How to permanently remove YouTube from Xiaomi phone: from shutdown to complete erasure

YouTube is pre-installed on all Xiaomi smartphones and often takes up space in memory, consumes traffic in the background, and its notifications annoy users. Unlike regular programs that are deleted with a single click, YouTube on Xiaomi is integrated into MIUI firmware as a system application. This means that the standard way to uninstall via the Apps menu will not work - the Delete button will be inactive.

In this article, we will look at all possible methods for removing YouTube from Xiaomi, Redmi and POCO phones, from simple deactivation to complete erasure of system files. Each method is tested on current versions of MIUI 14/13 (Android 13/12) and adapted to the models of 2020-2026, you will learn how to circumvent the manufacturer’s restrictions, what tools will be needed for deep cleaning, and what to do if after removal there are problems with the work of other Google services.

Why YouTube can’t be removed in the standard way

On Xiaomi smartphones, YouTube is a system (embedded) application, which means that it:

• 🔹 Established in section /system/priv-app or /system/app, change-proof;
• 🔹 Has superuser privileges (root) even if your phone is not rooted;
• 🔹 Linked to other Google services (e.g. Google Play Services), making it difficult to isolate it;
• 🔹 Updated via Google Play Store, but the core of the application remains in the system section.

Manufacturers (including Xiaomi) block the removal of such applications for several reasons:

1. Google License Agreements – part of MIUI firmware is certified under Google Mobile Services (GMS), and removing key applications may result in loss of certification.
2. System Stability – some system applications depend on YouTube libraries (e.g., for playing video on other services)
3. Marketing Purposes – Xiaomi earns revenue from Google affiliate programs, including YouTube ads.

⚠️ Note: Deleting YouTube completely may disrupt the Google Play Store, Google Assistant and other services.If you are not prepared for possible disruptions, use disablement methods (section 2), not delete them.

Method 1: Disable YouTube without removing (without root)

If you just need to hide the application and stop its background activity, just turn it off via the MIUI settings. This method does not require superuser rights and reversible:

1. Open Settings → Applications → Application Management;
2. In the search bar, enter YouTube and select the app from the list;
3. Click Disable (if the button is inactive, tap the three dots in the upper right corner and select Disable);
4. Confirm the action in the dialog window.

After the shutdown:

• 📱 YouTube icon will disappear from the app menu;
• 🔄 Background activity and notifications will stop;
• 📉 The app will not be updated via Google Play;
• 🔍 Search by system (Search Xiaomi) will stop giving results from YouTube.

To return the app, repeat the steps and click Enable.This method doesn't free up space in memory, but stops YouTube from working completely.

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If the “Disable” button is inactive, try to delete all YouTube updates through the Google Play Store first, then try again.

Method 2: Remove updates and reset to factory version

If YouTube has been updated through Google Play, it can be rolled back to a factory version that takes up less space and has fewer background processes, which does not remove the app completely, but reduces its impact on the system:

Instructions:

1. Go to Settings → Applications → YouTube → Storage;
2. Click Clear the cache and Clear the data;
3. Return to the app information screen and click Remove Updates;
4. Slip on three points in the corner and select Stop.

After these actions, the factory version of YouTube will remain on the system, but will not automatically update if you disable auto-update in the Google Play Store.

Method 3: Delete YouTube via ADB (without root)

To completely remove YouTube without superuser rights, you will need ADB (Android Debug Bridge), which works on all Xiaomi smartphones with an unlocked bootloader and USB debugging enabled, the advantage of which is that the application is deleted forever, but without the risk of damaging system files.

Step-by-step:

1. Activate Developer Mode: Settings → About Phone → MIUI Version (Tap 7 times)
2. Enable USB Debugging in Settings → Additional → For Developers;
3. Connect your phone to your PC, install Xiaomi and ADB drivers (you can download from the official Android website);
4. Open the command line (Windows) or terminal (macOS/Linux) and type: adb devices Make sure your device appears in the list.
5. Follow the command to delete YouTube: adb shell pm uninstall -k --user 0 com.google.android.youtube

If the command is successful, you'll see a Success message. Once the phone is restarted, YouTube will disappear from the system. To return it, you'll need to manually install the APK or reset the phone's settings.

⚠️ Note: Some Xiaomi models (e.g. Redmi Note 11 or X-ray) POCO X4 Pro) after removal through ADB Other Google apps, such as Google Play Movies, may be missing. Before you execute the command, check the dependencies using the adb shell dumpsys package com.google.android.youtube.

Method 4: Complete removal with root rights

If your Xiaomi smartphone has unlocked bootloader and root access (like through Magisk), you can uninstall YouTube as a regular app — along with system files and libraries — the most radical and cautious method.

Tools required:

• 📱 Root access phone (check through Root Checker app);
• 🛠️ Root-enabled file manager (e.g., Root Explorer or Solid Explorer);
• 🔧 Backup copy of the firmware (it is recommended to create through TWRP).

Instructions:

1. Open the file manager and go to /system/priv-app/YouTube or /system/app/YouTube (the path may vary depending on the version of MIUI).
2. Delete the YouTube folder and all files with the.apk and.odex extensions.
3. Clear the cache in folders: /data/data/com.google.android.youtube /data/app/com.google.android.youtube-1
4. Reboot the phone.

After deleting, check the work of other Google services. If there are any failures (for example, the Google Play Store has stopped updating applications), restore deleted files from a backup or reflash the phone.

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Deleting YouTube via root may disrupt Google Pay, Google Assistant and other services dependent on Google Play Services. Before deleting, check the dependencies in /system/etc/permissions/com.google.android.media.effects.xml.

Method 5: Use custom firmware (for advanced)

If you're willing to take drastic measures, you can install custom firmware without Google services (like LineageOS or Pixel Experience without GApps).

• 🔧 Want to get rid of all Google apps;
• 🛡️ They care about confidentiality;
• 📱 We are willing to sacrifice stability for flexibility.

Cons of the method:

• ❌ Loss of warranty (if the phone is under warranty);
• ❌ Risk of "bricking" of the device in case of firmware error;
• ❌ Some features (such as Google Camera or Widevine) L1 for Netflix HD) They may stop working.

Popular firmware without YouTube:

For custom firmware installation:

1. Unlock the bootloader through the Mi Unlock Tool (requires waiting 7-14 days for new Xiaomi accounts);
2. Install TWRP Recovery for your model
3. Download the firmware from the official website (for example, LineageOS);
4. Sweat through TWRP, having previously made a backup.

What to do if other apps stop working after YouTube is deleted

Deleting YouTube can cause other Google services to crash, especially if it has been integrated into firmware as an addiction.

• 🔴 Google Play Store Is Getting a Mistake DF-DFERH-01;
• 🔴 Google Assistant is no longer running;
• 🔴 Annexes with DRM-Protection (Netflix, Disney)+) do not reproduce the video in HD.

Decisions:

1. Restore YouTube via ADB: adb shell cmd package install-existing com.google.android.youtube
2. Install YouTube manually: Download APK from the APKMirror site and install it as a regular app.
3. Reset Google Settings: Go to Settings → Google → Account → Delete your account, then add it again;
4. Sweep through stock firmware: If the crashes are critical, restore the original MIUI through the Mi Flash Tool.

⚠️ Note: Some Xiaomi models (e.g. Xiaomi) 12T or Redmi K50) Deleting YouTube may block access to Google Play Services, which will lead to the inability to use banking applications (Sberbank, Tinkoff) and services with two-factor authentication.

FAQ: Frequent questions about removing YouTube from Xiaomi