Modern Xiaomi smartphones running on the Android operating system often come with a pre-installed set of services from Google, among them for a long time was the application Play Music, which was a standard media player and streaming service. However, Google has officially stopped supporting the service, moving all functionality and user libraries to the YouTube Music platform. MIUI HyperOS and the old application continues to take place in the system section.
For many device owners, having broken or duplicate software becomes an annoyance. The system application cannot be removed in the usual way through the settings menu, since it has administrator rights and is protected from accidental removal. Users often wonder how to free up precious space and restore order in the list of installed programs. In this article, we will discuss in detail the safe methods for uninstalling or disabling a component.
It is important to understand that interfering with system components requires care. Mistakes can lead to unstable interfaces or loss of data. Play Music is deeply integrated into Google’s ecosystem, and its complete removal may require the use of specialized debugging tools. We will look at both simple concealment methods and advanced ways to completely clean the system of excess code.
Why Play Music is Still on the Phone
The reason for keeping this app on your device is because of the specifics of the Android operating system update: When Google announced it was shutting down, they didn’t force it to be removed from users’ devices to avoid disrupting local libraries and cached data. On Xiaomi smartphones, the situation is made worse by the fact that manufacturers often freeze versions of system applications when the firmware is released.
If you bought a phone that was released a few years ago, or you were using a global firmware version that hasn't received major security and service updates in a long time, the legacy component might have stayed in the system. APK-file, but also stores cache, album covers and metadata that can weigh hundreds of megabytes.
⚠️ Warning: Attempting to delete system files through root file managers without proper preparation can lead to a cyclical smartphone reboot (bootloop).
In addition, some users may have accidentally restored the app from a backup when switching to a new phone. Google Play Protect sometimes sees the lack of standard services as a potential security threat or a violation of system integrity, although in this case it is only a morally outdated product. Having two music apps from one developer creates confusion when choosing the default player.
The main problem is that the Delete button in the application management menu is inactive, and the system blocks this operation, considering the component to be critical to the operation of other Google services. However, as practice shows, modern versions of YouTube Music or third-party players like PowerAmp and Musicolet successfully cope with the playback of local files without the involvement of legacy services.
Preparing a smartphone to remove system applications
Before you start taking active action to remove or disable system components, you need to properly prepare your device. The first and most important step is to create a complete backup of data. Even if you plan to just disable the application, there is always a risk of accidental error.
Then you need to activate the hidden mode of the developer. → About the phone and find the item "Version" MIUI» or "Version" OS». Press it quickly. 7-10 Once in a row, until you notice that you have become a developer, and then a new section will appear in the main settings menu. → For developers.
- 🔍 Enable the "Debugging by" option USB» — This will allow the computer to send commands to the phone.
- 🔒 Allow applications to be installed from unknown sources if you plan to use third-party managers.
- 🔋 Make sure the battery is at least 50% so that the device does not turn off during the process.
- 💻 Prepare. USB-cable with good shielding for stable connection to PC.
You will also need a computer running Windows, macOS or Linux, and you will need to install drivers for Xiaomi devices (usually installed automatically with platform tools) and themselves. ADB-Without this toolkit, interaction with the system partition of the phone will not be possible.
☑️ Readiness to remove system applications
Disconnection method through system settings
The safest and easiest way to get rid of an intrusive application is to force it to shut down.This method does not physically delete files from the /system partition, but completely stops the process, hides the icon from the menu and prevents the application from running in the background. For most users, this is enough to stop noticing the presence of excess software.
To do this, go to Settings → Apps → All Apps. In the list, look for Play Music (could be called Google Play Music). Click on it to open the control page. If the Remove button is inactive (gray), look for the "Disable" or "Disable" button. The system will warn you that replacing this application may affect the operation of other functions.
| Action. | The result | Returns |
|---|---|---|
| Clearing the data | Removing cache and settings | Safe. |
| Forced stopping | Temporary completion of the process | It'll start again. |
| Shutdown | Complete shutdown of work | Only manually. |
| Removal of updates | Return to the factory version | Safe. |
Once you click the disable button, the app icon will disappear from the desktop and menu. If the system requires confirmation, agree to the action. In some versions of MIUI, you may need to first click "Remove Updates" to activate the full disable button. This will return the application to the original factory version, which takes up the minimum space.
