PUBG Mobile is one of the most popular mobile apps in the world, but not all Xiaomi users install it consciously. If you find this game on your smartphone's app list and don't remember how it got there, or notice suspicious activity, this article will help you understand the situation. We will explain what PUBG Mobile is, why it can appear on your Xiaomi without you knowing, how to check its impact on the device and what to do if you want to get rid of it.
Xiaomi is often pre-installed games and services from partners, especially budget models (Redmi Note 12, Poco X5) and devices for the Asian market. However, PUBG Mobile is rarely included in the standard set of MIUI, so its appearance can signal a third-party installation (for example, through banner ads) or the actions of other users of the device.
What is PUBG Mobile and why you need it in a smartphone
PUBG Mobile (PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds) is a multiplayer online battle royale game where 100 players fight on an island for survival.The game was released in 2018 by Tencent (Chinese company). IT-The giant was a hit quickly with its free, in-house model, and has been downloaded more than 1 billion times on Google Play and the App Store to date.
In the context of Xiaomi, PUBG Mobile may appear on the device for several reasons:
- 🎮 Pre-installation – Some Xiaomi models for India, China or Southeast Asia come pre-installed with Tencent games (e.g. Redmi) 9A POCO M3).
- 📥 Downloading through advertising - banners in MIUI or third-party applications may be offered to install the game "free" (often masquerading as "optimizer" or "accelerator»).
- 👤 Other Users’ Actions – If a smartphone is used by children or relatives, they may have installed the game without your knowledge.
- 🔄 Cloning of applications – dual applications function in MIUI You can create a copy of the game if it has already been installed.
The game itself is not a virus, but its background activity can significantly load the processor and battery, especially on budget Xiaomi models (for example, Redmi). A1+ POCO C50). Besides, PUBG Mobile actively collects user data (geolocation, device model, IP-address), which raises questions about confidentiality.
How to check if PUBG Mobile is installed on your Xiaomi
If you suspect that the game is installed on your device, but do not see it on the home screen, follow this instruction:
- Open Settings → Applications → Application Management.
- In the search bar, enter PUBG or Battlegrounds.
- Check the list for apps with names: PUBG MOBILE (official version), PUBG MOBILE LITE (lightweight version for weak smartphones), Game Turbo (optimizer for games from Xiaomi, may contain links to PUBG) com.tencent.ig or com.pubg.imobile (technical names of packages)
It is also worth checking the Game folder in the app menu – sometimes MIUI automatically sorts games into a separate category. If nothing is found but you notice suspicious activity (for example, increased battery consumption or data traffic), use the built-in Activity Monitor:
- Go to Settings → Battery and Performance → Battery Use.
- See which apps consume the most energy.
- If there are unknown processes on the list with names containing tencent or pubg, this may indicate a hidden installation.
- Disable Auto Installation: Go to Settings → Google → Autocomplete → Auto Install Apps. Turn off the option if it is active.
If the game was pre-installed by the manufacturer (e.g., Xiaomi for the Indian market), it cannot be removed in the standard way.
- Use ADB (Android Debug Bridge): adb shell pm uninstall --user 0 com.tencent.ig (Developer Mode and PC connection required).
- Or disable the app via Settings → Apps → PUBG Mobile → Disable (this hides the game, but doesn’t delete files).
If the game is installed via the MIUI Optimized Setup (Xiaomi’s built-in customizable wizard), disable it:
- Go to Settings. → The phone.
- Click 7 times on the MIUI version to activate Developer Mode.
- Back to Settings → Additionally. → For developers.
- Turn off MIUI Optimization (also known as MIUI Optimization)
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The most reliable way to avoid re-installation is to disable Xiaomi advertising services in Settings → Applications → Application Management → Msa (or GetApps) → Disable.
Alternatives to PUBG Mobile for Xiaomi: what to install instead
If you have removed PUBG Mobile but want to play similar projects, consider these Xiaomi-optimized alternatives:
| Game. | Requirements | Pluses | Cons |
|---|---|---|---|
| Call of Duty: Mobile | 4 GB of RAM, Snapdragon 660+ | Better graphics, less glitches on MIUI | It takes up 1.8GB of memory |
| Free Fire | 2 GB of RAM, Helio G35+ | It works on weak Redmis (e.g. Redmi 9A) | Less realism, more donations |
| Garena Undawn | 6 GB of RAM, Snapdragon 7xx+ | Open world, good optimization for MIUI 13/14 | It requires a stable internet. |
| Badlanders | 3 GB of RAM, Snapdragon 450+ | Fast matches, light weight (500MB) | Fewer players online |
For owners of Xiaomi with weak iron (for example, Redmi 8A or Poco C31), we recommend Free Fire or PUBG Mobile Lite (a lighter version of the original game). If you have a flagship (Xiaomi 13, Redmi K60), you can try Call of Duty: Mobile at maximum settings.
Before installing any game, check its compatibility with your Xiaomi model on GameLoop (the official Tencent PC emulator, where system requirements are specified).
Frequent PUBG Mobile issues on Xiaomi and their solutions
If you still decide to leave PUBG Mobile, but encounter errors, here are the typical problems and ways to fix them:
- 🔴 Game flies out at launch: Clear the game's cache in Settings → Annexes → PUBG Mobile → Memory. → Clear the cache. Update the game and Google Play Services. turn off Game Turbo in Settings → Special facilities → Game Turbo (sometimes it conflicts with the game).
- 🐢 Lags and low FPS: How to Include Performance Mode in MIUI Go to Settings. → Battery and productivity → Performance mode. Select High Performance (increases heat but improves) FPS). In the game settings, set the graphics to Balanced and frame rates to High. Reduce the graphics in the game settings to Balanced. Close background apps through Recent apps → Clear everything. Turn off VSync in Settings → Additionally. → For developers.
- 📶 Connection problems: Check if it is blocking MIUI Network access: Settings → Annexes → PUBG Mobile → Mobile data. Use it. 4G Instead of Wi-Fi if the ping is high, reset the network settings: → SIM-maps and mobile networks → Resetting network settings.
If the problem is not solved, try reinstalling the game or contact Tencent via the official website. For Xiaomi models with MediaTek (Helio G85, Helio G95) it sometimes helps to update the GPU drivers through Settings → About Phone → System Update.