How to Remove Chinese Apps from Xiaomi Phone: 5 Proven Ways

Xiaomi smartphones are known for their value for money, but many users are faced with one unpleasant feature – preinstalled Chinese applications. Mi App Store, Mi Video, Mi Music, Xiaomi Cloud and dozens of other services not only take up space in memory, but also constantly send notifications, consume traffic and drain the battery. Worst of all, some of them can not be removed by standard means – the button “Delete” is simply not on the menu.

In this article, we will analyze all possible ways to get rid of Chinese software on Xiaomi, Redmi and other platforms. POCO, Including models from 2020 to 2026, you'll learn how to disable, hide or completely erase unnecessary applications, both without root rights and with them, and we'll also tell you which programs can be removed without risk to the system, and which should not be touched. MIUI 12, MIUI 13 and MIUI 14 (including global and European versions).

Why do Chinese apps return after being deleted?

Many users complain that even after uninstalling, unnecessary programs reappear after a system update, due to the MIUI auto-restore mechanism, because some applications (Mi Browser, Mi Security, GetApps) are considered system-friendly and protected from removal, and when you update the firmware again, they are automatically restored from the backup.

Another reason is cloud sync, and if you've been in Mi Account before, it can restore "recommended" applications when you reboot or reset your settings, and to avoid that, you need to not only delete programs, but also disable their sync in your account settings.

• 🔄 Auto-recovery MIUI — System applications are returned after updates.
• ☁️ Cloud sync – Mi Account can restore remote programs.
• 📦 Hidden. APK-Files – some applications are stored in protected memory areas.
• 🔒 Xiaomi policy – the company deliberately blocks the removal of some software to collect statistics.

Interesting fact: Chinese versions of smartphones (China ROM) can have as many as 50 to 70 preinstalled apps, while global firmware typically has 15 to 25, due to the aggressive monopolization of the market in China, where Xiaomi cooperates with local services (e.g. Tencent, Alibaba, Baidu).

Method 1: Disable Chinese applications without removing (without root)

If you don't need root rights or you're afraid of disrupting your system, you can simply turn off unnecessary programs. This method doesn't free up memory, but stops background activity, notifications and battery consumption. It's suitable for most system applications, except for mission-critical ones (such as Miui Daemon or SecurityCenter).

Instructions:

1. Open Settings → Applications → Application Management.
2. In the upper right corner, click on three dots and select Show All Apps.
3. Find an unnecessary app (such as Mi Browser) and tap it.
4. Click Disable (if the button is inactive, the application is protected).
5. Confirm the action in the window that appears.

First, remove all app updates (the “Delete Updates” button).

Check if the program is the device administrator (Settings → Passwords and Security → Device Administrators).

Try to disable it via ADB (Method 3).

If nothing works, you will need root rights (Change 5).-->

⚠️ Note: Disable certain services (e.g. Miui System) UI or Package Installer) may cause the interface to work unstable or inability to install new programs. Before disabling, check the name of the application in our table below.

Method 2: Remove via ADB (without root but with PC)

If disconnection is not enough, you can completely remove unnecessary applications using ADB (Android Debug Bridge), which does not require root, but you need an unlocked bootloader (it is already unlocked on most global firmware) and a computer with drivers installed.

Step-by-step:

1. Turn on USB Debugging on your phone: Settings → About Phone → MIUI Version (tap 7 times to turn on Developer Mode). Go back to Settings → Additional → Developer → Debugging on USB.
2. Connect your phone to your PC through USB-cable (select File Transfer Mode).
3. Download ADB Tools and unpack into any folder.
4. Open the command line (Win + R → cmd) and go to the folder with ADB: cd C:\platform-tools
5. Check the device connection: Adb devices (the name of your phone should appear).
6. Remove the unnecessary application by command: adb shell pm uninstall --user 0 com.xiaomi.package (replace com.xiaomi.package with the real name of the package).

⚠️ Note: Some packages have dependencies. For example, deleting Mi Account (com.xiaomi.account) can lead to Mi Cloud and contact synchronization errors. Before deleting, check the list of secure packages in the next section.

