How to remove unnecessary programs on Xiaomi Redmi: the complete guide

Owners of Xiaomi and Redmi smartphones often face a situation where after buying the device starts to work slower than expected, or RAM fills up for no apparent reason. The main reason lies in the excessive amount of pre-installed software that consumes the resources of the processor and takes up precious space in internal storage.

The process of removing unnecessary applications on the MIUI shell or the new HyperOS has its own nuances that distinguish these devices from pure Android. Some system components can be removed by standard methods, while others require more deep intervention through a computer or special debugging tools. Understanding these differences will avoid the accidental deletion of critical files necessary for the stable operation of the phone.

In this guide, we’ll look at all the cleaning options available, from simple actions in the settings menu to advanced methods for power users. You’ll learn how to safely dispose of advertising software, Chinese services and duplicate system utilities, returning your gadget to factory response speed.

Analysis of pre-installed software and system constraints

Before we take any action, we need to be clear about what we are fighting. In Xiaomi smartphones, all installed software is divided into three categories: user applications, system components of the shell and hidden services: the first are removed easily, the second require caution, and the third can lead to a “brick” of the device if mishandled.

Special attention should be paid to so-called “system applications”, which are formally part of the operating system, but do not perform critical functions for the basic operation of the phone, these often include browsers, music services, theme stores and various analytical modules, their removal will not disrupt the work of calls or SMS, but will free up resources.

⚠️ Note: Before removing any system components, it is strongly recommended to create a complete data backup. UI», It can lead to an endless reboot of the device.

To analyze the current state, use the built-in task manager or third-party utilities that show real-time resource consumption, which will help to identify “voracious” processes that work in the background and consume battery power even when the screen is off.

It's important to distinguish between deletion and disabling. The shutdown function simply freezes the application, preventing it from starting, but the file remains in memory. Complete deletion physically erases data from the drive, which is especially true for models with a small amount of internal memory.

Basic cleaning through the standard settings menu

The safest and most affordable method for any user is to use a standard application management interface, which does not require a connection to a computer or obtaining advanced rights, which minimizes the risk of system damage, but the range of software that is removed is limited only to user programs.

To start, go to Settings and find the App or All Apps item. In the list that opens, you'll see all the programs you've installed, sorted by alphabet or frequency of use. Click on any application to open the management page.

If the Remove button is active (not grey), then the program can be removed in the standard way, and if only the Disable or Remove Updates button is available, then this is a system component that is protected from direct removal without root rights or ADB.

Remember to clear your cache and data before removing heavy applications such as social media or instant messengers, which will free up extra space and speed up the uninstallation process, especially if the app is stuck or not working properly.

Using Developer Mode and Debugging over USB

To remove deeper system applications that are not removed through the regular menu, you need to activate the hidden developer mode. This is a powerful tool that opens access to settings hidden from the average user, including the ability to manage services and processes.

To activate this mode, go to Settings → About the phone and find the line version MIUI (or OS). You need to press this line quickly. 7-10 Once in a row, until the message "You became a developer" appears, and then a new section will appear in the settings menu. → For developers.

Inside the developer menu, we're interested in USB Debugging. It needs to be enabled. When you connect your smartphone to your computer, you'll see a request for debugging permission on the screen -- be sure to tick "Always Allow" and confirm the action.

USB debugging activation also allows for specialized removal applications that run without root rights but use developer rights to access system partitions, an intermediate step between simple cleaning and complete reprogramming of the device.

Removing system applications via ADB (for advanced)

The most effective way to clean up Xiaomi Redmi from built-in garbage is using the Android Debug Bridge toolkit (ADB). This method allows you to remove almost any packages, including those that are hidden from the user's eyes in the standard interface. USB.

You first need to download and install the Platform Tools package from Google's official website. After unpacking the archive, open the command prompt (in Windows it is cmd or PowerShell) in the tool folder. Connect the phone and enter the adb device command to make sure the device is visible to the computer.

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

The key here is knowing the packet names, for example, com.miui.videoplayer is responsible for the standard video player, and com.miui.player is responsible for the music player, and removing these components is safe if you plan to use third-party counterparts.

If you delete the extra, but the system is unstable, you can always restore the packet with the adb shell cmd package install-existing name of the packet. This returns the application to the “current user only” state, effectively canceling the deletion.

⚠️ Be very careful with packages containing the word security, framework, settings or provider in the name.

Automation of the process with specialized utilities

For those who don’t want to mess with command line and manual code entry, there are graphical shells for ADB. Programs like Xiaomi ADB/Fastboot Tools or Universal Android Debloater make life much easier, they automatically scan the device and suggest removing known secure components.

These utilities often have databases of “safe” and “dangerous” applications for specific models of Redmi and Poco. The user simply ticks against unnecessary software (for example, Mi Browser, Mi Video, GetApps) and clicks the “Uninstall” button.

The advantage of automated tools is that they often know how to backup before being deleted and have a clear interface, but you should only download them from trusted sources, such as GitHub or the 4PDA/XDA forum, to avoid viruses.

Using such programs also allows you to quickly disable advertising in system applications, since many of them are tied to specific service packages that are easy to identify and deactivate with a single click.

Cleaning through Mi Unlock and Engineering Mode

There is another hidden settings layer available through an engineering menu or special codes. Enter ##6484## (or #4636###) opens the code. CIT-Although it is designed for iron testing, some firmware versions contain information about running processes.

More effective for advanced users is unlocking the bootloader (Mi Unlock), which gives you full access to the file system, and allows you to use a Recovery menu (such as TWRP) to delete system partitions or replace them with lighter versions.

However, unlocking a bootloader on Xiaomi has its own peculiarities: you need to wait 7 days (168 hours) after you link your account, and this action resets all data on the device.

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Unlocking the bootloader is a radical method that gives full control over the device, but deprives of warranty and complicates the process of returning to the drain state.

If your goal is to simply remove unnecessary programs, rather than reflash the phone completely, it is better to focus on methods with ADB. They provide 95% of the necessary functionality without the risks associated with modifying the bootloader.

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