How to completely remove YouTube on Xiaomi phone: all ways (including system apps)

YouTube is pre-installed on most Xiaomi smartphones and often takes up space in memory, consumes battery power in the background, and its notifications annoy users. Although it is more difficult to remove the system application than the usual, it is possible even without root rights. In this article, we will discuss all the current ways, from standard removal for user versions to deep cleaning for embedded services.

It is important to understand that on devices with MIUI (especially models for the Chinese market), YouTube can be integrated into the firmware as system software. In such cases, complete removal will require additional actions. We will also consider how to disable auto-update, hide the application from the menu and block its background activity - this will help those who do not want to risk the stability of the system.

If you are using Xiaomi, Redmi, POCO or Black Shark based on MIUI 12-15 or HyperOS, the instructions below will be suitable for your device. For older versions (such as MIUI 11 and below), some methods may not work, we will warn you about this separately.

1. standard removal of YouTube (unless the application is system)

If YouTube was installed by you manually or through Google Play, it can be removed as a regular app.

• 📱 Open the Settings. → Annexes → Application management.
• 🔍 Enter “YouTube” in search and select the application from the list.
• 🗑️ If the Remove button is active (not grey), press it.

If the button is inactive or not, then YouTube is embedded in the firmware, in which case move on to the following ways.

⚠️ Note: Some Xiaomi models for the European market (e.g. Redmi Note 12 Pro)+ 5G) YouTube can be “semi-system” – it can’t be removed in the standard way, but can be deactivated (see section 3 for more on this).

2. Removal via ADB (without root rights)

The Android Debug Bridge (ADB) method allows you to remove any system application, including YouTube, without obtaining superuser rights. It's an official tool from Google, but requires you to connect your phone to your computer.

You'll need:

• 💻 Computer with Windows, macOS or Linux.
• 🔌 USB-cable (preferably original).
• 📦 Utility. ADB Platform Tools by Google.
• ⚙️ Included debugging by USB on the phone (Settings) → The phone. → Version. MIUI → 7 times press to activate the developer mode, then Settings → Additionally. → For developers → Debugging by USB).

Step-by-step:

1. Connect your phone to your computer and select File Transfer Mode (not Charge).
2. Open the command prompt (cmd on Windows or Terminal on macOS/Linux) in the folder with ADB.
3. Enter the command to check the connection: Adb devices must appear serial number of your device.
4. Follow the command to delete YouTube: adb shell pm uninstall --user 0 com.google.android.youtube
5. Reboot the phone.

If the command is executed without errors, the application will be removed for the current user (not completely from the system, but it will disappear from the menu and stop working).

Install ADB Platform Tools on PC|

Enable the developer mode on Xiaomi|

Activate debugging via USB|

Connect the phone with the original cable |

Check the connection of the adb device team-->

⚠️ Attention: On some firmware MIUI Youtube may recover after the system update. To avoid this, disable the auto-update firmware in Settings → The phone. → Updating the system → ⚙️ → Auto-downloading updates.

3. disable YouTube (if deletion is not possible)

If YouTube cannot be removed, it can be deactivated, which will stop background processes, notifications and free up some RAM, while the application will remain on the system, but will not interfere.

How to turn it off:

1. Go to Settings → Applications → Application Management → YouTube.
2. Click "Disable" (the button may be called "Switch Off" on some versions of MIUI).
3. Confirm the action in the window that appears.

After the shutdown:

• 🚫 The app will disappear from the menu and from the desktop.
• 📵 Notifications and background activity will cease.
• 🔄 Updates via Google Play are blocked automatically.

To activate YouTube again, go back to its settings and click "Enable".

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If the "Disable" button is inactive, try to stop the application first (Stop button), then clear the cache and data in the same menu.

4. Removal via TWRP (for advanced users)

If your Xiaomi has a custom TWRP recap on it, you can uninstall YouTube as a system application using the file manager inside recovery.This method is suitable for users who have already unlocked the bootloader and installed TWRP.

Warning: Mistakes in the TWRP may cause the system to fail.We recommend backup before starting.

Instructions:

1. Boot to TWRP (usually by clamping Power + Volume up when turned on).
2. Select Advanced → File Manager.
3. Go to /system/priv-app/YouTube or /system/app/YouTube (the path may be different).
4. Delete the folder with the application (swipe to the right for confirmation).
5. Reboot the phone.

If the phone does not boot after deleting, restore the backup via TWRP.

5. Hiding YouTube from the menu (alternative to deletion)

If you don't want to delete an app, but it's in the way of the menu, you can hide it. It won't stop the background, but visually, YouTube will disappear.

Ways of concealment:

• 📁 Through Launcher: Click the YouTube icon on your desktop → Select "Remove" or "Hide" (available in the MIUI Launcher and POCO Launcher).
• 🔧 Through Settings: Settings → Desktop → Hide applications → tag.
• 📱 With Third-Party Launchers: Install Nova Launcher or Apex Launcher – They Have a Hidden Apps feature.

To return the application, just reset the launcher settings or cancel the hiding in the menu.

6.Blocking YouTube background activity

If YouTube cannot be removed or disabled but it consumes battery and traffic, its activity can be limited through MIUI settings.

How to limit:

1. Go to Settings → Applications → Application Management → YouTube → Battery.
2. Select "Limit background activity."
3. In the Mobile Data section, disable "Background mode" and "Autostart".
4. In the Notifications section, turn off all switches.

These actions will not remove the application, but will minimize its impact on the system.

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The safest method for most users is to disable YouTube through settings. If you want a complete root-free removal, use ADB. The TWRP method is only suitable for advanced users who are prepared for the possible risks.

Frequently asked questions