How to completely remove applications from Xiaomi Redmi 9: system, preinstalled and custom

Xiaomi Redmi 9 with factory-built MIUI firmware often comes with dozens of pre-installed apps, many of which the user simply doesn’t need. They take up space in memory, consume battery power in the background and can even collect data about your activity. However, the removal of such programs is not always obvious: some are protected from standard removal, and others suddenly reappear after uninstallation after a system update.

In this article, we’ll look at all the possible ways to uninstall applications on Redmi 9, from basic methods through the settings menu to advanced techniques using ADB and manual editing of system files, how to distinguish user programs from system ones, why some applications can’t be removed without superuser rights, and what to do if they return after cleaning, and we’ll also give recommendations for optimizing the device after removing unnecessary software.

Why is Xiaomi Redmi 9 so much of a useless app?

Smartphone manufacturers, including Xiaomi, often install pre-installed software packages on devices for several reasons:

• 💰 Partnering: Companies like Facebook, Netflix or AliExpress are paying to host their apps on new devices.
• 🌍 Localization by region: Different countries may have their own service sets (e.g. Mi Pay for India or Mi Video for China).
• 🔧 Functionality MIUI: Some system utilities (e.g. Security or Cleaner) are integrated into the shell and are removed only at risk for stability.
• 📊 Data collection: Applications like Mi Analytics or MSA (Mobile Services Framework sends anonymous statistics to Xiaomi.

Redmi 9 with MIUI 12/13 firmware (depending on version) preinstalled up to 40-60 applications, of which the user really needs no more than 10-15. the rest either duplicate functions (for example, two browsers: Mi Browser and Google Chrome), or not used at all (for example, Mi Community or Mi Credit for the Indian market).

⚠️ Note: Removing system applications without understanding their role can cause disruptions MIUI, For example, the disappearance of notification panels, update errors, or the inability to use certain features (such as themes or cloud backups).

What applications can be removed without risk to the system?

Before you start cleaning, it is important to divide all programs into three categories:

You can safely remove:

• 📱 Social networks and instant messengers if you do not use them (for example, Facebook, LinkedIn).
• 🎮 Games from Xiaomi (Mi Game Center) or third-party demos.
• 🌐 Duplicate browsers (Mi Browser with Chrome).
• 🎵 Music and video players (Mi Music, Mi Video) if you use YouTube Music or Spotify.
• 🛒 Marketplaces (AliExpress, Amazon Shopping) if you don’t need them.

You should be careful with:

• 🔒 Google Play Services (Google Play Services, Google Play Store) – their removal will disrupt the operation of the app store.

💡

Before you delete system applications, back up your data via Settings → About Phone → Backup. This will help restore the device to health in the event of a failure.

Method 1: Standard removal via MIUI settings

The easiest method is to use built-in MIUI tools. It is suitable for custom applications and parts of preinstalled ones that are not system-based.

Instructions:

1. Open Settings (the gear icon on the main screen).
2. Go to the Appendix section → Application management.
3. In the list, find the desired application (for example, Mi Browser) and tap it.
4. Press the Remove button (if it is active).
5. Confirm the action in the window that appears.

If the Remove button is inactive or not, the application is protected.

• 🔄 Disable it (disable button will appear instead of delete) This will stop the background work, but the application file will remain in memory.
• 🗑️ Clear cache and data (Clear cache and Clear data buttons) to free up space.

⚠️ Note: Some apps (such as Mi Video or Mi Music) may recover after a standard deletion after a reboot or update. MIUI. This is due to the protection mechanism of system components.

Method 2: Delete via Google Play Market

If the app was installed through Google Play, it can be removed from the store, a method that is convenient for mass cleaning of unnecessary programs.

How to do this:

1. Open the Google Play Market.
2. Slip on the profile avatar in the upper right corner.
3. Select Application and Device Management.
4. Go to the tab Installed.
5. Find the unnecessary app and click on the basket icon (Delete).

