Owners of Xiaomi, Redmi and Poco smartphones often face a situation when after an automatic update, their favorite program begins to work incorrectly. Instead of the usual interface, the user gets bugs, increased battery consumption or intrusive advertising. In such cases, there is an urgent need to roll back the software to the previous, stable version. The standard MIUI or HyperOS interface does not always provide an obvious button for the complete removal of updates, which puts many people at a standstill.
The process of returning to the factory version depends on the type of application: whether it is a system component or was downloaded from Google Play. For third-party programs, the solution often lies in a simple reinstallation, whereas system utilities require more profound intervention in the system settings. It is important to understand that removing an update is not just a data cleanup, but namely replacing the current executable version of the APK file with the one that was preinstalled by the manufacturer.
In this article, we will take a look at all the available methods, from the standard Android operating system tools to the use of advanced debugging tools, learn to distinguish between situations where a simple reset helps and cases requiring complete removal of the package. Data security remains a priority, so each step will be accompanied by an explanation of possible risks.
Staffing methods of rollback of system applications
The Android operating system that underlies the MIUI shell has a built-in mechanism to protect system components. You can't just uninstall critical applications like Phone, Messages or Explorer, because that will cause the smartphone to fail, but it's the updates that you want to remove, bringing the app back to the "out of the box" state.
To do this, you have to go to the hidden app information menu. The path may vary slightly depending on the Android version, but the logic remains the same. First, open Settings, then go to the Apps section and select All Apps. Find the problem program in the list.
Once you select the right item in the top right corner of the screen (or at the bottom, depending on the firmware version), a three-dot menu will appear. When you click on it, you will see the option to Remove Updates. If this button is active (not grey), the system allows you to roll back. Pressing will start a process that will take a few seconds, after which the application will return to the version installed in the factory.
⚠️ Note: After this procedure, all data within the application will be reset to factory data. If it is a messenger or notes, make sure you have a backup copy, otherwise the correspondence history may be lost.
It is worth noting that for some deeply integrated Xiaomi services (such as Mi Browser or GetApps), the update removal button may be blocked by the manufacturer, in which case the usual methods will not work, and you will need to use root rights or ADB tools.
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If the Remove Updates button is gray and inactive, try pressing Stop first and then checking the menu again. Sometimes the update process hangs in the background and blocks the user's actions.
Removing Third-Party Applications and Clearing Data
Situation with third-party programs downloaded from Google Play or APK-So, the concept of "remove the update" is transformed into a complete uninstallation of the current version and install the old one. Android doesn't store the history of previous versions for user applications, so you can only go back.
The first step should always be to clean up the data. Even if you plan to just reinstall the application, the accumulated cache and configuration files may conflict with the new (or old) version. Go to Settings → Applications, select the program and click Clear by selecting Clear Everything or Clear Data.
Once cleaned, do the standard deletion. On your desktop, press the app icon and drag it to the cart, or use the Remove button in the app information menu, and then the Play Market store will have an "Install" button, which means there is no program on the device.
- 📱 Go to the smartphone settings and find the "Applications" section".
- 🗑️ Select the problem app and click “Delete” for a complete uninstallation.
- 📥 Find it. APK-a file of a previous version on a trusted resource (for example, 4PDA or APKMirror).
- 🔒 Allow installation from unknown sources in the system window that appears.
It's important to understand the difference between cleaning up cache and cleaning up data. Cache is temporary files that speed up work, it's safe to delete them. Data is your logins, settings and game progress. Before clearing data, always check if your account is synced to the cloud.
Using ADB for Advanced Removal
When Xiaomi’s standard methods block the removal of system updates, the Android Debug Bridge debugging tool comes to the rescue (ADB). This method requires connecting the smartphone to the computer through USB-It allows you to manage packages at the system level, bypassing the limitations of the user interface.
To start, activate the developer mode. Go to Settings → About Phone and quickly click 7 times on the field of the MIUI Version (or OS Version). After the message "You became a developer" go to Additional settings → For developers and turn on the USB debugging switch.
