Xiaomi’s Redmi 9 lineup is well-deservedly popular for its excellent price-performance ratio. However, budget-friendly devices often face a shortage of internal memory, which pre-installed programs actively eat away at, many of which are not needed by the user, but take up precious space and consume battery power in the background.
The process of uninstalling software on the shell of MIUI has its own features that differ from pure Android. Standard methods can only remove user data, but the system often blocks the removal of the manufacturer's own services. In this article, we will discuss all available methods of cleaning the device, including methods for advanced users.
Well-managed software not only frees up space, but also speeds up the interface. System optimization starts with removing the excess digital debris that has been accumulating on the device for years. We'll look at safe ways to solve the problem so that the gadget doesn't malfunction.
Standard removal through the desktop
The most obvious and safe way to get rid of unnecessary software is to use the desktop interface. Redmi 9 owners have two basic options, depending on the current icon display settings, which is suitable for most custom applications downloaded from the Google Play store or GetApps.
If you have a classic mode on your screen, where you have a signature under each icon, it takes a few seconds to find the icon, hold it with your finger for a few moments until the context menu appears or the screen size changes. In the menu that appears, you should select the option to Delete or drag the object to the basket, which will appear at the top of the display.
In Unsignature mode, the logic is slightly different, because the names are hidden. It requires a long-term click on the icon, after which the basket icon appears in the upper corner of the screen. Drag the application into this zone initiates the uninstallation process. The system will be sure to request confirmation of the action in the pop-up window to prevent accidental loss of data.
- 📱 Press the app icon on the home screen before the menu appears.
- 🗑️ Select “Delete” or drag the icon to the basket.
- ✅ Confirm the action in the system dialog window.
It is worth considering that some system components may not have an active delete button in this menu, in which case the icon will simply move around the screen or only suggest changing the size of the widget, which means that for this particular case, a deeper approach is required through the device settings.
Program management through system settings
A more detailed control tool is the operating system settings menu, which displays a complete list of all installed software, including hidden processes and services that do not have icons on the desktop, and then you need to open Settings, select the Application section, and go to the All Apps subsection.
In the list that opens, you can sort programs by size, frequency of use, or installation date, and it helps you quickly find the heavyweights that occupy gigabytes of memory. By clicking on the name of a particular application, you go to the control menu where the Remove button is available. If the button is active, the uninstallation will go the standard way.
However, for Xiaomi and Google system components, the delete button is often replaced with “Disable” or not at all. In such cases, the system blocks direct deletion, considering the component to be critical to the operation of MIUI. Disabling allows you to hide the application and stop its processes, but it will remain in the system partition of memory.
It is important to understand the difference between a user cache and system files. Clearing data through the application menu allows you to free up space, but does not delete the program itself. Full removal of system components requires superuser rights or the use of a debugging bridge, which will be discussed later.
Removal of system applications and hidden software
Redmi 9 owners often want to get rid of built-in services like Mi Video, Mi Music or obsessive games. With standard MIUI shells, this can't be done without getting Root rights, which is difficult and dangerous for inexperienced users. There is a safer method, using USB debugging and a computer.
To implement this method, you need to activate the developer mode. Go to Settings. → About the phone and seven times quickly click on the build number MIUI. Once you have the "You've become a developer" notification, go back to the settings menu, find the option option and select "For Developers." USB-debugging.
⚠️ Attention: Including debugging by USB Gives the computer full access to control the phone, and don't connect the device to an unknown PC, and don't confirm access requests unless you've initiated the connection yourself.
After enabling debugging, connect the smartphone to the computer through USB-You'll see a request for debugging permission from this computer on your phone screen -- make sure you check the "Always Allow" box and press OK. Now the device is ready to transmit packet management commands.
To remove system applications, there are specialized utilities with a graphical interface, for example, Xiaomi ADB/Fastboot Tools or Universal Android Debloater: These programs automatically detect the connected device, scan the list of packages and allow you to safely remove tagged components with one click, minimizing the risk of system damage.
Use of the ADB-Teams for Advanced Users
The most flexible and professional tool is the Android Debug Bridge Command Line (ADB), which requires installing drivers and the SDK platform on your computer, but gives you complete control over the file system, and allows you to delete any packets, even those that are hidden from third-party utilities.
After installing ADB tools on your PC and connecting your smartphone, open the command line in the executable file folder. The first command of adb devices should output the serial number of your Redmi 9, which will confirm a successful connection. If the device is displayed with unauthorized status, check the phone screen and confirm access.
☑️ Preparation for work with ADB
Before you delete any packet, you need to know its exact system name. Enter the command adb shell pm list packages to display the full list. To find a specific application, use a filter, for example: adb shell pm list packages | grep miui. This will display all packets containing the word "miui".
adb shell pm uninstall -k --user 0 com.miui.videoplayerThe team above will remove the standard Xiaomi video player for the current user without affecting the system partition completely.This means that the application will disappear from the interface and stop working, but its installation file will remain in the hidden recovery section, which is considered the most secure approach, since it allows you to return everything back through a reset.
| System name of the package | Description of the component | Security of removal |
|---|---|---|
| com.miui.videoplayer | Standard Mi video player | Safe. |
| com.miui.player | Musical player Mi | Safe. |
| com.facebook.katana | Facebook Systems Service | Safe (if not used) |
| com.android.phone | Telephony system | Critical (do not delete) |
When working with ADB, it is critical not to delete packets that you do not know what they are intended for. Removing system components that are responsible for communication, Bluetooth or interface operation can lead to a device building or endless rebooting. Always check the description of the package on the Internet before executing the uninstall command.
Recovery of Remote System Applications
If you accidentally delete an important component or notice an unstable system, you can fix the situation. Since the ADB-flag method --user 0 does not physically erase the application file from the recovery partition, it can be reactivated without flashing it.
To return the remote packet, you will need to reconnect the smartphone to your computer and start the ADB command line. The recovery command is as follows: adb shell cmd package install-existing. Instead of brackets, you insert the exact system name that you previously deleted.
What to do if the phone stops turning on?
An alternative, more radical method is a factory reset. Go to Settings → About Phone → Reset and select Erase All Data. This operation will put Redmi 9 back out of the box, restoring all standard Xiaomi and Google apps, but losing the user’s personal files.
Regularly backing up important data before experimenting with system files is the golden rule of Android modification. It saves time and nerves in case of unforeseen software errors.
Cleaning cache and residual files
Even after successful uninstallation of applications, the device may still have tails — empty folders, error logs and cache files — that don’t affect the system critically, but they take up space, and you can use the built-in Cleanup tool in the Security app to find them.
Launch the Security app, select Cleanup and wait until the scan is over. The system will prompt you to delete temporary files, remnants of deleted applications and advertising debris. It is recommended to carefully review the list before confirming so that you do not accidentally delete saved passwords or authorization data in messengers.
You can use a file manager to clean it up a little bit more deeply. Go to the Android root folder and check the data and obb directories. It can store files of games and programs you've already deleted. But be careful: manually deleting files from those folders requires a precise understanding of the data structure.
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Use Memory in your settings to see which apps take up the most space. Often, instant messenger cache (Telegram, WhatsApp) can take up several gigabytes, which is more than the weight of the system itself.
Regularly cleaning the cache helps keep the Redmi 9 running at a high level. Mechanical memory of budget smartphones degrades faster at constant fullness, so free space of 10-15% of the total is a necessity, not a frill.