How to remove unnecessary applications on Xiaomi Redmi: 5 proven ways

Xiaomi Redmi smartphones are known for their price-quality ratio, but many users face the same problem: a huge number of pre-installed applications that take up memory, consume battery power and constantly send notifications. Even after buying a new device, you find dozens of programs that you never planned to use, from duplicate browsers to little-known MiUI services.

In this article, we’ll look at all the ways you can uninstall unnecessary applications on Redmi, from standard methods through settings to advanced techniques using ADB and third-party utilities. You’ll learn which programs can be safely uninstalled and which ones should be turned off so as not to disrupt the system, and we’ll focus on hidden system applications that continue to work in the background even after being “deleted” through the menu.

It’s important to understand that MIUI (Xiaomi firmware) has its own peculiarities: some applications can’t be removed without superuser rights, and others are restored after uninstallation after a system update. We’ll tell you how to get around these restrictions and get rid of digital junk on your Redmi Note 10/11/12, Redmi 9/10 or any other model of the series forever.

1. Standard removal through Android settings

The easiest and safest way is to use the built-in MIUI tools, which are suitable for custom apps you installed from Google Play, as well as for some pre-installed programs that Xiaomi allows you to remove.

To get started:

1. Open Settings (the gear icon on the main screen).
2. Go to the Appendix section → Application management.
3. At the top of the screen, select the All Apps tab (Downloaded may be the default).
4. Scroll through the list and find an unnecessary app (like Mi Browser, Mi Music, or Cleaner).
5. Slip it and select Remove (if the button is active).

If the Remove button is inactive (lit in gray), then the application is system-based and requires other removal methods.

• 🔄 Disable the app (disable button will appear instead of delete) This will stop it from working and hide it from the menu, but will not free up memory.
• 📥 Remove updates (if the app has been updated through Play Market) and return it to the factory version, which often takes up less space.
• ⚙️ Restrict Rights: Go to Permits and disable access to contacts, location, camera, and other features.

⚠️ Note: Do not disable system applications called com.android., miui. or xiaomi.* unless you are sure of their purpose. For example, deactivating Mi Share (com.miui.mishare.connectivity) can disrupt the fast file transfer function between Xiaomi devices.

2.Remove via Google Play Market

Many of Xiaomi’s pre-installed apps (e.g. Mi Video, Mi Community) are actually regular Google Play apps, just installed by default. They can be removed in the standard way through the app store.

Instructions:

1. Open the Google Play Market.
2. Slip on the profile avatar in the upper right corner → App and device management.
3. Go to the Installed tab and find the unnecessary app.
4. Click on it and select Delete.

The advantage of this method is that after deleting the application will not recover when you update MIUI (unlike uninstall via ADB).However, some programs (eg GetApps — Xiaomi brand store) can return after resetting.

Check the list of system applications (do not remove critical ones)

Create a backup copy of important data

Turn off automatic application recovery in Google Play (Settings → Unused Apps)

Write down the names of remote programs in case of problems-->

List of apps that can be safely removed through the Play Market:

• 🌐 Mi Browser (if you use Chrome or Firefox)
• 🎵 Mi Music (replace with Spotify or YouTube Music)
• 📺 Mi Video (alternative — VLC or MX Player)
• 📱 Mi Community (Xiaomi forum, rarely used)
• 🛒 GetApps (branded Xiaomi store, duplicates Play Market)

3.Use of ADB to remove system applications

Removing deeply integrated system applications (e.g. Security, Cleaner, Themes) will require a computer and an ADB (Android Debug Bridge) tool, which does not require root rights, but requires caution – the wrong commands can disrupt the system.

Step-by-step:

1. Download and install Platform Tools (the official Google package with ADB).
2. On your smartphone, turn on Developer Mode: go to Settings → About Phone and tap the MIUI version 7 times.
3. Return to Settings → Additional → For developers and enable USB debugging.
4. Connect your phone to your computer via USB (select File Transfer mode).
5. Open the command prompt (cmd on Windows or Terminal on macOS/Linux) in the folder with ADB.
6. Enter the command to check the connection: Adb devices should appear the name of your device.
7. To uninstall the application, use the command: adb shell pm uninstall --user 0 title.package For example, to uninstall Mi Browser: adb shell pm uninstall --user 0 com.android.browser

List of popular removal packages:

⚠️ Note: Removing system applications through ADB does not free up space in the section /system, Because files remain on the device but are no longer available to the current user, root rights are required to delete them completely.

