Owners of Xiaomi, Redmi and POCO smartphones often face the intrusiveness of standard apps that can’t be removed from the desktop. Google YouTube is one of the most resource-intensive services that works actively in the background, consuming battery power and RAM even when you’re not watching videos. Many users wonder whether it’s possible to completely get rid of this app to free up space and improve device performance.
Unfortunately, standard Android methods will not remove system applications that include YouTube, but there are proven ways to get around these limitations using built-in shutdown features or more advanced tools like ADB. In this article, we will take a look at all the options available, assess their risks and help you make your choice in favor of cleanliness.
Before you take drastic action, it’s important to understand the difference between deleting and disabling. Complete deleting requires Root rights or computer use, whereas shutdown is available to every user in the settings menu. The method you choose depends on how deeply you want to interfere with the MIUI or HyperOS operating system.
Why do users want to get rid of YouTube?
The main reason Xiaomi owners are looking to remove YouTube is because it optimizes the smartphone, not only takes up space in memory, but also collects telemetry data, which can affect autonomy, and the constant notifications of new videos and subscriptions often annoy users who prefer minimalism.
The second important aspect is privacy: Google Services is deeply integrated into Android, and disabling one of the key services limits the collection of information about your preferences. For those who use alternative clients or watch videos through a browser, the standard app becomes a redundant ballast.
Also worth noting is the impact on performance: YouTube’s background processes can conflict with other apps, causing micro-latency in the interface, and removing or disabling a service is often the first step in the debloating process of a new smartphone.
⚠️ Warning: Deleting Google system components completely could lead to other services dependent on YouTube libraries, such as screen broadcasting (Cast) or Android smart TVs, putting the system at risk. TV.
When you decide to do this, you need to be clear about the consequences: If you accidentally delete critical libraries, restoring the system may require a complete factory reset, so always weigh the need for radical measures against the potential risks of loss of functionality.
Disconnection method through system settings
The safest and easiest way to get YouTube out of sight is to use the regular shutdown function, which does not require a computer connection or violate the integrity of system files, making it ideal for ordinary users, and once it is turned off, the application will cease to update, consume traffic and appear in the list of programs.
To start, go to the settings menu of your Xiaomi device. Find the section responsible for managing installed programs and select YouTube there. In the window that opens, you will see a button that allows you to force the process to stop and deactivate the application.
☑️ Shutdown algorithm
It is important to understand that when you turn off, application data such as cache and temporary files can remain on the device. To free up space completely, it is recommended to clean the cache and data manually before turning off. This is done in the same application properties menu, in the Memory section.
If the delete button is inactive (grey), it means that the application is system-based and protected from removal in the usual way, in which case the system will only offer the option "Disable". This action will hide the icon from the desktop and stop all background processes, which is virtually equivalent to deleting for everyday use.
| Action. | The result | Possibility of return |
|---|---|---|
| Shutdown | Application is hidden, processes are stopped | Easy (via settings) |
| Clearing the data | Logins, cache, settings deleted | Yeah (must re-enter) |
| Removal of updates | The version will roll back to the factory. | Yes (automatic update) |
| ADB removal | Complete removal from the system | Difficult (needs PC and ADB) |
Using ADB to remove completely
For those who want to (cardinally) clean the system of excess software, there is a method using Android Debug Bridge (ADB). This tool allows you to send commands directly to the Android operating system, bypassing standard interface constraints. USB.
The first step is to activate the developer mode on your Xiaomi. To do this, go to Settings → About Phone and quickly press 7 times on the MIUI Version (or OS Version). After that, a new section will appear in the menu "Additional", where you need to enable debugging over USB.
List of packet names for removal
After connecting the smartphone to the PC and installing drivers, open the command line and enter the command to delete the packet.
adb shell pm uninstall -k --user 0 com.google.android.youtubeThis command removes the app only for the current user (user 0) without affecting the system partition recovery.This means that you can always restore YouTube by resetting the settings to factory settings. However, until you reset, the system will assume that the application does not exist.
⚠️ Warning: Be extremely careful when entering a packet name. A single letter error can result in the removal of a critical system component, rendering the phone inoperable.
Using ADB gives you maximum control, but requires technical literacy. If you are not sure about your actions, it is better to limit yourself to a standard shutdown. Incorrect use of pm uninstall commands can disrupt the work of Google Play Services.
Working with Superuser Rights (Root)
Root rights open up unlimited options for managing the file system of Xiaomi smartphone. Once you have administrator rights, you can remove any system applications, including YouTube, directly through root-enabled file managers, such as Root Explorer or System App Remover.
The process of obtaining root rights on Xiaomi usually involves unlocking the bootloader, which is a complex procedure that requires waiting for 7 days and binding the Mi Account. After unlocking, a custom recovery (TWRP) is installed and a rights manager, for example, Magisk, is asked.
Deletion through root manager takes a few clicks: you find a YouTube apk file in the system folder /system/app or /system/priv-app and delete it. The system immediately vacates the space, but this method deprives the device of warranty and can cause errors in the banking applications.
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Root rights give full control over the system, but carry high security risks and loss of warranty, so they are suitable only for advanced users.
Consider that modern banking applications and some games use SafetyNet or Play Integrity APIs to verify system integrity, and root rights and a modified system partition often lead to a blocking of access to financial services, which can be a critical problem.
Alternative Clients and Web Versions
If your goal is not so much to remove YouTube as to get rid of ads and trackers, it makes more sense to consider alternative ways to consume content. There are many open-source third-party customers that do not require Google to install services or collect user data.
One of the most popular solutions is the NewPipe project or its forks, such as LibreTube, which allow you to watch high-quality videos, download content for offline viewing and listen to audio in the background without a Premium subscription. They do not use the official Google API, which provides a high degree of privacy.
- 📺 News Feed: No algorithmic feed, only subscriptions.
- 🔒 Privacy: No Google account is required to view.
- 📉 Savings: Consume significantly less traffic and batteries.
- 🚫 Ad-free: Built-in ad blockers work by default.
To install such applications you will need to download APK-A file from a trusted source, such as an F-Droid repository or GitHub, will need to allow installation from unknown sources in Xiaomi's security settings, a safe trade-off between functionality and cleanliness.
Another option is to use browsers with built-in ad blockers, such as Brave or Vivaldi. You can add YouTube to the home screen as a web application (PWA). Visually, it will look like a regular icon, but it will work in an isolated browser environment, without access to deep system resources.
Recovery of Remote YouTube
In situations where deleting YouTube has caused unexpected problems, or if the app just stopped working correctly, it can be restored. The recovery method depends on the way you did the deletion, and in most cases, the process is reversible and does not require flashing the phone.
If you have used the disable method, just go back to the application settings, find YouTube (maybe you need to turn on the system processes display) and click the "Enable" button. The system will automatically update the application to the current version via Google Play.
To recover from deletion through ADB, there is a special command that reinstals the package for the current user. You'll need a computer and a connected smartphone again.
adb shell cmd package install-existing com.google.android.youtube💡
Before any manipulation of system applications, make a full backup of data via Mi Cloud or locally to your computer to avoid losing important information.
In the case of Root rights, recovery can be more difficult. APK-Manual file, you will need to find the original version of the system application corresponding to your firmware version and install it through Recovery or a file manager with superuser rights, observing the correct permissions (permissions).
The most radical but effective recovery method is a full reset to factory settings (Wipe data), which will put the phone back out of the box, with all the standard Google apps, and make sure to save your contacts, photos and documents before doing so.