How to remove unnecessary apps on Xiaomi Poco M3

Poco smartphones, particularly the M3, often come with pre-installed software that many users consider redundant.This phenomenon, known as bloatware, can take up a significant amount of internal memory and consume CPU resources even in the background. For owners of 64GB devices, the issue of clearing space becomes critical as the system and underlying applications occupy a significant portion of disk space.

The process of removing programs on the shell of MIUI or HyperOS has its own features that distinguish it from pure Android. Some interface elements are hidden, and access to system components is limited by security rights. Understanding the file system architecture and package management methods will allow you not only to free up space, but also to speed up the work of the gadget by removing unnecessary processes.

In this guide, we will look at all the cleaning methods available, from standard desktop removal to advanced computer-based debugging techniques and USB debugging. You will learn to distinguish between secure-to-remove components and critical system services, whose disruption can lead to device instability.

Before you start to act, you need to prepare the device, which involves backing up important data and checking the current firmware version, and not being prepared can lead to loss of contacts or settings, so you shouldn't ignore this step.

Basic removal through the desktop and settings

The easiest and safest way to get rid of unnecessary software is to use a standard operating system interface, which is suitable for removing user applications downloaded from the Google Play store or installed through the Google Play Store. APK-To start, look for the icon of the unwanted program on the desktop or in the menu of all applications.

Click on the icon and hold your finger until the pop-up menu appears. Depending on the version of the shell, you will be offered options. If the program is not system, you will see a Remove button with the image of the cart. Drag the icon to this area or press the corresponding button in the confirmation window that appears.

If standard removal is not available, you need to go to the deep settings menu. Open Settings, then select the App section and click All Apps. Here is the full list of installed software. Find the desired name in the list, tap it and select the Remove button at the bottom of the screen.

It is worth noting that some pre-installed Xiaomi apps, such as Mi Video, Mi Music or GetApps, often do not have an active delete button in this menu, in which case the system offers only the option to Disable or Stop, which hides the program from the menu, but does not delete its files from the disk.

⚠️ Warning: Do not attempt to remove applications related to telephony, messaging, or system settings unless you are sure of their purpose.Removing critical components can cause a device to cyclically reboot.

For more detailed memory analysis, go to the Memory inside the app card, where you can clear the cache, which often inflates to hundreds of megabytes, which temporarily solves the problem of space shortage without completely removing the program.

Using the debugging menu for extended removal

If standard methods don't work, you can use a hidden developer menu, which gives you access to additional system management functions that are hidden by default from the average user, and activating this mode is the first step to full control of the device.

To turn on the developer mode, go to Settings, then About Phone. Find the MIUI version bar and quickly click on it 7-10 times in a row. After a few clicks, a notification will appear that you have become a developer. Now a new Developer option will appear in the main settings menu, in the Additional section.

Inside this menu, you need to find and activate the USB Debugging Switch. The system will alert you to potential security risks - confirm the action. It is also recommended to enable the Install via USB option, although this may not be necessary for the deletion process itself, but will be useful in the future.

Once you activate debugging, when you connect your smartphone to your computer, you'll see a request for debugging permission on your screen. Always check your computer's name and check the box to Always Allow from that computer so you don't have to confirm it every time you do it again.

Using this mode opens the way to the use of specialized utilities such as Xiaomi ADB/Fastboot Tools, which allow you to remove even system applications without superuser rights.

Removing System Bloatware through ADB

Method of removal through ADB (Android Debug Bridge is the most efficient way to clean up deeply integrated debris, and it doesn’t require root rights, which keeps the device guaranteed and the ability to get official firmware updates. To work, you will need a computer with Windows, macOS or Linux and a cable. USB.

The first step is to install drivers for your Poco M3 and ADB platform tools. Download the archive from the Android Studio platform or use the minimalist ADB installer. Unpack the files into a handy folder, such as C:\adb, and open the command prompt in this directory.

