How to Remove Google Services from Xiaomi Redmi: 5 Ways to Work

Xiaomi Redmi smartphones come pre-installed with Google Mobile Services (GMS), a set of system applications that are not possible to use Play Market, Gmail or YouTube. However, many users want to get rid of these services for reasons of privacy, battery saving or wanting to switch to alternative ecosystems. In this article, we will discuss all possible ways to remove Google services, from a simple shutdown to a complete uninstallation using ADB and custom firmware.

It's important to understand that MIUI is closely integrated with Google services, and removing them can cause key features from push notifications to account sync to fail. We will detail the risks of each method so you can choose the best option. If your goal is simply to make room or reduce background activity, just turn off unnecessary services without completely removing them.

This article is relevant for all Redmi models (including Redmi Note 12/13, Redmi 10/11, POCO X5, etc.) based on MIUI 14/13/12 and Android 13/12/11. For older versions (for example, MIUI 11), some methods may not work - check compatibility in the comments.

1.Why users are removing Google services from Xiaomi

The main reasons for getting rid of GMS on Redmi fall into three categories:

• 🔋 Battery savings: Google Play Services and Google Play Store are constantly in the background, using up to 5-15% of the charge per day even with minimal use.
• 🛡️ Privacy: Google collects location data, app activity and even call history - research confirms EFF Privacy International.
• 📱 Users of Huawei AppGallery, Aurora Store or custom firmware (e.g. LineageOS) are often removed GMS ballast-like.
• 💾 Freeing up memory. /data/app/com.google.* may take up 1–2 GB, which is critical for the budget models of Redmi with 32/64 GB memory.

However, there is a downside: without GMS will stop working:

• ❌ Push notifications in most applications (VK, Telegram, WhatsApp).
• ❌ Automatic synchronization of contacts, calendar and notes.
• ❌ Geolocation in maps (Yandex.Maps, 2GIS) and taxi services.
• ❌ Some banking applications (Sberbank, Tinkoff).

2. Method 1: Disabling Google Services without Deleting

If your goal is to just reduce background activity, you just need to turn off autoplay and limit rights, and this method does not require root rights and is reversible.

Instructions for MIUI 14/13:

1. Open Settings → Applications → Application Management.
2. In the search, type in Google and a list of all services (Google Play Services, Google Play Store, Google Account Manager, etc.) will appear.
3. For each application: 🚫 Press Stop (forced stop). 🔄 Turn off Auto Start and Background Activity. 📵 In the Permissions section, disable access to Location, Contacts and Warehouse.

Effect:

• ✅ 10-30% increase in operating time (depending on the model).
• ✅ Reduction of traffic by 50–200 MB/month.
• ❌ Some apps (like Google Maps) will stop updating.

💡

To return notifications to work, install MicroG, an open alternative to Google Play Services with push messaging support.

Method 2: Removal via ADB (without root)

The method is suitable for users who want to completely remove unnecessary services, but are not ready to get root rights. ADB (Android Debug Bridge).

Preparation:

1. Download Google’s Platform Tools and unpack it into the C:\platform-tools folder.
2. On your smartphone, turn on Developer Mode (7 times click on the MIUI version in Settings → About Phone).
3. In Settings → Additional → For developers, activate debugging over USB.

Instructions for removal:

1. Connect Redmi to your PC and type in the command line: Adb devices should appear with a serial number.
2. Run the command to delete Google Play Services: adb shell pm uninstall -k --user 0 com.google.android.gms
3. Similarly, remove other services (the list of commands below).

List of commands to remove key services:

Download Platform Tools|Enable the developer mode|Activate debugging by USB|Connect the phone to the PC|Make a backup copy of the data-->

⚠️ Attention! Deleting com.google.android.gms will result in the loss of functionality for most applications, including banking. → System system → Backup.

Method 3: Removal by root rights

If you're prepared for radical measures, getting root rights gives you complete control over system applications, a method that's suitable for power users.

Steps:

1. Unlock the bootloader via the Mi Unlock Tool (requires a Xiaomi account and wait 7-14 days).
2. Install custom recovery (TWRP) for your Redmi model (see instructions on XDA Developers).
3. Please use Magisk to obtain root rights.
4. Use Root Explorer or Titanium Backup to delete folders: /system/priv-app/PrebuiltGmsCore//system/app/GmsCore/ /data/app/com.google.android.gms-*

Advantages of the method:

• ✅ Complete removal without traces.
• ✅ Ability to return services through backup recovery.

Risks:

• ❌ Loss of warranty (Xiaomi blocks devices with unlocked bootloader).
• ❌ Possible "brick" (turning the phone into a "brick") with a firmware error.
• ❌ SafetyNet (bank applications will not work).

5. Method 4: Install custom firmware without GMS

The most radical way is to flash Redmi to firmware without Google services.

• 📱 LineageOS – pure Android without GMS (MicroG can be installed for push notifications).
• 📱 Havoc-OS or Pixel Experience – firmware with a minimum set of services.
• 📱 MIUI EU — modified MIUI without Chinese and Google services (supported by the community xiaomi.eu).

Instructions:

1. Unlock the bootloader (as in method 3).
2. Download the firmware for your model (e.g. LineageOS for Redmi Note 12).
3. Fly through TWRP or Fastboot.
4. If necessary, install Open GAPPS (if you want to leave some services).

Advantages:

• ✅ Full control of the system.
• ✅ Updates directly from the community (without waiting) MIUI).

⚠️ Attention! Custom software firmware voids warranty and may result in loss IMEI (Check compatibility on forums before you run the firmware. XDA or 4PDA.

Method 5: Use of alternative services

If your goal is not to remove GMS, but to replace them with analogues, consider these options:

For the installation of alternatives:

1. Download. APK-files from official websites (for example, Aurora Store).
2. In Settings → Applications → Special Access → Install unknown applications allow installation from the browser.
3. Set up APK and set up the license.

💡

MicroG is the only alternative that supports push notifications for most applications (VK, Telegram, WhatsApp), but it requires manual signature configuration (the instructions are on the project’s GitHub).

7 Risks and how to avoid them

Deleting Google services has consequences, and here are the most common problems and ways to solve them:

• 🔄 Notifications are not working → Install MicroG with Google Device Registration enabled.
• 📍 No location is determined. → Use UnifiedNlp (MicroG Module) with Mozilla Location Service.
• 💳 Banking applications are not working → Try MagiskHide or install the app via Island (sandbox).
• 🔋 Quick battery discharge after removal → Check background activity through Settings → Battery → Battery utilization.

If after removing the services, the phone became unstable, return them through:

• ↩️ Recovery of the backup (if done through the TWRP).
• ↩️ Flip-to-stock MIUI via Mi Flash Tool.
• ↩️ Installation GAPPS (custom-fix).

FAQ: Frequent questions