What apps can be removed from Xiaomi smartphone: safe cleaning

Owners of Xiaomi, Redmi and Poco smartphones often face intrusive pre-installed software that not only takes up precious space in memory, but also consumes battery power in the background. The question of which applications can be removed on Xiaomi without harming the operating system remains one of the most pressing for users who want to optimize the operation of their device. Standard methods of uninstallation through settings often prove ineffective, since system components are hidden from the average user.

Deep cleaning allows you to free up the processor resources and improve the autonomy of the gadget, but it requires caution. Incorrect removal of critical services can lead to unstable interface operation or even “bricking” the device, requiring flashing. In this article, we will discuss in detail which components of MIUI or HyperOS are safe to eliminate, and which are strictly not to touch.

To do most of the procedures, you’ll need access to advanced settings or a computer with Android Debug Bridge (ADB installed.We’ll look at both the mild cleaning techniques available to everyone and advanced techniques for power users.Understanding the structure of system packages will help you turn an overloaded smartphone into a fast and responsive tool.

Analysis of preinstalled software: what is Bloatware

Bloatware is software that is supplied by a manufacturer or carrier and often does not carry a payload for a particular user. In the Xiaomi ecosystem, this category includes not only games and third-party services, but also duplicate system utilities. The main problem is that these programs often have deep system rights and run in the background, consuming RAM.

Many users mistakenly believe that everything that is installed by default is necessary for the phone to work. In fact, much of this software can be safely deactivated or removed. For example, data analytics or cloud services that you do not use only create extra workload. Before starting cleaning, it is important to audit the installed packages to understand what each process is responsible for.

There are several types of pre-installed software. The first type is applications that can be removed in a standard way through the settings menu. The second type is system packages that are hidden from the user, which require special tools like ADB AppControl or the command line to remove. The third type is critical system components, the removal of which will lead to the interface inoperability or inability to make calls.

⚠️ Warning: Before any manipulation of system applications, be sure to back up your critical data. Deleting system components may affect the device’s warranty or stability.

It is also worth noting that the list of undeleteable software can vary depending on the regional version of the firmware (Global, CN, EEA). In Chinese versions of firmware, the amount of preinstalled garbage is usually much higher than in global ones, so the cleaning approach should be individual for each model and version of the software.

Safe removal through standard settings

The easiest and safest way to free up space is to use the built-in features of the Android operating system. This method does not require a connection to the computer and eliminates the risk of accidental damage to system files. You just need to go to the Settings menu → Apps → All applications.

In this list, you'll see both user and system applications. If the Remove button is active (not grey), it can be eliminated without consequences. Most often, this applies to pre-installed games, Google services (which can be disabled), stores and entertainment centers. Disabling is an alternative to deletion that simply hides the application and prevents it from running, but leaves files on the disk.

Many of the search giant's services, such as Google Play Movies, Google Music (unless YouTube Music is used), Google Drive (if there are alternatives), can be safely deleted or disabled.

It’s also worth checking the Tools section or folders with names like GetApps, Mi Video, Mi Music. If you use third-party counterparts (like VLC, MX Player, Spotify), native Xiaomi media players can be painlessly removed. They often contain ads and collect telemetry, which is not always necessary for the average user.

Using ADB for deep cleaning of the system

To remove applications that are hidden in the standard menu, you will need to use debugging by USB tool ADB (Android Debug Bridge is a powerful method that allows you to manage packages at the system level without obtaining superuser rights (Root.

To turn on Developer Mode, go to Settings → About Phone and click 7 times in a row on the MIUI Version (or OS Version). After that, a new section “Additional” → “For Developers” will appear in the settings menu. Inside you need to find and activate the “Debug by USB” item. When you connect to your computer, a request for debugging permission will appear on the phone screen - it must be confirmed.

Once you connect your smartphone to your PC and install the drivers, you can use ADB graphical shells like Xiaomi ADB/Fastboot Tools or ADB AppControl, which makes it much easier. These programs automatically determine the device model and offer a list of apps with recommendations: is it safe to remove them, ideal for those who are afraid to enter the wrong command manually.

