You just got that new Xiaomi phone running the MIUI operating system and everything’s looking good. But then suddenly it bombards you with notifications on apps you don’t need. This is called bloatware which can cause you to lose extra storage to pre-installed apps that don’t give you value and you won’t use.
While this can be frustrating, there’s no need to worry! In this article, we’ll explain how to remove bloatware from the MIUI.
Removing Bloatware from MIUI
Let’s get into the process of stripping down unnecessary bloatware. You first want your phone optimized and set to your specifications. Some smartphones will let you uninstall these apps, while others will only let you disable them. The same goes for MIUI. Keep in mind that uninstalling an app removes it from your smartphone, but disabling will keep it from pushing notifications and prevent the app from running in the background while draining precious battery power.
Know that sometimes uninstalling these apps can cause system instability, and once they’re gone, it can be difficult to get them back again. So, make sure you truly don’t need or want the app before you decide to uninstall or disable it. Here’s how to remove it.
- Begin by finding and tapping the MIUI Hidden Settings App.
- Tap on the “Manage Applications” option.
- Find and tap on whichever app you want to uninstall or disable from your device.
- Tap on the “Uninstall” or “Disable” option.
- Confirm the command on the pop-up which will offer you an option to cancel.
This isn’t the only way to remove bloatware from MIUI. There are many methods out there. Some may be tedious. But using the steps we’ve laid out above is the surest and fastest way to get rid of bloatware. But what if you don’t want to install another app to get rid of bloatware? Perhaps you don’t have access to Wi-fi to install it.
Let’s go over some more ways to remove bloatware from MIUI.
How to Remove Bloatware With No App
For those of you just starting with Xiaomi, you may want to try another method before downloading more apps. There is a simpler way to get rid of bloatware. While this method is simpler, it isn’t as effective as the one we’ve mentioned above. This is because some bloatware won’t go away using this method.
- Go to “Settings” on your device.
- Scroll and select “Apps.”
- Find the bloatware app you want to disable before tapping on it.
- Tap on the option “Disable” then follow the instructions on-screen.
After using both of the methods above, there is still a chance that bloatware remains on your phone. Don’t worry, because we haven’t exhausted our methods to get rid of pesky bloatware.
How to Remove Bloatware with ADB AND Fastboot
This is a method that requires a few prerequisites. While it gets very technical very fast, it’s a universal approach that works well with removing bloatware from any Android-powered device. It also works with Xiaomi devices running MIUI. Here are a few things you’ll need to have or understand before getting into this method.
- You’ll have to use a PC for this method.
- You’ll have to have ADB and Flashboot installed on your PC.
- You need to download the App Inspector to know the package name of the apps.
- You’ll need to turn on USB debugging.
Now let’s get to the steps themselves:
- Connect your Xiaomi device to the PC. Use your USB cable for this.
- Type in the “
adb devices” after opening the command prompt to ensure the device is connected.
- Use the command “
adb shell”.
- Find the package name of the system app by using App Inspector. These apps usually begin with “com.”
- Use the command: “
pm uninstall –k —user”.
- In the name of the package section, put the name of the app that you want to disable.
Before going on with this method, we suggest making sure that you research the apps that you want to disable. For example, uninstalling certain apps such as “Mi Security” could negatively impact MIUI as an operating system.
How to Remove Ads from Bloatware on MIUI
Sometimes it isn’t just the app itself draining the battery that gets to you, it’s the ads connected to the apps. It can feel like they’re all over the place. This issue is surprisingly simple to solve and you won’t need any extra apps or a PC like the steps above.
To remove ads from bloatware on your Xiaomi phone, do the following:
- Go to Settings.
- Find and select “Official Settings.”
- Select “Authorization & Revocation.” From here, you can revoke authorization for certain apps.
- Find the MIUI system ADS (MSA). This is what collects data for advertising. You can toggle it to disable and revoke authorization.
- Be sure to confirm that you would like to revoke authorization.
After this, you should be able to use your Xiaomi in peace with no invasive ads at all.
FAQs
Is getting rid of bloatware on Xiaomi safe?
Removing bloatware from a Xiaomi device running MIUI can be safe in most cases, as long as you follow the correct procedures. However, some bloatware apps may be tightly integrated into the system software and cannot be removed without causing compatibility issues or negatively impacting the performance of the device.
Should I get rid of bloatware?
Whether or not you should get rid of bloatware depends on your individual needs and preferences. There isn’t anything inherently harmful in bloatware except that the power the apps use may be better utilized for other more important apps.
Does it matter if I disable apps instead of uninstalling them?
The main difference between disabling and uninstalling an app is that disabling an app hides it from view and prevents it from running while uninstalling an app removes it completely from your device.
How can I prevent bloatware from being installed?
Xiaomi bloatware is pre-installed on the device by the manufacturer and cannot be prevented from being installed. However, you can remove or disable the apps that you do not want or need.
Are there alternatives to bloatware?
There are many alternatives to Xiaomi bloatware available on the Google Play Store. For example, you can replace the pre-installed web browser with Chrome, the pre-installed camera app with Google Camera, and the pre-installed gallery app with Google Photos.
Getting Rid of Bloatware
Xiaomi is a phone that has so much to offer, and sometimes maybe a little too much. Fortunately, a lot of the apps that make up the bloatware can easily be uninstalled or disabled. Just be careful and research the apps before disabling all of them. It can also help if you assess your situation before moving to some of the more technical solutions that we provide. Sometimes, all you need to do is adjust the settings to get rid of pesky ads and unnecessary bloatware.
What do you think about MIUI? Are most of the apps it features useful? How about the ads? Are they annoying or mostly tolerable? If you’ve used some of the steps that we’ve listed above, please let us know below in the comment section.
