Debloating my Xiaomi Redmi 8

It is no secret that MiUi is bloated with a lot of apps and has ads all over the place. Here is how to debloat MiUi. This debloating does not affect any core features or system update.

Removing Apps

It is now possible to remove apps from mobile phone without rooting the mobile thank to Android Debug Bridge (ADB). You will need an external PC for this though.

The first step is removing apps that can be uninstalled without any tools. These include apps like Mi Credit, Mi Remote, Amazon, Facebook, Mi Docs Viewer, WPS Office, etc… Once you have done that proceed with the following steps.

1. Go to Settings -> About Phone and tap on MIUI version 7 times. This will enable Developer options.
2. Now go to Settings -> Additional Settings -> Developer Options and Enable USB debugging.
3. Download the ADB tool from Google(Link to Windows, Mac OS, Linux).
4. Extract the zip file downloaded into a folder.
5. Connect your mobile to your computer in File Transfer mode.
6. Go to folder where zip file is extracted. Hold shift key and right click. Click on the option “Open Command Prompt” here.
7. Enter the following command ./adb devices.
8. You will receive a authorization prompt in your mobile. Allow the USB debugging.
9. Now enter the command ./adb shell.
10. You can now run the command pm uninstall -k --user 0 <name of package> to remove any application from your mobile. Replace the <name of package> with the package names of apps given below.

Here is the list of programs that are safe to be removed from Redmi 8 running MiUi 11

Facebook Services

These apps belong to Facebook and are safe to remove even if you are using Facebook apps. These apps allow Facebook to update their apps bypassing Google Play Store.

• com.facebook.appmanager
• com.facebook.services
• com.facebook.system

Google Apps

These can be reinstalled from Play store if needed.

• com.google.android.projection.gearhead - Android Auto functionality.
• com.google.ar.lens - Google lens. The lens feature in Mi camera will still work if you have Google app installed.
• com.google.android.videos - Google Play movies.
• com.google.android.music - Google Play music.

Mi Apps & Services

The following apps either collect data or show ads. They can be removed without affecting the system in any noticeable way.

• com.miui.msa.global - MiUi System Ads(MSA). This app is for the system level ads you see in MiUi.
• com.miui.analytics - Analytics & telemetry.
• com.miui.yellowpage - A true caller like service. Responsible for the “Identify Phone number” setting in Dialler app.
• com.xiaomi.payment - Mi Coin app. A virtual points in Mi community.
• com.miui.hybrid & com.miui.hybrid.accessory - For Quick apps. This is some kind of instant apps from Huawei.
• com.miui.android.fashiongallery - Mi Glance. This app is responsible for showing various wallpapers on Lock screen. This app is no longer removeable starting from MIUI 12.
• com.mi.android.globalminusscreen - App Vault. A widget like app for home screen.
• com.miui.miservice - Service & Feedback app. Provides tutorials and option to submit feedback.
• com.xiaomi.glgm - Games app store.
• com.mipay.wallet.in - Mi Pay app.
• com.micredit.in - Mi credit app.
• com.mi.globalbrowser - Mi Browser.
• com.miui.player - Mi Music player.
• com.miui.videoplayer - Mi Video app.
• com.xiaomi.mipicks - GetApps app store. The system app will still be updated through settings even if the GetApps is removed.

The following apps does not show ads or collect data at the moment. You can uninstall them without any impacts, if you want.

• com.miui.touchassistant - Quickball, a touch assistant with shortcuts.
• com.android.calendar & com.xiaomi.calendar - This is Xiomi calendar. You can uninstall it and replace with Google calendar.
• com.miui.notes - Note taking app. Uninstalling will replace the note action in call with messages action.
• com.miui.huanji - Mi mover. App used for moving data from one Mi phone to another.
• com.xiaomi.midrop - Share app or Mi Drop.
• com.miui.fm - FM Radio.

The following apps can be removed but they will have the impacts described here

• com.android.deskclock - Default alarms app. Can be replaced with an another app like Google Clock. Some widgets will not work properly.
• com.miui.weather2 - Mi Weather app. Removing this app will affect the weather widget in System launcher.
• com.android.thememanager - Themes app. Removing this app will remove the ability to set wallpapers from other MiUi apps such as Settings, System Launcher and Gallery, but can change wallpapers from other third party launchers. You will still be able to change Ringtones, Notification tones, etc… via Settings.
• com.xiaomi.account - Mi Account app. Will remove the ability to Sign in to Mi Accounts and sync data to Mi Account. Some developer settings like “Install apps via USB” won’t work.
• com.miui.cloudbackup, com.miui.cloudservice & com.miui.micloudsync - Mi Cloud. Affects backup and syncing options.

Don’t remove

• com.miui.securitycenter - Security app. This app also contains the battery usage and data usage screens in the settings.
• com.miui.gallery - Gallery. The Screenshot UI works only with Gallery no matter what you have as your default photo app.
• com.xiaomi.finddevice - Find My Device. Disabling this app constantly throws error message that Find Device is not working.
• com.android.mms & com.android.contacts - Default SMS app, Contacts and dialler app. They can be removed without much issues but they will be automatically reinstalled. If it bothers you, you can change the default Phone, SMS & Contacts apps.

Re-installing these apps

Any of these apps can be re-installed using the command cmd package install-existing <name of package>.

Restricting Data usage

While it is possible to remove many apps including Gallery, Messages, etc, removing them usually causes a lot of problems. The first step is restricting data usage for those apps.

• Open the security app.
• Go to Data Usage -> Restrict Data Usage
• Limiting data usage is done in three ways, limiting Mobile Data, Background connection and WiFi.
• The WiFi usage of many system apps cannot be disabled

Changing settings

As you can already see, you cannot remove some apps like Security. These apps too have ads. You need to change some settings in order to disable them.

1. Go to Settings -> Apps -> System Apps Settings -> Security.
   • Turn off “Receive Recommendations”.
   • Under Cleaner, Turn off “Receive Recommendations” & “Remind to clean”.
   • Under *Data Usage", turn off “Report Data Usage info”.
   • Under Security Scan, turn off “Scan before installing” & “Payment monitoring”.
2. Open Downloads app, go to Settings and Turn off recommendations there.