Xiaomi’s modern MIUI and HyperOS shells are highly functional, but are often criticized by users for intrusive advertising and unconventional behavior of system applications. One of the most annoying things for many smartphone owners is the inability to remove the standard “bell ringer” and replace it with a more familiar Google Dialer without obtaining advanced access rights. The standard procedure for replacing system applications requires unlocking the bootloader, which automatically leads to a loss of warranty and reset all data from the device.
Fortunately, there is a workaround that allows you to install the desired call app without having to do the complicated manipulation of the bootloader, which relies on using special commands via USB debugging and temporarily assigning the system application rights to a third-party installer. You don't need to be an Android development expert to do this, but you need to be careful and follow the instructions accurately.
In this article, we will discuss in detail how to prepare the device, what tools you will need and how to correctly implement Google Phone or any other call into the system. ADB-It is important to understand that any manipulation of system components carries minimal risks, so we recommend that you familiarize yourself with the material fully before starting actions.
Preparation of a smartphone and the necessary software
The first step before you start any manipulation of system components is to properly prepare the workplace and the device itself. You will need a computer running Windows, macOS or Linux, as well as a working computer. USB-cable, preferably original or certified, providing a stable connection, without reliable physical contact, the process may be interrupted at the most inopportune time, leading to data transmission errors.
On the smartphone, you need to activate the hidden menu for developers. To do this, go to Settings → About the phone and find the MIUI version (or OS version). Click on it quickly seven times in a row until the notification that you have become a developer appears, and then a new section will appear in the additional settings menu where you need to enable debugging over USB.
- 📱 Install the drivers. ADB On the computer is a basic set of tools for communicating with Android.
- 🔌 Enable debugging mode on USB In the “Developers” menu on the phone.
- 💾 Download. APK-The file of the desired call, such as Google Dialer, from a verified source.
- 🔋 Make sure your smartphone battery is at least 50% battery power to avoid a sudden shutdown.
⚠️ Warning: When you connect your smartphone to your computer for the first time, a request for debugging permission will appear on the device screen. Be sure to tick "Always Allow from this computer" and confirm the action, otherwise the commands will not be executed.
It’s also worth noting that some global versions of Xiaomi firmware may have additional limitations. If the standard method doesn’t work, you may need to temporarily change the region in your phone’s settings, although this is rarely required, the main thing is to ensure a stable connection and all the necessary files are in one folder on your computer for ease of operation.
Installation and configuration ADB-interface
The Android Debug Bridge (ADB) toolkit is a bridge between your computer and your smartphone, allowing you to send commands, install apps, and change system settings. There are several ways to get this tool: you can download the full Android SDK package, which is quite a long time, or use a minimalist version of Platform Tools, which weighs a little and works immediately.
Once you download the archive from Platform Tools, unpack it to the root of the disk, such as the C:\adb folder, so that the path to the files is short and does not contain Cyrillic characters. Open the command prompt (cmd) or PowerShell in this folder. To do this, you can press the Shift key, right click in the empty folder and select "Open the PowerShell window here" or "Open the terminal".
☑️ Checking readiness ADB
Connection verification is a critical step. Enter adb devices and press Enter. If you see a list of connected devices with serial number and device status, the connection is successful. If unauthorized status, look at the phone screen and confirm access. If the list is empty, check the drivers or try another one. USB-port.
adb devicesIn some cases, antivirus software may block ADB from working, perceiving its actions as potentially dangerous. If commands do not follow, try temporarily disabling protection or adding a tool folder to exceptions. Also make sure that the phone selects USB mode "Transfer Files" or "Charge", although this is not always critical for ADB, but helps stabilize the connection.
Implementing a system call through ADB-team
The most difficult and critical step is to install the application directly with system rights. Normal installation via adb install will not give the application the necessary privileges to work as the main dialing interface, especially if the standard Xiaomi call is hard-stitched into the system. We need to use the pm install command with a flag -d (downgrade) or -r (reinstall), but the key point is the use of a special installer.
But there's a simpler, safer method that doesn't require complex manipulation of system rights directly, but rather uses the Android app-installation feature. We'll use a utility that temporarily gives a regular file manager or APK installer process rights. But in the context of replacing a call without root, the most common method is to freeze or disable a stock application and activate a new one via ADB.
