How to remove the program from the smartphone Xiaomi: from simple applications to system

The MIUI operating system installed on Xiaomi, Redmi and POCO smartphones is often full of pre-installed software. Some of these programs are really useful, but a significant proportion are advertising services, duplicate browsers or Chinese applications that are not relevant to the user from the CIS. You can not remove them with standard means of menu, which makes device owners want to clean up memory and speed up the gadget.

The removal process is divided into two levels: uninstalling custom programs downloaded from Google Play or GetApps, and hiding or cutting out system components. While the former usually do not occur, the latter require a deeper dive into settings or using debugging over USB. In this article, we will discuss all the available methods, from classic to advanced, that will help free up precious space.

It is important to understand that removing system applications is a precautionary operation. Mistakes can lead to unstable interfaces or even cyclical device reboots. However, knowing the exact names of packages and using proven tools, you can safely turn your smartphone into a clean device free of imposed software.

Classic removal through the settings menu and desktop

The easiest and safest way to get rid of unnecessary software is to use the built-in functionality of the MIUI shell. This method is suitable for all applications that the user installed himself, as well as for some system services that the manufacturer allows you to disable.

Click on the icon and hold your finger for 1-2 seconds. A pop-up menu will appear where you select Delete (basket icon). If the application is system and cannot be removed completely, the system will suggest the option to Remove the shortcut. This action will hide the program from the menu, but it will remain in the device's memory. To completely uninstall user programs, it is enough to confirm the action in the pop-up window.

The alternative is through your smartphone settings. Go to Settings, then select Apps and click All Apps. In the list that opens, find the program you want. When you click on it, you'll be taken to the control menu where the Remove button is available. If the button is inactive (gray), then the application is a critical component of the system.

⚠️ Note: When removing software, pay attention to their description, if you are not sure what the service is responsible for (for example, for the service, MIUI Daemon or Security, it is better to refrain from removing it so as not to disrupt the basic functions of the phone.

💡

Before mass removal of programs, back up important data or create a full copy of the system through Mi Cloud to be able to roll back changes.

Use of the built-in application manager

Xiaomi has a powerful built-in software management tool that users often ignore: Security, which is pre-installed on every device, not only scans for viruses, but also allows you to manage access rights and remove programs in batches.

Run the Security app and scroll down to Tools. Find the Application Management icon. Here's a more detailed list of all installed components, including hidden system processes. You can sort them by size, installation date, or usage frequency to find heavyweights taking up space.

Select the unwanted application from the list. In the window that opens, you will see detailed statistics: how much space the program takes up, and how much is its cache and user data. Often, data cleaning (Clear) has a greater effect than deleting if the program cannot be deleted. For user applications, the Delete button will be active and perform a complete uninstallation.

• 📱 Access to hidden system processes that are not visible in the normal settings menu.
• 🧹 Ability to mass clean the cache before removal to free up the space.
• 📊 Battery usage and traffic statistics for a specific application.
• 🔒 Auto-start control so that the program does not interfere with the operation of the smartphone.

The thing about the manager is that it shows dependencies, and if you try to remove a component that other services depend on, the system will issue a warning, a useful error protection feature that prevents accidental firmware damage. Always read these warnings carefully.

Hiding system applications without root rights

Many of Xiaomi’s built-in apps, such as Mi Video, Mi Music or Chinese services, cannot be removed by standard methods, as the uninstall button is blocked, in which case hiding them is an effective solution, which will not free up memory completely, but will remove visual noise and stop running programs in the background if you turn them off.

To do this, go back to the Settings menu. → Annexes → All applications. Find the target program. If the delete button is not available, click on the Disable button (if it is active). The system will warn that the application will stop working and disappear from the list. Confirm the action. Now the program is formally in the system, but it is "frozen" and does not consume resources.

If the "Disable" button is also locked, you can use the shortcut hiding feature. Click the empty space on the desktop, select Add a widget or go to the theme settings. Some versions of MIUI have a "Hidden Apps" feature in the security settings. By adding an icon, you will remove it from public access, leaving the input only through a special pin code or fingerprint.

