How to remove apps on Xiaomi phone: all ways (including system)

Xiaomi’s MIUI-based smartphones are known for their abundance of pre-installed apps, many of which users never use. However, removing programs on these devices has its nuances: some applications can be uninstalled using standard methods, others require additional actions, and system services are blocked altogether. In this article, we will discuss all the current ways to remove applications on Redmi, POCO and other Xiaomi models in 2026 – from basic to advanced, including bypassing the limitations of MIUI.

It is important to understand that the uninstall process depends on the type of application: installed by the user (from Google Play or APK) are removed without problems, preinstalled (for example, Mi Browser or Mi Video) often require disconnection,

System services (such as com.miui.analytics) can only be removed with root rights or through ADB.

We will look at each case separately, taking into account the features of the latest versions of MIUI 14 and MIUI 15.

1. Standard removal of applications through the settings menu

The easiest way is to remove it via the MIUI interface. It is suitable for most user applications (for example, games, social networks, instant messengers), as well as for some preinstalled software that Xiaomi allows to uninstall.

To remove the app:

• 📱 Open the Settings. → Annexes → Application management.
• 🔍 Find the right app in the list (use the search at the top if the list is large).
• 🗑️ Press Delete (if the button is active). If the button is inactive, try Turn it off.
• 🔄 Confirm the action in the window that appears.

Note: Xiaomi has added protection against accidental removal of system components in MIUI 15, and if the Remove button is missing, it means that the application is either critical to the system or its removal is blocked by the manufacturer, in which case alternative methods will be required (see the following sections).

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If the Remove button is inactive, try pressing Stop first and then rechecking the availability of delete. Sometimes this works for pre-installed apps like Mi Music or Mi Pay.

2. Removal through launcher (desktop)

A quick way for those who don’t want to dig into settings is to remove it directly from the home screen, which works for all applications except system services and some pre-installed Xiaomi utilities.

Instructions:

• 🖱️ Find on the desktop or in the application menu the program icon you want to remove.
• 👆 Hold it with your finger for 1-2 seconds until the context menu appears.
• 🗑️ Drag the icon to the top of the screen where the Remove (or basket) will appear).
• ✅ Confirm the action.

If you turn off or remove from the screen instead of Remove, then the application is protected from removal. In this case, use the methods from the following sections.

3. disabling pre-installed applications (without deletion)

Many Xiaomi apps (e.g. Mi Browser, Mi Video, GetApps) cannot be removed in standard ways, but they can be disabled.This hides them from the menu, stops background processes and frees up some of the RAM, while the application files remain on the system, and it can be activated again if necessary.

How to turn it off:

1. Go to Settings → Applications → Application Management.
2. Select the application you want (such as Mi Browser).
3. Click Disable (the button will appear if the deletion is blocked).
4. Confirm the action in the dialog window.

Disabled apps will not be updated through Google Play and will not appear in the menu, but they still take up space in the device’s memory, and you will need to use ADB or root rights to completely remove them (see Section 6).

4. Removal via ADB (for power users)

If the standard methods do not work, and root rights do not want to get, you can use Android Debug Bridge (ADB). This method allows you to remove most pre-installed applications, including those that Xiaomi blocks in the interface. ADB-Teams are working on all versions MIUI, but require connecting the smartphone to the PC and enabling debugging mode.

Step-by-step:

1. 🖥️ Install. ADB-Drivers on a computer (Windows, macOS or Linux).
2. 📱 On your smartphone, activate Settings → The phone. → Version. MIUI (Press 7 times to turn on the developer mode).
3. Return to Settings → Additional → For developers and enable USB debugging.
4. 🔌 Connect your phone to your PC through USB-cable (select File Transfer Mode).
5. 🐍 Open the command line (or Terminal) on your PC and type: Adb devices Make sure the device is identified (should show its serial number).
6. 📝 To see a list of all installed applications, follow: adb shell pm list packages Find the name of the package of the desired application in the list (for example, com.miui.browser for Mi Browser).
7. 🗑️ Remove the application by command: adb shell pm uninstall -k --user 0 com.miui.browser Replace com.miui.browser in the name of your package.

Once the command is executed, the application will disappear from the menu, but its files will remain in the system (the -k option stores cache and data). To delete the application completely (along with the data), use the command without -k:

adb shell pm uninstall --user 0 com.miui.browser

Install ADB-PC drivers

Enable the developer mode on Xiaomi

Activate debugging over USB

Connect the phone in the mode "File transfer"

Check the connection of the team `adb devices`

Find the name of the application package

Create a backup copy of the data (optional)-->

5. List of secure removal applications MIUI

Not all pre-installed apps can be removed without risk to the system. Below is a list of programs that can be safely removed or disabled on most Xiaomi devices (including Redmi and POCO).

⚠️ Note: Removing applications like com.miui.home, com.miui.securitycenter, or com.android.settings will cause the system to fail. It is also not recommended to remove Google services (e.g. com.google.android.gms) as this will disrupt Google Play and other dependent apps.

6. Removal of root-right system applications

If you're willing to take drastic measures, getting root permissions will open up access to uninstall any application, including system ones, but this method has serious risks: loss of warranty, unstable MIUI, problems with updates.

Use applications like Root Explorer or Titanium Backup to remove from root:

• 🔓 Get root rights (for example, through Magisk or KingRoot).
• 📂 Install a file manager with root support (e.g., Root Explorer).
• 🗑️ Go to the folder. /system/app or /system/priv-app.
• 📛 Find a folder with the name of the application being removed (for example, Browser for Mi Browser).
• 🗑️ Delete the folder or rename it (for example, by adding.bak at the end).
• 🔄 Reset the device.

⚠️ Attention: Removing system components can result in a "bootloop" (a looped reboot) or failure of individual features (such as a camera, Wi-Fi or mobile network).Be sure to back up through the backup before experimenting. TWRP or MIUI Backup.

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Getting root rights voids Xiaomi warranty and could disrupt work OTA-Use this method only if you are confident in your actions and are prepared for the possible consequences.

7 Recovery of Remote Applications

If you have problems after deleting (for example, notifications or settings have stopped working), you can restore the application.

• 🔄 For disabled applications: Return to Settings → Apps, find the program and click Enable.
• 🖥️ For the remote through ADB: Reinstall the application via the command: adb shell cmd package install-existing com.miui.browser (replace com.miui.browser with the desired package).
• 📦 For remote from root: Restore backup via Titanium Backup or manually copy files back to the root /system/app.
• 🔧 For system failures: Perform reset to factory settings (Settings) → The phone. → Reset your settings) or reflash your device via the Mi Flash Tool.

If the phone stopped turning on after removing the system application, try booting into recovery mode (press Power + Volume Up) and reset. In extreme cases, you will need to flash it through Fastboot.

FAQ: Frequent questions about removing apps on Xiaomi