Modern Xiaomi smartphones running MIUI or HyperOS shells collect a significant amount of telemetry data about user actions, which is used to personalize advertising offers, improve system algorithms and analyze application use. However, for many device owners, privacy is becoming a priority, requiring detailed analysis of data collection mechanisms.
The process of deactivating data collection is not just a single button, as telemetry is handled by different system services and background processes. In this guide, we will go through all layers of protection consistently, from basic account settings to disabling specific analytics services. Understanding which services are transmitting data will allow you to effectively manage your digital hygiene.
It’s worth noting that completely disabling some system components can affect smart features like automatic photo sorting or voice assistant. However, most users prefer to sacrifice convenience for the sake of privacy. Below is a detailed guide to help you minimize the digital footprint of your device.
Managing the privacy settings in your Mi Account
The first step to improving security is to review your Mi Account settings, which is where key data, including location, contacts and activity history, are synchronized through your account, go to the phone settings section and find the item associated with your Xiaomi account, and you should carefully examine the Privacy section where the main stats collection switches are stored.
Inside this menu, you'll find an option that uses data to improve the user experience, often activated by default when you first turn on the device, and disabling this feature stops the transmission of anonymized reports of system usage to the manufacturer's servers, a basic level of protection that needs to be configured first.
Also, this section often hides the ability to manage your ad preferences: make sure that the personalized ad option is deactivated, this will not remove the ad entirely from system applications, but will stop analyzing your interests to match it, and the changes will take effect immediately after confirmation of the action.
⚠️ Note: Disabling account data sync may result in loss of contact and note backups if not stored locally or on another cloud service.
After making changes, the system can request a reauthorization or confirmation via SMS. This is Xiaomi’s standard security procedure, ensuring that the device owner changes the settings. Don’t ignore these requests so that the changes are saved correctly.
Disabling MSA Analytics and Advertising Tracking
One of the most intrusive services in the MIUI shell is MSA (MIUI System Ads), which is the process that is responsible for displaying ads in standard applications such as guide, music or themes. To limit its impact, go to Settings → Passwords and security → Access to personal data. In the list that opens, find msa and turn off the access slider.
The system will try to dissuade you from this step by running a countdown of 10 seconds and demanding confirmation. This is an artificial delay designed to reduce the number of users who turn off ads. After the time has expired, click "Disable." If the service did not turn off the first time, repeat the procedure 2-3 times, as server confirmation may not come instantly.
In addition to MSA, you should also look at miui.daemon and stat. The first is responsible for collecting usage statistics, the second is responsible for sending error data. Disabling them in the same menu to access personal data significantly reduces the amount of telemetry transmitted, but be prepared for the fact that error reports will no longer be generated automatically.
It is important to understand that disabling these services is not a one-time action forever. After major system updates, settings may reset and the procedure will have to be repeated. Regularly checking the list of applications with access to personal data will help maintain a high level of privacy.
☑️ Checking the ad-off
Advertising IDs and Google Services
Even after Xiaomi’s system services are turned off, Google services remain active on the phone, which also collect data for targeted advertising. To manage this mechanism, go to Settings → Google → Advertising. Here you will find the option to reset the advertising ID. Regularly resetting this code breaks the link between your actions and the accumulated profile of interests.
In the same menu, you can delete the advertising ID, and once you activate it, apps will no longer receive the unique code associated with your device, which will make targeted ads less accurate, but this will not eliminate ads completely, since contextual advertising will be selected based on the content of the application or site.
You should also check your geolocation settings. In Location, find Location History (or Chronicle) and turn it off. This will prevent you from saving your travel routes in your Google account. For maximum privacy, you can also disable the Wi-Fi and Bluetooth scanning for geolocation in advanced settings.
| Service/Service | Function | The privacy risk | Recommendation |
|---|---|---|---|
| msa | Systemic advertising | High-pitched | It's imperative to turn it off. |
| miui.daemon | Statistics collection | Medium. | Recommended to disable |
| Google Ads | Advertising ID | High-pitched | Reset and delete ID |
| User experience | MIUI telemetry | Medium. | Disable in account settings |
A comprehensive approach to customizing both ecosystems — Xiaomi and Google — delivers the best result, and ignoring Google’s settings negates efforts to limit surveillance by the smartphone maker as data escapes through alternative channels.
Restriction of access rights for system applications
System applications often request redundant permissions that are not necessary for their basic functionality. For example, the Themes app may request access to contacts, and the Calculator may request geolocation. To monitor this, go to Settings → Privacy Protection → Permissions Management.
Here is a detailed list of all rights requested, grouped by category: camera, microphone, location, contacts. Go through critical items such as microphone and camera. Make sure that only those applications that really need it to work (such as a voice recorder or camera) have access to them.
Pay special attention to the AutoRun resolution. Many applications are self-registered in the MIUI shell, allowing them to run in the background even after closing. Disabling autoruption for unnecessary services not only improves security, but also positively affects the autonomy of the device.
Use the Allow During Use feature for applications that don’t need constant access to geodata, which will prevent you from tracking your movements in the background when your phone is in your pocket.
Using private mode and hiding content
Xiaomi has built-in tools for local data hiding that do not require third-party software installation.Hide content allows you to hide photos, videos, apps and files from prying eyes, accessed through a special password or fingerprint input in the gallery or conductor.
For applications, there's a "Second Space" feature, which is creating a completely isolated environment inside a smartphone that looks like a new device with a separate set of apps and accounts, and switching between the main and second spaces is fast and protects data from random browsing.
It is also worth activating "Privacy Protection" for specific applications, this feature masks sensitive information in notifications, for example, when a message arrives from a messenger on a locked screen, it will display simply "New message", without text and the sender name.
⚠️ Warning: A forgotten password or a lost fingerprint to access hidden files or a second space will make data inaccessible. It is impossible to recover it without a password even in a service center.
Change passwords to hidden folders regularly. Use complex combinations that are difficult to match with brute-force. Built-in password generator or password manager will help create strong protection for your personal archives.
Additional security measures and network settings
For advanced users, it is possible to limit the network activity of the system at the level of the system. DNS. Use of the DNS-servers with tracker locking function (e.g. AdGuard) DNS) It allows you to filter requests to known statistics collection servers before they leave the device.
You can configure DNS in Settings → Wi-Fi → DNS setup (for a specific network) or through the Security app in the Private DNS section. Enter the address of the server that supports DNS-over-TLS encryption so that the provider does not see which domains you are accessing.
Remember to update Android security patches regularly. In the Security and Privacy settings, enable automatic updates. Although updates bring new features, they primarily close vulnerabilities through which attackers can access data.
Turning off Bluetooth and NFC when not in use is also good practice: These modules can be used to passively track location in shopping malls and airports through Beacon systems.