What apps can be removed from Xiaomi: a safe list and instructions

Why are there so many pre-installed apps on Xiaomi?

Xiaomi, Redmi and POCO are known for their availability, but many users face a problem: after buying a device, a dozen (or more) pre-installed applications are found that not only take up memory, but also consume battery power in the background.

The reason lies in the company’s business model: Xiaomi works with partners (e.g. Facebook, Netflix, LinkedIn) who pay for pre-installing their services. In addition, the MIUI brand shell includes its own utilities – from Mi Browser to Mi Video, which duplicate the functions of Google services, as a result, the user gets a smartphone with 20-40 GB of occupied memory “out of the box”, and some applications can not be removed by standard means.

But it's not all that bad: most of these apps can be disabled or removed without risk to the system. The key is to know which ones are critical to MIUI and which are only ballast. In this article, we'll learn how to clean your smartphone of unnecessary software without compromising the stability of the work.

What applications can be removed without consequences

Before you start cleaning, it’s important to understand that not all preinstalled apps are equally useful (or useless) and fall into three categories:

• 🗑️ Securely deleted – do not affect the operation of the system, duplicate the functions of other programs or are advertising.
• ⚠️ Removable – You can uninstall, but this may deprive you of some features (such as branded themes or cloud storage).
• 🚫 Critical for MIUI — Deletion will cause disruptions to the interface, notifications or core services.

Below is a list of apps that can be removed without risk on most Xiaomi devices (relevant to MIUI 12/13/14):

• 🌐 Mi Browser is a proprietary browser that duplicates Chrome or Firefox. You can safely delete if you use an alternative.
• 🎵 Mi Music is a music player, if you're using Spotify, YouTube Music or VK Music, you don't need it.
• 🎬 Mi Video is a video player with limited features. VLC or MX Player.
• 📖 Mi Reader is a book-reading app, only useful if you're reading.epub and don't want to install Moon.+ Reader.
• 📱 Mi Drop - utility for transferring files over Wi-Fi. Analogues: ShareMe (from Xiaomi) or LocalSend.
• 💼 LinkedIn, Facebook, Netflix are affiliate apps that are removed without consequences if you don't use them.
• 🎮 Game Turbo is a game optimizer, only useful to gamers, and you can turn off the rest of them.
• 📊 Mi Community is Xiaomi’s support forum, only if you’re actively communicating with other users of the brand.

⚠️ Note: On some models (e.g, POCO F5 Or the Redmi Note 12 Pro.+) Some of these applications can be integrated deeper into the system. Before removing, check if the program is system (this is indicated by the absence of the "Delete" button in the settings).

How to remove pre-installed applications: 3 ways

Depending on the type of application and your access rights, there are several ways to remove them. Let's look at each of them.

1. Standard removal through settings

The easiest way to do this is to use the built-in MIUI tools:

1. Open Settings → Applications → Application Management.
2. Find the desired application in the list and tap it.
3. If the Remove button is active, press it. If not, select Disable (this will stop the program from running in the background).

This method works for most affiliate applications (Facebook, Netflix) and some branded utilities (Mi Music, Mi Video), but system components (Mi Security, Mi Account) are not removed this way.

2. Removal via ADB (for power users)

If there is no Delete button, but the application is not critical, you can use Android Debug Bridge (ADB), a method that requires connecting your smartphone to your PC and basic command line knowledge.

Enable Developer Mode (7 times tap the build number in Settings → About Phone)

Activate debugging over USB in Settings → Additional → For developers

Download and install ADB Tools on PC

Connect your smartphone to your computer and allow debugging

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After preparation, execute the following commands in the terminal (replace com.example.app with the application package):

adb devices


adb shell pm uninstall -k --user 0 com.example.app

List of packages of popular Xiaomi applications:

⚠️ Attention: Removal through ADB It doesn't erase the application completely -- it stays on the system, but it becomes inaccessible to the current user. MIUI program may return.

3. Use of root rights (for advanced)

If you're willing to take the risk of root access, you can uninstall any application, including the system one.

• Unlock the bootloader through the official Xiaomi tool.
• Install custom recovery (TWRP).
• Switch Magisk to get root.
• Use a root-access file manager (such as Root Explorer) to remove application files from /system/app or /system/priv-app.

