Xiaomi TVs on Android TV or PatchWall will eventually fill up with unnecessary apps: pre-installed services, game cache, trial versions of streaming platforms. Even after uninstallation, some programs leave traces in memory, slowing down the device. In this article, we will examine all the available ways to remove applications, from the standard menu to hidden features for power users.
The Xiaomi Mi TV 4/4S/4A, Redmi Smart TV and other models are protected from removal by the manufacturer, such as Mi Home, Netflix or Prime Video, which are often blocked, but can be disabled or hidden, and we will show you how to circumvent these restrictions without risking damage to the firmware.
Before you start, check your firmware version in Settings → About TV. On new models (2022-2026), the process may be different due to the updated Google TV interface. If your TV is running on PatchWall, some menu items will be called differently — we will indicate alternative paths.
1. Standard removal through the settings menu
The easiest way is to use the built-in Android TV tools. It is suitable for most user applications (for example, YouTube Kids, IVI, Megogo), but will not work for system services.
Instructions:
- 📺 Open the main menu of the TV with the Home button on the remote.
- 🔍 Go to the Settings section → Applications (or Apps on English firmware).
- 🗑️ Select an unnecessary application → Delete (or Uninstall).
- ✅ Confirm action. Some programs will suggest that instead of deleting, disable, which means they are system-based.
If the Remove button is inactive, try to clear the cache and application data first (Storage → Clear Data option).
Clear the cache and app data | Disable the app (if available) | Try to delete via Google Play | Go to the ADB method (for experienced)
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⚠️ Note: On PatchWall firmware TVs (e.g. Mi) TV 4A For the Chinese market, the path to app settings may look like Settings → Additionally. → Application management. If you can't find a partition, upgrade your firmware to the latest version.
2. Remove via Google Play (for downloaded applications)
Apps installed through the Google Play Store can be removed directly from the store, which is convenient if you do not remember the name of the program or it does not appear in the main menu.
Step-by-step:
- Open Google Play on your TV.
- Go to my profile. → Application and Device Management.
- Select the tab Installed.
- Find the unnecessary app and click Remove.
If the app is not removed, check if it is system-based, for example, Google Play Movies or YouTube on some Xiaomi models cannot be removed by standard methods.
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After deleting the app via Google Play, clear the store’s cache (Settings → Apps → Google Play → Storage → Clear the cache) and it will speed up the TV.
3. disabling system applications (without root)
Many pre-installed apps (such as Mi Remote, Game Center, or Live TV) can’t be removed, but they can be turned off, which hides them from the menu and stops background processes.
How to turn it off:
- 🔧 Go to Settings. → Annexes.
- 🔍 Select a system application (e.g. Mi Home).
- 🚫 Press Disable (or Disable).
- ⚠️ Confirm the action – the TV will warn you that it may affect other functions.
The apps that are disabled won't update or take up RAM, but they'll stay in storage, and you can activate them again in the same menu.
| Annex | Can I remove it? | Can I turn it off? | Effects of disconnection |
|---|---|---|---|
| Netflix | ❌ No. | ✅ Yes. | Disappears from the menu, but can be launched via Google Play |
| Mi Home | ❌ No. | ✅ Yes. | There will be no synchronization with smart devices Xiaomi |
| Google Play Movies | ❌ No. | ✅ Yes. | You can’t rent movies through Google. |
| Live TV | ❌ No. | ✅ Yes. | The TV tab will disappear (if not used) |
| YouTube | ✅ Yes, on some models) | ✅ Yes. | If you delete it, you will have to re-install it from Google Play. |
4. Removal via ADB (for power users)
If standard methods don’t work, you can use Android Debug Bridge (ADB), a tool for debugging Android devices, which requires a computer and basic command line knowledge, but allows you to remove even system applications.
What you need:
- 💻 Computer with Windows/macOS/Linux.
- 🔌 USB-cable (or Wi-Fi connection).
- 📥 Utility. ADB Tools by Google.
- 🔧 Included debugging by USB TV-wise.
Step-by-step:
- Turn on USB debugging on your TV: Settings → About TV → Assembly number (click 7 times in a row) → Back to Settings → For developers → Debugging on USB
- Connect the TV to your computer via USB (or Wi-Fi if supported).
- Open the command line (Windows) or terminal (macOS/Linux) and execute: Adb devices should appear the name of your TV.
- Get a list of all applications: adb shell pm list packages
- Remove the unnecessary app (e.g. com.xiaomi.mitv.appstore): adb shell pm uninstall --user 0 com.xiaomi.mitv.appstore
Important: Removing system applications via ADB can cause the TV to run unstable, back up your data before experimenting, or be prepared to reset your settings.
List of safe packet removal
⚠️ Note: On TVs with Google firmware TV (Like Mi. TV Q2 Xiaomi TV A2) Some of the system applications are more secure. Trying to delete com.google.android.tvlauncher will cause the interface to crash.
5. Reset to factory settings (extreme case)
If the TV is full of unnecessary apps and standard methods don’t work, it’s a complete reset, which will remove all user data, apps and settings, bringing the device back out of the box.
How to reset:
- ⚙️ Go to Settings. → Device and discharge → Resetting settings.
- 🔄 Choose to erase everything (or Factory data reset).
- 🔐 Enter. PIN-code (if installed).
- ⏳ Wait for the reboot (it will take 5-10 minutes).
After discharge:
- 📥 Apps installed through Google Play can be restored from the list of My apps".
- 🔄 System updates will have to be re-installed.
- 📁 Personal data (accounts, Wi-Fi passwords) will be deleted.
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Resetting to factory settings is the only way to completely clean the TV from viruses or corrupted files, but use it only as a last resort.
6.Relieving Memory Without Deleting Applications
If you don’t want to delete apps, but the TV is slowing down, try optimizing your memory in other ways:
- 🧹 Cache Clearing: Go to Settings → Warehouse → Internal memory. → Cache data and delete it.
- 🔄 Firmware Update: Newer software versions often optimize memory performance. Check for updates in Settings → On TV. → Updating the system.
- 📁 Transfer of applications to USB: Some Xiaomi models (e.g. Mi) TV 4S 55) support USB OTG. You can connect a flash drive and transfer some applications to it.
- 🛑 Limitation of background processes: C Settings → For developers, disable the option Background processes or reduce their number.
It's also worth checking which apps consume the most memory.
- Go to Settings → Apps.
- Sort the list by size (click on the icon) ⚙️ top-right).
- Delete or clear the data from the most "heavy" programs.
7. Frequent mistakes and how to avoid them
When you delete applications, users often face problems. Let's take a look at the most common ones:
| Mistake. | Reason. | Decision |
|---|---|---|
| Remove button is inactive | System-based or manufacturer-protected application | Try to turn it off or use ADB. |
| After removal, the application appears again. | Auto Update via Google Play or System Process | Turn off auto-update in Google Play settings |
| The TV freezes after removing the system application | Critical component removed | Perform a reset to factory settings |
| Lack of memory to install new applications | Cash and data from old programs take place | Clear the cache or transfer the applications to USB |
Another common problem is that you have ads on your TV menu, and it can be linked to pre-installed apps like Mi TV Ad Service, to turn it off:
- Go to Settings → Applications.
- Find com.xiaomi.mitv.ad or similar.
- Disable the application (it cannot be deleted).
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If the TV is slower after removing the apps, try restarting it: Settings → Device and Reset → Reboot. This will clear the RAM.