Advantages of the method:

• 🔍 Easy search and filtering by installation date.
• 📊 Size-sorting capability (to first remove the heaviest programs).
• 🔄 Automatically update the list after deletion.

Limitations:

• ❌ It does not work for system and pre-installed applications Xiaomi.

Method 3: Remove system applications via ADB (no root rights)

To remove secure applications (e.g. Mi Browser, Mi Music, Mi Video), you can use ADB (Android Debug Bridge), a debugging tool that allows you to send commands to a device from a computer, which does not require superuser rights (root), but requires the activation of the developer mode.

Step-by-step:

1. Install ADB on your computer: Download Platform Tools from the official Android website. Unpack the archive in any folder (for example, C:\adb).

List of packages of popular Xiaomi applications for removal through ADB:

• 🌐 Mi Browser: com.android.browser
• 🎵 Mi Music: com.miui.player
• 🎬 Mi Video: com.miui.videoplayer
• 🛒 Mi App Store: com.xiaomi.mipicks
• 📱 Mi Community: com.xiaomi.channel
• 💰 Mi Pay: com.miui.mipay

⚠️ Note: pm uninstall commands remove the application only for the current user (--user 0). After resetting settings or updating MIUI It can come back. Root rights are required to remove it completely.

💡

Using ADB is the safest way to remove system applications without rooting permissions, but it requires caution.A mistake in the team can result in the removal of a critical MIUI component.

Method 4: Manual removal with root rights (for power users)

If you are ready to root (for example, through Magisk), you can uninstall any application, including those deeply integrated into MIUI. This method provides maximum freedom, but also maximum risk.

What you'll need:

• 📱 Unlocked bootloader on Redmi 9.
• 🔧 Installed by Magisk or other root rights manager.
• 🖥️ Program for working with system files (for example, Root Explorer or Mixplorer).

Instructions:

1. Open a file manager with root support (such as Mixplorer).
2. Go to /system/app or /system/priv-app (there are stored system applications).
3. Find a folder with the name of the application you are removing (for example, Browser for Mi Browser).
4. Delete the folder or rename it (for example, by adding.bak at the end).
5. Reset the device.

Warnings:

• 🚨 Risk of "brike": Incorrectly deleting system files can make your phone inoperable.
• 🔄 Loss of warranty: Unlocking the bootloader and obtaining root rights void the Xiaomi warranty.
• 🛡️ Security issues: Device becomes more vulnerable to malware.

If after removing the system application, the phone stopped working normally (for example, notifications are missing or settings do not open), try:

• Restore the deleted folder from the backup.
• Flash the device via Fastboot (instructions are available on the XDA Developers forum).

How to prevent the return of remote applications after the MIUI update?

One of the most common problems with the Xiaomi Redmi 9 is the automatic recovery of remote applications after a firmware update, which is because MIUI stores a list of system components and restores them when it updates.

Ways to combat this:

• 🔄 Disable auto-updates MIUI: Go to Settings. → The phone. → Update the system. ⚙️ In the upper right corner, disable the option Automatic download updates.

Block installation via ADB

After removing the application, execute the command:

adb shell pm hide com.android.browser

(Replace com.android.browser with the desired package).

This hides the app from the system and it won’t recover.

Use Magisk modules

Install Universal Debloater or Xiaomi Debloater via Magisk, which blocks the recovery of unnecessary applications.

build.prop

Add a line:

ro.miui.no_debloat=1

This disables the bloatwar repair mechanism, but may disrupt some MIUI functions.

If the app comes back anyway, try:

• Remove it immediately after the update without restarting the phone.
• Use ADB to remove with the --user 0 flag (as described above).
• Switch to custom firmware (like LineageOS or Pixel Experience) where there is no preinstalled bloatwar.

⚠️ Warning: If you are not sure of your actions, it is better to contact the Xiaomi service center.

FAQ: Frequent questions about removing apps on Xiaomi Redmi 9