Owners of Xiaomi Mi TVs (series 4, 5, 6 and Mi TV Q) often face a problem: the pre-installed YouTube app cannot be removed by standard means. It takes up space in memory, slows down the system and imposes updates that can conflict with the TV firmware. Worse, after resetting or updating the software, the application returns back as if it had never been removed.
In this article, we will discuss 5 working ways to get rid of YouTube on Xiaomi Mi TV – from simple shutdown to complete deletion of system files (including methods for firmware based on Android TV 9/10/11). Importantly, some methods require technical skills and can lead to a loss of warranty or failure of the TV if performed improperly. If you are not sure, use safe alternatives (sections 2 and 3).
Why can’t YouTube be removed in the standard way?
The YouTube app on Xiaomi Mi TV is a system application (or bloatware) that is integrated into the firmware at the system image level and has the status of a priv-app (privileged).
- 🔒 Removal protection: The system blocks uninstallation attempts via the settings menu.
- 🔄 Auto-Recovery: After a software update or reset, YouTube returns (Google Play Protect feature).
- 📦 Occupied space: The app weighs ~150-300 MB, plus cache and update data.
- 🛠️ New versions of YouTube may slow down older Mi models TV (for example, on Android TV 8.1).
The root of the problem is a license agreement between Xiaomi and Google, which requires the manufacturer to pre-install Google services (including YouTube) on Android TV devices to get certification, but users can disable or remove them — but this will require workarounds.
Method 1: Turn off YouTube without deleting (the safest)
If you just have to hide YouTube and ban it, this is the best way to do it, and it doesn't require a super user's rights, and it doesn't affect the warranty.
Instructions:
- Open the Settings → Applications.
- Find it on the YouTube list (could be called com.google.android.youtube.tv).
- Select Disable (do not "Delete Updates!").
- Confirm the action by pressing OK.
- Go to Settings → Device → Storage and clear the YouTube cache.
What does it mean?
- ✅ The app will disappear from the menu and launcher.
- ✅ Background processes and updates will stop.
- ✅ Released. ~50–100 MB of memory (excluding cache).
⚠️ Note: After resetting or updating your firmware, YouTube may be activated again. To avoid this, turn off automatic app updates in Settings → Annexes → Google Play Store → Auto-update.
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If YouTube continues to appear in the home screen recommendations after the shutdown, reset the launcher settings: Settings → Applications → Launcher (Mi Home) → Storage → Clear data.
Method 2: Remove YouTube Updates (Free Space)
Even if you can’t remove the app itself, you can roll it back to the factory version and disable updates.This will free up to 200MB of storage and eliminate the lags caused by new versions of YouTube.
Step-by-step:
☑️ Removing YouTube updates
After the rollback:
- 📉 YouTube will be an old version (possibly with a stripped-down functionality).
- 🚫 No new updates will be installed (if you manually disable them).
- ⚠️ Certain functions (e.g, 4K HDR) They may not work properly.
To ban updates permanently:
- Open the Google Play Store.
- Find YouTube in the list of apps.
- Click on the three dots in the top right corner and uncheck the checkmark with Auto Update.
Method 3: Delete YouTube via ADB (for power users)
If shutdowns and rollbacks aren’t enough, you can completely remove YouTube using Android Debug Bridge (ADB).This method works on all Xiaomi Mi TV models, but requires a PC connection.
What you need:
- 🖥️ Computer with Windows/Linux/macOS.
- 🔌 USB-cable (preferably original).
- 📥 Utility. ADB Tools (download from Google website).
- 🔧 Included debugging by USB TV-wise.
Instructions:
- Turn on USB debugging: Go to Settings → About TV → Software version. Press 7 times on the build number until the message You became a developer appears. Go back to Settings → For developers and turn on debugging over USB.
- Connect the TV to the PC and confirm the debugging permission.
- Open the command prompt (Windows) or terminal (Linux/macOS) in the folder with ADB.
