How to uninstall the game app on Xiaomi Redmi Note 9: The Complete Guide

Modern Xiaomi Redmi Note 9 smartphones have excellent price-performance ratios, but pre-installed software, often called bloatware, can be annoying to users, especially intrusive gaming applications that take up valuable space in internal memory and consume system resources in the background. Many device owners have difficulty trying to standardly uninstall such components, since the MIUI system often blocks the removal of embedded products.

The need to clean up is not only aesthetically important, but also to improve the autonomy of the gadget. System games may not be used by the owner, but at the same time regularly request updates or send telemetry, which negatively affects battery life. In this article, we will look at all available methods to safely get rid of excess software, from simple methods through the interface to advanced debugging techniques.

It's important to understand that the Android operating system in the MIUI shell has a complex permission structure. Some applications are marked as system, which makes the "Delete" button inactive in the standard settings menu. However, this does not mean that they will forever remain in your device. There are proven algorithms to circumvent these restrictions without the need for super-user rights (root), which preserves the guarantee on the device.

Before you start active, you should review installed programs. Often users forget about old projects that were downloaded long ago and just take up space. Analysis of disk space will help identify the most "heavy" objects that should be disposed of in the first place to speed up the work of the Redmi Note 9.

Standard Removal of User Games Through Settings

The most obvious and safe method is to use an integrated application manager, which is suitable for all games that have been downloaded by the user independently from the Google Play store or Mi GetApps. The uninstallation process in this case is completely controlled by the system and does not require additional tools.

To start, you need to go to the smartphone settings menu. Find the Apps section and select All apps. This shows the full list of installed software. At the top of the screen, there is often a search bar where you can type in the game name so you don't flip through a long list manually. This is especially convenient if you have a lot of programs in memory.

  • ๐ŸŽฎ Open a list of all applications in the system settings.
  • ๐Ÿ” Find an unnecessary game by name or visually in the list.
  • ๐Ÿ—‘๏ธ Click on the basket icon or the "Delete" button at the bottom of the screen.

Once confirmed, the system will vacate space. However, it is worth noting that cache residues or save files may remain in memory. For complete cleaning, it is also recommended to check the download folder or use a built-in cleaner. If the delete button is inactive (grey), then the application is system-status and other methods will be required.

โš ๏ธ Note: When removing games, make sure you donโ€™t erase important system components that masquerade as games, although in the case of the Redmi Note 9, such cases are rare.

Sometimes, once removed, the icon of the game can remain on the desktop as a dummy label, in which case it is enough to just drag it to the delete area or press and hold it until the cross appears, and it is a visual artifact that does not take up space, but removes it for order.

Remove pre-installed system games via Mi GetApps

Xiaomi smartphones often come with its own GetApps app store, where various game projects can be pre-installed.These apps are formally considered custom, but their removal can be hidden in the depths of the menu or require disabling auto-update. In some versions of MIUI firmware, such games are integrated quite deeply.

To remove a game received through this channel, you can try to find it in the list of installed programs, as described in the previous section. However, if the standard path does not work, it is worth checking the settings of the GetApps store itself. Go to the user profile and find the "App Management" section.

There's a nuance to what's called "fast games" or mini-apps that don't require full installation, but they can be displayed in the Tools or Game folder, and you just open the folder, you pinch the icon, and you choose to delete them, and you delete the shortcut and the local data, freeing up space.

๐Ÿ“Š Where do you get extra games most often?
Pre-installed from the factory
I downloaded it myself by accident.
Browser advertising
A gift from friends.

If the game was installed as part of an advertising campaign or a bonus from the manufacturer, it may have hidden recovery mechanisms, in which case, after deleting, it is recommended to turn off the Internet for a couple of minutes and check if the icon has appeared again.

Using Developer Mode and Debugging over USB

To remove truly system applications that are not removed by standard methods, you need to use the USB debugging mode. This tool is designed for developers, but is actively used by enthusiasts for deep cleaning of the system. On the Redmi Note 9, activation of this mode requires several sequential actions.

The first step is to activate the developer menu, go to Settings โ†’ About Phone and click on MIUI Version seven times quickly. After that, a new section will appear in the settings menu "Additional" or "Extended Settings", where the "Developers" option will be available.

Inside the developer menu, you need to find the USB Debugging Switch and activate it. The system will alert you to security risks, we agree. Also, modern versions of MIUI may require an additional SIM card or Mi Account to verify your identity, which is a measure of protection against theft of the device.

  • ๐Ÿ“ฑ Activate the developer mode with seven times pressing the OS version.
  • ๐Ÿ”Œ Turn on the switchboard "Debugging by" USB" pop-up.
  • โœ… Confirm the debugging permission when connecting to the computer.

Once debugging is enabled, the smartphone is ready to interact with your computer via the Android Debug Bridge (ADB) protocol, a powerful command-line tool that allows you to control your device at a low level, and you will need to download ADB platform tools from Googleโ€™s official website and install drivers for Xiaomi.

โš ๏ธ Be very careful when removing system packets through ADB. Removing critical components (e.g., com.miui.securitycenter) can lead to a cyclical reboot and data loss.

