How to disable applications on Android - deactivating and hiding programs in the mobile environment

All smartphones of the Chinese brand Xiaomi are sold with a set of pre-installed programs. However, not all users need such a kit. Even the software that the smartphone owner uses continues to slow down the system after it is closed. Therefore, you need to know how to disable applications on Xiaomi. Xiaomi smartphones do not have to contact a service center. Just read the step-by-step instructions for disabling applications.

What applications can be disabled

The main reason for deleting unnecessary programs on a smartphone is to free up RAM. Any applications on Xiaomi write cache, which is why the smartphone may freeze and glitch. Constantly clearing temporary data takes a lot of time, so it’s easier to disable the unnecessary application. This way it will not work in the background, even when the smartphone is locked.

You can completely disable applications on Xiaomi in the Settings utility if they were installed yourself through the Google Market application. System software cannot be removed or blocked in this way. This was done specifically so that children and inexperienced users do not accidentally disrupt the operation of Android . You can also turn off notifications. This will reduce RAM consumption, and the battery life of the smartphone will increase. In addition, the operating time can be affected by turning off smartphone vibration.

Read also: How to properly charge a smartphone battery: types of batteries, possible problems and their solutions

Automatic update of applications on Google Play

Everything here is the same as in the case of automatic firmware updates, the only difference is that for various software, as a rule, updates are released more often, so it takes more time to track all the changes in applications and games.

What's wrong with auto-updating apps on Google Play

Besides the fact that innovations are not always successful, there is one more nuance. Some applications may be updated so frequently that it will seriously affect the operating time of your Android device.

How to disable auto-update of applications in Google Play on an Android smartphone

We go to the Google Play application store, open the settings tab and in the “Auto-update applications” item set the value to “Never” or “Only via Wi-Fi”.

At the same time, we turn off automatic video playback so that when viewing information about the application, videos are turned on only at the user’s request, and this will also save both battery power and Internet traffic.

Disable unnecessary applications

If the reason for turning off programs is due to excessive system load and a rapid decrease in the charge level, you first need to look at what exactly is affecting this. Although not all users know how to disable applications on Xiaomi, everyone can cope with the task. For this:

1. Open the Settings app.
2. Find "Power and Performance" and click on it.
3. Go to the "Energy Consumption" tab. A list of programs that cause your Xiaomi smartphone to run out of power will open in the window. To disable, select the application and click on the “Close” button.

How to disable standard applications

You cannot disable standard applications via Android. You will need the "Hidden Settings for MIUI" application. You can download it from Google Market. After automatic installation:

1. Launch the program.
2. Open the "Manage Application" menu.
3. From the list, select the standard application you want to disable.
4. Two buttons and advanced settings will appear in the new tab. “Stop” allows you to stop the program, and “Disable” will disable it completely.

Read also: How to remove pop-up ads on your phone, advertising banners, spam SMS

How to turn off background apps

All programs launched at least once continue to run in the background. This allows your Xiaomi smartphone to quickly load the required data when you open the application again. However, the user may not turn on the software for a long time, and it will continue to waste RAM. Therefore, you can disable unnecessary applications on Xiaomi:

1. Go to "Settings".
2. Find the “Applications” item and go to it.
3. Select All Apps.
4. In the list that opens, click on the program that runs in the background.
5. Use the "Close" button located at the bottom of the screen.

Read also: Xiaomi ADB Fastboot Tools: what is this mode, how to install, how to enter and exit the mode, how to flash a smartphone via Fastboot

Disable via apps

There is a wide selection of utilities created by third-party developers. Some of them require root privileges, so try to grant them in advance using Magisk, King Root or other methods. If you don’t know root rights on Android, we recommend reading our material, where we described everything in detail.

All-In-One Toolbox

This multifunctional program does not require root and significantly expands the range of device capabilities. Having installed it, first of all provide access rights to the file storage, which will be requested at the time of launch. If the corresponding window does not appear, grant permission in the options menu:

1. Go to the list of installed programs;
2. Hold your finger on the All-in-One Toolbox icon, then move it to the “About application” button;
3. From the menu, select the “Permissions” tab;
4. Move the required toggle switches to the active position.

After this, do the following:

1. Find the Tools panel present on the Home screen;
2. Go to the “Startup” tab;
3. Remove permissions to run on your own. There is a possibility of mass shutdown using the corresponding button below.

Greenify

This utility complements the capabilities of Doze Mode, which appeared in Android Marshmallow, and has two operating modes that differ in efficiency and time consumption. After installation, proceed to the following steps:

1. Read a short description of Greenify;
2. Indicate whether your device is rooted or not. If you don't know the exact answer, select "I'm not sure";
3. On the next screen, you need to clarify whether the smartphone supports smart unlocking and biometrics methods (retina scanning, fingerprint);
4. Skip this step if running as superuser. Opposite the “Accessibility Service” item, tap on the “Settings” link to grant hibernation management access. Return to the application, click “Next”;
5. Create a new rule for operating in sleep mode using the button with a plus icon in the lower right corner. Select the programs you want to turn off in the background and confirm your actions. Changes to some software will take effect after a reboot.

