How to completely remove the clone of the application on Xiaomi: from system duplicates to viral copies

Why Xiaomi Apps Are Cloned and Why They Are Dangerous

Owners of smartphones Xiaomi, Redmi and POCO They often encounter a mysterious phenomenon: a second (or even a third) application with the same name, icon and functionality appears on the menu. This is not a glitch of the system, but quite real clones of applications - duplicates that can occur for various reasons. At best, they just take up space in memory, at worst, they become a source of advertising, surveillance, or even viruses.

Most often, the doubles appear after:

• 🔄 Updates MIUI — The system backs up system applications before upgrading, but doesn’t always delete them;
• 📱 Transfer data between devices via Mi Mover or cloud services;
• 🛠️ Manual cloning through dual app functions MIUI;
• 🦠 Viruses masquerading as legitimate programs (for example, a clone of the Google Play Store called Play Market).

The dangers of clones depend on their origin. MIUI (For example, two Browsers or Music are usually harmless, but eat up to 300-500 MB of memory per take:

• 📊 Collect data about your activity (logins, geolocation, call history);
• 💰 Show hidden advertising even on a locked screen;
• 🔋 Reduce the battery with background processes (some clones consume up to 15% of the charge per day).

Before you delete the duplicate, it is important to understand what type of clone you are dealing with.

1. Application Packet Name (via Settings) → Annexes);
2. Size and version (system duplicates usually have the same version, viral ones - different);
3. Availability in Google Play (legitimate apps are in the official store).

How to distinguish a system duplicate from a viral clone

Not all clones are equally dangerous, such as dual apps created through the Dual Apps feature in the app. MIUI, They're completely legitimate and they're deleted in two clicks, but if you find an app called WhatsApp Plus or Telegram X Pro, that's a good thing to be wary of.

It is especially dangerous if the clone masquerades as a system application, for example, a virus may be called com.miui.securitycenter (similar to the original Security Center). MIUI), But it's actually stealing data. You can authenticate it through Settings. → Annexes → Show all applications:

1. Find a suspicious app in the list.
2. Slip on it and see the Memory section – system applications usually take from 100 MB.
3. Check Permissions – if the calculator has requested access to the camera, it is a warning sign.

⚠️ Attention: Some viruses block access to app settings. If you try to open a program or see an error or redirect to advertising, it is a 100% malicious clone.

Another way to test is to use antivirus, but not all detect programs are clones as a threat.

• 🛡️ Malwarebytes (detects even hidden ones) APK);
• 🔍 Dr.Web Light (well finds Trojans in messenger clones);
• 📱 Bitdefender Mobile Security (Scanning Access Rights).

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If the antivirus does not find a threat, but the application is behaving suspiciously, check it through the online service VirusTotal. APK-file (can be removed through the APK Extractor and see the results of the scan 60+ antivirus.

Method 1: Remove the clone through standard settings MIUI

If a duplicate appears after a system update or data transfer, it can be deleted without additional tools. MIUI, and for user-generated doubles through Dual Apps.

Instructions:

1. Open Settings → Applications → Application Management;
2. Tapping at Three Points (⋮) → Show all applications;
3. Find the clone in the list (you can sort by size or installation date);
4. Choose Remove or Disable (for system applications).

For the doubles created through Dual Apps:

1. Go to Settings. → Dual annexes;
2. Find the desired application in the list;
3. Turn off the switch or tap Remove.

⚠️ Note: Some system applications (e.g. Mi Video or Mi Music) cannot be completely removed, only disabled. If you see a Disable button instead of Remove, it is part of the firmware. ADB (see method 4).

If the Remove button is inactive or missing, try:

• 🔄 Reboot the phone – sometimes after the reboot the option appears;
• 📁 Clear the app cache (clear the cache button in its settings);
• 🔧 Reset rights through Settings → Annexes → Permits → Resetting of application permits.

Method 2: Removal via Safe Mode (for viral clones)

If the app clone is aggressive (locks the screen, redirects to ads, prevents you from opening settings), it should be removed in Safe Mode, a mode where all third-party programs are disabled, which prevents the virus from interfering with the removal process.

How to run Safe Mode on Xiaomi:

1. Press the power button before the turn off menu appears;
2. Hold your finger and hold it on the option to turn off (or turn off power).
3. Confirm the transition to Safe Mode (on some models you need to enter) PIN-code).

At the bottom of the screen, you'll see the Safe Mode message.

1. Go to Settings. → Annexes;
2. Find a suspicious app;
3. Click Remove (Safe Mode does not allow virus blocking).

If the Remove button is still inactive:

• 🔧 Try disabling the device administrator: Go to Settings → Passwords and security → Device administrators; uncheck the suspicious app; return to uninstall.

