irreversibly deletes the application and can cause Google services to crash, but it is guaranteed to free up space.

Instructions:

1. Install a file manager with root support (such as Root Explorer or Solid Explorer).
2. Go to /system/priv-app/Chrome or /system/app/Chrome.
3. Delete all files with the.apk and.odex extensions.
4. Clear the Chrome cache and data to /data/data/com.android.chrome.
5. Reset the device.

After removal:

• 🗑️ Free up to 200-300 MB of memory.
• 🔧 Some features of Google Play Services may not work properly (e.g. autofill forms).
• 🔄 When you update the firmware Chrome may return.

Alternative method (via Terminal with root):

su


mount -o rw,remount /system




rm -rf /system/priv-app/Chrome




rm -rf /data/data/com.android.chrome




reboot

⚠️ Note: On devices with Dynamic Partitions (e.g. Xiaomi) 12T) manual removal of system applications can result in a bootloop ( looped reboot).Before deleting, back up the system partition via TWRP.

Method 5: Replace Chrome with an alternative browser (optimum)

If the goal is not so much to remove Chrome as to get rid of its shortcomings (high battery consumption, data collection, advertising), the best option is to disable Chrome and install an alternative.

The best alternatives for Xiaomi:

How to replace Chrome:

1. Install the selected browser from Google Play.
2. Open Settings → Applications → Default Applications → Browser.
3. Select a new browser as the default application.
4. Turn off Chrome (see Method 1).

Additional settings to save battery:

• 🔋 In the settings of the new browser, turn off Background Synchronization.
• 📡 Limit the use of mobile data in Settings → SIM-maps and mobile networks → Using traffic.
• 🛡️ Enable ad blocking (in Brave or through Firefox extensions).

💡

Replacing Chrome with an alternative browser is the safest way to get rid of its flaws without risking system stability.

What happens if you completely remove Chrome from Xiaomi?

Deleting Chrome completely can have unexpected consequences, especially on MIUI 14+ and HyperOS firmware, where the browser is integrated into system processes.

• 🔗 No links from other apps (e.g. Telegram or Gmail) are opened.
• 🔑 Authorization errors in Google services (for example, when logging into YouTube or Gmail via a web interface).
• 📱 Google Play Services malfunctions, including notifications and geolocation.
• 📄 Previews are not working. PDF and some functions of settings → Memory.

On some devices (such as POCO F4), the system launcher’s quick search stops working after Chrome is deleted, which is because MIUI uses Chrome components to display web results.

How to minimize the risks:

• 🔧 Before deleting, assign the browser by default (for example, Firefox).
• 📥 Install Android System WebView from Google Play – this will help you avoid crashes when opening links.
• 🔄 Create a backup through Mi Cloud or TWRP troubleshooting.

FAQ: Frequent questions about removing Chrome from Xiaomi