Xiaomi and Redmi smartphone owners often face the problem of overcrowded memory and excessive background processes, due to the huge amount of embedded software that cannot be removed by standard methods through the settings menu. MIUI and the new HyperOS are famous for their functionality, but the abundance of advertising and duplicate services can annoy even experienced users.
Cleaning your device of excess “garbage” not only frees up gigabytes of space, but also significantly prolongs battery life. In this article, we will discuss safe and advanced ways to uninstall system components. It is important to understand that deleting critical files can lead to unstable work of the gadget, so all actions must be done consciously.
There are several layers of file system access, each requiring varying degrees of preparation. We'll look at methods ranging from simple shortcutting to using debugging bridges for deep cleaning. Android provides powerful customization tools that we'll use.
Risks and Preparation Before Cleaning the System
Before we take drastic measures, we need to understand the potential consequences of interfering with the system partition. System applications are often linked to each other by complex dependencies. Removing an innocuous component can cause the camera, the app store, or even the boot interface to stop working.
Make sure to back up your data before you start any manipulations. Use Xiaomi Cloud or Google Drive to save contacts and photos. It is also recommended to take a screenshot with a list of packages installed, so that in case of an error, you know what exactly was deleted.
⚠️ Warning: Removing phone or security system packages can turn a smartphone into a brick or cause a cyclical reboot. Always check the destination of the removed component on the Internet.
To work with advanced methods, you need to turn on the developer mode. Go to Settings → About phone and quickly press 7 times on the item Version MIUI or OS. After that, in the advanced settings, a menu will appear for developers, where you need to activate the slider. USB-debugging.
☑️ Preparation for removal of applications
Standard removal via MIUI and HyperOS settings
The easiest and safest way to free up space is to use an integrated application manager. Not all preinstalled programs are system-based; many are just plain software that the manufacturer has chosen not to remove, such as games, browsers, video players and Google services.
What do you delete first? Notice the duplicates of the features. If you use Google Chrome, you probably don't need Mi Browser. Similar to the gallery and video player. The standard algorithm of actions is as follows:
- 📱 Open the Settings. → Annexes → All applications.
- 🔍 Find an unnecessary application in the list (for example, WPS Office or Booking.com).
- 🗑️ Click on it and select the Remove button at the bottom of the screen.
If the delete button is inactive or not, it means that the application is system-based, in which case the standard methods will not work. However, for some Xiaomi services (for example, Mi Video or Mi Music), the system may not offer a complete deletion, but “Disable” – this will hide the application and stop its processes, but the file will remain in place.
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Use the search by app name in the settings menu to find the item you want faster without scrolling through a long list manually.
Using ADB to remove system bloatware
The most effective method that does not require superuser rights (Root) is the use of the Android Debug Bridge toolkit (ADB). This method allows you to delete any packets visible to the system, including those hidden from the average user. USB-cable.
First, you need to download the ADB platform tools from Google's official website and unpack them. Connect your smartphone to your PC in debugging mode. Open the command line or terminal in the folder with ADB and enter a command to check the connection:
adb devicesYou'll see a request on your phone for debugging permission from that computer -- click "Allow." If the terminal displays a serial number of the device, the connection is established. You can now start searching and deleting packets. For convenience, you can use graphical shells like Xiaomi ADB/Fastboot Tools that automate the process.
⚠️ Note: When removing through ADB You won't see the usual warning system, a packet name error can cause you to delete an important component.
To remove a particular application, use the command:
adb shell pm uninstall -k --user 0 name.packetIt is important to understand the difference between deleting for the current user and completely erasing from the system. The command above removes the application only for your profile, leaving it in the system section in case of resetting. This is a safe method, since in case of problems, you can easily restore the state.
List of safe to remove Xiaomi packages
In the Redmi and Poco ecosystem, many packages have complex names starting with the prefix com.miui or com.android.... Without knowing the exact purpose, it is easy to remove the extra. Below is a table with the most common components that you can safely uninstall if you do not use them.
| Package name | Description of the component | Recommendation |
|---|---|---|
| com.miui.miservice | Support and feedback service | Can be removed |
| com.miui.player | Standard music player | Safe if there's a replacement. |
| com.miui.videoplayer | Standard video player | Safe if there's a replacement. |
| com.facebook.katana | Facebook system app | Recommended removal |
| com.mipay.wallet.id | Mi Pay Pay Pay Payment Services | Remove if not used |
The packages that contain the words daemon, analytics or ad in the title are often responsible for collecting statistics and displaying ads on the system, and removing them greatly increases privacy.
However, don’t touch security, phone, mms or settings. Even if you don’t think you’re using them, they can be critical to operating system performance, such as removing the system launcher can lead to a black screen after a reboot.
How to recover a packet deleted via ADB?
Alternative methods: graphical utilities
For those who don’t want to mess with the command line, there are specialized programs with a graphical interface. One of the most popular is Xiaomi ADB/Fastboot Tools for PC. It automatically determines the model of the smartphone, scans installed packages and marks safe to remove in green.
Another option is to use apps directly on your smartphone, such as Universal Android Debloater (requires Wi-Fi ADB connectivity) or various package managers, but running such utilities directly on your device often requires Root rights, which are harder to obtain on modern versions of MIUI due to bootloader locks.
- 💻 PC Tools: Require cable connection, but have the most functionality and security.
- 📱 Mobile Apps: Easy to clean quickly, but may require complex connection settings.
- 🌐 Wireless ADB: Allows you to manage packets over Wi-Fi, which is convenient, but requires initial configuration via cable.
Using graphical interfaces reduces the risk of error, as packet names often come with a clear description. However, even in such programs, it is worth rechecking the action before confirming it.
Recovery of the system after errors
If after removing system components, the smartphone began to behave incorrectly (sound disappears, the network does not work, errors fly out), you must return deleted packets. ADB flag-headed --user 0, Data is not physically erased, but only hidden.
To recover, you just need to reconnect your phone to your computer and command the installation of an existing package. If you delete something critical and the phone does not load beyond the Redmi logo, you will need to log in to Recovery mode. + Nutrition.
In the Recovery menu (if it supports Wipe Data), you can reset to factory settings, which will put all system files back in place, but delete the user's personal data, so backing up before experimenting is a must-do.
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Most problems after removing system applications are solved by resetting settings through Recovery, but personal data will be lost.