How to safely remove embedded apps on Xiaomi Redmi 6A: 5 proven methods

The Xiaomi Redmi 6A is still a popular budget device even years later, but its main drawback is an excess of pre-installed apps. Mi-account, Mi Video, Mi Music, browser and dozens of other services take up precious memory, slow down the system and consume battery power. Users often wonder whether they can be removed without harming the phone.

In this article, we will look at all possible ways, from safe disabling to complete root-right removal, which apps can be removed without risk and which cannot be touched, and we will also analyze alternative optimization methods if removal is impossible or dangerous.

Important: Redmi 6A runs Android 8.1 Oreo with MIUI 10/11, and many system applications are tightly integrated into firmware. Some techniques require technical skills — evaluate your strength before you start.

Why embedded apps are interfering with Redmi 6A

Xiaomi’s pre-installed software has multiple functions, from advertising the company’s services to running basic phone capabilities. However, on the budget Redmi 6A with 2/16 GB of storage, each megabyte counts.

• 📉 Busy memory: System applications take up to 3-5 GB 16 available, leaving little space for user files.
• 🔋 Battery Consumption: Background processes (such as Mi Push Service) are constantly consuming energy.
• 🐢 Slowdown: Excess services are loading the Helio processor A22, powerless.
• 📢 Intrusive advertising: Apps like Mi Browser or Mi Video show banners even in the system menus.

The tests show that Redmi 6A is 15-20% faster after removing unwanted apps and increases battery life by 10-12%, but not all apps can be removed — some are critical to MIUI stability.

Which system applications can be removed and which can not

Before removing, you need to be clear about which applications are safe to remove and which can lead to system failure.

A unique feature of Redmi 6A: com.xiaomi.mipicks (Mi Apps) cannot be removed through ADB, as it is responsible for the theme store, and its disabling will lead to errors when changing the wallpaper.

⚠️ Note: If you delete com.miui.analytics, usage statistics and some Smart Assistant features will stop working.This is not critical, but may interfere with diagnosing problems.

Method 1: Disabling applications without removing (without root)

The safest way to get rid of unnecessary apps is to disable them through settings, which won't free up memory, but will stop background processes and remove icons from the menu.

Instructions:

1. Go to Settings → Applications → Application Management.
2. Select an unneeded app (such as Mi Video).
3. Click Disable (if the button is inactive, the application is critical to the system).
4. Confirm the action in the dialog window.

Advantages of the method:

• 🔒 Secure – does not require superuser rights.
• ⚡ Quickly – takes less than a minute to complete one application.
• 🔄 Reverse: You can turn it back on at any time.

⚠️ Warning: Disabling Google Play Services will render all Google services, including the Play Market, inoperable.-G (See the section on alternatives).

Backup of important data

Check the list of safe applications to disable

Make sure the battery is more than 50% charged

Write down the names of the disabled applications (in case of recovery)-->

Method 2: Removal via ADB (without root but with PC)

More radical way - delete via Android Debug Bridge (ADB). It allows you to completely erase unnecessary applications, freeing up memory. USB-cable.

Step-by-step:

1. Download ADB Tools and unpack it into a folder.
2. On your phone, turn on Settings → About Phone → MIUI version (click 7 times to activate Developer Mode).
3. Return to Settings → Additional → For developers and enable USB debugging.
4. Connect your phone to your PC, open the command line in the ADB folder, and type in: Adb devices (a device with a serial number should appear).
5. To uninstall an application (e.g. Mi Browser), type: adb shell pm uninstall -k --user 0 com.android.browser

List of popular removal packages:

• 🌐 com.android.browser — Mi Browser
• 🎵 com.miui.player — Mi Music
• 🎬 com.miui.videoplayer — Mi Video
• 🎮 com.xiaomi.glgm — Game Center

💡

Before deleting, back up the application list with the adb shell pm list packages -f command. This will help restore the remote software if something goes wrong.

Once you restart, the apps will disappear and the memory will be free, but MIUI updates can restore some of them, and you'll have to repeat the procedure.

Method 3: Removal with root rights (for experienced)

If you're willing to take risks, getting root rights will give you full control of the system. On Redmi 6A, you can do that through Magisk or SuperSU, but the process requires unlocking the bootloader.

Pre-launch warnings:

• ⚠️ The phone guarantee will burn.
• ⚠️ Risk of “bricking” (turning into a “brick”) in case of an error.
• ⚠️ Some banking applications (Sberbank, Tinkoff) will cease to work.

Instructions:

1. Unlock the bootloader through the Mi Unlock Tool (requires binding to the Mi-account).
2. Install custom recovery (TWRP) for Redmi 6A.
3. Sweep Magisk.zip through recovery.
4. Install Root Explorer or Titanium Backup and manually remove unnecessary ones APK-file /system/app.

An example of dangerous manipulation:

⚠️ Note: Removing files from /system/priv-app may result in loss IMEI or incapacity SIM-Redmi. 6A This is especially true due to the hardware features of the modem.

Method 4: Replacement of standard applications with lightweight analogues

If deleting seems risky, consider replacing embedded applications with lighter ones.

To replace:

1. Disable the standard application (see Method 1).
2. Install an alternative from the Play Market.
3. Configure it as the default app in Settings → Apps → By default.

This solution does not require technical skills and is reversible at any time.

💡

Replacing the Mi Browser with Chrome Lite not only saves memory, but also reduces battery consumption by 5-7% thanks to optimized code.

Method 5: Reset to factory settings and then optimize

If the phone is heavily clogged, it is sometimes easier to reset it completely and configure it from scratch by disabling unnecessary services at the first setup stage, which is true if previous methods have failed or caused failures.

How to do the reset correctly:

1. Save important data (photos, contacts, SMS) on your PC or in the cloud.
2. Go to Settings → Additional → Recovery and Reset → Resetting.
3. After the reboot, do not restore data from the MIUI backup – it will return all deleted applications.
4. At the setup stage, turn off sync with Mi Cloud and skip installing recommended apps.

After discharge:

• 🔧 Turn off auto-update apps in the Play Market.
• 🚫 Stop background activity for unnecessary services in Settings → Battery → Nutrition management.
• 📱 Install Simple App Manager to control system processes.

⚠️ Attention: On Redmi 6A After the reset, access to certain frequencies may be lost. 4G. To get them back, go to ##4636## → Phone information → Establish a preferred network type LTE/WCDMA/GSM.

Frequent Mistakes and How to Avoid Them

When working with system applications, users often make critical mistakes, and here are the most common ways to prevent them:

If you have already made a mistake, try:

• 🔄 Restore the Remote Application through ADB: adb shell cmd package install-existing com.nazvanie.paketa
• 📥 Fastboot phone (instructions for Redmi) 6A here).
• 🛠️ Contact the service center if the phone is not turned on.

FAQ: Answers to popular questions