How to permanently remove Mi Browser on Xiaomi Redmi 9A: from blackout to deep cleaning

Xiaomi Redmi 9A is one of the most popular budget smartphones, but its MIUI firmware often annoys users with the pre-installed Mi Browser. This app not only takes up space in memory, but also collects activity data, shows annoying ads, and sometimes is not removed by standard methods through the Apps menu. In this article, we will discuss all possible ways to get rid of Mi Browser — from simple disabling to complete deletion of system files.

It's important to understand that Redmi 9A comes with different versions of MIUI (11 to 14), and removal methods may differ. We tested all the instructions on current firmware from 2023 to 2026. If your smartphone was updated via OTA, some paths in the menu may change slightly - but the essence remains the same.

Why is Mi Browser so hard to remove?

The fact is that the Mi Browser on the Redmi 9A belongs to the category of system applications. Xiaomi has integrated it deep into MIUI, linking it to:

• 🔗 Security Updates – Some patches are downloaded via the browser.
• 📱 Quick Apps feature that uses its engine.
• 🔄 Sync your Mi Account – the browser can recover after a reset.

In addition, in the latest versions of MIUI, Xiaomi has added protection against removing system APKs through standard means. Even if you turn off the browser in the settings, its processes can continue to work in the background, consuming up to 50-80 MB of RAM. Below we show you how to completely uninstall the Mi Browser, rather than just hide its icon.

Method 1: Turning off Mi Browser without root (the safest method)

If you don't need radical measures, but you just want to get rid of the browser icon and stop its background activity, this is the best way to do this. It doesn't require superuser rights, and we'll reversing:

1. Open Settings → Applications → Application Management.
2. In the search box, type Mi Browser (or com.android.browser).
3. Click on the application, then select Disable.
4. Confirm the action in the window that appears.

After that, the browser icon will disappear from the home screen and it will cease to update through the Play Market. However, the browser processes can continue to work in the background — check this in Settings → Battery → Battery Use. If you see com.android.browser there, move to the next method.

⚠️ Note: Some of the Redmi firmware 9A The Disable button may be inactive, which means Xiaomi has blocked the shutdown for your version. MIUI. In this case, skip this method and move on to ADB dump.

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

The method is Android Debug Bridge (ADB) You can remove Mi Browser without root rights, but you will need a computer and USB-This is a way of working on Redmi. 9A any version MIUI, unless debugging is disabled USB.

Steps:

1. Activate Developer Mode: Go to Settings → About Phone. Click 7 times on the MIUI Version until the notification "You've become a developer" appears.

USB debugging

Settings → Additional → For Developers

Redmi 9A

ADB Tools

Open the command prompt (Windows) or terminal (Linux/macOS) in this folder and type:

adb devices

(Your device name should appear. If not, check the driver.)

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

If the command is successful, the browser will be deleted for the current user. To return it back, use:

adb shell cmd package install-existing com.android.browser

⚠️ Attention: After removal through ADB function MIUI For example, quick apps (Quick Apps) will stop opening, and built-in browsing will stop. PDF The file manager will give you an error. If it is critical, use method 3 (reset).

Method 3: Complete reset to factory settings (radical method)

If the previous methods failed and the browser continues to recover after the reboot, only a hard reset remains, which will delete all data from the phone, including the Mi Browser, but return it after the first connection to the Mi Account (if synchronization was enabled).

How to do the reset correctly:

1. Create a backup copy: 📁 Contacts (export to) VCF via Contact → Settings → Imports/Exports). 📷 Photos and videos (copy to PC or cloud). 🔑 Passwords (if you store them in Mi Browser, transfer them to another manager).

Mi Account

Settings → Accounts

Settings → About the phone → Reset settings → Erase all data

Enter the password and confirm the reset.

After the reboot, Redmi 9A will suggest setting up the phone as new.Don't connect Mi Account at the setup stage - first check if the Mi Browser has disappeared. If yes, you can connect the account later (but the browser can come back!).

💡

Resetting to factory settings is the only way to guarantee that you will remove the Mi Browser, but it will only work if you don’t restore data from the MIUI backup.

Method 4: Delete with root (for advanced users)

If you're ready to get root rights, you can delete the Mi Browser permanently, including all of its system files. This method is suitable for Redmi 9A with the bootloader unlocked. Note: root is unwarranted and may disrupt MIUI.

Instructions:

1. Unlock the bootloader through the Mi Unlock Tool (requires a wait of 7-15 days).
2. Install custom recovery (such as TWRP).
3. Sweep through Magisk to get root.
4. Install a file manager with root support (such as Root Explorer).
5. Go to /system/app/MiBrowser or /system/priv-app/MiBrowser and delete the folder.
6. Also check the files in /data/app/com.android.browser*.

Decisions:

1. Turn off automatic app updates in the Play Market.
2. Do not connect your Mi Account immediately after a reset.
3. Use Package Disabler (requires root) to block browser recovery.

If the browser is back after the MIUI update, repeat the deletion via ADB or root. In extreme cases, you can roll back to the previous version of the firmware via Fastboot, but this is risky and can lead to locking the phone.

Mi Browser Alternatives for Redmi 9A

After removing the system browser, we recommend installing one of these alternatives:

For the Redmi 9A with 2GB of RAM, it’s better to choose Firefox Lite or Opera Mini – they’re optimized for weak devices and consume less resources than Chrome.

FAQ: Frequent questions about Mi Browser removal