Xiaomi, Redmi and POCO bloatware and ads: what to disable
On Xiaomi, Redmi and POCO phones you can disable most optional and promotional apps without root: the app-store picker, game center, Mi Drop, video and payment apps. Keep the launcher, the package installer and the Security app unless you know what replaces them.
Turn down the ads first
MIUI and HyperOS personalise recommendations and ads in several system apps. Search Settings for Ad services and switch personalised ads off. Menu paths differ between versions, so search rather than browse.
Safe to disable for most people
| Package | What it is | Advice |
|---|---|---|
com.xiaomi.mipicks | Xiaomi app-store and ad picker | Ad-driven. Disable. |
com.xiaomi.midrop | Mi Drop file sharing | Disable if you do not use it. |
com.xiaomi.glgm | Xiaomi game center | Disable if you do not game. |
com.miui.videoplayer | Xiaomi video player | Disable if you use another player. |
com.miui.youtube | MIUI YouTube wrapper | Disable if unused. |
com.xiaomi.payment | Mi Pay and Xiaomi payment | Disable if unused. |
com.xiaomi.travelnavigator | Travel navigation widget | Disable freely. |
com.xiaomi.scanner | Scanner for QR codes and documents | Judgement call: keep it if you scan codes. |
Keep these
- The launcher (
com.miui.home): disabling it leaves no home screen. - The package installer (
com.miui.packageinstaller): installs may fail until it is back on. - The Security app, which also manages permissions and battery rules on MIUI and HyperOS.
- Telephony and connectivity packages: calls, SMS and Wi-Fi depend on them.
If the commands are refused
Xiaomi phones need a second switch before package commands work: turn on USB debugging (Security settings) in Developer options as well as plain USB debugging. It may ask you to sign in to a Mi account. The full steps are here. A few protected packages refuse to be disabled even then; leave those alone.
How to do it
- Enable both USB debugging switches and connect the phone.
- Open the slimdroid tool in Chrome or Edge and scan.
- Filter by tier bloat, disable a handful, restart and use the phone for a day.
- Scan again after each system update: updates can bring apps back.
Will this remove all MIUI or HyperOS ads?
It removes apps that show or fetch many of them, and the Ad services setting limits personalisation. Expect fewer ads, not none: some prompts come from apps you installed yourself.
Can I get a removed Xiaomi app back?
Yes. Restore it from the slimdroid journal, or run adb shell cmd package install-existing <package>. A factory reset brings every system app back.
Is it safe to disable everything starting com.miui or com.xiaomi?
No. Many of those packages are the launcher, installer, telephony glue and permission handling. Disable named optional apps one batch at a time rather than by pattern.