4. Disabling applications without deleting

If you don't want to risk system stability, but you want to get rid of intrusive notifications and background activity, you can just turn off unnecessary apps, it will stop them working, hide icons from the menu, but it doesn't delete files.

How to turn it off:

1. Go to Settings → Applications → Application Management.
2. Select an app (such as Mi Pay or Game Turbo).
3. Click Disable (button will appear if deletion is not available).
4. Confirm the action in the dialog window.

Applications disabled:

• 🛑 Stop sending notifications.
• 🔋 Do not consume battery power in the background.
• 📱 They don't take up RAM.
• 🔄 You can turn on again at any time through the same settings section.

💡

To return a disabled application, go to Settings → Apps → Show all apps (three dots in the top corner) → select Unplugged and tap on the desired one, then click Enable.

List of applications that can be safely disabled:

• 🎮 Game Turbo (if you don't play mobile games)
• 💳 Mi Pay (unless you use contactless payments from Xiaomi)
• 📡 Mi Remote (unless you control equipment through an IR port)
• 📊 Analytics (com.miui.analytics) – collects data about phone usage
• 📢 Mi Roaming (unless you travel with a Xiaomi Mobile SIM card)

5.Use of third-party utilities for deep cleaning

If manual methods seem complicated, you can use specialized programs that automate the deletion process and often offer additional features (for example, cleaning the cache or searching for duplicates).

Popular utilities:

• 🛠️ SD Maid – deletes residual files after uninstallation, cleans cache and databases.
• 🧹 Debloater (e.g. Universal Android Debloater) – works via ADB, but with a convenient graphical interface.
• 🔍 App Inspector – Helps you find hidden system applications and their packages.
• 📦 Package Disabler – disables system programs without deleting (requires) ADB).

Example of Universal Android Debloater:

1. Download the program from GitHub and install it on your computer.
2. Connect your phone to your PC in USB Debugging (as in the ADB section).
3. Launch the utility and wait for the list of applications to load.
4. Check the boxes for unnecessary programs (the program will tell you which ones can be removed).
5. Press Apply and confirm the action.

💡

The side of the utility simplifies the process, but does not guarantee 100% security. Always check which applications they offer to remove, and check with reliable sources (for example, the forums of XDA Developers).

⚠️ Note: Some utilities (e.g. Debloater) may offer to remove critical system components, such as com.android.phone (telephony) or com.google.android.gsf (Google services), and their removal will lead to loss of network, inability to call or use Play Market.

6.What to do if applications return after the update

One of the most common problems with Xiaomi Redmi is the automatic recovery of remote applications after updating MIUI, which is because the system stores a list of preinstalled programs and restores them when major updates.

How to deal with it:

• 🔄 Turn off automatic updates MIUI: Go to Settings. → The phone. → Update the system. Slap three dots in the top corner. → Settings. Turn off Automatic Update Download.

Titanium Backup

(Requires root): This will prevent them from recovering.

ADB

Re-execute the deletion commands for the returned programs.

Install custom firmware:

LineageOS

Pixel Experience

Xiaomi

.

If you don’t want to opt out of official updates, the most reliable way is to create a list of deleted packets and repeat the procedure through ADB after each update.

adb shell pm uninstall --user 0 com.miui.cleanmaster


adb shell pm uninstall --user 0 com.miui.videoplayer




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

7. Alternative methods: root rights and custom firmware

If you're willing to take drastic measures, getting root rights or installing custom firmware will give you complete control over system applications, techniques that require technical skills and may be unsafe, but allow you to:

• 🗑️ Completely remove system applications (including files from the partition) /system).
• 🔄 Freeze programs so that they do not recover from updates.
• 📱 Install modified versions MIUI without Bloatware, for example, MIUI EU).

Popular custom firmware for Xiaomi Redmi:

⚠️ Attention: Custom firmware installation resets all data on the phone. Pre-create a backup through TWRP Also note that some features (such as Widevine) L1 for Netflix HD) They may stop working.

FAQ: Frequent questions about removing apps on Xiaomi Redmi