DroidOptimizer

The creators of DroidOptimizer position it as a “one-touch” method for cleaning RAM, which they openly state in the description of their product. In addition, the program analyzes the operation of other applications and identifies suspicious ones among them - those that have a large number of permissions.

The instructions look like this:

1. Read the information about the development, click on “Now let’s start optimizing”;
2. On the home screen, tap on the “Cleaning” button;
3. Next, select “Startup Manager”, through it, specify the software that should be prohibited from starting up. By turning the toggle switch “Show all applications”, you can control the system software settings.

CCleaner

The program became widespread among Windows users, which allowed the company that released it to port its own product to other systems. The simplicity of this method and the absence of mandatory issuance of root make it one of the best among those described in the text.

1. Swipe left to open the side menu, select “Manage applications”;
2. Check the boxes next to the names of the software whose autorun you want to disable;
3. A button for selecting an action will appear in the lower right corner - complete deletion or prohibit autorun.

BootManager

The process of using this module is about as simple as in the case of CCleaner. After installing it on the Xposed Installer platform, you need to select programs that will not run simultaneously with the OS, and then save the changes. No other functionality is provided. Root is required.

Through Android system utilities

The instructions below vary depending on the version of the system you are using. To find out which Android is installed on your phone, follow these steps:

1. Open the device settings panel;
2. Go to the “System” section, from there – to the “Advanced settings” tab, and then click on the “System update” button;
3. Under the item “Android Version” the necessary information will be indicated.

In a similar way, you can update the OS to improve stability and fix bugs. After finding out the information about the current version, proceed to the solution options. Their main disadvantage is the ability to automatically reset, which is offset by the advantage of not having to obtain superuser rights.

Early versions of Android

The method described below involves completely disabling programs, i.e. installation of initial versions. Using this measure allows you to significantly free up space on internal storage by deleting little-used software (for example, Google services). This option is also available on newer devices with almost the same instruction steps.

1. Open the device settings, go to the “Applications” section and go to the full list by swiping to the right;
2. Find the application you need, tap on its name or icon to go to its management page;
3. Click on “Disable” under the title, to the left of the “Stop” button;
4. Read the warning about the further impossibility of using the software until it is updated, and wait until the process is completed.

If you need to use the program in the future, you can do so by enabling it through Google Play or control panels in a similar manner.

Android 6.0 and higher

Since 2020, when Android Marshmallow was released, users have the opportunity to independently configure the list of software from autorun without installing third-party utilities. To do this you need to follow these steps:

1. Go to the settings menu;
2. Open the “Phone Information” section;
3. Click on “Build number” several times until a message like “You have become a developer” appears;
4. Return to the main screen of the control panel, tap on the “For Developers” item, where there is a “Running Applications” tab;
5. Take the necessary actions. You can not only change the opening parameters along with the system, but also get detailed information about the operation of the program.

You can check the result by rebooting.

Temporarily preventing background work is possible thanks to a feature called Doze Mode, also not previously presented in other Google products. Thanks to it, unimportant processes are suspended when entering sleep mode. Actions are carried out without user participation and do not require independent activation - a set of rules that limit the parameters of other applications is activated automatically if the following points coincide simultaneously:

• autonomous work;
• screen off;
• failure to use the camera, voice recorder and similar functions;
• prolonged absence of changes in the values ​​of the accelerometer, gyroscope and other sensors.

How to disable automatic app updates

The MIUI system in Xiaomi smartphones is built in such a way that the user does not have to optimize it independently. Therefore, even updates are performed in the background. However, not all smartphone owners need the system to constantly download new files. How to disable auto updates? For this:

1. Go to the Settings program.
2. Find the “About phone” item and go to it.
3. Select System Update.
4. Click on the three dots in the top right corner. Advanced options will open.
5. Go to "Settings".
6. Move both sliders to "Off" mode. To enable automatic application updates again, simply return it to the “On” position.

How to disable recommendations in Xiaomi

In the proprietary MIUI shell, advertisements for third-party applications constantly appear on the screen. For example, the “Games” folder broadcasts programs that may be of interest to the user. Often advertisements even appear in notifications. To turn off recommendations:

1. Select the folder with the advertisement and click on it. The Settings menu will appear at the bottom. Enter them.
2. From the items that appear, you need to open “More”.
3. In the new list, move the Show Suggestions slider to Off.