Yeah, but they came back after the update.|Yeah, and they're not coming back.|No, I'm afraid to break something.|What is it? ADB?-->

Method 3: Hiding applications without deletion (for MIUI 13/14)

If you don't want to risk system stability, but you want to remove Chinese programs from the menu, you can hide them. Newer versions of MIUI have a built-in app hiding feature that works without root and doesn't affect performance.

How to hide the application:

1. Press the icon of the unnecessary application on the home screen.
2. In the menu that appears, select Hide (or Remove from the screen in MIUI 14).
3. Confirm the action. The app will disappear from the menu, but it will remain in the system.

To return the hidden app:

1. Open Settings → Applications → Application Management.
2. Slip on three dots in the top right corner and select Show Hidden Apps.
3. Find the right app and click Show.

⚠️ Note: Hidden applications continue to work in the background unless they are disabled separately (see Method 1.

💡

If your version of MIUI doesn’t have a hide feature, use third-party launchers (like Nova Launcher or Apex Launcher) that support hiding icons without root.

Method 4: Remove via TWRP (unlocked bootloader required)

For experienced users who are ready for more radical measures, custom recovery is suitable for removal. TWRP. This method allows you to physically erase APK-System application files, but requires unlocking the bootloader and installing TWRP.

Advantages of the method:

• 🧹 Complete removal without recovery (unless you update) MIUI).
• 🔧 Ability to edit system files (e.g. build.prop).
• 📦 Remove multiple applications in one session.

Instructions:

1. Unlock the bootloader through the official Xiaomi tool (can take up to 72 hours).
2. Install TWRP for your model (instructions are available on XDA Developers).
3. Download to TWRP (usually Power + Volume Up).
4. Go to Advanced → File Manager.
5. Open the /system/priv-app or /system/app folder.
6. Find a folder with an unnecessary app (like Browser for Mi Browser) and delete it.
7. Reboot the phone.

⚠️ Note: Delete system files through TWRP It can lead to a "bootloop" if you remove a critical component. TWRP change!

💡

TWRP is the most radical way, but it's also the most reliable way, and if you delete an application that way, it won't come back even after you update MIUI (unless you flash it over again).

Method 5: Complete removal with root rights (for advanced)

If you have root access (e.g., through Magisk), you can uninstall any application, including those protected by MIUI, and any root-enabled file manager (e.g., Root Explorer or FX File Explorer) will do.

Step-by-step:

1. Install Magisk and get root (instructions are available on the official website).
2. Download Root Explorer from Google Play.
3. Open the manager and provide root access.
4. Go to /system/priv-app or /system/app.
5. Find a folder with an unnecessary app (like MiuiBrowser) and delete it.
6. Clear the cache in /data/dalvik-cache (optional, to prevent errors).
7. Reboot the phone.

List of apps that can be safely removed from root:

• 🌐 Mi Browser (com.android.browser or com.miui.browser)
• 🎵 Mi Music (com.miui.player)
• 🎬 Mi Video (com.miui.video)
• 📦 GetApps (com.xiaomi.market)
• 📱 Mi Game Center (com.xiaomi.gamecenter)
• ☁️ Mi Cloud (com.miui.cloudservice) – if you do not use backup

⚠️ Note: Removal of certain services (e.g. Miui System) UI Or Android System WebView, which will cause the interface to crash. Always check the name of the package before you delete it!

💡

If after removing the application, the phone began to slow down or issue errors, try to restore it through the app. TWRP-backup.

How to prevent the return of remote applications?

Even after successful removal, Chinese programs may return after the MIUI update.

1. Turn off automatic MIUI update: Settings → About Phone → System Update → Three Points → Settings → Disable Auto Update.
2. Block sync Mi Account: Settings → Accounts → Mi Account → Sync → Disable everything.
3. Use Magisk modules: Install Universal Debloater or Xiaomi Debloater via Magisk, which block the recovery of remote packets.
4. Switching to LineageOS, Pixel Experience or MIUI EU (without Chinese apps) will fix the problem forever.

If you do not want to refuse official updates, you can use the ADB-packet-blocker:

adb shell pm hide com.xiaomi.package

This command does not remove the application, but hides it from the system, preventing automatic recovery.

FAQ: Frequent questions about removing Chinese apps