Download it first. APK-Google Phone file on your phone. Then perform the installation by command:
adb install -r com.google.android.dialer.apkOnce installed successfully, you need to activate the application as a system. This uses the pm grant command, but it doesn't work for all resolutions. A more effective way is to use a special script or command that changes the status of the application. Often users use a command to delete the stock call for the current user, which makes it inactive, and then assign a new one by default.
adb shell pm uninstall -k --user 0 com.miui.dialer⚠️ Attention: Command pm uninstall --user 0 It doesn't remove the application physically from the system, it just hides it for your user profile. It's safe and reversible, but it takes care not to delete the extra one.
After you turn off Xiaomi's stock Dialer, the system automatically prompts you to select the app to make calls. Select the Google Phone installed and click Always. If you don't automatically select, go to Settings. → Annexes → Application management → Three dots (menu) → Default applications → Dial the number and specify the desired.
Solving contact issues and numbering
A common problem after changing a call to Xiaomi is the lack of access to contacts or the inability to determine the number (Caller ID), this is due to the fact that the new call does not have automatic permission to read the contact database and call log. Unlike a regular installation from a store, when implemented through ADB, some permissions may not be requested automatically.
To fix this, you need to manually issue all the permissions you need. Go to Settings → Apps → All apps, search the list for Phone (Google). Open the section "Application permissions." This should open access to contacts, microphone, phone and SMS. Without this, the call will not work correctly or display subscribers' names.
| Permission | Status | Impact on work |
|---|---|---|
| Contacts | I'll be sure. | Displaying names in the journal and incoming |
| Phone. | I'll be sure. | Ability to make and accept challenges |
| Microphone | I'll be sure. | Hearing of the interlocutor during the conversation |
| Call magazine | Recommended | Preserving the history of incoming and outgoing |
| Notifications | I'll be sure. | Displaying the incoming call card |
Another common problem is that you don't have to identify spam and unknown numbers if you're using the global version of Google Phone on Chinese firmware or vice versa, and you may need to adjust it inside the Phone app itself. Go to the call settings, find the "Determine Numbers" option, and make sure the feature is active.
If contacts never show up, try clearing the Contacts and Phone app cache, sometimes by forcing both apps to stop through the settings menu and then restart, and in rare cases, you need to sync your Google account again.
Configure conversation recording and functionality
One of the main reasons why users want to replace Xiaomi’s stock call with Google Dialer is the lack of automatic recording of conversations in some regions or, conversely, its presence with notification of the interlocutor. Google Phone has a built-in recording function, but its behavior varies by region. SIM-In some cases, the recording takes place with a voice notification, which is not always convenient.
To activate the recording of calls in Google Dialer without unnecessary sounds, you often need to change the region in the settings of the application or use modified versions of APK, but we only consider official methods. In the standard version, go to Settings → Call Record and turn on the option “Always Write” or “For selected numbers”.
Secrets of recording conversations
It’s important to consider that Android 10 and more recent versions have made serious restrictions on the API for recording calls for third-party applications.This means that no call installed on top of a system without root rights will be able to write a conversation “quietly” and reliably, as older versions of Android did.
Also worth paying attention to integration with other services. Google Phone works great with Google Contacts, allowing you to quickly find organizations and get information about them. Make sure that the account settings are synchronized so that all changes to the phone book are displayed instantly on all your devices.
Return to factory settings of the call
If the experiment failed, the call was unstable, or you just decided to go back to the original MIUI, the procedure can be easily canceled. Since we didn't make changes to the system partition (we didn't make a modification to boot.img), but only hid the system applications for the user, it will take a couple of minutes to return.
To recover a Xiaomi stock call, you’ll need a computer and an ADB connection again. Use the command to re-install (actually unlock) the hidden app.
adb shell cmd package install-existing com.miui.dialerIf this command doesn’t work (some versions of Android may not), you can simply reset the application settings by default. Go to Settings → Apps → All Apps → Three Dots → Reset the application settings. After that, the first call, the system will again ask which call to use, and you can select MIUI Dialer.
💡
Keep the original. APK-Xiaomi's stock call file before it's deleted. If you accidentally delete it completely (which is unlikely without root), it's extremely difficult to restore the call functionality without flashing it back.
In case the phone has stopped responding to dialing, try clearing the phone app data through the settings menu, which will return it to the post-installing state while maintaining system integrity. Don't be afraid to experiment, as the --user 0 method is secure and doesn't affect critical memory areas.