How to Uninstall an Application with Administrator Rights on Xiaomi: The Complete Guide

Administrator rights to Xiaomi give applications extended control over the system, from locking the screen to remote control of the device. However, such programs often become a source of problems — they interfere with updates, consume resources or even spy on the user. Delete them in the standard way through Settings → Applications will not work: the system blocks the “Delete” button while the application retains administrative privileges.

In this article, we will discuss all working methods for removing administrative applications on Xiaomi smartphones (including Redmi, POCO and Black Shark. MIUI 12-14 and Android 11-14, especially when:

• 🔒 The “Delete” button is inactive in the application settings
• 📱 The application does not appear in the list of administrators
• 🚫 The system produces an error "failed to delete»
• 🔄 After removal, the application appears again.

Before you start, make sure you have a backup of important data – some methods require resetting settings or working with ADB.

Why you can’t just remove the administrator app

Administrator apps are integrated into Android security, and they can:

• 🔐 Lock the screen or require a password to unlock
• 📍 Tracking the location of the device
• 📤 Remotely erase data (Find My Device)
• 🛡️ Prohibit installation of other applications

So Android blocks their removal until the rights are revoked, which is complicated by additional MIUI restrictions on Xiaomi:

Important: Some applications (e.g., com.miui.guardprovider or com.xiaomi.finddevice) are system-based and their removal may disrupt MIUI. Before taking action, check the name of the package through Settings → Apps → All Apps → [name] → Additional.

Method 1: Revocation of Administrator Rights through MIUI Settings

The safest method is to revoke the rights first and then uninstall the application, which is suitable for most third-party programs (antiviruses, MDM-Clients, parental controls).

1. Open Settings → Passwords and Security → Application Privileges → Device Administrators.
2. Find the desired application in the list and uncheck the tick next to it.
3. Confirm the action by clicking “Disable” or “Deactivate”.
4. Return to Settings → Applications → Application Management, find the app and click “Delete”.

If the application is not in the list of administrators, but the button “Delete” is still inactive:

• 🔍 Check the Special Access section → Access to notifications – some programs block deletion through notifications.
• 🔄 Restart the device and try again.
• 📱 Make sure you are logged into the main user profile (not the guest or work profile).

Check the backup of the data|Turn off sync with Mi Account|Battery charge > 50%|Connect to Wi-Fi (to download updates after reset)-->

Method 2: Remove via ADB (for hidden administrators)

If the app doesn’t appear in the admin list but blocks deletion, you’ll need Android Debug Bridge (ADB) – a method that works even for system applications, but requires caution.

What you need:

• 💻 Computer with installed ADB Tools
• 📱 Initiated Debugging Mode USB Xiaomi

Steps:

1. Enable USB Debugging: Settings → About Phone → MIUI Version (click 7 times) Settings → Additional → For Developers → Debugging by USB
2. Connect the phone to the PC and confirm the trusted device.
3. Open the command prompt (Windows) or terminal (macOS/Linux) in the folder with ADB.
4. Follow the commands: adb devices adb shell pm list packages -f | grep "name packet" adb shell pm uninstall -k --user 0 name packet Replace the name packet with the real one (e.g. com.avast.android.mobilesecurity).

If there is a mistake DELETE_FAILED_DEVICE_POLICY_MANAGER:

⚠️ Note: This means that the application is governed by device policy (e.g., corporate policy). MDM). Try to execute first: adb shell dpm remove-active-admin name packet/administrator Clarify the administrator name by command: adb shell dpm list admins

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If you don't know the name of the package, use the command adb shell pm list packages | grep "keyword". For example, for Avast: adb shell pm list packages | grep "avast".

Method 3: Resetting settings (if nothing helps)

The last measure - reset to factory settings - is applied when:

• 🔒 The application is not removed by any method.
• 📱 The device is locked by the administrator (for example, after installation) MDM)
• 🔄 The system emits a critical error when trying to delete the device.

How to perform a reset on Xiaomi:

1. Create a backup through Settings → About Phone → Backup.
2. Go to Settings → About Phone → Resetting → Erase all data.
3. Select “Erase internal memory” (optional if you want to clean files).
4. Confirm the action and wait for the reboot.

Once reset, all the admin apps will be deleted, but account data, photos and settings will also disappear, and if the device is tied to Mi Account, you will need to enter your username and password after the reboot.

Method 4: Use Safe Mode (Safe Mode)

If the application blocks access to settings, try booting into Safe Mode – a mode where all third-party programs are disabled.

How to turn on:

1. Press the power button before the off menu appears.
2. Press and hold “Switch Off” (or “Reboot” on some models).
3. Confirm the transition to Safe Mode.

In safe mode:

• 🔍 Check the list of administrators in Settings → Passwords and security.
• 🗑️ Remove the application through Settings → Annexes.
• 🔄 Restart the device to normal mode.

⚠️ Note: Some applications (such as Mi Security) may remain active even in Safe Mode. ADB dump.

Frequent mistakes and their solutions

When you remove admin applications, users face typical problems, and we'll look at the most common ones.

If you see a message, this application is protected by the device administrator, but it is not in the administrator list:

• 🔍 Check the hidden administrators through ADB: adb shell dpm list admins
• 📱 Remove the cache and application data Settings → Annexes → [name] → Warehouse.
• 🔄 Restart the device in Safe Mode and try again.

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If the application is related to corporate policy (MDM), Deleting it may result in the device being locked, in which case contact the administrator. IT-lock-out.

How to prevent the reappearance of administrative applications

To avoid problems in the future:

• 🛡️ Install apps only from Google Play or Mi App Store.
• 🔍 Before installation, check the permissions in the application description.
• 📱 Regularly review the list of administrators in Settings → Passwords and security.
• 🔄 Turn off automatic application synchronization in Settings → Accounts. → Mi Account.

For additional protection:

1. Enable Google Play Protect: Settings → Google → Security → Google Play Protect
2. Limit installation from unknown sources: Settings → Applications → Special access → Install unknown applications

If you often encounter unwanted admin apps, consider using alternative firmware (like LineageOS or Pixel Experience) that lacks pre-installed Xiaomi system apps but requires unlocking the bootloader.

FAQ: Answers to Frequent Questions