Opera Preinstall Data on Xiaomi: what is it, why is it needed and how to remove it

If you own a Xiaomi smartphone, you've probably noticed a strange item on the installed app list, Opera Preinstall Data, which takes up space in memory, but doesn't have an icon on your desktop, doesn't run like a regular program, and behaves suspiciously at all. What is it? A virus? Spyware? Or a harmless system component that you shouldn't touch?

In this article, we will go into detail what the Opera Preinstall Data name is, why it appears on Xiaomi, Redmi and POCO devices, how it affects the phone’s performance and whether it can be safely removed, and answer the main question: should you bother with this application at all or should you leave it as it is?

What is Opera Preinstall Data and why is it necessary?

Opera Preinstall Data is not a standalone application, but a pre-installed data package for Opera (or its modifications, such as Opera Mini), which appears on Xiaomi smartphones thanks to a partnership agreement between the company and the browser developers.

• 📦 Configuration Files – Bookmarks, default settings, ad block lists, and other options that the browser downloads when it first starts.
• 🔗 Links to promotional pages – for example, quick access to Xiaomi services or company partners.
• 📊 Statistical data – anonymous information about regional settings, interface language and other parameters that help Opera optimize the experience on your device.

It is important to understand that Opera Preinstall Data itself is not a virus or spyware. It is a legal component that is installed during the production phase of a smartphone. However, it takes up space in memory (usually from 50 MB to 150 MB) and can be suspicious due to the lack of explicit functionality.

Why is Xiaomi working with Opera? It's simple: the default browser on many devices is Mi Browser, but the company also pre-installes Opera (or its lightweight version) as an alternative, part of the marketing strategy: users get a choice, and Opera — an additional audience.

How does Opera Preinstall Data get to Xiaomi?

There are two main scenarios where Opera Preinstall Data appears on your phone:

1. Pre-installation in the factory: Most Xiaomi, Redmi and POCO smartphones (especially budget and mid-budget models) come with a pre-installed suite of applications, including Opera. In this case, Opera Preinstall Data is part of the firmware, and it appears immediately after the device is first turned on.
2. System application updates: Sometimes the package is installed later, for example, after the MIUI update or when the system first connects to the Internet, when the system downloads additional components for partner services.

The list of models where Opera Preinstall Data is most common:

Interestingly, flagship models (such as Xiaomi 13 Ultra or Xiaomi 12S Pro) usually do not have this package – probably Xiaomi believes that users of premium devices will choose the browser.

⚠️ Note: If Opera Preinstall Data appeared on your smartphone after purchase (for example, after a few months of use), this may be a sign of an update to system applications. → The phone. → Updating the system.

Does Opera Preinstall Data affect your phone?

Opera Preinstall Data itself does not consume resources in the background, it is just a set of files lying in memory.

• 📉 Occupied space: The folder with data takes from 50 MB to 150 MB (depending on model and version) MIUI). For devices with 32 GB or 64 GB of memory, this is noticeable.
• 🔄 Browser Updates: If you've ever run Opera, the package can be updated via Google Play, consuming traffic and space.
• 🛡️ Security: In theory, any preinstalled package can contain vulnerabilities. Although Opera is a reliable browser, zero-day risk (unknown vulnerabilities) is always present.

Opera Preinstall Data does not:

• ❌ Does not slow down the phone (unless the browser itself is running).
• ❌ Does not collect personal data (as requested by Opera Software).
• ❌ Not showing ads (unless you use Opera as your primary browser).

To check how much space the package takes up:

1. Go to Settings → Applications → Application Management.
2. Search Opera.
3. Select Opera Preinstall Data and view the Warehouse section.

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If you don’t use Opera, but the package takes up a lot of space, try clearing its cache from the Warehouse menu → Clear the cache.This will free up a few megabytes without removing the packet itself.

Can I remove Opera Preinstall Data from Xiaomi?

Technically, you can remove this package, but there are nuances, and here are all the ways you can do it, from the safest to the most risky.

1. Disconnection (no root rights)

If you do not have superuser rights (root), you can only disable the package:

1. Open Settings → Applications → Application Management.
2. Find Opera Preinstall Data.
3. Click Disable (or Remove Updates if the button is active).

This won’t free up space, but it will prevent package updates.

2. Removal via ADB (no root rights)

A more radical method is the removal through ADB (Android Debug Bridge).

Install ADB on PC (download from [the official Android site](https://developer.android.com/studio/releases/platform-tools))

Enable USB debugging on your phone (Settings → About Phone → MIUI Version → 7 times click on the build number, then go back to Additional → For Developers → Debugging over USB)

Connect your phone to your PC and allow debugging

Open the command line in the folder with ADB-->

adb shell pm uninstall --user 0 com.opera.preinstall

If the team doesn't work, try:

adb shell pm uninstall --user 0 com.opera.app.predownload

⚠️ Note: Removing system packages through ADB It can lead to disruptions in work. MIUI, Especially if the packet is connected to other services!

3. Removal with root rights

If you have root, you can delete the packet completely through any file manager (e.g., Root Explorer):

1. Go to /system/priv-app/ or /system/app/.
2. Find a folder called OperaPreinstall (or similar).
3. Remove it or rename it (for example, in OperaPreinstall.bak).

After the reboot, the package will disappear from the system.

Alternatives: What to do if you don’t want to remove?

If you don’t want to take risks, but the package is annoying, there are several alternative solutions:

• 🗑️ Cache cleanup. As mentioned earlier, regular cleaning of packet cache (Settings) → Annexes → Opera Preinstall Data → Warehouse → Cleaning the cache will help save space.
• 🔒 Freeze through Titanium Backup. If you have root, you can freeze the package so it doesn't update or take up resources.
• 📱 Using a different browser: Install Chrome, Firefox or Brave and make it the default browser.
• 🔄 Factory reset: Extreme method: a full reset will remove all pre-installed apps, but you will lose all data.

If you’ve decided to leave it as it is, remember: Opera Preinstall Data doesn’t harm your phone; it’s just one of many pre-installed packages that manufacturers add for convenience (or through partner arrangements).

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If you're not using Opera, but the package takes less than 100MB, removing it will not give you a noticeable performance boost. In most cases, just turn it off or clear the cache.

Frequent Myths and Misconceptions About Opera Preinstall Data

There's a lot of rumors going around this package, and we're going to look at the most popular ones.

Myth 1: “It’s a virus or spyware”

❌ Reality: Opera Preinstall Data is an official component signed by Xiaomi and Opera Software that doesn't steal data or show hidden ads, but like any preinstalled software, it can contain telemetry (anonymous usage data) that it sends to developers. If this is a concern, turn off the collection of statistics in the Opera settings.

Myth 2: “Deleting the phone will break the phone”

❌ Reality: 99% of the time, removing a packet does not affect stability. MIUI. The exception is if you use Xiaomi features related to Opera (for example, synchronizing bookmarks through Mi Account).

Myth 3: “It’s necessary for Mi Browser to work.”

❌ Reality: Opera Preinstall Data is not related to Mi Browser. These are two different apps, and removing one won't affect the other.

Myth 4: “A folder takes up gigabytes of memory”

❌ Reality: The maximum package size is about 150 MB. If you see Opera taking up a few gigabytes, it’s probably the browser’s cache, not Preinstall Data.

If you are still in doubt, check the package for viruses with Malwarebytes or Dr.Web. But most likely, the antivirus will not find anything suspicious.

FAQ: Answers to Frequent Questions