Owners of Xiaomi devices and Redmi sub-brands often face intrusive advertising and data collection that are embedded in the shell of MIUI or HyperOS. It is not just a marketing ploy, but part of the company’s business model to keep hardware costs low. However, for many users, privacy is the first issue, and they are willing to sacrifice some “smart” features for the sake of anonymity.
System-based telemetry capture touches on many aspects of a smartphone’s performance, from search history to geolocation. Disabling surveillance is not a single button, but a set of measures that require careful consideration of settings. In this article, we’ll take a step-by-step look at how to minimize digital footprint, disable ads in system applications, and restrict access rights for third-party services.
It is worth understanding that it is impossible to completely isolate a modern smartphone from the network without losing basic functionality, but you can reduce the amount of data transmitted at times. We will consider both standard methods through the settings menu, and more advanced methods through ADB. The security of your data depends on how carefully you go this way.
One of the most prominent forms of “snooping” and imposing content is advertising in embedded utilities.Mi Browser, the “Security”, “Downloads” and “Music” app often display banner ads. To turn them off, you need to go to the settings of each application separately. For example, in the Security app, click on the gear in the corner, find the "Get recommendations" item and turn it off. In the Mi Browser browser, the situation is similar: menus. → Settings → Confidentiality and security → However, many experts recommend not using the standard browser at all, replacing it with Firefox or Brave, which are sharpened for privacy (MIUI System Ads, which will be discussed below. 📱 Open the "Security" app, press the gear and turn off "Receive recommendations". 🎵 In the application "Music" go to the settings and find the item "Receive recommendations", unchecking it. 📂 Downloads also need to remove the tick from the item Show recommended content". 🌐 In a standard browser, turn off sync and personalization in your privacy settings. Remember that after major firmware updates, these settings may be reset, and checking these points periodically will help keep your device clean. Control of the interface returns the sense of possession of the device. 💡Use it. DNS Ad-blocking (e.g. AdGuard) DNS) in Wi-Fi and mobile network connection settings to block banners at the connection level.
Management of the service MSA and system processes Key component responsible for displaying advertising and collecting data in the shell MIUI, The msa process (MIUI System Ads. Disabling it is a priority for those who want to increase privacy. → Annexes → All applications. You need to find the "msa" in the list and disable the "recommendations" switch. When you try to shut down, the system will insist on staying by showing the countdown timer in the "recommendations" 10 It's a psychological device to change your mind, so you have to wait until the countdown is over and hit "Disable." If you didn't do it the first time, try repeating the procedure. 3-5 Sometimes the system blocks the shutdown from the first request. Process Description Recommended Action by msa Advertising System MIUI Disable Analytics Collection of usage statistics Disable MDS Data collection debugging (Mi Cloud) Limit DA In addition to msa, you should pay attention to the Analytics and DA. They're responsible for collecting analytics data, and you can also find them in the application list and disable them, and you can't delete the system processes without root permissions, but you can deactivate them, which will stop the data transfer. ⚠️ Note: Do not attempt to remove system processes through ADB Without understanding their function, this can lead to a cyclic reboot (bootloop). ☑️ Shutdown checklist MSAFind the msa process in the application list Disable the switch "Recommendations" 10-Second timer Press "Disable" Repeat if the system resists: 0 / 5
Modern applications request access to data they often don't need to work. MIUI There are powerful tools to control this. Go to Settings. → Protection of confidentiality → Permissions management. Here you'll see which apps have access to the camera, microphone, contacts and location. Pay special attention to access to geolocation. Many applications require it all the time, even when they're not in use. Select the "Allow only while using the application" option for all services except navigators. Background access to geolocation is one of the main sources of leakage of user movements. It is also worth checking special permissions" →"Display on top of other apps leave only the necessary system utilities. Third-party applications often use this mechanism to impose advertising or covert mining.Digital security requires regular review of established rights. 📍 For geolocation, select “Only during use” mode for all unverified applications. 📞 Contacts should only be accessed by messengers and phone books, not flashlights or games. 📸 Keep the camera and microphone under strict control by checking the activity indicators in the status bar. 📂 File access is restricted to file managers and office applications. HyperOS has a Privacy Protection feature that virtualizes access to data, and you can give the app an empty contact list or a fake geo-location. This is a great way to confuse data collection algorithms. What is a virtual ID-Device maps? in new versions MIUI/HyperOS The system can provide applications with a unique but temporary device identifier instead of a real device identifier. IMEI Android ID, This makes it difficult to create a permanent digital user profile.