Why should you remove the MIUI Cleaner app from Xiaomi?

Someone once said that protection was created to be breached, regardless of the validity of the statement. Reports continue to surface about hacking and data theft incidents here and there. A recent example is the Bitcoin theft that occurred recently on Twitter, where dozens of large accounts were compromised. What’s even more concerning is the unauthorized theft and sale of user data to external parties. We have heard numerous cases of such incidents, with the most recent involving the default MIUI Cleaner app on Xiaomi devices. In this important article, we will explain the reasons for removing the app now and not later, as well as how to do it, along with discussing some other important points. So let’s get started.

Why should you remove the default MIUI Cleaner app on Xiaomi phones?

In recent weeks, some countries have banned dozens of apps due to security threats posed to users. Unfortunately, this list included some popular apps among Android and iOS users, such as TikTok, UC Browser, ShareIT, and Clean Master, which is associated with Xiaomi devices. These apps were accused of stealing and transferring data secretly to unknown external parties.

You may have noticed that we haven’t mentioned the MIUI Cleaner app yet. Before doing so, it is important to note that Clean Master is a tool for cleaning unwanted files on the device to enhance its performance. The bigger problem is that it is developed by the notorious Chinese company Cheetah Mobile, which has recently come under scrutiny by Google, Apple, and security experts.

And a moment ago, we mentioned the “bigger problem” again but with a bigger issue. The Clean Master app is actually the default MIUI Cleaner app on Xiaomi devices, and it will soon be on all Xiaomi and Redmi devices. If you go to the app settings, you will notice that it uses the same Clean Master identifier. Now let’s move on to the next paragraph and see how to remove the app.

How to uninstall the MIUI Cleaner app?

Unfortunately, Xiaomi does not allow users to uninstall or disable most of its default apps, known as “Bloatware.” So removing the MIUI Cleaner app will not be easy, but we have solutions. All you need is a computer, USB cable, enable USB debugging on the device, and download a tool. Then follow these steps.

First, connect your Xiaomi device to your computer using the USB cable.
Allow USB debugging prompt on your device
Next, download the ADB tool from here, extract the file, right-click on it and choose “Open PowerShell Window here.”

Now we have to deal with the commands. The first command is “adb devices” without quotes, then press enter. You should see a device number in the list of attached devices.
The next command is “adb shell” and press enter, then type “pm uninstall –k —user 0 com.miui.cleanmaster” and press enter. Finally, remove the cable and restart your Xiaomi device.

By the way, the above steps are universal for removing pre-installed apps on any Android device. In other words, you can follow the same method if you have Realme, Oppo, or any other Chinese smartphone.

Xiaomi MIUI Clearer Alternatives

Year after year, the Android operating system becomes more efficient in managing background apps. For example, the system now intelligently allocates resources to apps and temporarily stops apps that are not frequently used. However, these apps can cause system issues.

The only useful feature of cleaning apps is allowing users to delete unwanted apps and data under one roof. However, they may collect user data. If you still want an app that performs this task, you can start using SDMaid , which does a good job and keeps your data secure.