Owners of Xiaomi Redmi 9 smartphones often face the intrusiveness of pre-installed applications that take up precious memory space and consume battery power in the background. Among them, YouTube occupies a special place, which cannot be removed by standard methods through the settings menu, since it is a system component of the MIUI shell. This limitation often annoys users who want to clean the device of excess software.
But there are proven ways to get around this ban and get rid of Google's video service, which can range from simple shutdowns to complete debugging through a computer, and it's important to understand that deep interference requires careful attention to avoid disrupting other Google Play services.
In this article, we will take a look at all the available methods, assess their risks and effectiveness, and learn how to safely deactivate an application or completely erase its traces from the system, using both built-in features and third-party tools for advanced users.
Why YouTube can’t be deleted through settings
The reason lies in Google’s policies and the specifics of MIUI firmware. YouTube is integrated into the Google Play Services suite, making it critical to the Android ecosystem on global firmware versions. When you try to find the “Delete” button in the app menu, you will only see the “Disable” option, which only hides the icon but leaves files on the system.
Smartphone makers, including Xiaomi, are entering into agreements with Google to pre-install a specific set of apps, which guarantees security certificates and access to the Play Market Store, so system restrictions block the standard uninstallation procedure, requiring the use of deeper package management tools.
In addition, removing system components can cause related services such as Google Assistant or voice search to work in an unstable way, which is why you need to weigh the need for complete removal versus simple shutdown before starting any manipulation.
⚠️ Note: Complete removal of system applications through ADB or root rights may cause errors in the Google Play Store.Always back up important data before tampering with the system partition.
Preparing the smartphone Redmi 9 to remove system applications
Before you start the action, you need to configure the device correctly. The first step is to activate the developer mode, which is hidden by default. To do this, go to Settings → About phone and quickly click on the MIUI version seven times. After that, a new section will appear in the menu "Additional" or "Extended settings".
In the developer menu that opens, find the USB Debug option and activate it. This allows the computer to send commands to the smartphone. It is also recommended to enable the USB Install option if it is available in your region, although it is not always necessary to work with ADB.
☑️ Redmi 9 Preparation for Modification
Keep in mind that data security is a good idea. Before you start, you should complete a full backup of contacts and photos. Using third-party package management software always carries a minimal but present risk of resetting or data loss.
Method 1: Disabling the application through system settings
The safest and easiest way for every Redmi 9 user to access without having to connect to a computer is not to physically delete the application files, but to completely stop it from working, hide the icon and prevent background activity.
To perform the procedure, go to Settings → Apps → All apps. Search in the YouTube list and click on it. In the menu that opens, select the Disable (or Turn Off) button. The system will warn you that the application will stop working, and the confirmation will start the freezing process.
The advantage of this is that it's reversible, so if you need a video service again, you can turn it on at any time with the same button, which is ideal for those who want to just remove the extra from their desktop and save battery life.
- 📱 Complete shutdown of background processes and services.
- 🔒 No risk of damaging system firmware files.
- 🔄 Ability to instantly return the application to the original state.
- 🚫 Files. APK They continue to occupy a place in the internal memory.
💡
Disconnection is the safest method for ordinary users, does not require special knowledge and maintains the stability of the system.
Method 2: Removal via ADB without Root Rights
To completely remove the application, you will need a computer (Windows, macOS or Linux) and an ADB utility (Android Debug Bridge), which allows you to remove system packages that are hidden from the user without violating the integrity of the system if you act carefully.
First, download the platform tools from the developer's official website and unpack them. Connect your smartphone with a cable to your PC. Open the command line in the ADB folder and type in the adb device command. The phone will have a request for debugging permission — confirm it.
adb shell pm uninstall -k --user 0 com.google.android.youtubeThis command forcibly removes the YouTube packet for the current user (user 0), which effectively removes the application from the system. It is important not to confuse the name of the package, since removing system components with an erroneous name can lead to a bootloop (cyclic reboot).
| ADB Team Team | Action. | Risk |
|---|---|---|
| adb shell pm list packages | Deletion of the list of all packages | Safe. |
| adb shell pm uninstall... | Deletion of a specific package | Medium. |
| adb reboot | Rebooting the device | Safe. |
| adb shell cmd package install-existing... | Recovery of the Remote Package | Safe. |
⚠️ Note: When removing through ADB The app disappears only for your user profile. When you reset your phone to the factory settings (Hard Reset), YouTube will return to its place.
Use of the GUI-packet-management utility
If working with the command line seems difficult to you, there are graphical shells for ADB, such as Xiaomi ADB/Fastboot Tools or Universal Android Debloater.These programs automatically detect the connected Redmi 9 and offer a list of applications to remove.
The interface of these utilities usually contains tabs with the categories "Safe to remove". YouTube is usually marked as a safe for uninstallation component, you just have to tick the desired application and click Uninstall.
The main advantage of GUIs is that they have descriptions and warnings about each packet, which reduces the risk of accidentally removing critical system services that could disrupt the phone.
What to do if your computer can’t see your phone?
Radical Method: Removal with Root Rights
For users with an unlocked bootloader and established superuser (Root) rights, any manipulation of the file system is available. Root rights allow you to delete applications directly through file managers with system access support, such as Root Explorer or System App Remover.
The process is this: you open the /system/app or /system/priv-app directory, find a folder called YouTube and delete it, and then clear the Dalvik/ART cache through the Recovery menu or a special application.
This is the most dangerous method. A deletion error can make the system unbootable. In addition, obtaining Root rights to the Xiaomi Redmi 9 requires unlocking the bootloader through the official Mi Unlock service, which resets all data from the phone.
- 🔓 Full access to all sections of the file system.
- 🗑️ The ability to physically delete files, not just hide them.
- 💣 High risk of turning a smartphone into a “brick” if careless.
- ⛔ Loss of warranty and inability to use banking applications without disguise.
Restore YouTube after Deletion
If you realize that you need the app after deleting it, or if you have errors in the work of Google services, the situation can be corrected. Using the ADB method, it is enough to execute a reverse command to reinstall the package.
Enter in the command line: adb shell cmd package install-existing com.google.android.youtube.This will return the shortcut and functionality of the application, since the files remain physically in the system partition, simply marked as deleted for the user.
If you use a Root license or accidentally damage the system, the only way out is to flash the device through the Mi Flash Tool, which will return the phone to factory status with all the original applications.
⚠️ Note: Do not attempt to install modified versions of YouTube (Vanced, ReVanced) immediately after removing the system package without clearing the cache of Google Play services - this can cause authorization conflicts.