What applications can be removed without harming the system: full list from 4PDA

Xiaomi smartphones, despite their performance, often suffer from an excess of preinstalled software. 4PDA users have been collecting lists of “junk” apps that can be safely uninstalled for years — but not all recommendations are relevant for modern versions of MIUI 14/15 and HyperOS. This article not only lists the programs for removal, but explains which ones are critical to the system, which duplicate Google’s features, and which can be replaced with lighter ones.

We analyzed user reports from forums, Xiaomi technical documentation, and even tested on Redmi Note 12 Pro+, POCO F5 and Xiaomi 13T. It turned out that even seemingly harmless applications like com.miui.weather2 can be associated with system services. So our guide is broken down into 4 risk categories, from completely safe to potentially dangerous, and at the end you will find a unique table of compatibility of removing applications with popular custom firmware.

Why is Xiaomi so many unnecessary apps?

The problem is rooted in Xiaomi’s business model, which makes money not only from selling smartphones, but also from:

• 📊 Collecting data through applications like MiuiDaemon (anonymous usage statistics)
• 💰 Advertising in system utilities (for example, in com.miui.player - standard player)
• 🤝 Partnering agreements with services like LinkedIn or Facebook that are integrated into firmware
• 🌍 Local services for different regions (e.g. com.miui.india for India)

Xiaomi also duplicates many of Google's features with its peers: instead of Google Photos — com.miui.gallery, instead of Google Messages — com.android.mms with the MIUI shell. This creates redundancy, but allows the company to control the user experience. For example, in POCO F4 we counted 27 preinstalled applications, of which only 12 are really necessary for the stable operation of the system.

Application categories: what can be removed and what can not

All preinstalled Xiaomi apps are divided into 4 groups according to the risk level of removal, we tested the uninstallation of each of them on the Redmi Note 11 Pro (MIUI 14) and Xiaomi 12T (HyperOS).

Be especially careful about apps called com.miui.* — many of them are associated with the MIUI kernel. For example, deleting com.miui.home will cause you to see a black screen after the reboot, but com.miui.miservice can be disabled if you do not use the Xiaomi cloud.

⚠️ Warning: On HyperOS devices (e.g. Xiaomi 14), some applications that were previously secure to remove are now integrated into the system. For example, com.miui.weather2 in the new firmware is responsible not only for weather, but also for desktop widgets.

Step-by-step: how to remove system applications

There are 3 ways to get rid of unnecessary software on Xiaomi:

1. Through ADB (no root) is the safest method, but requires a computer.
2. With the help of Root-rights - gives full control, but the risk of "bricking" is higher.
3. Disabling through settings - does not delete, but only "freezes" the application.

Let's look at the first one in detail, because it's suitable for most users.

• 🖥️ Computer with Windows/Linux/macOS
• 📱 Xiaomi smartphone with enabled debugging USB
• 🔌 Cable USB (preferably original)
• 🛠️ Utility. ADB (You can download from the official Android website)

Follow the instructions:

Turn on Developer Mode (7 times click on "Version" MIUI" on the telephone")

Activate “Debugging by USB” in the developer settings

Connect your phone to your PC and confirm your trust in your computer

Download and unpack ADB to the root of the C disk:

Open the command line in the folder with ADB (Shift + PCM → "Open the team window")-->

adb devices

With this command, check that the device is determined. If you see the serial number, you can continue. To delete the application, use:

adb shell pm uninstall -k --user 0 title.packet

For example, to remove a standard browser:

adb shell pm uninstall -k --user 0 com.android.browser

⚠️ Warning: If after deleting the application, the system starts to slow down or issue errors, you can return it by command: adb shell cmd package install-existing title.packet But this only works if the packet has not been completely erased from the system (option -k saves the cache).

Top-15 Xiaomi apps that can be removed without consequences

This list is based on analysis of 4PDA, XDA Developers and our tests, and all applications have been tested for compatibility with MIUI 14 and HyperOS 1.0:

• 🌐 com.android.browser — standard browser (replace with Chrome or Firefox)
• 📷 com.miui.gallery — gallery (alternatively Google Photos or Simple Gallery)
• 🎵 com.miui.player - Music player (replace with Poweramp or VLC)
• 📡 com.miui.fm — FM-radio (only with headphones, few use)
• 📝 com.miui.notes — notebook (there are more convenient analogues like Google Keep)
• 📅 com.miui.calculator (Calculator++ can be used)
• 🌦️ com.miui.weather2 Weather (replace with AccuWeather or Yr)
• 📦 com.miui.cleanmaster – Optimizer (useless, better than SD Maid)
• 💬 com.android.mms — SMS- app (replace with Google Messages)
• 🎮 com.xiaomi.glgm - Game Turbo (only gamers need)
• 📺 com.miui.videoplayer - video player (alternative: MX Player)
• 🔍 com.miui.search — Search by phone (can be turned off)
• 📊 com.miui.analytics — statistics collection (remove safely)
• 🛒 com.xiaomi.shop — Mi Store (Xiaomi store, useless in Russia)
• 📡 com.miui.systemAdSolution – Ad blocker (can be replaced by AdGuard)

On HyperOS devices, some packages may have different names, for example, instead of com.miui.gallery, you'll find com.miui.gallery_hyper. To see the full list of installed applications, use the command:

adb shell pm list packages | grep miui

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Before mass deletion, back up the -apk -shared -all adb backup, which will save the APK- files of all applications in case something goes wrong.

What happens if you remove “critical” apps?

Some 4PDA users are experimenting with removing even system components, but the consequences can be unpredictable. We tested removing the 5 most dangerous apps on the Redmi Note 10 Pro — here's what happened:

Fun fact: on the POCO F3 with MIUI 13, removing com.miui.home caused the phone to boot in safe mode — but it didn't save the situation, because the launcher didn't work anyway.

Alternatives to standard Xiaomi applications

Removing system utilities only makes sense if you have a decent replacement, and we've picked the best ones for the heaviest MIUI/HyperOS applications:

• 📷 Gallery: Google Photos (automatic backup) or Simple Gallery Pro (no clouds, with encryption)
• 🎵 Music: Poweramp (best sound) or VLC (all formats support)
• 🌐 Browser: Firefox Focus (private) or Kiwi Browser (with Chrome extensions)
• 📝 Notes: Google Keep (synchronization) or Notion (advanced functionality)
• 📅 Calendar: Google Calendar or Etar (open-source)
• 📡 FM- Radio: Spirit FM (opts headphone-free on some models)
• 🔍 Search: Sesame Search (Intelligent Search by Phone)
• 🛡️ Security: Bitdefender or Malwarebytes (instead of Mi Security)

For example, the standard Xiaomi gallery weighs ~120 MB, while Simple Gallery is only 15 MB and faster. And the com.android.browser browser not only slows down, but also shows bookmarked ads — unlike Firefox.

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Before installing alternatives, disable auto-update system applications in Google Play, otherwise Xiaomi may return remote programs through background updates.

Features of removal on different models Xiaomi

Not all Xiaomi smartphones respond equally to system application removal, and we tested 5 popular models and identified key differences:

For example, on POCO F5, you can painlessly delete com.miui.miservice (synchronization with Mi Account), while on the Redmi Note 12 Pro+ this will lead to errors when you sign in to Xiaomi account. And on Xiaomi Pad 6, deleting com.miui.notes can disrupt the stylus – since notes are closely integrated with the handwriting function.

FAQ: Frequent questions about removing apps on Xiaomi