APK-hand-file

1. Open Files (or any other root manager)
2. Move to the /data/app/ or /data/app-private/;
3. Find a folder with the name of the clone packet (for example, com.fake.app-1) and remove it.

⚠️ Note: Removing files from /data/app/ If you don't have a root right, you can crash the system. ADB (Method 4) Or reset the phone to factory settings (Method) 5).

After the clone is removed:

1. Restart your phone (get out of Safe Mode)
2. Check the list of applications for the presence of duplicates;
3. Install the antivirus and scan the system.

Method 3: Using third-party applications to remove duplicates

If system methods don't work, you can use specialized utilities, which are useful for:

• 🔍 Search for hidden clones (some viruses disguise themselves as system processes);
• 🧹 Mass deletion of duplicates (e.g. after data transfer);
• 📊 Location analysis (shows which applications take up the most memory).

The best tools for Xiaomi:

Example of working with SD Maid:

1. Install and open the application;
2. Go to CorpseFinder (search for remnants of remote applications)
3. Click Scan and wait for the results.
4. Select the clones and tap Delete.

For Files by Google:

1. Open the Cleanup tab;
2. Select Large Files or Duplicates;
3. Review the list and manually remove unnecessary items. APK.

⚠️ Note: Some “optimizers” (e.g. Clean Master or Clean Master) DU Speed Booster can be a source of advertising or viruses. Use only proven utilities from the official Google Play.

If a third-party application failed to remove it, it could mean:

• 🔒 The clone is protected by device administrator rights;
• 📌 App is built into the firmware (required) ADB root);
• 🦠 The virus blocks the work of utilities (you need Safe Mode or reset).

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The app side only helps with custom clones. More radical methods will be needed to remove system duplicates or viruses embedded in the firmware (ADB dump).

Method 4: Removing clones via ADB (for power users)

If the clone is part of the firmware (like a duplicate of Mi Browser or Mi Music), the standard methods won't work (ADB) — Debugging tool that allows you to remove system applications without root rights.

What you need:

• 🖥️ Computer with Windows, macOS or Linux;
• 📱 USB-cable (preferably original);
• 🛠️ Installed Xiaomi drivers (download from the official website);
• 🔧 Platform Tools (part of Android) SDK, download).

Step-by-step:

1. Put the debugging on. USB on the phone: Go to Settings → About the phone; Tap 7 times on the version MIUI, To activate Developer Mode; Go back to Settings → Additionally. → For developers; Activate debugging by USB.
2. Connect the phone to your computer and select File Transfer mode;
3. Open the Command Prompt (Windows) or Terminal (macOS/Linux) in a folder with Platform Tools;
4. Enter the command to check the connection: Adb devices must appear serial number of your device.
5. Find out the name of the clone package (if you don’t know): adb shell pm list packages | grep "application name" For example, to search for browser clones: adb shell pm list packages | grep "browser"
6. Remove the clone by command: adb shell pm uninstall --user 0 Example for the duplicate Mi Browser: adb shell pm uninstall --user 0 com.android.browser

If you see a Failure error [DELETE_FAILED_INTERNAL_ERROR], means:

• 🔒 The application is protected from removal (try to disable it via adb shell pm disable-user). --user 0 packet);
• 📌 The clone is part of the firmware and requires root rights to remove it;
• 🔧 You need to use Fastboot to modify the system partition.

⚠️ Note: Removing system applications through ADB For example, deleting com.miui.securitycenter will turn off the Security Center, and without com.android.contacts, calls will stop working. → Additionally. → Backup and reset.

List of safe to remove system clones (not critical to work) MIUI):

• 🌐 com.android.browser (Duplicate Mi Browser);
• 🎵 com.miui.player (Duplicate of Mi Music);
• 📷 com.miui.gallery (duplicate Gallery if used by Google Photos);
• 📖 com.miui.notes (duplicate Notes).

Method 5: Extreme measures - reset to factory settings

If none of these methods worked, and if clones continue to appear (especially after a virus infection), the last option is to completely reset the phone, which will delete all data, including viruses and duplicates, but return the system to its original state.

How to Reset Xiaomi Without Losing Important Information

1. Make a backup: 📱 Contacts, SMS, Notes: Settings → Google → Backup; 📷 Photos and videos: copy to your computer or Google Photos; 🎮 Application data: use built-in backup features in games/messengers.

Settings → Additional → Backup and Reset

Resetting settings

Confirm the action (a password may be required).

If the phone is infected with a virus and does not allow you to open the settings:

1. Turn off the device;
2. Press the power button. + Loudness up before the appearance of the Mi logo;
3. Select Wipe Data (manage volume buttons, confirmation – power button);
4. After resetting, the phone will restart in clean condition.

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Factory reset is a "nuclear bomb" to solve clone problems, and only use it if other methods fail, because you'll have to adjust your phone from scratch after the reset.

FAQ: Frequent questions about app clones on Xiaomi