How to remove system applications on Xiaomi without Root rights

Modern Xiaomi smartphones running on the shell of MIUI or the new HyperOS are often overflowing with pre-installed software that cannot be removed by standard methods. Users face intrusive advertising, RAM consumption and background processes that slow down the device. The only safe way to get rid of this “digital ballast” without losing warranty is to use the Android Debug Bridge debugging bridge.

The procedure does not require complex technical equipment or deep knowledge of programming, but it requires careful and clear adherence to the algorithm of actions. Unlike obtaining Root rights, using ADB does not violate the integrity of the boot.img system partition, which allows you to keep the banking applications and services of Google Pay (now Google Wallet).

It is important to understand that removing critical system components can lead to unstable operation of the gadget or even a cyclical reboot. Therefore, before starting any manipulations, you need to create a full backup of important data. We will consider not only the cleaning commands, but also how to safely restore deleted packets in case of an error.

Preparation of the working environment and smartphone

The first step is to activate hidden features on the Xiaomi device itself. Standard mode hides the tools needed to externally control the system. You need to go to the Settings → About menu and quickly click 7-10 times on the field MIUI Version (or the OS Version in HyperOS).

Next, you have to set up the debugging parameters. Go to Settings. → Advanced settings → For developers, you need to activate the slider. USB-Debugging. New firmware versions also require the Debugging option to be enabled (USB-settings and allow installation through USB. Without these permissions, the computer will not be able to send commands to delete packets.

⚠️ Note: When you connect the cable to the PC, a request for debugging permission will appear on the smartphone screen. Be sure to click "Allow" and tick "Always Allow from this computer", otherwise the connection will break after each command.

Now, if you're going to do a computer, you're going to need to download the minimum set of Platform Tools from the official Android developer site, which is a lightweight package that only contains adb.exe and fastboot.exe executables, without any extra software. Unpack the archive into the root folder of the disk, like C:\adb, so that the path to the files is short and doesn't have Cyrillic characters.

Installation of drivers and connection verification

Windows often does not have built-in drivers for ADB-If you connect your smartphone to a device manager that displays an unknown device or an exclamation point icon, you need to manually install the Google driver. USB Driver or universal driver from Xiaomi. This is a critical stage, without which further action is impossible.

To check for communication, open the Command Prompt (CMD) or PowerShell in the ADB tool folder. Enter the adb device command. If you see your device serial number and device status, the connection is established correctly. Unauthorized status indicates that you have not confirmed debugging on the phone screen, and the absence of the device indicates a driver or cable problem.

Sometimes antivirus software can block the debugging bridge, perceiving it as a potential threat, in which case it is worth temporarily disabling the protection or adding a folder with tools in exceptions, and also make sure that you use an original or quality cable that supports data transfer, not just charging.

List of safe packet removal

The most dangerous part of the process is determining what can be removed and what cannot be touched categorically. Xiaomi system applications have complex package names starting with the prefixes com.miui, com.android or com.xiaomi. Deleting Google Play services, system framework or telephony components will cause the device to fail.

To navigate the package list, it is convenient to use specialized GUI utilities such as Xiaomi ADB/Fastboot Tools or Universal Android Debloater. They automatically tag secure applications and warn about critical ones. However, even using them, you need to understand the purpose of the removed component.

Below is a table with the common system applications that are most likely to be removed and their security status:

When the environment is ready and the packet list is defined, you can proceed to the immediate removal. The uninstall command looks standard for all Android devices. Open the console in the folder ADB and type the uninstall command by adding a flag -k, which stores data and cache of the application in case of recovery. adb shell pm uninstall -k --user 0 <packet> For example, to remove the analytics service, the command will look like this: adb shell pm uninstall. -k --user 0 com.miui.analytics. After entering, press Enter. If the operation is successful, the console will give a message Success. If the package is not found or is system and secure, you will receive an appropriate error notification. You can speed up the process by creating a text file with a list of commands and running it in batches, but for beginners it is safer to delete applications one at a time, checking the stability of the system after each group of deletes. 💡Use the adb shell pm list packages command to display the complete list of all installed packages. Save this list to a text file before you start cleaning - this will help you quickly find the name of the remote application if you need to return it.

Recovery of Remote System Components

If you delete an application and it starts to run in an unstable way, or you have a bug or you lose important functionality, don't panic. Because we didn't physically erase files from the system partition, we just disabled them for the current user, it's very easy to get it back, and it uses the install-existing command.

Execute the command in the format: adb shell cmd package install-existing <name packet>. For example: adb shell cmd package install-existing com.miui.analytics. This action will return the application to the state in which it was immediately after the factory firmware, with all rights and accesses.

⚠️ Warning: The recovery team only works if you use the flag -k when deleting or if files APK They're still in the system partition. -k, which is rarely applicable to system applications without root, you will need to flash or reset settings.

In case the phone goes into a cyclic restart (bootloop) immediately after turning on, go to Recovery mode (pressing the power and volume button) and reset the Wipe Data settings. This will return all system applications to their places, but delete your personal data, which is why regular backup is so important.

Alternative methods and automation

For those who don’t want to work with the command line, there are graphical shells. Xiaomi ADB/Fastboot Tools (developer Szaki) is the “gold standard” for Xiaomi owners. It has a built-in database of secure packets to remove, allows you to delete them in one click and even clean advertising identifiers.

Another popular tool is Universal Android Debloater.It's an open-source cross-platform app that offers more aggressive removal profiles and supports a variety of brands, not just Xiaomi.It automatically identifies the device model and offers a recommended list to clean.

Use of the GUI-The tools reduce the risk of human error when entering packet names, but require trust from a third-party developer.Always download such programs only from official repositories on GitHub to avoid introducing malicious code into your system.

💡

Using graphical slits like Xiaomi ADB Tools is significantly safer for beginners, as they visually separate secure system applications from mission-critical Android components.