- Follow the commands: adb devices (should appear serial number TV) adb shell pm uninstall -k --user 0 com.google.android.youtube.tv
If the command is correct, YouTube is removed for the current user, and to return it, you just need to update the firmware or reset the settings.
⚠️ Note: Some of the Mi's firmware TV (for example, Android TV 10+) You may need an additional command to delete data: adb shell pm clear com.google.android.youtube.tv Without it, the application can recover after a reboot.
What if ADB can’t see the TV?
Method 4: Block YouTube through the file system (root method)
To completely remove YouTube from Xiaomi Mi TV, you will need superuser rights (root), a method that can lead to a loss of warranty, system disruption, or TV blink. Use it only if other methods have not worked.
Pre-launch warnings:
- 🚨 The warranty is cancelled after receiving root.
- 🔄 Software updates will become impossible (you will have to install firmware manually).
- 🛠️ Risk of “bricking” – if you delete critical system files.
Instructions (for firmware based on Android TV 9/10):
- Get root rights with Magisk (the instructions for Xiaomi Mi TV are available on the 4PDA or XDA Developers forums).
- Connect to the TV via ADB (as in Method 3).
- Delete. APK-YouTube file: adb shell su mount -o rw,remount /system rm -f /system/priv-app/YouTube/YouTube.apk rm -f /system/app/YouTube/YouTube.apk rm -rf /data/data/com.google.android.youtube.tv exit reboot
An alternative method is to replace the APK with a "dummy" (so that the system does not restore the application):
- Download the empty YouTube.apk (can be created via APK Editor).
- Replace the original file with the command: adb push empty_YouTube.apk /system/priv-app/YouTube/YouTube.apk
| Deleting method | Need root? | Risk to the system | Recovering after resetting? |
|---|---|---|---|
| Disconnection in settings | ❌ No. | ⚠️ Low. | ✅ Yes. |
| Removal of updates | ❌ No. | ⚠️ Low. | ✅ Yes. |
| ADB-removal | ❌ No. | ⚠️ Medium. | ❌ No, until the software update) |
| Root + removal of APK | ✅ Yes. | ❗ High-pitched | ❌ No. |
| Replacement with a blank. | ✅ Yes. | ❗ High-pitched | ❌ No. |
Method 5: Alternative launchers (Hide YouTube without deleting)
If you just need to remove YouTube from the home screen, but leave it to run, install an alternative launcher. It's a secure method that doesn't require rooting and doesn't affect system files.
Best launchers for Xiaomi Mi TV:
- 🏠 ATV Launcher – minimalist interface without advertising.
- 🎮 Sideload Launcher – only shows manually installed applications.
- 🖼️ HalLauncher – supports customization of wallpaper and icons.
- 📱 Leanback Launcher is Google’s standard launcher, but without any imposed apps.
How to determine:
- Download. APK launcher USB-drive (for example, from the APKMirror website).
- Connect the flash drive to the TV.
- Open File Manager → USB → Install APK.
- In the TV settings, select the new default launcher: Settings → Applications → Default launcher.
Advantages of the method:
- ✅ Does not require rooting or ADB.
- ✅ You can return the standard launcher at any time.
- ✅ It hides not only YouTube, but also other unnecessary apps (such as Mi Home or Netflix).
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Alternative launchers are the only way to remove YouTube from the home screen without risking the system: They don't physically remove the app, but make it invisible and inaccessible to random launch.
What if YouTube is back after the update?
Even after you delete YouTube can recover from a firmware update, because Xiaomi includes it in the system image to prevent it from returning:
- Turn off automatic software update: Settings → About TV → System Update → Auto Update → Turn off
- Block update servers via router: Add to the blacklist domains: ota.tv.xiaomi.com, update.tv.xiaomi.com, android.clients.google.com.
Install firmware manually
- Download the official firmware from the Xiaomi website.
- Before installing, delete YouTube-related files from your archive (e.g. YouTube.apk in /system/priv-app/).
If YouTube is back,
- Repeat Method 3 (ADB) or Method 2 (rollback updates).
- Use Method 5 (alternative launcher) to hide it.