โ˜‘๏ธ Preparation for work with ADB

Done: 0 / 1

Uninstallation via ADB AppControl and Command Prompt

The most effective way to remove embedded games is to use the ADB AppControl utility or similar graphical interface programs, which allows you to see a list of all packages, including hidden ones, and remove them safely, creating restore points. Connecting Redmi Note 9 to your PC in debugging mode opens up access to the entire file system.

After connecting the device and logging in to the program, you will see a list of all installed applications. System games often have names containing the words game, gms, miui or publisher names (for example, com.tencent, com.netease). Before deleting the program will prompt you to create a backup (backup) of the deleted package, which is strongly recommended.

For those who prefer the command line, the process is as follows: Once connected via ADB, commands are entered to find and remove packets, for example, to remove a particular application, a command is used:

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

The value of --user 0 indicates that the application is being removed for the current user, but physically remains in the system partition, which allows you to restore it to the factory reset in case of an error.

The table below shows examples of Xiaomi game and service packages that are often removed:

Package nameDescriptionSecurity of removal
com.miui.gamecenterXiaomi Games Center (Mi Game Center)Safe.
com.xiaomi.joyGaming centre servicesSafe.
com.android.emulatorEmulator (rarely used)Safe.
com.google.android.apps.tachyonGoogle Duo (Video Calls)Safe if not used

Using graphical shells such as ADB AppControl makes the process much easier, as the program itself illuminates dangerous system components in red. Remove only those elements marked as safe or neutral. Once the cleaning procedure is complete, it is advisable to reboot the device to apply the changes.

What to do if your computer canโ€™t see your phone?
If the cable is connected, the computer makes a connection sound, but the device is not displayed in the ADB, check the work schedule USB. Click on the notification "Charging through" USB" and select the "File Transfer" mode (MTP)". Try replacing them. USB-cable, as some cables only support charging.

Cleaning cache and residual files after deletion

Even after successful uninstallation of the application, the memory of the smartphone can remain "tails" - folders with configuration files, graphics cache or error logs. On the Redmi Note 9 with its volumetric memory, this may not be so critical, but for the speed of the file system, cleanliness is important.

Xiaomi's built-in Security app has a garbage cleaner feature, run a scan, and the system will prompt you to delete temporary files, but be careful: sometimes there are saved passwords or important documents, a more reliable way is to manually inspect the file manager.

Go to the Android/data folder or the root of internal memory. Look for folders with names of remote games. Often developers leave files that are several gigabytes in size. Delete these directories manually through Explorer is safe, if you are sure that the game is no longer needed.

  • ๐Ÿ—‘๏ธ Run the built-in cleaner in the "Security" application".
  • ๐Ÿ“‚ Manually check the folder. Android/data remainder.
  • ๐Ÿงน Use third-party disk analyzers to find large forgotten files.

Regularly cleaning the cache helps avoid conflicts when installing new versions of games or other applications using the same libraries, and it can also solve problems with sudden program closure.

๐Ÿ’ก

Use the "Extended Cleanup" feature in the Security app, but read carefully what will be removed. Often you can find old WhatsApp or Telegram files that take up gigabytes of space.

Hiding applications without completely removing

In some cases, completely removing the game is impossible or impractical (for example, if the application is rarely needed, or it is part of the system service). In such situations, the application hide feature is available on Xiaomi. The icon disappears from the desktop and from the menu, but the program continues to work in the background.

To activate this feature, go to Settings โ†’ Apps โ†’ Hide Apps (the path may vary depending on the version of MIUI). Turn on the switch and select the games you want to hide. These will be accessed through a special gesture or password entry in the Themes or Security app.

This is useful if you want to remove games from children's access while still being able to run them yourself, and hidden apps don't show up in the system search and don't interfere with the visual experience of the interface.

โš ๏ธ Attention: Hiding an application does not free up space in memory or stop its background activity. If your goal is to speed up the phone, this method will not work, it is better to use a complete deletion through the phone. ADB.

Remember, the concealment only works within the current account. When you reset your settings or create a new user, hidden apps can become visible again if they are not actually uninstalled.

๐Ÿ’ก

Hiding apps is a cosmetic measure for organizing the workspace, not a way to optimize performance or free up memory.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Can I uninstall Redmi Note 9 games without a computer?
It is impossible to completely remove system applications without Root and Computer (ADB) permissions. Standard means can only disable some of them if such an option is available in the settings, but they will remain in the device's memory.
What happens if I delete an important system package?
Removing critical components can lead to system instability, disappearing interface or endless reboot.Always back up before removing system packages through ADB to be able to roll back.
Will the game take up its place again after the system update?
If you removed the application through ADB (user 0), then after the firmware update (OTA), it will likely return, as the system partition is updated. If you completely reset to the factory settings (Wipe Data), all remote system applications will also be restored.
Is it safe to use ADB AppControl?
Yes, it's a proven open source tool that's widely used by the community, but it's the user's responsibility to delete specific packets, and it warns you of the dangers, but it doesn't stop you from deleting important files.
How do I get a remote game back?
If you've been backing up in ADB AppControl, just select the app from the remote list and click "Restore." If you don't have a backup, you can reset to factory settings, which will return all system applications to their original state.