How to permanently remove YouTube from Xiaomi Redmi 8 Pro: from simple to radical

Xiaomi Redmi 8 Pro is one of those smartphones where pre-installed YouTube can annoy not only intrusive advertising, but also background activity, eating up battery power. Unlike flagship models, there is no feature for completely removing Google apps through standard settings. However, this does not mean that you are doomed to put up with unnecessary software.

In this article, we will look at 5 ways to get rid of YouTube, from temporary shutdown to complete deletion of system files (including hidden APKs and cache). We will focus on the nuances of MIUI 12/13/14 firmware, where the algorithms for working with Google services are different. If you are willing to sacrifice some functionality for the sake of cleanliness of the system, we have a solution for this.

Why is YouTube so hard to remove from Xiaomi?

The fact is that on Redmi 8 Pro (as with most Xiaomi devices with Google Mobile Services), YouTube is embedded at the firmware level.

• 🔹 Google Play Services – Many features, including push notifications, won’t work without them;
• 🔹 MIUI Optimization – Xiaomi’s branded shell blocks removal of “critical" APK;
• 🔹 License Agreements – Manufacturer must provide a basic set of Google applications.

Even if you delete the icon from your desktop, the app itself will remain on the system and will be updated through Google Play. Moreover, some versions of MIUI automatically restore YouTube after resetting, but this does not mean that the fight is pointless - below we will show you how to circumvent these restrictions.

Method 1: Disable YouTube without root rights (the safest)

If you don't have to completely erase an application from your device's memory, but just hide it and stop background activity, this is the method for you. It works on any version of MIUI and doesn't require any special knowledge.

1. Open Settings → Applications → Application Management.
2. In the search box, enter YouTube.
3. Click on the application, then select Disable (if the button is inactive, tap the three dots in the upper right corner and select Show System Processes).
4. Confirm the action and restart the phone.

✅ Pros: does not require superuser rights, reversibly, does not break Google services.

❌ Cons: the application will remain in memory (takes up) ~50-70 MB), can be updated through the Play Market.

Method 2: Remove updates and reset to factory version

This is a good method if you want to return YouTube to its original version (usually it weighs 2-3 times less) and block further updates. Importantly, after the reset, the app will become less functional (for example, it will no longer support a dark theme or new video formats).

1. Go to Settings → Apps → YouTube → Storage.
2. Click Clear cache and Delete data.
3. Return to the app information screen and tap on three points → Remove updates.
4. Open Google Play → Menu → Settings → Auto Update Apps and select Never for YouTube.

🔹 Additional step: To hide the icon from your desktop, hold it with your finger and drag it to the top of the screen (Delete or Hide).

Method 3: Remove via ADB (without root but with PC)

For those who are willing to connect the phone to a computer, there is a more radical way to uninstall it via Android Debug Bridge (ADB).This does not require root rights, but requires the activation of the developer mode and the installation of drivers.

Preparation:

1. Activate Developer Mode: Settings → About Phone → MIUI version (tap 7 times).
2. Return to Settings → Additional → For developers and enable USB debugging.
3. Download ADB Tools on your PC and connect your phone over USB (select File Transfer Mode).

Deletion of YouTube:

adb shell


pm uninstall -k --user 0 com.google.android.youtube

⚠️ Warning: After this command, the app will disappear for the current user, but will remain in the system. If you reset, YouTube will return. To delete it completely, you need root rights (see Method 4).

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If the command doesn't work, try stopping the YouTube process first via ADB: adb shell am force-stop com.google.android.youtube

Method 4: Complete removal with root rights (for experienced)

This is the most effective, but also the riskiest method. It requires unlocking the bootloader and installing Magisk or SuperSU. On the Redmi 8 Pro, unlocking the bootloader erases all data, so pre-backup!

Steps:

1. Unlock the bootloader through the Mi Unlock Tool (instructions on the official Xiaomi website).
2. Install custom Recovery (such as TWRP) and get root rights through Magisk.
3. Download Root Browser or similar file manager.
4. Go to /system/priv-app/PrebuiltGmsCore or /system/app/YouTube and delete the folder with the application.
5. Clear the Dalvik cache through the recavers and restart the phone.

⚠️ Note: After YouTube is deleted, root may stop working:

• 🔸 Google Pay (due to a SafetyNet breach);
• 🔸 Some banking applications (Sberbank, Tinkoff);
• 🔸 Auto-Update Other Google Apps.

Method 5: Alternative launchers and system “cheating”

If you are not fundamentally physical deletion, and it is important only not to see YouTube, you can go for a trick:

1. Install an alternative launcher (like Nova Launcher or Lawnchair).
2. In the launcher settings, find the Hide apps option and add YouTube to the blacklist.
3. Turn off notifications from YouTube in Settings → Notifications.
4. Freeze the app with Titanium Backup (requires root) or App Quarantine (no root).

💡 Bonus: Some launchers (for example, Microsoft Launcher) allow you to replace application icons with empty ones, making them invisible even in the All Apps menu".

What if YouTube is back after the MIUI update?

This is a common problem on Xiaomi, where after major updates (e.g. from MIUI 12 to MIUI 13), the system restores remote Google apps to prevent this:

• 📌 Turn off automatic updates MIUI In Settings → The phone. → Updating the system → Three-pointed → Settings → Auto-downloading updates.
• 📌 Use Magisk modules like Universal. GMS Doze or DisableFlagSecure that blocks system recovery APK.
• 📌 Check the list of applications regularly after updates through ADB:

adb shell pm list packages | grep 'youtube'

If YouTube does return, repeat the steps from Method 3 (ADB) or Method 4 (root).

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On Xiaomi with MIUI Global Stable, removing YouTube via ADB works 90% of the time, but the China ROM versions may require additional GMS setup.

FAQ: Frequent questions about removing YouTube from Xiaomi Redmi 8 Pro