This method gives maximum freedom, but has serious disadvantages:

• 🔴 Violation of warranty (if the device is under warranty).
• 🔴 Risk of “bricking” of the smartphone in case of an error.
• 🔴 Problems with updates MIUI (You'll have to go manually).
• 🔴 Some banking apps will stop working (due to SafetyNet trigger).

💡

Before you get root, make a full backup via TWRP or Mi PC Suite. In case of a failure, you can restore the system.

What applications cannot be removed (system risk)

Some Xiaomi apps seem unnecessary, but they are actually critical to MIUI. Deleting them can lead to:

• 🔄 Cyclical reboot (bootloop).
• 📵 Loss of notifications (will not come) SMS, Calls, alerts from messengers).
• 🔧 Failures in the camera, Wi-Fi or Bluetooth.
• 🔒 Unable to log in to Mi Account (loss of cloud access and sync).

Here is a list of apps that can not be removed under any circumstances:

Even if one of these apps seems useless to you (e.g. Mi Share, if you don’t use file transfer), deleting it can disrupt other services, such as com.miui.securitycenter, which is responsible not only for antivirus, but also for app permissions and screen locks.

💡

If you accidentally deleted a critical app and your smartphone stopped working, try resetting to factory settings via Recovery Mode (press Power + Volume Up when you turn on).

How to Disable Unnecessary Applications Without Deleting

If you are unsure about the security of the removal or fear the consequences, you can simply disable unnecessary programs, this will stop their background work, free up RAM and prevent battery consumption, but the application files will remain in the memory of the device.

How to disable the application:

1. Go to Settings → Applications → Application Management.
2. Select the application you want (such as Mi Browser).
3. Click "Disable" (if the button is inactive, then the application is system and it can not be deactivated).
4. Confirm the action in the dialog window.

Applications disabled:

• ✅ Not updated through the Play Market.
• ✅ Not working in the background.
• ✅ Notices are not shown.
• ❌ Take up space in memory (but not in RAM).
• ❌ You can accidentally turn back on through settings.

To fully control the disabled applications, use the utility Package Disabler (requires root) or ADB AppControl (works without root, but you need a connection to the PC), these tools allow you to massively disable the software and block its autorun.

How to Free Up After Deleting Applications

Removing unnecessary programs is only the first step to optimizing memory. To free up space as much as possible, do the following:

1. Clear the cache: Go to Settings → Memory → Clean up and delete temporary files. This can free up 1-5 GB.
2. Delete Application Data: In the App Management menu, select Storage and clear the data for unnecessary utilities (such as Mi Video or Mi Music).
3. Move files to a memory card: If your device supports microSD, move photos, videos, and music to Settings → Memory → Data Transfer.
4. Use cloud storage: Google Photos or Mi Cloud will help free up space by saving files on the network.
5. Remove duplicates: Apps like Files by Google or CCleaner will find duplicate files and unnecessary APKs.

If you've had a lot of free space after all the manipulations, consider resetting to factory settings. This is a radical method, but it will return the smartphone to its "clean" state. Remember to back up important data!

Frequent Mistakes and How to Avoid Them

When cleaning Xiaomi’s smartphone from unnecessary apps, users often make mistakes that lead to crashes, and here are the most common ones and ways to prevent them:

• 🔹 Remove everything without checking. Always check the list of safe applications (see section above). If you are not sure, disable the program instead of uninstall it.
• 🔹 Using questionable cleaners, applications like Clean Master or DU Speed Booster is often the source of advertising and background processes. Instead, use built-in tools. MIUI.
• 🔹 Removal through ADB Before mass deletion, back up through Settings. → Additionally. → Backup and reset.
• 🔹 Ignoring updates after cleaning. Some deleted apps may return after the update MIUI. Check the list of programs regularly.
• 🔹 Getting root without experience. If you're a beginner, don't take risks -- a firmware error can turn a smartphone into a brick".

Another common problem is the loss of functionality after deleting, for example, if you delete com.miui.gallery, you will lose access to some camera features, such as Documents mode or photo editor, in which case you will have to install a third-party gallery (such as Google Photos) and configure it as the default app.

⚠️ Note: Some Xiaomi models (e.g. Redmi Note 10 Pro) POCO X3 Pro) Deleting the com.miui.analytics app (statistics collection) can lead to Mi Account errors. If you don't want to send data to Xiaomi, just turn off statistics collection in Settings → The phone. → Send feedback → Analytics.

FAQ: Answers to Frequent Questions