Connect your phone to your PC. On your computer, open the command line in the ADB tool folder and type in a command to check the connection:
adb devicesYou'll see a debugging request on your smartphone screen -- check the "Always Allow" box and click "OK." If the console displays the serial number of the device, the connection is established. Now you need to know the exact name of the application package you want to remove.
adb shell pm list packages | grep "appendix name"For example, for a browser, it could be com.android.browser. Knowing the name of the package, you can execute a command to remove updates or completely uninstall for the current user. the adb shell pm uninstall -k --user 0 <name packet> command will hide the application and remove its updates without affecting the system partition.
⚠️ Be very careful with the teams. ADB. Removing critical system components (such as SystemUI or Settings) can lead to a cyclical reboot of the smartphone (bootloop), which can only be fixed by flashing.
What to do if your computer can’t see your phone?
Comparison of application resetting methods
The choice of method depends on your skills and the type of application. For the average user who has encountered a bug in the standard alarm clock, a regular reset will be enough. For enthusiasts who want to cut out unnecessary Xiaomi services, ADB is indispensable. The table below will help determine the appropriate way.
| Method | Difficulty | Risk of data loss | Efficiency |
|---|---|---|---|
| Staff removal of updates | Low. | High (setting reset) | Medium (systemic only) |
| Reinstallation (APK) | Medium | High (needs backup) | High (for any applications) |
| ADB (debugging) | Tall. | Medium. | Maximum |
| Reset to factory settings | Low. | Critical (whole phone) | Complete (radical) |
Using ADB gives you maximum control, allowing you to remove even those applications that do not have an uninstall button in the interface. However, this method requires care.
If none of the methods work and the application continues to work incorrectly, it may be that the problem is not the version itself, but rather conflict with other installed programs or damage to system files, in which case it is worth considering deeper diagnostic methods.
☑️ Pre-deletion check
Finding stable versions of APK files
If you decide to manually remove the update, you will need an installation file from the previous version. APK-files may contain malicious code. For Xiaomi devices, APKMirror archives are relevant and 4PDA.
When searching, look for the processor architecture of your smartphone. Most modern Redmi and Poco models are based on the architecture of arm64-v8a. Installing a version for armeabi-v7a can lead to startup errors or unstable operation. Information about the processor can be found in the CPU-Z application or in the About Phone section.
It is also important to check the version of Android for which the program is built. Trying to install an application requiring Android 13 on a smartphone with Android 11 will end in a parsing error of the package. Always check the minimum system requirements specified on the file download page.
- 🔍 Use the release date search filters to find a version that worked consistently.
- 🛡️ Check the digital signature of the file if the source provides such information.
- 📉 Avoid versions marked "Beta" or "Dev" if you want stability.
After downloading the file, take your time to install it. First, clean the data of the current application, as described in the previous sections, this will prevent conflicts between the remnants of the new version and the old version that is being installed.
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Always check the digital signature and source APK-Installation of modified system applications may disrupt Google and Mi-account services.
Frequent problems and their solution
Even if all instructions are followed, users may encounter unexpected behavior in the system, such as when an update is removed, the app can automatically update again via Google Play. To prevent this, you need to disable the auto-update for a particular app in the store settings.
Another common problem is the appearance of an “Application Not Installed” error when trying to return an old version, which often happens if the version signatures are different (for example, you are trying to install a global version over the Chinese version, or vice versa), which requires the complete removal of the application along with the residual files through the file manager or ADB.
Sometimes MIUI blocks older versions of system components for security reasons, and only bypassing this restriction is by obtaining Root rights, which automatically disqualifies warranties and can disrupt banking applications, and only use this method if you fully understand the consequences.
⚠️ Note: Getting Root Rights (via Magisk) makes it impossible for some of Google Pay’s banking applications and services to work (NFC Weigh the pros and cons before tampering with the system partition.
If after all the manipulations, the smartphone began to work slower or artifacts appeared on the screen, the system partition may be damaged, in which case the only correct solution is a complete reset to the factory settings (Wipe Data) or flashing the device through the Mi Flash Tool.