Owners of Xiaomi, Redmi and POCO smartphones regularly face a problem: some pre-installed applications are not removed in the standard way. System utilities like Mi Browser, Mi Music, GetApps or Mi Video take up space in memory, consume battery power in the background and show annoying ads — but the “Delete” button in the app menu is inactive. Why is this happening?
The fact is that MIUI (and the new HyperOS) classify these programs as system components that developers believe the smartphone will not work smoothly without. However, in practice, 90% of them can be safely deactivated or removed – the main thing is to know the correct method. In this article, we will discuss 5 proven methods, including hiding through settings, removing via ADB, disabling through MIUI Optimizing and even manual intervention for advanced users. All instructions are relevant for devices based on MIUI 12-14 and HyperOS, including models Redmi Note 12, POCO X5, 13T and others.
Before you start, consider that some methods require unlocking the bootloader or connecting to a PC. If you're a beginner, start with rootless methods, which are safer and secure, and now let's get to the details.
1. Hiding applications via MIUI settings (no root)
The easiest and safest way to do this is to hide unnecessary display programs from the menu, not to remove memory, but to avoid visual clutter and random launches, and it works on all Xiaomi devices without any additional tools.
How to do this:
- 📱 Open the Settings. → Annexes → Application management.
- 🔍 Find the right app (such as Mi Browser) and tap it.
- 👁️ In the upper right corner, click on three dots and select Hide.
- 🔄 Reboot your smartphone to make changes take effect.
⚠️ Warning: Hidden apps continue to work in the background! To turn them off completely, go to Settings → Battery and productivity → Battery management and set a mode for them to Limit background activity.
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If the hidden app reappears after the MIUI update, repeat the procedure – the system sometimes resets these settings.
2. Disconnection via MIUI Optimizing (for experienced)
MIUI Optimizing is a hidden tool in Xiaomi firmware that allows you to deactivate system components without root.The method requires activation of the developer mode and work with ADB, but does not violate the integrity of the system.
Step-by-step:
- Activate Developer Mode: 🔧 Go to Settings. → The phone. → Version. MIUI. 🔘 Tap on the item 7 times until the notification “You became a developer” appears».
USB debugging
- 🔌 Back to Settings → Additionally. → For developers.
- 🔽 Activate the debugging switch on USB.
- Connect your smartphone to your PC and execute commands: adb shell pm uninstall -k --user 0 com.miui.browser # Example for Mi Browser pm uninstall -k --user 0 com.xiaomi.midrop # Example for Mi Drop
🔹 Key differences from the method MIUI Optimizing:
- 🗑️ pm uninstall --user 0 — Removes only for the current user (can be reset by resetting the reset).
- 🚫 pm uninstall (no) --user 0) — removes completely (requires root or unlocked bootloader).
⚠️ Note: After removing system applications completely, some features MIUI (For example, topics or cloud backups may not work properly. Before experimenting, back up through Settings. → System system → Backup.
What if the ADB can’t see the device?
4. Delete with Magisk (for users with root)
If your smartphone is unlocked and installed by Magisk, you can use modules to deep clean the system, which is suitable for advanced users, as it requires root access and can disrupt the system. OTA-update.
Popular modules for Magisk:
- 🧩 Universal Debloater – removes pre-installed applications from the list.
- 🧹 MIUI Debloater – a specialized module for Xiaomi.
- 🔧 App Systemizer – converts user applications to system applications and vice versa.