If you prefer the manual method, use the command adb shell pm list packages to get a list of all packages. Find an unnecessary application by name (for example, com.miui.videoplayer) and apply the deletion command. ADB You only remove the application for the current user (--user 0), leaving it in the system partition, but making it invisible and inactive.

List of applications for removal: Security table

To avoid getting confused by the many system processes, we have compiled a table of the most common Xiaomi packages with a safety assessment of their removal. Package names may vary slightly between firmware versions, so always check the description before action.

Notice the line from Security Center, and many people try to remove this component because of intrusiveness, but in the end, they're not. MIUI It's tied to permissions, battery, even calls, and deleting it can cause the phone to stop seeing. SIM-The map or will not run other applications.

Also worth mentioning are analytics services like com.miui.misys or com.miui.analytics, which are safe to remove and even recommended for privacy, responsible for collecting usage statistics and sending ads to system applications, and disabling these services can reduce the number of banner ads in standard utilities.

Cleaning up advertising services and analytics

One of the main reasons why users want to clean their smartphone is advertising, which is the responsibility of special services in Xiaomi firmware that can be disabled or removed via ADB. This will not only remove banners, but also reduce the load on the processor, as services will no longer constantly request advertising IDs.

The first thing to look at is com.miui.misys (Mi System Service), which is responsible for system notifications and some of the ad integration. com.miui.analytics, the main user data collector, is common. Deactivating them makes the interface cleaner. However, just removing them is not enough, you also need to disable the personalization of ads in the settings.

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To turn off the ads completely, go to the Security app → Settings (cogs) → and turn off Receive Recommendations. Then, in the password and security settings, turn off Personalized Ads.

Another important component is com.miui.daemon, which is a statistics service that is safe to remove, but some users say that some weather widgets or newsfeeds may stop working properly after that, if they are tied to this service, and in most cases the system works stable and without it.

Don't forget about MSA (MIUI System Ads), which is the process that drives ads in standard apps. If you can't remove it through ADB (as it can self-repair), try turning off Internet access for that app through the Data Transfer menu in the settings, which will block the download of advertising content.

Google Regional Applications and Services

Global firmware versions often feature a set of Google apps that are not used in some regions (CIS, Europe), including Google TV (formerly Play Movies), Google Play Books, Google News, and if you don’t use these services, you can remove them and free up space.

Regional services that are pre-installed depending on the country of purchase, such as Indian builds with a lot of local software, European builds with Microsoft services (Office, OneDrive, Skype), if you're not using the Microsoft ecosystem, these apps can be removed, and they don't affect the work of your email or calendar if you use standard Android tools.

Also common are apps from Facebook, TikTok or Netflix that are built into the system and are not removed in the usual way. ADB will also be required to eliminate them. Packets usually contain a brand name in their name, such as com.facebook.katana or com.netflix.mediaclient.

Google.android.gms is strictly prohibited, and this will cause most applications, including banking, navigation and the app store itself, to fail. Only remove visible Google user apps, not system frameworks.

Recovery of Remote System Components

What if you delete the extra and the system starts to malfunction? Fortunately, when you delete it through ADB with the --user 0 flag, the app doesn't physically erase the /system partition, it just hides it for the current user, which means it can be easily restored without flashing the phone.

To return a remote application, use the command: adb shell cmd package install-existing the name of the package. For example, if you deleted the browser, the command will look like this: adb shell cmd package install-existing com.mi.global.browser. After execution, the smartphone will ask to confirm the installation, and the application will return to its place.

⚠️ Note: If you have removed the application completely (with root rights or through modified recovery), you can restore it only by flashing the device or installing the system. APK-Manual file, which is more complicated and risky.

If the phone goes into a bootloop after the critical component is removed, you need to log in to Recovery mode, which is where you need to do a Wipe Data reset, which will return factory settings but delete your personal files, which is why backup is so important before you start experimenting.

If you’ve used a graphics utility like Xiaomi ADB/Fastboot Tools, there’s often a “Restore” feature that lets you (with one click) return all deleted packets to place, which is the easiest way for beginners to fix mistakes.

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