What applications to remove on Xiaomi: secure system cleaning

Owners of Xiaomi, Redmi and POCO smartphones often face a situation where immediately after purchase, the device is overflowing with unnecessary software, a phenomenon called “bloatware” and includes both the services of the manufacturer and third-party programs imposed by partners, the presence of such redundant software not only takes up valuable space in internal memory, but also consumes RAM, as well as battery power in the background.

Proper cleaning allows you to significantly speed up the MIUI interface or the new HyperOS, making the sensor response smoother. However, the removal process requires caution: some system components are critical to the stable operation of the phone, and their elimination can lead to cyclical reboots or loss of functionality. In this article, we will discuss which packets can be removed without risk and which are better left alone.

For deep cleaning of standard tools, the system is often not enough, since many applications are hidden from the average user. ADB (Android Debug Bridge or specialized slits like Xiaomi ADB/Fastboot Tools. Below is a detailed analysis of application categories and step-by-step recommendations for their safe removal.

Analysis of pre-installed software and advertising modules

The first thing that catches your eye when you look at the MIUI shell is the abundance of advertising services and analytics, and Xiaomi makes money selling hardware, but also monetizing software by introducing data and ad display modules into the system, and removing these components is the number one priority for any user who values privacy.

A key element of the advertising ecosystem is the MSA (MIUI System Ads) service, which is responsible for pop-ups in standard applications such as Explorer, Music or Themes. Disabling or removing this package instantly clears the interface of intrusive banners.

⚠️ Note: Before removing system packages, it is strongly recommended to create a complete backup of data. Errors when removing critical components may cause the device to fail.

It is important to understand the difference between user applications and system services. While the former can be simply removed through settings, the latter often require root rights or use USB debugging. Deleting the com.miui.misys package can cause system notifications and authorization failures in the Mi Account. So the approach should be differentiated: ad modules are removed boldly, system modules – only understanding their function.

List of safe to remove Google and Xiaomi apps

Smartphones shipped to the global market have Google ecosystems pre-installed, and some of these services may be useless for CIS residents, especially if you don’t use American streaming platforms or cloud storage, a similar situation is with Xiaomi’s own development, which duplicates Android functionality.

Consider the main categories of applications that can be eliminated without compromising the basic functionality of the phone, primarily multimedia software that is easily replaced by peers from the Play Market, and this group includes various widgets and services that are hanging in memory but not used by the owner.

• 🎵 Google Music and YouTube Music are standard players that can be replaced with more functional counterparts like PowerAmp or YouTube Music. VLC.
• 📹 Google Movies is a video rental service that is practically not used in our latitudes and takes up a place in the menu.
• 🌤️ Google News and Play Magazines – Content aggregators that often work in the background and consume traffic.
• 🎮 Google Play Games – a service to save progress in games, which is needed only by avid gamers.
• 📹 Mi Video is a standard player that many people replace with a new one. MX Player or NPlayer.

GetApps (formerly Mi Apps) is an alternative app store that often provides notifications to suggest installing games. If you only use a proven Google Play, it's safe to remove it. It doesn't affect system updates or device security.

Cleaning up of duplicates and cloud storage services

Android, in conjunction with MIUI, often offers a dual set of tools to perform the same tasks, such as browsers, email clients and cloud storage, and having two active cloud services can confuse the user and take up an extra place in the list of applications.

The standard Mi Browser browser is often criticized for being overloaded with ads and news feeds. If you're used to Chrome, Firefox or Brave, removing your native browser is a great solution. It's deeply integrated, but it's completely duplicated with third-party products. The same goes for the MI Email email client.

As for cloud storage, the choice depends on your preferences. Mi Cloud is convenient for owners of the Xiaomi ecosystem, allowing you to synchronize contacts, notes and location of the device. However, if you use Google Drive, Dropbox or Yandex.Disk, Mi Cloud services can be limited or removed from their client parts, leaving only the system core for the account.

It is important to note that removing the standard com.miui.gallery gallery is not recommended even if you plan to use Google Photos. Many third-party apps and the camera system itself use paths to the standard gallery to preview pictures. Deleting it can result in you not seeing the photo or being unable to edit it after taking a photo.

Removing gaming services and social debris

Firmware for the global market often contains pre-installed social media and gaming platform shortcuts, in some cases they are just links to the store, but often they are full-fledged applications that require updates and work in the background. For the Russian market segment, many of them either do not work or are irrelevant.

Game Center (or Game Turbo) is a utility for optimizing performance in games. It adds settings overlays, blocks notifications, and speeds up launch. If you're not a mobile gamer, it can be removed. However, it's also responsible for some of the energy saving features in the background.

⚠️ Note: Removing the system component of com.miui.gamecenter may cause the acceleration function to disappear.If you are playing heavy projects, it is better to simply disable notifications from this application.

Social apps like Facebook, TikTok or regional marketplaces are often embedded at the undeleteable shortcut level. They can be deactivated through app settings, which will hide them from the menu and prevent them from running. ADB, As the "Delete" button in the settings will not be available.

Instructions for removal via ADB (for advanced)

To remove system applications that are not amenable to conventional uninstallation, you need access to debugging via USB. This method is safer than rooting, since it does not violate the integrity of the system partition and makes it easy to return everything back to the restart. You will need a computer and a set of tools Platform Tools from Google.

The first step is to activate the developer menu. To do this, go to Settings → About Phone and quickly click 7 times on the MIUI Version (or OS Version). After that, a new section will appear in the menu "Additional" or "Extended Settings", where you need to find "Developers".

In the developer menu, turn on the USB Debugging Toggle. Connect your smartphone to your computer with a cable. On the phone screen, you'll see a request for debugging permission -- tick "Always Allow" and click "OK." Then open the command line or terminal on your PC in the ADB folder and type in the command:

adb devices

If you have a serial number on the list, you've got a connection, you can delete the packets, and the command format is as follows:

adb shell pm uninstall -k --user 0 name.packet

For example, to remove an ad service, type: adb shell pm uninstall -k --user 0 com.miui.msa.global. If you make a mistake, the application is easy to restore by the command: adb shell cmd package install-existing name.packet.This makes the ADB method the ideal tool for fine-tuning the system.

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Use the Xiaomi ADB/Fastboot Tools program – it has a graphical interface and tells you which packages are safe to remove, marking them in green.

Recovery of Remote System Components

Even with careful removal, there is a risk of accidentally affecting an important process. The good news is that when you delete it through ADB (no root permissions), the application file physically stays in the system partition, just tagged as deleted for the current user, which means that you can return it at any time without flashing it back.

To recover, you just need to reconnect your phone to your computer with debugging enabled and type in the reinstalation command. If you delete the standard calculator or alarm clock and you suddenly need it, you can return it from the GetApps theme store or through application settings reset. However, system drainers will not be able to return this way - they must be searched for in the form of APK-file.

If, after deleting a packet, the phone starts to behave incorrectly (sound disappears, Wi-Fi does not work, settings fly out), try resetting the settings to factory settings, which will return all system communications to their original state, which is why it is critical to have a fresh backup of contacts and photos before any manipulation of system packages.

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The optimal cleaning strategy is to remove only software and advertising modules visible to the user, leaving system services with unknown features of unuched.