How to disable cookies on Android Xiaomi: a complete guide to MIUI

Cookies are small text files that websites store on your device to store data about sessions, preferences and activity. MIUI Cookies can accumulate not only in browsers but also in system applications, which affects privacy and performance:

Protect personal data from tracking by advertising networks

Reduce the amount of stored data on the device

Avoid targeted advertising based on your behavior

Speed up the browser by reducing the amount of downloaded data

In this article, we will analyze all the ways to disable cookies on Xiaomi – from browser settings (Chrome, Firefox, Mi Browser) to system restrictions in the browser. MIUI 14/15. We will pay special attention to the nuances for different versions of firmware and models (Redmi, POCO, Xiaomi 13/14).

1.What are cookies and why should they be disabled on Xiaomi

Cookies are divided into three main types:

• 🍪 Sessions are temporary, deleted after the browser is closed, used for login on sites.
• 🔄 Persistent - stored on the device for years unless manually cleaned, responsible for personalization (e.g., site language).
• 🎯 Third-party – set up by advertising networks (Google Ads, Facebook Pixel) to track you across different sites.

On Xiaomi, cookies can accumulate in:

• 🌐 Browser (Chrome, Mi Browser, Firefox)
• 📱 System applications (Mi Account, Themes, GetApps)
• 🔗 Applications with built-in web viewers (Vkontakte, Instagram, banking applications)

⚠️ Attention: Complete disabling of cookies can lead to problems with authorization on sites, resetting shopping cart settings in online stores and the need to re-enter data.We recommend first to try selective disabling (for example, only third-party cookies).

According to a study by CookieBot (2023), the average site sets 37 cookies on the first visit, of which 28% are third-party trackers. On Xiaomi with Mi Browser preinstalled, this value may be higher due to integration with Xiaomi Ads services.

2. disable cookies in the Chrome browser on Xiaomi

Google Chrome is the most popular browser on Xiaomi, but its cookie settings are hidden deeper than in other applications.

1. Open Chrome and tap three dots in the upper right corner.
2. Go to Settings → Privacy and Security.
3. Select cookies and site data.
4. Activate the switch Do not allow sites to save data (in some versions – Block third-party cookies).

For more flexible settings:

• 🔧 In the same menu, select additional settings. → Content settings → Cookies.
• 📌 Here you can block cookies for specific sites by adding them to the exclusion list.
• 🧹 To clear existing cookies, click Delete Data and mark cookies and site data.

⚠️ Attention: Chrome on MIUI 14+ There may be no option to completely disable cookies due to Google’s policy, in which case use alternative browsers (see Section 4).

Save passwords from important sites (they can be erased)|Export bookmarks|Remember active sessions (for example, in social networks)|Check if you use extensions that depend on cookies-->

3. setting cookies in Mi Browser (standard Xiaomi browser)

Mi Browser – pre-installed browser on all smartphones Xiaomi, Redmi and POCO. It is closely integrated with Xiaomi services, so here cookies can be used not only for websites, but also for analytics of the company itself:

1. Open your browser and tap three dots at the bottom of the screen.

2. Go to Settings → Additionally. → Confidentiality.

3. In the section Cookies, select one of the options:

• 🚫 Prohibit cookies – completely disabling (may break some websites).
• 🔄 Delete when you exit – session cookies will be cleared after closing the browser.
• ⚙️ Manage exceptions – allow cookies only for trusted sites.

The Mi Browser feature: even after disabling cookies, some data may be saved through Mi Account to stop tracking completely:

1. Go to your phone settings → Accounts. → Mi Account.
2. Turn off the option of personalized recommendations.
3. In the same menu, find privacy. → Advertising and deactivating Personalized Advertising.

💡

If the Mi Browser cookies are disabled, try using the For Computer mode (in the browser menu). Some resources are better adapted for desktop versions and less dependent on cookies.

4. Alternative browsers with improved cookie protection

If you don’t like the standard Chrome or Mi Browser settings, consider alternative browsers with built-in tracker locking:

• 🦊 Firefox Focus – automatically blocks cookies and clears the history after closing. MIUI 12+ lagless.
• 🛡️ Brave Browser – blocks third-party cookies by default and replaces advertising with your own (you can disable it).
• 🌍 DuckDuckGo Browser – assesses the level of protection of each site and forcé-block trackers.
• 🔍 Tor Browser is the strictest option, but can brake on weak smartphones (Redmi) 9A, POCO M3).

To install alternative browsers:

1. Download. APK from an official website (such as Firefox or Brave).
2. Before installation, allow installation from unknown sources in Settings → Applications → Special Access → Installation of unknown applications.
3. After installing in the browser settings, find the Privacy section and activate:

Blocking trackers → Strict mode


Clearing the data at the exit → On.




Fingerprint protection → Incl. (if any)

System settings MIUI cookie-limiting

MIUI has its own tracking mechanisms that can use cookies even outside the browser to minimize data collection:

Step 1: Disabling Personalized Advertising

1. Go to Settings → Google → Advertising.
2. Deactivate Personalized Ads and reset the Advertising Identifier.
3. Go back to the main settings and find the memory. → Cleanup → Settings.
4. Turn off the Cleanup Guidelines (this will prevent analysis of your behavior).

Step 2: Limit background activity

Some system applications (Mi Video, Music, GetApps) may use analytics cookies to limit them:

1. Go to Settings → Applications → Application Management.
2. Select an app (like GetApps) and open Permissions.
3. Turn off storage and the Internet (if you do not use the application).
4. In the Battery section, select Limit background activity.

💡

Even after disabling all cookies in browsers MIUI can continue to collect data through system services. For complete anonymity, you need to disable Mi Cloud Sync and System Diagnostics in your account settings.

6. Cleaning of existing cookies manually

If you do not want to disable cookies completely, but you need to free up space or remove traces of activity, perform a manual cleaning:

In browsers:

• 🧹 Chrome: Settings → Confidentiality → Clear history → Select cookies and website data.
• 🗑️ Firefox: Settings → Deletion of personal data → mark Cookie.
• 🔍 Mi Browser: Settings → Additionally. → Clear the data.

In system applications:

Some applications (Mi Account, Themes) store cookies in their cache to clear them:

1. Go to Settings → Applications → Application Management.
2. Select an app (such as Mi Account) and click Storage.
3. Tap Clear the cache and Clear the data (Warning: this will reset the app settings!).

Recovery Mode (Advanced Method)

If cookies are “entered” into the system and are not cleared in standard ways, you can use Wipe Cache Partition:

1. Turn off the phone.
2. Press the Power button + Volume up until the Mi logo appears.
3. From the Recovery menu, select Wipe & Reset → Wipe Cache.
4. Confirm the action and restart the device.

⚠️ Warning: Clearing the cache through Recovery will delete the temporary data of all applications, including saved passwords in browsers and game settings. Before the procedure, make a backup through Settings → The phone. → Backup.

7. Problems after disabling cookies and their solutions

Disabling cookies can have unexpected consequences, and here are the most common problems on Xiaomi and how to solve them:

If after disabling cookies you are faced with cyclical reboot of sites or errors 403/500, try:

• 🔄 Reset network settings: Settings → SIM-maps and mobile networks → Resetting network settings.
• 🛠️ Update WebView (system component for displaying web pages): go to Google Play and find Android System WebView.
• 📱 Switch to mobile data (if the problem only occurs over Wi-Fi) or vice versa.

FAQ: Frequent questions about disabling cookies on Xiaomi