How to Remove MI Apps from Xiaomi Phone: The Complete Guide

Owners of Xiaomi, Redmi and POCO smartphones often face an excess of pre-installed software known as bloatware. These programs take up precious memory space, consume RAM, and can slow down the MIUI or HyperOS interface. Removing excess components is one of the first steps experienced users take after buying a new device.

But standard tools don't get rid of everything: many system processes are hidden from the average user to prevent accidental disruption of the operating system, and more advanced methods such as USB debugging and computer debugging are required to remove them.

In this article, we will discuss in detail all available ways to clean the device from imposed software. You will learn about the risks, preparation of the gadget and step-by-step actions for the safe uninstallation of any components of the Xiaomi shell.

Why you should remove Xiaomi system software

The main reason users want to remove MI applications is because they optimize performance, and even if you don't use them, they consume CPU and battery resources, and this is especially true for budget models, where every megabyte of RAM counts.

And many pre-installed services collect telemetry and display ads in system utilities, and by disabling unnecessary components, you not only free up space, but also improve your digital hygiene, and the device becomes cleaner, faster and safer.

⚠️ Warning: Mindlessly removing system components can cause a cyclic bootloop or inoperability of individual functions, such as calls or Wi-Fi. Always check the destination of a packet before removing it.

Keep in mind that after resetting to factory settings, all remote programs will return to their places if you do not save a backup or use specific scripts, so the approach to cleaning should be conscious.

Preparing a smartphone to remove applications

Before you start to act, you need to get the device ready, and without taking the first steps, the computer will not be able to interact with the Android system at a deep level, and the first thing you need to do is activate the hidden menu of the developer.

To do this, go to Settings → About Phone and find the MIUI Version (or OS Version) option. Click on it quickly 7-10 times in a row until you notice that you have become a developer, which unlocks access to advanced system settings.

Then you need to enable debugging via USB. Find the Settings menu → Advanced Settings → Developers. In the list that opens, activate the USB Debugging switch. When you connect to your computer, you will see a request for access permission on your smartphone screen, which you need to confirm.

• 📱 Charge the device to at least 50% so that it does not turn off during operation with the device. ADB.
• 💻 Install the drivers. ADB on the computer (part of the Platform Tools).
• 🔌 Use quality original USB-stable-connection.
• 🔐 Backup important data in case of unforeseen errors.

Method 1: Standard removal through settings

The easiest and safest way to get rid of unnecessary software is to use the built-in functionality of the system, which does not require a connection to a PC and is suitable for removing user applications that you installed yourself or that can be removed without superuser permission.

Find the icon of an unwanted app on your desktop or menu. Hold it for one second until the context menu appears. If the program is to be removed, there will be a corresponding button or basket icon. In some cases, you need to go to Settings → Apps → All applications.

Select the application from the list and click the Delete button, and if the button is inactive (gray), it is a system component that is protected from removal by standard methods, in which case you will have to use more complex tools described below.

This is ideal for cleaning up debris left over from using test versions of games or unnecessary Google services, and is completely secure and does not violate the device warranty.

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Some system applications, such as Weather or Music, can’t be removed completely, but they can be turned off in settings, which will hide them from the menu and stop background processes.

Method 2: Removal via ADB (without Root Rights)

The most effective way to clean the system of embedded software is to use the Android Debug Bridge (ADB) toolkit, which allows you to delete any packets, including those that are hidden from the user, without the need to obtain superuser rights (Root).

To start, download the Platform Tools package from Google's official website and unpack it on your computer. Open the command prompt (Terminal in macOS/Linux or PowerShell in Windows) in the tool folder. Connect your phone with a cable and check the connection with the command:

adb devices

If a device with device status appears on the list, the connection is successfully installed. Now you can display a list of all packages installed. To find a particular application, use the filter by name:

adb shell pm list packages | grep"xiaomi"

Once you have found the name of the packet (e.g. com.miui.weather2), you can delete it by command:

adb shell pm uninstall -k --user 0 com.miui.weather2

The -k flag saves data and cache in case of recovery, and --user 0 indicates deletion for the main user.This does not physically erase the file from the system partition, but makes it invisible and inactive to the system.

Using graphics utilities for debloat

Working with the command line can seem difficult for beginners. Fortunately, enthusiasts have created convenient graphical shells that automate the process of removing MI applications. One of the most popular and proven programs is Universal Android Debloater.

It's an open-source cross-platform application that runs on Windows, macOS and Linux. Once launched, it identifies the connected device and offers a list of packages sorted by category, with green packages labeled safe to remove, red packages labeled critical.

The interface allows you to search for packages by name, read their function descriptions and delete them with a single click, and the main advantage of such slits is the presence of a knowledge base that warns about the possible consequences of removing a particular component.

• 🛡️ Xiaomi ADB/Fastboot Tools - a specialized utility from the developer Szaki, sharpened for Xiaomi devices.
• 🗑️ Universal Android Debloater – a universal tool with support for many brands.
• 📱 App Manager is a powerful Android application that allows you to manage packages directly from your phone (requires settings through the phone). ADB).

Using GUIs reduces the risk of human error when you type commands, you can visually see what you're going to delete, and you can easily undo the action if necessary.

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Graphics utilities are the best choice for beginners, as they minimize the risk of deleting critical system files through color indications and descriptions.

What MIUI applications can be safely removed

The question of what to delete is a question that every user faces, and there is a list of apps that, if removed, do not generally affect the stability of the system, including standard multimedia players, browsers and Xiaomi service utilities, if you prefer analogues from Google.

You can safely remove Mi Video, Mi Music, Mi Browser, Mi Cloud, GetApps (app store), demo and advertising services (MSA, Analytics), and often remove duplicate Google services if you do not use them.

However, be careful with the components that run the lock screen, theme, system launcher and update services, and removing them could cause the phone to stop responding to touch or not be able to update.

⚠️ Warning: Never delete packages that contain the name "framework", "system", "security" or "phone" unless you are 100% sure of their purpose.

It's always better to temporarily disable the app through ADB and use the phone for a couple of days, and if you don't have any problems, you can delete it permanently, and this approach allows you to test the stability of the system without risk.

Recovery of Remote System Components

If you delete something that is superfluous during the optimization process and the system starts to behave in an unstable way, don’t panic. Since ADB doesn’t physically erase files, it only hides them for the current user, it’s pretty easy to get it back.

To restore a particular application, use the installation command for an existing package. You need to know the exact name of the remote component.

adb shell cmd package install-existing com.miui.example

If you've removed applications through a graphics utility, there's usually a "Recycle Bin" or "Restorable packages" tab where you can just click the restore button opposite the desired item, which will only take a few seconds.

In extreme cases, if the phone stopped booting or is not working properly, a full reset to factory settings (Wipe Data) will help, which will return the device to its original state, returning all remote system applications to their places.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)