Pre-installed applications in an Android smartphone

We have all long been accustomed to services from Google in smartphones, just as the fact that all pre-installed software from the famous company cannot be removed, at least not using standard methods, has become familiar. Also, branded applications from manufacturers are not always removed, but sometimes there are also games and applications in the firmware, the benefits of which look dubious.

What's wrong with pre-installed apps?

It's not just that they take up space in the smartphone's memory. When you install apps, you decide what permissions to give them. In the case of preinstallation, the set of these resolutions is determined by the manufacturer, and it is not a fact that you will like this set. If we are talking about ultra-cheap smartphones from little-known manufacturers, then the option of embedding malicious code cannot be ruled out.

How to remove pre-installed applications on an Android smartphone

• Open the main Android settings menu.
• Go to “Applications and notifications”, and then to “Application information”.
• Open the desired application and click on the “Delete” button, or, if it is not deleted, “Disable”. A disabled application will still take up space in user memory, but will no longer use RAM, which can have a positive effect on the performance of the smartphone.

How to disable application lock

This function in the system is needed to prevent unauthorized users (for example, children) from turning on programs. To open such an application, you must enter a PIN code, pattern code or password. If only one person uses the smartphone, you can disable the application lock on Xiaomi through the settings. There are 2 ways:

1. Enter the password and in the program settings set the slider to “Off” mode. If you have forgotten your password, you can recover it in the code entry window.
2. Do a full reset. This will delete all files, so you need to transfer photos, music and videos to the SD card in advance. Before the procedure, remove it to save the data.

Read also: Hidden menu in Xiaomi smartphones: how to enable it and how to use it

Frequent notifications from some Android apps

There are applications and games that you don’t want to delete, or that cannot be deleted in the standard way. At the same time, some software can be too intrusive in terms of sending notifications, notifying about information that is not always useful - for example, that there is a discount on an unnecessary item, or that it is time to continue the game.

What's wrong with notifications on your smartphone?

They are simply annoying and distracting.

How to turn off notifications from applications on an Android smartphone

Often you can turn off notifications in the settings of the application itself, but if there are no such settings in it, you will have to use the operating system. To turn it off, do this:

• Open the main Android settings menu.
• Go to “Applications and notifications”, and then to “Application information”.
• Select the desired application and click on “Notifications”.
• Turn off notifications from software.

How to disable app verification after installation from Google Play

The proprietary shell always tests programs for the presence of viruses and other malware. This provides protection for your Xiaomi smartphone, but the process of installing applications becomes lengthy. The function can be disabled through settings. To do this, during the next check, click on the gear drawn in the upper right corner of the screen. In the list that opens, find the item “Scan applications from the Play Market” and set the slider to “Off” mode. Now applications will be available to launch immediately after installation. Without checking, their performance will not be affected.

All notifications will be sent in basic mode.

Not all users know which applications can be disabled. While an unnecessary application is running in the background, the battery drains faster and the performance of the smartphone decreases. You can disable system applications and programs installed through the Play Store. In the first case, you will need a third-party utility. In the second, just launch the basic “Settings” tool. Step-by-step instructions detail how to disable Xiaomi app updates. Therefore, even novice users can cope with the task.

Application acceleration

To speed up individual applications, you can clear their cache. This is done in the same place where you can disable/delete them, that is, “Settings -> General -> Application Manager -> All”, select the application you need and click the “Clear cache” button.

It also makes sense to install less resource-intensive applications - for example, in my case, Smart Launcher takes up less memory than Samsung’s native TouchWiz does. The sidebar will provide specific tips, but I don’t recommend following them specifically, since it all depends on your needs. The main thing in this case is to choose the right size/functionality ratio.

To determine memory consumption, you can use the following method: install some terminal with Busybox, determine the PID of the desired process (using 'ps w') and look at the /proc//status file. In this case, however, you need to take into account the Android architecture - the application can be distributed across several processes.

If this method is too difficult for you and you don’t want to bother with each application, there are several graphical analogues of the top utility in the market. I liked one of them, called Process Explorer, the implementation of which, however, seemed incomprehensible - why use a browser to view the list of processes?

By the way, the Google Play service has a habit of suddenly updating a bunch of applications, which, of course, eats up resources. It is not possible to disable this service, but you can disable the update itself. To do this, go to the Play Store, call up the menu (hint: if you can’t call it using the soft keys, “pull” from the left edge), select “Settings” and set “Auto-update applications” to “Never”.

Likewise, it makes sense to disable account synchronization (which, in addition to a possible increase in performance, will satisfy your paranoia). To do this, go to “Settings” and look for where the “Accounts” item is located, then select an account and disable synchronization (alternatively, you can disable only individual and unnecessary types of synchronization, such as, for example, Google+ contacts or calendar. — Editor's note).