Connect your smartphone to your PC with a cable. Enter the command line for adb devices. You'll see a request for debugging permission on your phone screen, confirm it. If the console displays the serial number of a device with device status, you've got a connection.

adb shell pm list packages

This command will display a list of all packages. To find a specific application, use a filter. For example, to search for Xiaomi applications, type adb shell pm list packages | grep xiaomi. The package name usually looks like com.miui.videoplayer or com.facebook.katana.

To remove the found package, use the command:

adb shell pm uninstall -k --user 0 name.packet

Replace the name.packet with the real name you received in the previous step. The --user 0 flag means that the application is removed for the current main user, effectively making it unavailable, but leaving the possibility of recovery when resetting.

If you make a mistake, don't worry. The application can be restored by the adb shell cmd package install-existing name.packet, which returns the system packet deleted by the user to its original state.

Automation of the process with ADB AppControl

Working with the command line can seem difficult for an untrained user. Fortunately, there are graphical shells that automate the process. One of the best programs for Xiaomi owners is ADB AppControl. It has a Russian interface and a knowledge base about secure applications.

After installing the program on your PC and connecting your smartphone with USB debugging enabled, ADB AppControl will automatically determine the device. In the main window, a list of all installed applications with color labels will be displayed: green – system (do not touch), yellow – potentially deleteable, red – user.

You can select multiple applications at once and click Remove or Disable, and the program will create a restore point before making changes, which is a huge plus, and if you have problems, you can quickly roll back the system through the program interface.

Use Deactivation instead of deleting if in doubt, it will hide the application and stop its processes, but it will not delete the files completely. If after a week of operation there are no problems, you can proceed to complete deletion.

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Using graphical shells like ADB AppControl reduces the risk of error to a minimum by visualizing processes and creating restore points.

Analysis of the occupied space and cache

Often the problem is not the number of apps, but the amount of data they generate. Social networks, messengers and browsers can take up gigabytes of space due to cache, stored images and logs. Before deleting programs, check what exactly "eats" your memory.

Go to Settings → Memory. The system will show a usage chart. Click on the App category and sort the list by size. You may be surprised to find that Telegram or Instagram is 5-10 GB, even though they themselves weigh only 200 MB.

Inside the app card, find Clear Cache, which is a secure operation that will delete temporary files, and Clear Everything or Reset will also delete logins and settings, which will require re-authorization, and only use it if the app is not working properly.

For multimedia applications like WhatsApp, cleaning is better done inside the app itself through the Data and Memory menu, where you can selectively delete large video files, saving important text messages.

Cleaning the cache regularly is a good habit, but don’t use aggressive “cleaners” that promise to speed up the phone, often a source of advertising and unnecessary load on the Poco M3 processor.

Possible risks and system recovery

There are always risks involved in interfering with system files, and even experienced users can accidentally remove a component that is necessary for a network, sound, or sensor to function, and it is important to understand what consequences may occur and how to eliminate them.

The most common problem after aggressive cleaning is network loss or inability to make calls, which occurs when packets associated with a radio module or a radio module are deleted. IMS-If you've lost a signal after the reboot, check if you've deleted packets called com.android.phone or com.qualcomm.

⚠️ Note: Removing the System Security app on Xiaomi devices may cause permissions for other applications to fail, battery management and auto-start.

If the device gets into a bootloop after you've done it, try booting into Safe Mode. For the Poco M3, this is done by pressing the volume button down when you turn on. In Safe Mode, only user apps are removed, but system apps marked for removal via ADB can block download.

In the worst case scenario, only flashing the device through the Mi Flash Tool will help, which will completely erase all data, but return the phone to the factory state, so having an up-to-date backup on a cloud service or PC is a must before any manipulations begin.

Remember that removing system applications completely through ADB does not erase them from the recovery section. When you complete a full reset of the Windows Data to the recovery menu, all system applications you have removed will return to their places.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)