Owners of Xiaomi, Redmi and POCO smartphones often notice an unknown application called GetApps in the installed list. This service automatically appears after the first activation of the device or the next update of the MIUI and HyperOS firmware. Many users rightly wonder about the origin of this software, especially given the intrusive notifications that it periodically generates.
In this article, we will discuss in detail the functionality of this operating system component, assess the risks of using it, and provide step-by-step instructions for its complete removal or deactivation. Understanding the essence of this service will help you clean the interface of unnecessary visual noise and improve the level of digital hygiene of your gadget.
What is GetApps and why do you need it?
At its core, GetApps is the official app store developed by Xiaomi for its devices, a direct alternative to the Google Play Market, but is primarily aimed at the Chinese market and users who do not have access to Google services. However, in global firmware versions, this store is pre-installed by default, which often causes confusion among European and Russian users.
The main stated purpose of the service is to provide a secure platform for downloading software, which the developers claim is that all files undergo additional virus testing and compatibility with specific models of Redmi and Black Shark smartphones. This creates an additional layer of protection, although in the conditions of dominance of Google Play Protect, its importance for the average user is somewhat reduced.
However, the app’s functionality goes beyond a simple software catalog, and is deeply integrated into Android’s system processes at the MIUI shell level. Through this channel, the company distributes not only utilities, but also recommendations, design themes, and promotional offers from partners, and it is the advertising component that most often becomes the reason why phone owners look for ways to get rid of this service.
⚠️ Note: GetApps has system application rights. Attempting to force its removal by standard methods can lead to unstable interface operation or errors in the work of other Xiaomi services.
The main functions and capabilities of the service
Despite the negative attitude of many users to obsession, it is undeniable that GetApps offers a number of useful tools, primarily the ability to download applications that may not be available in your region through the standard Play Market or require a specific version for Chinese devices.
The service also takes on the role of update manager for Xiaomi’s preinstalled system applications.When you receive a notification of a new version of a “calendar”, “conductor” or “gallery”, often this store is responsible for delivering and installing the current package, which allows the company to quickly fix bugs without waiting for a global firmware update.
In addition, the app has a gamification and bonus system, users can receive points for activity, which can be exchanged for premium subscriptions or virtual goods. For enthusiasts of the Xiaomi ecosystem, this can be an additional source of benefits, although for most functionality remains redundant.
- 📦 Alternative directory: Access to thousands of apps, including regional versions of programs from China and Southeast Asia.
- 🛡️ Security: Double check files for malicious code before installing on your device.
- 🔄 Auto Update: Background verification and installation of fresh versions for brand system utilities.
- 🎁 Bonus System: Opportunity to receive rewards for using ecosystem services.
Hidden feature of GetApps
Why Users Want to Delete GetApps
The main reason for the negative attitude towards this application is an aggressive advertising policy, the owner of a smartphone can face a situation when when the screen is unlocked or folders are opened on the desktop suddenly pops up a window offering to install the game or use the service, these notifications are often disguised as system messages, which disorients the user.
The second important aspect is resource consumption. GetApps runs in the background, periodically activating processes to check for updates or collect usage statistics. On budget models of smartphones with little RAM, this can lead to noticeable performance declines and faster battery discharge.
Privacy is also a concern, because collecting data about what apps you use, how often you open your phone and what you download is passed to the company's servers to create an advertising profile, and for users who value privacy, this level of surveillance is unacceptable even if the data is anonymized.
⚠️ Note: Disabling ads in settings does not guarantee the complete disappearance of pop-ups. Some types of promotional materials may return after updating system components.
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The main conflict between the user and GetApps is the balance between the convenience of auto-updates and the intrusiveness of advertising content that annoys most Android owners.
How to disable ads and notifications in GetApps
Before resorting to radical removal measures, it is worth trying to minimize annoyances with regular tools. In the latest versions of the shell MIUI and HyperOS, the company added the ability to fine-tune advertising preferences, which will allow you to leave the functionality of updates, but eliminate visual noise.
To start, you need to go to the settings of the app itself. Open GetApps, click on the profile or menu icon (usually three dots or bars), and select Settings. Here you are interested in the section related to notifications and personalization. Find the "Receive recommendations" or "Personalized recommendations" switch and turn it to the "Open" position.
Next, check the system notification settings. Go to Settings → Notifications and Status bar → Notification management. Go to GetApps list and turn off all categories except critical ones (e.g., Security Updates) to prevent banners from appearing on the lock screen and in the notification center.
- 🔕 Disabling Recommendations: Banning Personalized Content from Showing Inside the App.
- 🚫 Blocking Notifications: Complete ban on posting to status curtain.
- 🔒 Background activity restriction: Banning the service in the background to save charge.
- 📉 Resetting the advertising identifier: Resetting ID in the privacy settings of Google and MIUI.
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After disabling notifications, restart your smartphone, which is necessary to ensure that Android system services correctly apply the new restrictions policies for background processes.
Instructions for removing GetApps via ADB
Since GetApps is a system application, it will not work to remove it in the standard way (by long-clicking on the icon and choosing "Delete"). USB tool ADB (Android Debug Bridge: This method does not require superuser rights (Root).
The first step is to activate the developer mode on your device. To do this, go to Settings → About your phone and quickly click 7-10 times on the MIUI Version or OS Version field until the message “You are a developer” appears. Then, in the “Additional” or “Extended settings” menu, turn on “Debugging by USB”.
After connecting the smartphone to the computer through USB-Cable and driver installations, open the command line on your PC. You'll need to enter a command to delete the packet. The packet name for GetApps usually looks like com.xiaomi.mipicks or com.xiaomi.market. Be very careful when entering commands, as an error may result in the removal of system components.
adb shell pm uninstall -k --user 0 com.xiaomi.mipicksOnce you run the command, the application will disappear from the desktop and from the list of programs for the current user. It is important to understand that the files will physically remain in the system partition, but they will be deactivated and will not consume resources or run. If necessary, you can always restore the application by resetting the settings to the factory.
☑️ Checklist before removal through ADB
Comparison of GetApps and Google Play Market
Many users are trying to find the advantages of GetApps over the usual store from Google. the table below will help to objectively assess the differences between the two platforms and understand whether it makes sense to leave the Chinese counterpart on your device.
| Characteristics | GetApps (Xiaomi) | Google Play Market |
|---|---|---|
| Security | Basic check, there is a risk of advertising | High, Google Play Protect |
| Assortment | Focused on Asia, there are exclusives Xiaomi | Global, most comprehensive catalogue |
| Interface. | Overloaded, lots of banner ads | Minimalist, clean design |
| Updates | Often come faster for system applications | Standard update cycle |
| Privacy | Data collection for targeted advertising | Data collection for Google profile |
As can be seen from the comparison, for the average user in Russia and Europe, Google Play remains the preferred option due to its strict security policy and the absence of intrusive advertising. GetApps can be useful only to a narrow circle of enthusiasts looking for specific software from the Chinese segment of the Internet.
⚠️ Note: When you delete GetApps, you may lose the ability to automatically update some of Xiaomi’s built-in apps, such as Music or Video. You’ll have to manually update them through built-in mechanisms or re-install the store.