How to completely remove a cloned Chrome app on Xiaomi: 5 working ways

Have you noticed that your Xiaomi, Redmi or POCO smartphone has a second Chrome browser, a cloned version that you didn't install? This is a typical MIUI problem where the system duplicates applications for Dual Apps or after updates. A cloned browser not only takes up space in memory, but can also conflict with the main version, causing bookmark synchronization errors or data leaks.

In this article, we’ll look at 5 proven ways to remove cloned Chrome, from standard MIUI settings to manual removal via ADB. We’ll focus on the nuances for different firmware versions (MIUI 12/13/14) and smartphone models. You’ll also learn how to distinguish the clone from the original and why simple removal through the app menu often doesn’t work.

Why is Xiaomi getting a cloned Chrome?

The Google Chrome browser duplicate on Xiaomi devices occurs for three main reasons:

• 🔄 The “Dual Apps” function): MIUI automatically creates clones for selected messengers and browsers if you have activated this option in Settings → Special facilities → Dual annexes.
• 📦 Update: When you upgrade to a new version MIUI (For example, from 13 to 14), the system can duplicate system applications, including Chrome, if it was installed as user software.
• 🤖 Google Services: On some models (e.g. Xiaomi) 12T or POCO F5) MIUI installs a parallel version of the browser to work with Google services in the background.

Clone Chrome is easy to identify by:

• 📌 Icon with a small icon "2" in the lower right corner (if created through Dual Apps).
• 🔍 The name of the package in the settings: the original - com.android.chrome, clone - com.android.chrome.second or similar.
• 📊 No history or bookmarks (the clone syncs with another Google account or does not sync at all).

Method 1: Removal via "Dual Applications" (for MIUI clones)

If the Chrome duplicate appeared because of the Dual Apps feature, you can delete it in 3 steps:

1. Open Settings → Special Opportunities → Dual Applications.
2. Find Google Chrome (can be displayed as Chrome: Clone).
3. Slip on the basket icon or switch to turn off the clone.

⚠️ Attention: On some firmware (MIUI 14 for POCO X5) The option to delete may be hidden. In this case, first disable the clone, then try to delete through the app menu.

Check out the MIUI version in Settings → About Phone

Make a backup of bookmarks mostly Chrome

Turn off synchronization in the cloned browser

Close all tabs on both versions of Chrome-->

If you don't have Double Apps on the menu, then the clone is not created through that function. Go to the next one.

Method 2: Standard removal through application settings

For most clones (not related to Dual Apps), the standard procedure is:

1. Go to Settings → Applications → Application Management.
2. In the search box, type Chrome. The results will show two apps: the original and a clone (could be called Chrome (1) or Chrome: Clone).
3. Select the cloned version and click Delete (or Disable if the delete button is inactive).

Important: On devices with MIUI 13 and later, the Remove button can be blocked for system clones.

• 🔧 First, click Stop, then try to delete.
• 📂 Clear the cache and clone data (this won’t delete the app, but will reset its settings).

Method 3: Remove via Safe Mode

If Chrome is not removed in normal mode, try it through Safe Mode, where all third-party processes are disabled:

1. Press the power button before the turn off menu appears.
2. Press and hold the option “Switch off power” (or “Reboot” on some models) until the prompt to go to Safe Mode appears.
3. Confirm transition. After rebooting, the bottom left corner of the screen will read "Safe Mode."
4. Repeat the steps from Method 2 to remove the clone.

⚠️ Note: In Safe Mode, some system applications (including clones) can be protected from removal. If the Remove button is still inactive, proceed to the method with ADB.

Method 4: Remove via ADB (for power users)

If standard methods don’t work, use ADB (Android Debug Bridge), a tool for debugging Android through a computer, which is suitable for removing system clones that MIUI blocks from manual removal.

You'll need:

• 🖥️ Computer with installed ADB Tools.
• 📱 Included debugging by USB on a smartphone (Settings) → The phone. → Version. MIUI — Tap 7 times, then go back to Settings → Additionally. → For developers → Debugging by USB).
• 🔌 USB-cable (preferably original).

Steps to remove:

1. Connect your smartphone to your PC and confirm the debugging permission on your phone screen.
2. Open the command line (Windows) or terminal (macOS/Linux) in the adb folder.
3. Enter the command to check the connection: Adb devices must appear serial number of your device.
4. Find out the name of the cloned Chrome package: adb shell pm list packages | grep chrome Look for lines like package:com.android.chrome.second.
5. Remove the clone by command (replace the name of the package with the value found): adb shell pm uninstall -k --user 0 name packet

Note: On some firmware (MIUI 14 for global models), only disable may work instead of completely uninstall:

adb shell pm disable-user --user 0 name packet

💡

If the clone reappears after being removed via ADB after the reboot, check for MIUI updates. In some cases, resetting to factory settings helps (but this is an extreme measure!).

Method 5: Reset MIUI settings (extreme case)

If none of these methods worked, and the cloned Chrome is disrupting your work, you'll reset your settings, and this method will delete all user data, so use it only as a last resort.

Instructions:

1. Back up important data through Settings → Additional → Backup and Reset.
2. Go to Settings → About the phone → Reset settings.
3. Choose Reset All Settings (not to be confused with Reset to Factory, which deletes all data!).
4. Confirm the action. Once you reboot, the cloned Chrome will disappear, but you'll have to reconfigure some of the system's settings.

⚠️ Attention: On devices with MIUI 14 and later resetting settings does not always remove clones created through Dual Apps. In this case, after reset, immediately disable the dual application function in the settings.

💡

Before resetting your settings, check if the Chrome clone is linked to your work accounts (for example, if you used it for a second Google profile).

How to Prevent Chrome Clones in the Future

To avoid the recurrence of a Chrome duplicate, follow these guidelines:

• 🚫 Turn off Dual Apps for browsers: go to Settings → Special facilities → Double Apps and Remove Chrome from the List.
• 🔄 Update regularly MIUI: in new versions of firmware corrected bugs with duplicate applications.
• 📥 Install Chrome only from Google Play, not through third-party APK (This reduces the risk of conflicts with system processes).
• 🔍 Check Permissions: After installing Chrome, open its settings and turn off unnecessary background processes (Settings) → Annexes → Chrome → Permits).

If you use a second Google account frequently, instead of cloning Chrome, install an alternative browser (like Firefox or Brave) and log in there under a different profile.

FAQ: Frequent questions about cloned Chrome on Xiaomi