Owners of Xiaomi, Redmi and POCO smartphones often face overcrowded memory immediately after unpacking the device. The abundance of pre-installed software that consumes CPU and RAM resources annoys many users. This phenomenon, known as bloatware, can slow down the interface and reduce battery life of the gadget.
Many enthusiasts are interested in the question: what applications on Xiaomi can be removed painlessly without turning the phone into a brick? The answer to this question requires a detailed analysis, since removing critical system components can lead to unstable MIUI or HyperOS. In this article, we will discuss safe to remove packages and those that are strictly not worth touching.
Proper cleaning allows you to free up to several gigabytes of space and speed up the response of the menu. However, before you start manipulating, you need to clearly understand the difference between user and system processes. Deleting com.android.providers.downloads or com.miui.home can lead to loss of access to the application store or complete failure of the desktop.
Analysis of pre-installed Xiaomi software
The standard firmware from a Chinese manufacturer contains dozens of embedded software, some of which are essential for basic functionality, some of which are used to collect statistics or promote a company's services, and understanding the structure of packages is the first step to optimizing.
Some processes are responsible for navigating, vibrating, or displaying battery status, and removing them will make it impossible to use your smartphone properly, while many services, such as Mi Video or Mi Music, are duplicate and easily replaced by Google Play.
- 📱 System components: kernel, drivers, power management - it is forbidden to remove.
- 🎵 Xiaomi Multimedia: Players, Gallery, Dictaphone – can be removed if there are alternatives.
- 🌐 Mi Cloud, Mi Pay, Mi Browser Services – Deleted securely if not used.
- 📢 Promotional modules: MSA, Daemon – Disable or delete to enhance privacy.
It is important to note that different versions of shells (Global, China, EEA) may have different packages, for example, in the European versions some Chinese services have already been cut, while in Chinese firmware they are as many as possible.
Safe to remove applications (List)
There is a list of packages that do not affect the basic operating system performance, and removing them frees up resources and eliminates unnecessary notifications, such as standard media players and browsers from the manufacturer.
If you are used to using Google Chrome, VLC Or third-party launchers, you can remove native ones, and that includes book-reading apps, advanced calculator, and scanner. QR-codes if they duplicate the camera's functionality.
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Before mass removal of applications, create a full backup of data via Mi Cloud or locally on your PC to be able to roll back in case of an error.
The com.miui.msa.global process is responsible for displaying ads in system applications, and disabling or deleting it makes smartphone use more comfortable, although some users prefer to simply deny Internet access for this package.
- 🎨 Themes and wallpapers: com.miui.themes, com.miui.wallpaper – delete if you do not change the design.
- 📺 Video and TV: com.miui.video, com.miui.player – safe to remove.
- 🎮 Game Center: com.xiaomi.gamecenter – can be deleted if you do not use the optimization of games.
- 🧹 Cleanup: com.miui.cleaner – often duplicates Android features, can be replaced.
It is worth remembering that once a standard application is removed, its functions may stop working on other system components, for example, deleting a standard Gallery can disrupt the selection of an avatar for contact or wallpaper if the system tries to call this component.
Critical System Processes: What Not to Touch
There are a category of packages that will result in bootloop or loss of connectivity, including Google Play services, system frameworks, and telephony components, and even if you don’t use Google services, removing their underlying components from global firmware altogether can disrupt push notifications.
⚠️ Note: Deleting the com.android.providers.downloads package will make it impossible to download files from the browser and work some applications that require data downloading.
It is also strongly advised not to touch security and payment applications if you plan to use NFC. Deleting the NFC Service or Security Center can make the phone vulnerable or block the payment option.
What to do if you delete the system application?
The processes that run Bluetooth, Wi-Fi and mobile networks are also at risk, often with the words bluetooth, wifi or telephony, and can interfere with their ability to make or connect to the Internet.
Tools for removing system applications
You can't do the standard thing to remove embedded applications, because the "Delete" button is inactive for them. You'll need a computer and special software. The most popular and secure tool is Xiaomi. ADB/Fastboot Tools or Universal Utility ADB AppControl.
The process begins with the inclusion of the debugging mode USB. To do this, go to the Settings. → About the phone and press 7 times on the "Version" MIUI», To activate the developer menu, then in the advanced settings, turn on USB-debugging.
☑️ Preparation for removal of applications
Once you connect your smartphone to your PC and confirm the debugging request, you'll see a list of all the packages installed, and programs usually label safe to remove apps in green and system apps in red, which helps avoid fatal errors.
adb shell pm uninstall -k --user 0 com.miui.playerThis command, entered in the command prompt, will remove the standard video player for the current user without affecting the system partition recovery.This allows the application to be returned back with a simple reset if something goes wrong.
Table of conformity of packets and their functions
To make it easy to navigate the installed list, we have compiled a table with the main packages, their purpose and recommendations for removal, which will help you quickly identify the process consuming resources.
| Packet name | Function | Recommendation |
|---|---|---|
| com.miui.msa.global | Advertising Service (MSA) | Delete/Disable |
| com.miui.weather2 | Weather appendix | Safe (there are alternatives) |
| com.android.calendar | Google Calendar | Safe (if not used) |
| com.miui.securitycenter | Safety and clean-up | Leave (important for MIUI) |
| com.xiaomi.scanner | Code scanner | Safe (built into the camera) |
Use this table as a reference when working with ADB-If you are not sure about the purpose of the package, it is better to search for its exact name in the search engine before removing it.
Alternatives to Removal: Freezing and Shutting Down
Instead of radical removal, you can use the application freeze method, which allows you to disable the process, depriving it of the ability to start and consume resources, but saving files on the disk in case you need to restore.
To do this, select the service you want in your application settings and click "Disable." If the button is inactive, use the ADB command: adb shell pm disable-user --user 0. This is the safest way to optimize the system for beginners.
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Disable method is safer than complete removal, as it allows you to instantly restore the system without flashing.
Frozen apps don't show up on the menu, they don't consume battery, they don't collect data, and if you don't notice any problems after a week of using your phone without any service, you can delete it permanently.