How to remove unwanted apps from your Xiaomi phone: 5 working ways

Why Xiaomi is accumulating unnecessary applications and how to fix it

Xiaomi, Redmi and POCO are known for their rich functionality, but with useful chips, users often receive dozens of pre-installed programs, some of which duplicate functions (for example, two browsers or three galleries), others are not used at all, but take up space in memory and consume battery power. According to a study by Counterpoint Research, devices with MIUI installed on average 30% more applications out of the box than on smartphones with pure Android.

Compounding the problem, many programs cannot be removed by standard methods — the “Delete” button is simply not on the menu, due to Xiaomi’s policy of integrating some of the software into the firmware to keep the ecosystem running. However, even such applications can be deactivated or removed using hidden system features or third-party tools. In this article, we will discuss all the current methods, including those that work on the latest versions of MIUI 14 and HyperOS.

It is important to understand the difference between the types of applications:

• 📱 Custom – installed by you from Google Play or.apk files. Removed without limitation.
• 🔧 System – preinstalled Xiaomi (e.g. Mi Browser, Mi Video) often blocked from removal.
• 🛡️ Service-critical for the operation of the system (for example, MIUI System UI). You can't delete!

Method 1: Standard removal through the application menu

Let’s start with the simplest method, which is suitable for most user and part of the system programs, this method does not require super-user rights (root) and works on all models from the Redmi Note 10 to the flagship Xiaomi 14.

Instructions:

1. Open the app menu by swiping up from the bottom of the screen.
2. Find the unwanted app and hold its icon for 1-2 seconds.
3. In the context menu that appears, select “Delete” (or the basket icon).
4. Confirm the action by pressing "OK".

If the Remove button is missing or inactive, the application is protected by the system, in which case try alternative methods in the following sections. Note that some programs (such as Google Play Services) cannot be removed, which will lead to unstable operation of the device.

⚠️ Note: On some models (POCO F5, Redmi K60) After removing system applications, access to functions such as IR-Check the remote or read mode before removing the app to see if it is connected to the chips you want.

Method 2: Deactivate system applications (without deletion)

If the app can't be removed, it can be turned off, which will stop the background and hide the icon from the menu, and works without root rights and is suitable for models on MIUI 12-14.

How to turn it off:

1. Go to Settings → Applications → Application Management.
2. Select the app from the list (e.g. Mi Browser).
3. Click "Disable" (or "Delete Updates" if the off button is not available).
4. Confirm the action in the dialog window.

The programs will not be disabled:

• 🔄 Update via Google Play.
• 📱 Show up in the app menu.
• 🔋 Expend battery power in the background.

To return the application, re-enter its settings and click "Enable." This method is secure, but does not free up the device's memory - the program files remain in the system.

Method 3: Remove via ADB (for power users)

Android Debug Bridge (ADB) is a method that requires connecting the phone to a computer, but does not violate the warranty, and is suitable for all Xiaomi models, including the Black Shark and POCO X5.

Step-by-step:

1. Download and install ADB Tools on PC.
2. On your phone, activate Developer Mode: Go to Settings → About the phone. 7 times press "Version" MIUI". Back to Settings → Additionally. → For developers, turn on "Debugging by" USB".

"File transfer"

adb

adb devices


adb shell




pm list packages | grep'xiaomi'

(Replace Xiaomi with a part of the name of the package you want, such as the browser for Mi Browser).

pm uninstall -k --user 0 com.android.browser

(Replace com.android.browser with your app package name).

Once the command is executed, the application will be removed only for your user profile (without affecting system files), which avoids errors when updating MIUI.

⚠️ Note: Deleting packages like com.miui.securitycenter or com.android.settings may result in loss of functionality (e.g., no access to settings or fingerprint scanner). Always check the packet name before deleting!

💡

Before mass removal of applications via ADB, make a backup command adb backup -apk -obb -shared -all -f backup.ab. This will save all data in case of error.

Method 4: Use of third-party utilities (without root)

If ADB seems complicated, you can use specialized application management tools, and one of the most reliable is the App Inspector (available on Google Play).

• 🔍 View a list of all installed packages (including hidden packages).
• 🗑️ Remove or disable system applications without root.
• 📊 Sort programs by size, installation date, or status.

How to use App Inspector:

1. Download and install the app from Google Play.
2. Provide access to "Special Features" (required for the utility to work).
3. In the main menu, select the tab "Systems".
4. Find an unnecessary app and click on it.
5. Select "Delete for User" (similar to ADB command).

The advantage of this method is the visual interface and the ability to cancel actions, but some programs (for example, com.xiaomi.midrop for transferring files) can recover after the MIUI update.

Method 5: Complete removal with root rights (for advanced)

If you're willing to sacrifice a warranty for the sake of maximum system purity, you can get root rights and remove applications at the superuser level, a method that is suitable for models like the Xiaomi 13 Ultra or the POCO F4 GT, where there is especially a lot of unnecessary software preinstalled.

To obtain root, you will need:

1. Unlock the bootloader via Mi Unlock Tool (requires a Xiaomi account and wait 7-30 days).
2. Install custom recovery (TWRP or OrangeFox)
3. Switch Magisk to manage superuser rights.

After rooting, use Root Explorer or Titanium Backup to remove:

• 📂 Go to the folder. /system/app or /system/priv-app.
• 🗑️ Find a folder with the name of the application (for example, Browser) and delete it.
• 🔄 Reset the device.

⚠️ Note: Deleting root-righted system files can cause a device to "brick" (inoperable). TWRP On some models (Redmi Note 12) after the critical packets are removed, they may stop working. NFC camera.

💡

Getting root rights voids Xiaomi’s warranty and can block access to banking applications (due to the SafetyNet trigger).

Cleaning up residues after removing applications

Even after you delete the application, you still have temporary files, cache and settings, and to make room completely, follow the following steps:

1. Clearing the cache:

• Go to Settings → Applications → Application Management.
• Select the remote application (it can be displayed as “Disabled”).
• Click "Clear Cache" and "Clear Data".

Manual deletion of folders:

• Connect your phone to your PC or use a file manager (such as Mi File Manager).
• Go to /storage/emulated/0/Android/data/[name packet] /storage/emulated/0/Android/obb/[name packet]
• Delete the remaining files.

Storage optimization:

• Run the built-in Settings utility → Memory → Cleanup.
• Use applications like SD Maid for deep cleaning.

On HyperOS models (such as Xiaomi 14), some cache is stored in a protected area, and may require a reboot in Safe Mode to clean it (hold the power button → “Reboot Safe Mode”).

Frequent Mistakes and How to Avoid Them

When users delete applications, they often face some problems, and here are the most common ones and how to solve them:

If after removing the system applications, the phone started to overheat or discharge quickly, check the active processes in Settings → Battery → Battery Use.

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Before mass removal of applications, check them for dependence on Xiaomi services. For example, deleting com.xiaomi.xmsf can disrupt push notifications.

FAQ: Answers to popular questions