The advantage of this method is that it can be reversible, and if some widget or alarm clock associated with music stops working, you can always turn the app back on in the same settings menu, which is ideal for those who are afraid to make changes to system files and do not want to use the computer.
What happens to files when they are disabled?
Complete removal through ADB-team
For those who want to make room completely and remove the application from the system forever, there is a method of using the ADB debugging bridge. This method requires connecting the smartphone to the computer, but gives maximum control over the device. You do not need Root rights, enough user rights with increased privileges through debugging.
First, download and unpack Platform Tools from Google's official website. Connect your phone with a cable to your PC. Open the command prompt (CMD) or terminal in the ADB folder and type in the connection check command: adb devices. The phone will have a request for debugging permission — tick "Always Allow" and click "OK."
adb shell pm uninstall -k --user 0 com.google.android.musicThis command removes the com.google.android.music package for the current user (user 0), which effectively removes the application from the system. Once you execute the command, you will see the message "Success". The application will disappear from the installed list and its files will be removed from active use. It is important not to delete the packages whose names you are not sure about, so as not to disrupt the work of Google Play Services.
⚠️ Note: Uninstall removes the app only for the current user. When you reset your phone to the factory settings (Hard Reset), the application will return, as the physical file in the section /system remains intact.
If you want to return the app back, use the command: adb shell cmd package install-existing com.google.android.music. This is useful if after deleting you find that some feature of the smartphone has stopped working correctly.Always check the name of the package before entering the command so that you do not accidentally remove the system component necessary for the phone to work.
Use of third-party uninstallers
For users who don’t want to mess with the command line, developers have created handy graphical shells for ADB. One of the most popular and proven tools is Universal Android Debloater or System App Remover (requires root, but there are versions without). These utilities automatically determine the list of system applications and mark safe to remove.
When you use these programs, you'll see a list of all packages installed on your computer screen, and you'll search for Google Music or Play Music, and it will tell you whether the package is safe to remove (usually marked in green), and in red, you'll often see critical system processes that you don't want to touch.
- 📱 Universal Android Debloater is an open source cross-platform utility.
- 🗑️ ADB AppControl - a convenient program for Windows with a Russian interface.
- 🛡️ Safety Check – built-in security check before removal.
The main advantage of GUIs is that they have databases of secure packages. The program can warn you that removing a particular component can cause a malfunction of the Google Assistant or other services. This reduces the risk of turning a smartphone into a brick due to human error.
Alternatives and Replacement of Functionality
After removing Play Music, users may be wondering how to listen to local files. Fortunately, the mobile player market offers many powerful alternatives that often outperform standard solutions for functionality and sound quality, many of which are completely free and free of ads.
One of the best replacements is YouTube Music, which has become the official heir, which allows you to upload up to 100,000 tracks from your personal collection to the cloud and listen to them anywhere. For those who prefer to store music on a memory card, Musicolet, Pulsar or AIMP are great choices. These players support all audio formats, equalizers and themes.
Xiaomi smartphone owners can also use the built-in MIUI Music player. Despite the presence of advertising in some regions, it is well optimized for shelling, supports folder sorting and has a built-in equalizer. If you don’t like the preinstalled software, you can turn it off too by installing a third-party alternative from Google Play.
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Tip: Before removing the standard player, install and configure the alternative by assigning it to the default application for opening audio files.
The choice of alternatives depends on your habits. If you subscribe, cloud services will be more convenient. If you are a collector of FLAC and MP3 files, you should choose an offline player with support for tags. In any case, removing the broken service of Google will free up resources and remove confusion in the menu.
Possible problems and solutions
Unforeseen situations may occur when you remove system components, such as when you run an ADB command, your phone may start to run slower or stop opening the app store, most often it involves removing dependent libraries, and if you only delete the com.google.android.music package, you're unlikely to have any problems, but you need to be aware of them.
If you notice that notifications have stopped coming or the system will crash after disabling the application, try cleaning the cache of Google Play services. Go to Settings → Apps → Google Play Services → Storage → Clear the cache. This often helps the system rebuild the connections between the remaining components.
In the rare cases where the phone goes into a cyclical reboot after removing the system package, only a factory reset (Wipe Data) via Recovery mode will help. Which is why we insist on the importance of backing up before starting any manipulation of the system partition. Be careful and only delete the one in which you are fully confident.
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Safely remove Play Music does not affect the performance of other Google services such as YouTube, Maps or Gmail, as it is an independent component.