Debloat the Xiaomi Mi Box S (2nd gen)

Google TV 11 · 16 apps on the list · tested on a real set

The Mi Box S ships with Mi analytics, a Xiaomi usage uploader and Google's attribution pings. It also has Xiaomi ad rows, Mi content rows, Mi TV+ ad-funded channels, PatchWall, Xiaomi web promos and a partner-app auto-installer. Prime Video and the Google TV movies app are preloaded too, and both are off by choice in the list.

The list was applied in batches with screenshots between them, and it was checked again on a second set. Wi-Fi, USB playback, Google Home, the phone remote, Chromecast from a Pixel and Google Assistant all still worked after living with it. TidyTV turns these items off from your phone over Wi-Fi. It saves a backup first, switches each app off without deleting it, and stops if anything looks wrong.

Download the free APK Star on GitHub

Apps TidyTV can turn off on the Xiaomi Mi Box S (2nd gen)

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.

Telemetry and attribution 4

Mi analyticscom.miui.tv.analytics
Xiaomi usage stats uploadercom.xiaomi.statistic
Google Feedbackcom.google.android.feedback
Google RLZ attribution pingscom.google.android.partnersetup

Ad rows, promos and auto-installs 6

Xiaomi ad rowcom.mitv.tvhome.oemtab
Mi content rowscom.mitv.tvhome.michannel
Mi TV+ ad-funded channelscom.mitv.tvhome.mitvplus
PatchWallcom.mitv.tvhome.atv
Xiaomi web promoscom.xm.webcontent
Play auto-install of partner appsandroid.autoinstalls.config.xioami.mibox3

Xiaomi update service, off by choice; re-enable to check for a firmware update 1

Mitv updateservicecom.xiaomi.mitv.updateservice

Preloaded apps, off by choice 4

Prime Videocom.amazon.amazonvideo.livingroom
Google TV storeGoogle TV / Play Moviescom.google.android.videos
Play Gamescom.google.android.play.games
Printspoolercom.android.printspooler

ONLY AFTER com.gathin.tvhome IS INSTALLED 1

Disabling launcherx alone hands Home to the setup wizard's RecoveryActivity, so the wizard has to go too. Re-enable it before a factory reset (restore.sh does). On this box Wi-Fi dropped right after disabling it and the password had to be re-entered once.

Google TV setupcom.google.android.tungsten.setupwraith

What always stays on

Google Assistant.
Chromecast.
The phone remote.
YouTube Music.
Xiaomi's USB media apps and Miracast screen sharing.
The quick settings panel.
Bluetooth and the Amlogic system services.

Good to know on this model

Turning off the setup wizard can drop Wi-Fi for about 20 seconds, and the Wi-Fi password may need to be typed in again once.
The remote's Netflix, YouTube and Apps shortcut buttons stop working once the stock home screen is off.
This box has no TV inputs or tuner, so the Inputs menu does not appear.
The change is still provisional until it has had a few days of use.

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 voice button still work on my Xiaomi Mi Box S (2nd gen)?

Yes. Google Assistant is kept on, so voice search keeps working.

Does casting still work?

Yes. Chromecast, Miracast screen sharing and the phone remote are kept on.

Will it stop the ads on the home screen?

It turns off the Xiaomi ad row, the Mi content and Mi TV+ rows, PatchWall and the Xiaomi web promos. Restore everything turns them back on in one tap.

Source: the xiaomi-mi-box-s-2nd-gen list in cleanyourtv by Gathin (MIT), tested on this model. TidyTV re-checks every app against its own protected list before each change.