How to remove a virus from a Xiaomi Redmi phone

Smartphone owners Xiaomi i Redmi often encounter intrusive advertising, sudden system brakes and strange applications that cannot be removed in the usual way. These symptoms indicate that the device is infected with malware or advar. The situation requires an immediate response, since viruses can steal confidential data, bank passwords and personal information of the user.

Below we will look at a comprehensive approach to cleaning a smartphone based MIUI from threats. We will start by diagnosing symptoms and move on to radical treatments if standard methods do not help. It is important to act consistently so as not to lose important files and not damage the system partitions of the device.

The first sign of infection is a sharp decrease in performance and rapid battery drain.

Pop-up windows can even appear on the desktop when no applications are running.

If you notice that the phone is sending SMS on its own or calling unknown numbers, this is critical signal.

Diagnosis of signs of system infection

Before proceeding with the active removal phase, it is necessary to accurately identify the source of the problem.

Modern viruses on Android are often disguised as system processes or useful utilities, such as “Memory Cleaner” or "Flashlight".

⚠️ Attention: If casino or betting advertisements constantly appear on the screen, most likely you have installed a malicious application with the rights to display on top of other windows.

Check the list of recently installed apps in the settings. Often, attackers use names similar to system ones, for example System Update or Google Service, but with typos or strange icons.

Pay attention to traffic consumption: a sharp increase in Internet consumption in the background may indicate the operation of a Trojan.

Use built-in security scanner for an initial assessment of the device's condition.

• 🔍 The appearance of unknown icons on the desktop.
• 🔋 Rapid battery drain even in standby mode.
• 📶 Inexplicable increase in mobile communications costs.
• 🚫 Blocking access to settings or task manager.

Using the built-in MIUI antivirus

Shell MIUI from Xiaomi has a built-in security module developed with the support of Avast or AVG (depending on depending on the firmware region).

This tool is able to detect most known threats without the need to install third-party software.

Launch the “Security” application (green icon with a shield), which is preinstalled on all brand devices.

Click the “Scan” button and wait until the scan of all installed applications is completed and system files.

If a virus is found, the system will offer to delete it or move it to quarantine.

⚠️ Attention: The built-in scanner may not see complex Trojans embedded in the system partition, so it does not provide a 100% guarantee of cleaning.

For an in-depth scan, go to the antivirus settings and enable the scanning option when installing applications.

Regularly update the virus databases inside the Security application by clicking on the gear in the corner of the screen.

Cleaning through Android Safe Mode

If a virus blocks the removal of applications or prevents you from entering settings, you need to restart your smartphone in Safe Mode.

In this mode, only system applications are launched, which allows you to safely remove malicious software.

Press and hold the power button on the device until the shutdown menu appears.

Then press and hold the “Power off” item on the screen with your finger until you are prompted to enter safe mode.

Confirm the action by pressing OK.

After the reboot, “Safe Mode” will appear in the lower left corner of the screen.

Now go to Settings → Applications → All applications and find the suspicious file.

Uninstall it using the standard way. If the “Delete” button is inactive, then the application has device administrator rights.

After successful removal, reboot the phone in the usual way to exit safe mode.

⚠️ Attention: In safe mode, some functions of instant messengers and widgets may not work - this is normal system behavior.

Revoking device administrator rights

Many viruses protect themselves from being deleted by gaining extended access rights to the system.

As long as the malware has administrator status, the delete button will be hidden or inactive.

Required manually revoke these rights through a special settings menu.

Go to the path Settings → Passwords and security → Privacy → Special access → Device administrator applications.

In the list, find the suspicious application and uncheck it or click “Deactivate.”

The system will ask for confirmation of the action - agree with the revocation of rights.

Now return to the normal list of applications and remove the virus.

Name of the threat	Type of impact	Method uninstallation
Adware	Advertising	Deleting an application
Trojan	Data theft	Safe mode + reset
Ransomware	Screen lock	Hard Reset (reset)
Spyware	Surveillance	Third-party antivirus

Removing viruses through a computer and ADB

If the smartphone is completely blocked by a ransomware virus, it can only be removed by connecting to a PC.

To do this, you will need to enable USB debugging in the "For Developers" menu.

If access to the settings is closed, this method may not work without first resetting.

Install the package on your computer ADB Tools and drivers for Xiaomi.

Connect the phone with a cable to the computer and open the command line in the tools folder.

adb devices

This command will show a list of connected devices. If the phone is displayed, you can proceed with removal.

Use the command to remove the package by name (knowledge of the exact name of the virus package is required).

adb shell pm uninstall --user 0com.virus.package.name

This method requires technical literacy, since removing a system component can lead to unstable operation MIUI.

What to do if the computer does not see the phone?

Make sure the cable is working properly. Try a different USB port. You may be prompted to allow debugging on your phone screen—click Allow. If the screen is blocked by a virus, this method will not work.

Radical method: Reset to factory settings

If none of the soft methods helped, the only guaranteed method remains - a complete data reset.

This procedure will delete absolutely all files, contacts and applications, returning the phone to the “from” state boxes."

Before you start, make sure that important photos and documents are saved in the cloud or on your computer, since it will be impossible to restore them after resetting.

Turn off the smartphone completely.

Hold down the power button and the volume up button at the same time (Volume Up).

Hold them until logo appears Redmi or Xiaomi, then release the power button, but continue to hold down the volume.

You will be taken to the menu Recovery Mode.

Use the volume buttons to select the item Wipe Data and confirm the selection with the button power supply.

Next select Wipe All Data and confirm the action.

After the process is completed, select Reboot to reboot the system.

⚠️ Attention: After resetting, the phone may request the password for the Google account (FRP Lock), which was synchronized earlier. Make sure you remember your login information.

Prevention of re-infection

After successful cleaning, it is important to follow the rules of digital hygiene so that the problem does not return.

The main source of viruses on Android is the installation of applications from unverified sources.

Disable the ability to install APK files from the browser and instant messengers in the security settings.

Update your operating system regularly MIUI, since developers are closing vulnerabilities in new versions.

Do not follow suspicious links in SMS from unknown numbers, even if they are disguised as delivery services.

• 🛡️ Download applications only from the official store Google Play.
• 🚫 Avoid sites with “hacked” games and modified software.
• 🔄 Regularly make backup copies of important data.

Use two-factor authentication for all important accounts.

Periodically check the list of applications with access to accessibility features and revoke rights of suspicious apps.

Frequently asked questions (FAQ)

Is it possible to remove a virus without losing data?

Yes, in most cases, removal through safe mode or the built-in antivirus helps. The data is saved unless you do a full reset.

Why doesn’t the antivirus find the virus on Xiaomi?

Some new Trojans use code obfuscation methods to hide from signature databases. In this case, only a manual search in the list of applications or a reset helps.

Is it safe to use third-party antiviruses such as Dr.Web or Kaspersky?

Yes, using licensed versions of well-known antiviruses is safe and often more effective than built-in solutions for complex threats.

What to do if a virus asks you to send an SMS to unlock?

Under no circumstances send SMS or call the numbers provided. This is a scam. The only solution is to reset the settings via Recovery.

Does the virus affect the warranty of the smartphone?

No, software infection is not grounds for denial of warranty service if you did not try to get root access yourself.