Debloat the Xiaomi Mi Box 3

Android TV 9 · 24 apps on the list · tested on a real set

This Xiaomi Mi Box 3 is a streaming box on Android TV 9 with 2 GB of memory. It ships with Xiaomi and Google telemetry and ad tracking, the PatchWall home with content rows, promos and auto-installs, and preloaded apps. Voice, Mi cast and the phone remote are off by choice.

Everything else stayed off after a restart, and the new home screen stayed Home. Home and Back work without any key helper. TidyTV turns these off from your phone over Wi-Fi, saves a backup first and never deletes anything. Each app has its own switch.

Download APK Star on GitHub

Apps TidyTV can turn off on the Xiaomi Mi Box 3

Grouped as the tested list groups them. In the app each one has a switch, so you choose. Apps marked your call are extras the list leaves on.

Xiaomi + Google telemetry and ad tracking 4

Miui analyticscom.miui.tv.analytics
Alphonso alphonso eulatv.alphonso.alphonso_eula
Google Feedbackcom.google.android.feedback
Bugreportsendercom.google.android.tv.bugreportsender

PatchWall, content rows, promos, auto-installs 5

Tvhome atvcom.mitv.tvhome.atv
Tvhome michannelcom.mitv.tvhome.michannel
Xm webcontentcom.xm.webcontent
Google recommendationscom.google.android.tvrecommendations
Xioami mibox3android.autoinstalls.config.xioami.mibox3

Personal choice 2

voice assistant (the mic button stops working)

Google Assistantcom.google.android.katniss
Speech pumpkincom.google.android.speech.pumpkin

Personal choice 3

Mi cast and the phone remote (Chromecast kept)

Mitv milinkservicecom.mitv.milinkservice
Mitv videoplayercom.mitv.videoplayer
Remotecom.google.android.tv.remote.service

Preloaded apps (personal choice) 9

Prime Videocom.amazon.amazonvideo.livingroom
Netflixcom.netflix.ninja
YouTube Musiccom.google.android.youtube.tvmusic
YouTube Kidscom.google.android.youtube.tvkids
Google TV storecom.google.android.videos
Play Gamescom.google.android.play.games
Live Channelscom.google.android.tv
TalkBackcom.google.android.marvin.talkback
Printspoolercom.android.printspooler
Backdrop screensaver your callcom.google.android.backdrop

Stock launcher, replaced by launcher/ (build-and-install.sh disables it) 1

Android TV home screencom.google.android.tvlauncher

What always stays on

Chromecast
Firmware updates and their download helper
The setup helper, which owned a saved Wi-Fi network
Xiaomi setup and TV service parts

Good to know on this model

Turning off the voice assistant stops the mic button.
The Ambient screensaver is turned back on at every start. It is harmless once the screensaver points at the new home screen's clock.
It has no HDMI input or tuner.

How to do it

Turn on developer options On the TV, open Settings › System › About and select the build number 7 times. Then turn on USB debugging, and Network debugging if you see it.
Tap your TV in TidyTV Your phone finds the TV on the Wi-Fi. Tick "Always allow" and press Allow when the TV asks.
Review, then tidy TidyTV saves a backup, shows these apps with switches, and turns off the ones you pick, checking each one.

Questions

Will the mic button still work?

Not if you switch off the voice assistant, which is on the list as a personal choice. Leave it on to keep voice.

Will Chromecast still work?

Yes. Chromecast is kept.

Does it have a way back?

Yes. Restore everything in the app turns every app back on in one tap, and puts the old home screen back if you changed it.

Source: the xiaomi-mi-box-3 list in cleanyourtv by Gathin (MIT), tested on this model. TidyTV re-checks every app against its own protected list before each change.