Question Possible downsides to removing this app?

[gandalf458]

I have a Cleaner app on my phone. Every few days it pops up and tells me I need to clean up 400 or whatever MB of trash. It seems to be an OEM app complete with ads, not part of Android. Does Android not clear up unwanted data? It seems I can remove the app, but before doing so I wanted to ask if there are any downsides.

RedMi Note 13 ; HyperOS 1.0.6.0; Android 14

 

[Bla1ze]

I have a Cleaner app on my phone. Every few days it pops up and tells me I need to clean up 400 or whatever MB of trash. It seems to be an OEM app complete with ads, not part of Android. Does Android not clear up unwanted data? It seems I can remove the app, but before doing so I wanted to ask if there are any downsides.

RedMi Note 13 ; HyperOS 1.0.6.0; Android 14

If it allows you to uninstall it, it's almost certainly fine to do so.

 

[gandalf458]

If it allows you to uninstall it, it's almost certainly fine to do so.

Great logic, thanks!

 

[Madd62]

I'm surprised it's a separate app with HyperOS. You will have had MIUI *14 which I have currently and it was part of the Security app.

There were a few areas where you could remove ads, you probably know them. The only ads I get now is on one feature of the Security app, I have to check but either the Cleaner or Virus scanner or another.

I had no ads at all after searching ways to remove ads, but I noticed the system app "msa" now reinstalls itself and that is the first thing you uninstall.

I'm winging it here without checking first. You probably know this already.

 

[Mooncatt]

Does it say what it's deleting? Chances are it's cache files. That's extremely common with those types of apps, but cache is something beneficial and shouldn't be deleted 99.9% of the time. If you do delete the cache, it just rebuilds itself, meaning you're actually using more resources constantly deleting and rebuilding cache data.

 

[gandalf458]

Thanks, chaps

@Madd62
It's a newish phone. I think it came with HyperOS. I didn't know it was possible to remove the ads. I'll have to have a Googling session.

@Mooncatt
Yes, it is mostly cache and memory, which just seems so stupid. I assume Android can manage cache and memory without my interference, but the bleeping app keeps nagging me to clean up.

 

[Mooncatt]

Just delete it. It's doing more harm than good, just like all the other supposed cleaners. During the early days of Android they had some use, but you are correct that it manages things quite well on its on now.

 

[gandalf458]

Just delete it.

Cool, thanks!

 

[gandalf458]

Looks like removing it only removes it from the screen!

 

[belodion]

Looks like removing it only removes it from the screen!

In Settings, Apps, then that particular app, if you find no option to Uninstall, you may have to be satisfied with Disable.

I say “Apps”, but the name for the app management on a phone tends to vary among different phones.

 

[gandalf458]

It doesn't appear to be amongst the apps, so I guess it's part of HyperOS or Miui.

you may have to be satisfied with Disable

Yeah.

The Security app still nags me and I can't delete that. Ho hum.

 

[B. Diddy]

Did you make sure to select the "Show System Apps" option in the Settings>Apps list?

 

[gandalf458]

Hold my beer

There's a separate option for system apps, and under Security there's Cleaner which has an option "Remind to clean" which I have switched off.

Fanks!

 

[Madd62]

I wasn't following this thread since posting earlier, my apologies.

I never looked of that *Systems Apps list after day one.
Glad you found it. My Cleaner was turned off anyway when I looked.
I don't think I had a Cleaner icon on my screen originally. (Poco F2 Pro)

Under my Settings - (Apps on MIUI 14) it lists Systems Apps* first,
then Apps - Manage Apps where you can hide or show background apps.

By *System Apps they should really list them as MIUI / Xiaomi Apps, i.e. cloned versions of regular apps, or however they are termed on a Samsung or similar UI.

I really forget the few hidden options for turning off regular ads and other distractions. I found a few You Tube videos when I originally had MIUI 12 or 13. Many Apps or Settings have a Preferences or something you could turn off; and it was also advised to Force Stop "msa" in the Apps list. I also never signed in to the Mi browser. Redmi models were harder to rid of adverts in the past, but I think they have improved.

Here's something I found :

https://www.croma.com/unboxed/how-to-remove-ads-in-xiaomi-phones

 

[gandalf458]

Thanks. I'm now more confused than ever

I don't have "Password & Security" but I did find "Authorisation & Revocation" (don't ask me where, I've already lost it!) and msa (it was in lowercase) is already turned off.

However, I did see "Receive recommendations" was on, so I've switched that off in the Security app.

Whoever knew "recommendations" meant ads‽

 

[Madd62]

Ah. I see that's where I turned off "msa" then,in Authorisation and Revocation. That's found in Settings - Passwords and Security for me.

Stock launchers and changing UI can add features in the weirdest places and you'll never want to keep on top of it.

4 years in, this phone works very well for me still. My Poco F2 (Redmi, Poco, Mi/Xiaomi are all Xiaomi, plus a gaming brand) is supposed to have a Poco Launcher so may be a little different - though I also bought a 2020 Mi 10 Lite in the same month (sold it only early this year) and didn't notice any difference in Settings.

If I remember anything, and can settle down to find the steps I took to streamline the system I will repost. Let us know if you still experience annoying problems.

 

[gandalf458]

It's frustrating as settings seem to be all over the place, and they seem to change with each update. Gawd knows what HyperOS 2 will bring...

 

[IsHacker]

I have a Cleaner app on my phone. Every few days it pops up and tells me I need to clean up 400 or whatever MB of trash. It seems to be an OEM app complete with ads, not part of Android. Does Android not clear up unwanted data? It seems I can remove the app, but before doing so I wanted to ask if there are any downsides.

RedMi Note 13 ; HyperOS 1.0.6.0; Android 14

No downsides at all. The phone will behave normally of you even if you remove this app. You can use this ADB command:

adb shell pm uninstall --user 0 com.miui.cleaner

But don't remove the Security app, as it will cause bootloop!
There is also another app that you should remove (Battery and Performance). This is a Mi-specific bloat which drains battery and kills background apps forcefully. Use this ADB command:

adb shell pm uninstall --user 0 com.miui.powerkeeper