How to remove unnecessary system applications on Xiaomi Redmi

Xiaomi and Redmi smartphone owners often find themselves in a situation where they find a lot of pre-installed programs in their memory after buying a new device, which take up precious space, consume RAM and even drain the battery while working in the background. The process of getting rid of digital garbage, or bloatware, is a key step in optimizing the operation of the MIUI or HyperOS operating system.

Removing system components requires caution, as incorrect actions can lead to unstable work of the gadget or the appearance of errors in the interface. Unlike the usual removal of user programs, it will require special tools and knowledge of which packages can be touched and which are responsible for the basic functionality of the phone. Below we will consider proven methods of cleaning the system from excess software without obtaining Root rights.

Start by analyzing what’s installed on your default device. The standard suite of applications from Xiaomi and third-party partners can include browsers, game stores, news aggregators, and services that you’ll never use. Their presence not only annoys the visual clutter, but also puts a strain on the processor. Understanding the structure of system packages is the first step to a clean and fast system.

Why you can’t just delete apps through settings

The Android user interface in the MIUI shell is restricted to system partitioning. When you try to remove a standard application through the settings menu, the Remove button is often inactive or hidden, and this is done by developers to protect the integrity of the operating system from inexperienced actions that could lead to the device's "brickling."

System applications have a different privilege level than user programs. They are built into the system partition /system/app or /system/priv-app, which is read-only by default. The normal mode of operation of a smartphone does not allow changes to these directories, which is why you can only turn off some components with standard tools, which does not free up space in memory, but only hides their icon.

⚠️ Note: Attempts to obtain Root rights only for the sake of removing applications can lead to loss of warranty and disruption of banking services using SafetyNet or Play Integrity protection.

To remove the device properly, you need to use the Android Debug Bridge (ADB) debugging protocol, which allows your computer to interact with your smartphone operating system at a deep level, gaining rights that are not available in normal mode. Using ADB is safe as long as you follow the instructions and delete only the packets you know without touching critical system processes.

Preparing your smartphone and computer for the removal of bloatware

Before starting the procedure, you need to configure the environment correctly. You will need a computer with a Windows, macOS or Linux operating system and a high-quality computer. USB-You should first activate the hidden developer menu on the smartphone itself. → About phone and quickly press 7 times in a row on the item Version MIUI (or OS).

After activating the developer menu, go back to the main settings menu and find the section Additional → For developers, you need to turn on the debugging switch here. USB. The system will give you a risk warning to accept, and it is recommended to include an option. USB-debugging (security settings) if it is available in your firmware version to allow click simulation and control via PC.

You need to install Platform-tools on your computer from the official Android developer site. This is the minimum set containing executable files adb.exe and fastboot.exe. After unpacking the archive, open the command line or PowerShell in the tool folder. Connect your smartphone with a cable and enter the command adb devices. On the phone screen, you will see a request for debugging permission, where you need to tick "Always Allow" and click "OK".

Using Xiaomi ADB/Fastboot Tools to clean up

One of the most effective and safest ways to remove system debris is to use Xiaomi’s dedicated ADB/Fastboot Tools utility.This is a graphical interface application that automatically identifies the connected device and offers a list of packages that are safe to remove.

After connecting the smartphone through ADB, The software will scan the list of installed packages, and you will see the division into categories: system, user, etc. To delete, you just select the unnecessary items in the list and click the Uninstall button. -k --user 0 [package_name], that will remove the application for the current user without physically affecting the system partition, but making it disappear for the OS.

• 📱 Security: The program has a built-in database warning you to remove critical components.
• 🔄 Recovery: Applications deleted through this tool can be easily returned if you save a list of packages or know their names.
• ⚡ Speed: The process takes minutes, unlike manual commands.
• 🛠️ Additional: The tool allows you to disable advertising in system applications and change the region of the device.

It is important to understand that deleting files via ADB does not physically erase files from the /system partition, but only deletes them for the current user (user 0).This means that when you completely reset your settings to the factory (Wipe Data), all remote applications will return to their places. However, for everyday use, the effect will be the same as if you completely delete them: programs will not work, consume resources and corny eyes.

Package analysis: what can be removed and what can not be removed

The most critical stage is choosing candidates for removal. In the list of packages, the names often do not tell the average user. For example, com.miui.video is a standard video player that can be removed if you use VLC or MX Player. However, deleting com.android.phone will cause the phone to stop catching the network and making calls.

Below is a table of common Xiaomi packages and their security status when removed:

Special attention should be paid to MSA-related packages (MIUI System Ads), removing com.miui.msa.global or com.miui.misys will significantly reduce the number of ad integrations in the interface, and often removing Mi Pay, Mi Credit and other regional services that do not work outside of China or India.

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Before mass deletion, take a screenshot of a list of packages or export it to a text file, which will quickly find the name of the remote application, if you need to restore it.

Alternative methods: Universal Android Debloater

If you don’t have the tools for Xiaomi, you can use Universal Android Debloater (UAD), an open source application that works with any Android device, and its main advantage is that it has ready-made security profiles for various brands, including Redmi and POCO.

The UAD interface divides applications into categories: Recommended (recommended for removal), Unsafe (dangerous), and All. The program automatically tags packages known as safe to remove on your smartphone model, which reduces the risk of accidentally removing the system component necessary for Wi-Fi or Bluetooth to work.

The program is simple: once you connect your device to ADB, click the Scan device button. The utility will download the current list of packages. You can filter them by name or status. To delete, select the desired lines and press Uninstall selection. The process is quick, and the result is visible immediately after updating the list of applications on the phone.

Recovery of Remote System Applications

What if, after deleting a packet, the phone started to behave strangely, the sound went off or the alarm went off? Because we didn't physically erase files, but only disabled them for the user, it takes seconds to recover, and you'll need to connect to your computer again and have ADB running.

To restore, you use the cmd package install-existing (for Android 12+) or pm install-existing (for older versions).

adb shell pm install-existing --user 0 com.package.name

Replace com.package.name with the real name of the remote package. If you used graphics utilities, they usually have a Recycle Bin or Restore tab that displays the history of remote applications. Simply press the restore button opposite the desired item, and the program will execute the necessary command.

⚠️ Note: If you have removed a critical application (such as SystemUI or Settings) and your phone has gone into an endless reboot, only a full reset via Recovery Mode (Wipe Data) will help, which will return all system files to place.

It's important to note that recovery is only possible if you haven't reset to factory after you've deleted it. So always keep a list of deleted packets on hand. Some users create a backup.txt text file with a list of all remote commands, so you can just copy and paste them into the terminal for the reverse process.

FAQ: Frequently Asked Questions

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Removing bloatware via ADB is a safe optimization method that does not violate the warranty, but requires careful consideration when selecting the packets to be removed.