Remember that simply hiding the shortcut does not stop the program from running, and to save real resources, you need to turn off the application settings, and if this option is not available, you will have to use the more advanced methods described below.

System garbage disposal via ADB (for advanced ones)

The most effective method is to remove almost any program from a Xiaomi smartphone without obtaining superuser rights (Root) and unlocking the bootloader. This uses the ADB tool (Android Debug Bridge), which allows the computer to send commands to the phone, including a command to delete packets.

To start, activate the developer mode on your smartphone. Go to Settings → About Phone and quickly press 7 times on MIUI Version. You will be a developer. Then in the Advanced Settings menu → For developers, turn on the USB Debugging Toggle.

Connect your smartphone to your computer through USB-The computer must have a minimum set of drivers installed. ADB. Open the command line or terminal in the folder with ADB and enter a command to check the connection:

adb devices

You'll see a debugging permission request on your phone screen, check "Always Allow" and press OK. The command line should show a device with device status. You can now delete applications. The command format is as follows:

adb shell pm uninstall -k --user 0 name.packet

Instead of a packet name, you need to substitute the exact name of the component (for example, com.miui.videoplayer), you can find out the names of the packets using the adb shell pm list packages command or using special assistant programs like Universal Android Debloater, which have a graphical interface.

⚠️ Note: pm uninstall removes the application only for the current user (user 0). Physically, the files remain in the system partition, but stop downloading and displaying. This is safe and reversible when resetting settings.

Automation of the process with Universal Android Debloater

Manually typing commands can seem daunting for a beginner, especially given that there are hundreds of package names. Fortunately, enthusiasts have created handy graphical shells for ADB. The most popular and secure utility is Universal Android Debloater (UAD), which is available for Windows, macOS and Linux.

Once you connect your phone and enable USB debugging, run the program on your computer. UAD automatically counts a list of all installed applications and divides them into categories: Recommended for removal, Safe, Unsafe and Expert. For each application, a brief description of what it does.

The interface allows you to tick off unnecessary programs and delete them in one click. For example, you can safely remove Mi Browser, Facebook, LinkedIn and other preinstalled software. The program itself will substitute the correct ADB commands. This significantly reduces the risk of removing something superfluous, since dangerous components are marked with warnings.

• 🛡️ Safe to remove packets database updated by the community.
• ⏳ Ability to restore a remote application through the program interface.
• 🔍 Search by packet name or function description.
• 📱 Support not only Xiaomi, but also Samsung, OnePlus, Motorola.

Using these tools makes the process of cleaning up system debris accessible to the average user, and the main rule is not to tick the applications in the category "Unsafe" if you do not know exactly what they are responsible for, Experimenting with system components like Settings or SystemUI can lead to problems.

💡

Using graphical shells for ADBs, such as UAD, minimizes the risk of error and allows up to 90% of pre-installed debris to be safely removed.

Recovery of Remote System Components

What if, in the struggle for cleanliness, something important was removed, like the ability to call was lost or the keyboard disappeared. ADB for the current user (--user 0), Files are not gone and can be easily returned without flashing them.

The easiest way to do this is to completely reset your smartphone to factory status (Wipe & Reset), which is to restore the original list of applications, but there's a softer method that doesn't require data loss. If you remember the name of the package, you can reinstal it with the command:

adb shell cmd package install-existing name.packet

Universal Android Debloater has a "Restore" tab that stores a list of apps that have been removed from it, and just press the restore button right next to the right item, and it instantly returns the shortcut and functionality of the program, which proves that ADB is a reversible and relatively safe fine-tuning tool.

If the remote application was critical to booting the system (which is unlikely with UAD, but is possible with manual commands), the phone can go to bootloop (cyclical reboot), in which case only logging into Recovery mode and resetting data will help, which confirms the need for caution when working with system files.

⚠️ Note: Do not delete components with the names com.android.phone, com.android.settings, com.miui.securitycenter unless absolutely necessary.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)