How to permanently remove “Digital Well-Being” on Xiaomi: Working Techniques for 2026

The Digital Wellbeing app on Xiaomi, Redmi and POCO smartphones is designed to monitor device usage times, block distractions and analyze digital habits. However, many users find it not being removed in standard ways, takes up space in memory and sometimes slows down the system with background processes, especially for owners of devices with limited resources or those who prefer alternative screen time control tools.

In this article, you will find 5 proven methods of removing an application, from simple (no root rights) to radical (using ADB and custom firmware).We will also discuss what the threat of removing system software, how to restore the application if necessary and what hidden MIUI settings allow you to disable it without consequences for the system. Instructions are relevant for MIUI 12/13/14 and all modern Xiaomi models, including Redmi Note 12 Pro+, POCO F5 and Xiaomi 13 Ultra.

Why Digital Well-Being is Not Deleted Through the App Menu

Unlike custom software, MIUI's Digital Wellbeing refers to system applications with privileged rights.

• 🔒 It is protected from accidental deletion (like other services). Google/Mi).
• 📱 Its code is integrated into the firmware, rather than being installed separately through APK.
• ⚙️ It is linked to com.google.android.apps.wellbeing and com.miui.analytics, which can affect system stability.

Even if you see the “Delete” button in the app settings, it often simply disables updates but doesn’t erase files.Moreover, on some devices (e.g. Redmi 10C or POCO M5), an attempt to uninstall via Settings → Apps leads to a message: “You can’t uninstall this application because it’s part of the operating system.”**

⚠️ Attention: On devices with MIUI Global (European/Indian) app can be linked to Google Play services, and its removal without preparation can cause disruptions in the work of Google Mobile Services (GMS), including issues with push notifications and account authorization.

Method 1: Disable (without deleting) through MIUI settings

If your goal is to free up resources and stop collecting statistics, but not to delete the application completely, just deactivate it and prevent auto-start.

1. Open Settings → Applications → Application Management.
2. In the search box, type “Digital Wellbeing”** (or Digital Wellbeing).
3. Click on the app, then select Disable (if the button is active).
4. Go to Battery → Autostart and turn off autoboot for it.
5. Return to the app menu and click Restrictions → Background Activity → Limit.

After this, the application will stop consuming resources, but will remain in the system, its icon will disappear from the menu, and the background processes will be stopped, this method is suitable for MIUI 14 and later, where the possibility of completely removing system components is limited.

Method 2: Removal via ADB (without root rights)

For users who are ready for more radical measures, uninstalling via ADB (Android Debug Bridge) is the best option, a method that does not require superuser rights, but requires a computer and enabled USB debugging, the advantage is that the application will be removed completely, including cache and data.

Instructions:

1. Activate Developer Mode: Go to Settings → About Phone. Click 7 times on the MIUI Version until the notification “You are a developer” appears.

USB debugging

• Back to Settings → Additionally. → For developers.
• Activate the debugging switch over USB.
• Connect your phone to your PC and execute commands: adb shell pm uninstall --user 0 com.google.android.apps.wellbeing For the Xiaomi version of the app (if any): pm uninstall --user 0 com.miui.analytics

For Magisk users, an alternative way to use the Universal System App Remover module is to:

• Download the module from the Magisk repository.
• Install it through Magisk Manager.
• In the list of system applications, find Digital Wellbeing and tick.
• Reset the device.

💡

Before deleting system files, back up /system partition via TWRP. This will allow you to restore the device in the event of a failure.

Method 4: Removal through custom firmware

The most reliable, but also the most time-consuming way is to install custom firmware without Digital Wellbeing.

• 📱 LineageOS (Pure Android without a free Android) MIUI)
• 📱 Pixel Experience (with Google Pixel functionality)
• 📱 Xiaomi.eu (MIUI without Chinese services)

The process includes:

1. Unlock the bootloader through the Mi Unlock Tool (requires waiting 7-15 days for new accounts).
2. Installation of TWRP or other custom recaveri.
3. The firmware of the selected build (e.g., Xiaomi.eu already removes unnecessary system applications, including Digital Well-being**).

The advantage of this method is that you have full control of the system and you can choose the firmware without unnecessary services, but the warranty on the device will be canceled, and the process requires technical skills.

Method 5: Alternative solutions (if deletion is not possible)

If none of the methods are suitable (e.g., on Xiaomi with a locked bootloader), consider alternative screen time control tools:

• 🛡️ ActionDash (analogue of Digital Wellbeing with advanced statistics).
• ⏱️ StayFree (tracking the use of applications without system rights).
• 🔄 AppBlock (Blocking Distraction Programs on Schedule).

These apps do not require root rights and offer similar functionality, but with greater flexibility, such as StayFree, which allows you to set limits on categories of applications (social networks, games) and shows detailed statistics in the form of graphs.

If your goal is to save battery, instead of removing Digital Wellbeing, try:

• ⚡ Install Greenify for Forced Background Process Hibernation.

What to do if there are problems after removal

In rare cases, deleting Digital Wellbeing may result in:

• 🚨 Google Play Services Errors (code 495 or 504).
• 🔄 Self-rebooting of the device.
• 📱 Disappearance of icons of other system applications.

Decisions:

1. Reset to factory settings (without deleting data): Go to Settings → About Phone → Settings Reset. Select App Settings Reset (does not affect user files).

Mi Flash Tool

(If the problem is critical).

⚠️ Attention: On devices with MIUI China (Chinese version of firmware) removing Digital Well-being** may affect Mi Account and sync services. Before experimenting, make sure you have a backup of your data in Mi Cloud or locally.

💡

If the device is unstable after removing the system application, try to restore it through ADB or roll back changes using the TWRP backup first.

FAQ: Frequent questions about removing Digital Wellbeing on Xiaomi