How to Remove the Game App from Xiaomi Phone: From Standard Methods to Hidden MIUI Features

Removing games from Xiaomi phones is a trivial task, and even after standard removal through the app menu, the device can still have cached data, temporary files, and even hidden folders that occupy precious space in memory, especially for heavy games like Genshin Impact, Call of Duty Mobile, or PUBG, which often leave behind gigabytes of “garbage” after uninstalling.

Complicating the problem, MIUI firmware has its own nuances: some system applications can’t be removed without superuser rights, and games installed through Google Play or third-party sources can behave differently. In this article, we’ll look at not only basic deletion methods, but also advanced methods, from cleaning residual files to forced deletion through ADB and safe mode. You’ll also learn how to avoid common mistakes that can “resurrect” after a phone reboot.

Why Xiaomi’s standard game removal doesn’t always work

When you delete the game through the Settings menu → Applications, system MIUI remove only the main APK-But most games today store additional data in three places:

• 📁 Internal memory: folders Android/obb and Android/data — It stores graphics resources, levels and saves. For example, Genshin Impact can take up to a few hours. 15 GB in these folders even after deleting.
• 🔄 Cash. MIUI: The system backs up application data that is not always automatically cleaned.
• ☁️ Cloud Savings: If a game is linked to a Google Play Games or Mi Account, progress can be restored when it is re-installed.

In addition, some games (especially Chinese or pirated versions) install utility services that continue to run in the background even after the main application is removed, such as Free Fire or Mobile Legends, which can leave behind processes for push notifications or analytics.

Another trap is pre-installed games from Xiaomi (such as Mi Game Center or Game Turbo), which cannot be removed by standard methods, since they are part of the firmware, in which cases root rights or ADB use are required.

Method 1: Standard removal through the settings menu

It works for games installed through Google Play or manually (via APK).The instruction is relevant for all Xiaomi models, including the Redmi Note 12, POCO X5, Mi 11 and older devices on MIUI 12-14.

1. Open Settings (the gear icon on the main screen).
2. Go to the Appendix section → Application management.
3. In the list, find the game you want to remove. For convenience, you can use the search (the magnifying glass icon in the upper right corner).
4. Click on the game name, then select Delete (or Uninstall).
5. Confirm the action by pressing OK in the window that appears.

If the Remove button is inactive (grey), this means that the game is system-based and cannot be removed without additional rights.

Make sure the game is gone from the app menu|Check the folder. Android/obb for the presence of residual files|Clear the cache in the "Storage" section"|Reboot your phone to apply changes-->

Method 2: Delete via Google Play Store

If the game was installed via Google Play, it can be removed directly from the store, which is convenient because it allows you to manage applications remotely (for example, from a computer) and automatically clears part of the cache.

1. Open the Google Play Store on your phone.
2. Click on the profile icon in the upper right corner.
3. Select Application and Device Management → Management.
4. In the list, find the desired game and click on it.
5. Click Delete and confirm the action.

The advantage of this method is that Google Play automatically deletes the associated data from the account, which reduces the risk of game recovery when re-installed, but the files in the obb and data folders will still remain - they must be manually deleted (see method 3).

⚠️ Note: If you delete the game via Google Play from your computer (web version), make sure that the phone is connected to the Internet. Otherwise, the command to delete will not reach the device.

Method 3: Manually delete the residual game files

Even after you uninstall the game through the menu or Google Play, you still have tails on your phone, files that can take up gigabytes of memory, and you need to manually delete the following folders to completely clean your device:

To find these folders:

1. Open any file manager (e.g., Mi File Manager or Total Commander).
2. Enable the display of hidden files (in Mi File Manager: Three Dots → Settings → Show hidden files).
3. Go to /storage/emulated/0/Android and delete the folders associated with the game.

Important: The name of the game package (e.g. com.miHoYo.GenshinImpact) can be found on Google Play in the address bar or through the App Inspector app.

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If the game was installed on a memory card, check the folders Android/obb and Android/data on SD-They can duplicate and take up space there.

Method 4: Remove through Safe Mode (for hard-fought games)

Some games (especially those that install background services) can be “fixed” to the system without being removed by standard methods, and in such cases, Safe Mode helps, which disables all third-party applications and allows you to remove even persistent programs.

To boot in Safe Mode:

1. Press the power button on your phone.
2. In the menu that appears, click and hold the option “Switch off power (or turn off)” until a request to switch to safe mode appears.
3. Confirm the transition by pressing OK.

After downloading in safe mode:

• 🔍 Check if the game icons have disappeared from the main screen.
• 🗑️ Remove the game through Settings → Applications (as in method 1).
• 🔄 Restart your phone in normal mode.

⚠️ Warning: Safe Mode shuts down all third-party apps, including launchers and widgets. Don't be alarmed if the interface looks different - after the reboot everything will return to normal.

Method 5: Forced removal via ADB (for power users)

If the game is not removed by any of these methods, the last option is to use Android Debug Bridge (ADB), which requires connecting the phone to the computer and knowing the basic commands, but it is guaranteed to remove even system applications.

What you need:

• 🖥️ A computer with installed Xiaomi drivers and ADB.
• 📱 Included debugging by USB on the phone (Settings) → The phone. → Version. MIUI → 7 times press to unlock the developer mode, then Settings → Additionally. → For developers → Debugging by USB).
• 🔌 USB-cable (preferably original).

Step-by-step:

1. Connect the phone to your computer and allow debugging over USB.
2. Open the command prompt (cmd) or PowerShell on your computer.
3. Enter the command to check the connection: adb devices If the phone is recognized, you will see its serial number.
4. Find out the name of the game package (for example, through App Inspector or Google Play).
5. Enter the command to force removal: adb shell pm uninstall --user 0 title.packet.games For example, for PUBG Mobile: adb shell pm uninstall --user 0 com.tencent.ig

If the command is successful, you'll see a message, "Success." Then restart the phone.

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Method ADB Deletes the game only for the current user (flag) --user 0). To remove it completely (including other users) you will need root rights.

What to do if the game reappears after deleting

Sometimes games come back to life after a phone reboot or MIUI update, for three reasons:

1. Auto Update via Google Play: If the game was linked to an account, it can automatically install again.To avoid this, open Google Play, find the game in the library and click Remove from the list.
2. Service processes: Some games (such as Garena Free Fire) install background services that reinstall the main application, in which case only removal via ADB or Safe Mode will help.
3. Viruses or Adware: If the game has come on its own, there may be a malicious app installed on the phone. Check the device with Malwarebytes or Dr.Web Light.

If the problem is repeated, follow the following steps:

• 🔍 Check the list of installed applications for suspicious programs (for example, com..update or.game.helper).
• 🛡️ Turn off auto-update apps in Google Play (Settings) → Auto-update of applications → Never).
• 🔄 Reset your Google Play Services settings (Settings) → Annexes → Google Play Services → Warehouse → Clear the data).

FAQ: Frequent questions about removing games on Xiaomi