How to disable Xiaomi analytics and data collection

Owners of devices running the MIUI shell and HyperOS often face intrusive advertising and the company’s desire to collect usage statistics. Many users wonder how to minimize the digital footprint and speed up the gadget by turning off unnecessary background processes. This is not just a matter of privacy, but also a way to extend battery life.

The data collection system is built deep into the operating system's code, which is responsible for personalizing recommendations, running voice assistants, and targeting ads in system applications, and completely removing these components without root rights is impossible, but they can be effectively deactivated through hidden settings menus.

In this article, we will discuss a step-by-step algorithm that will help you regain control of your device, learn how to find hidden switches, block network requests from analytics services and clean the system of garbage traffic. Disabling the MSA service is a critical step to completely stop advertising in the system.

Why Xiaomi is collecting user data

Xiaomi is positioning its devices as affordable, which is offset by monetization through software services. The analytics collection allows the company to build user behavioral models, improve shell algorithms, and sell advertising space to third parties, which is the foundation of the brand’s business model.

The data can include information about running apps, frequency of use of features, geolocation, and even clipboard content in some scenarios. Although the company claims that the data is anonymized, for many users, the level of penetration into personal space seems excessive, disabling these features returns privacy.

⚠️ Warning: A complete shutdown of system services can disrupt widgets, voice search, and automated smart home scripts. Act selectively, assessing the need for each feature.

There are several layers of protection, from simply banning ads in settings to deep blocking through ADB. You should always start with the basic privacy settings provided by the manufacturer itself.

Basic privacy setting in MIUI

The first step is to go to the official security settings, and you have to go to the Settings menu, and then select Passwords and Security, and that's where the main controls for collecting information are.

Find the Privacy section and scroll all the way down to the bottom, and there's the User Experience Improvement button, and turn off that switch to stop sending telemetry about crashes and interface usage.

Then go back to the main settings menu and find Password and Security (or just Security in older versions) and turn off the Receive Recommendations option, which will stop the promotional offers from appearing in folders and menus.

Don’t forget to also check your Google settings. Go to Google → Advertising and click Disable Ad Personalization. This won’t take away the ads completely, but will make them less intrusive and tailored to your interests.

Disabling system advertising and MSA service

MIUI System Ads (MSA) is responsible for displaying banner ads in standard applications such as Explorer, Music and Security. To turn it off, go to Settings → Passwords and Security → Access to Data.

In the list that opens, find the msa app (or MIUI System Ads) and turn off the network access slider. The system will require you to wait 10 seconds before confirming. Press Stop, then OK.

If the MSA service does not turn off the first time, repeat the procedure 3-5 times. Sometimes the system requires several attempts to force the process to stop, and it is also worth turning off network access for the GetApps app (Xiaomi app store) if you do not use it.

Additionally, it is recommended to go to the settings of each system application (Music, Video, Explorer) and find the Receive recommendations or display ads switch there. In some versions of MIUI, these settings are hidden in the About menu after repeatedly clicking on the version.

Managing Permits and Background Processes

Deep Cleanup involves auditing the access rights for all installed programs. Go to Settings → Apps → All applications. Go through the list and restrict the rights of suspicious or rarely used programs.

Pay special attention to system services with names like Analytics, Mi Credit, Mi Video, which should be prohibited from auto-starting and running in the background, which will save battery power and prevent hidden data transfer.

Use the Battery function in the settings of a particular application. Set the No Limits mode only for instant messengers, and for everything else, select Battery Saving or Background Activity Limit.

⚠️ Warning: Do not turn off network access for Security and Services & Feedback system components completely if you want to receive antivirus database updates and error reports.

It is important to understand the difference between user data and technical telemetry: Technical telemetry is essential for network stability and security updates, while behavior analytics is for marketing purposes, and our goal is to cut off the latter while keeping the former.

Using DNS to block trackers

One of the most effective methods is to configure a private DNS. This allows you to block requests to ad servers at the network connection level without installing third-party applications. Go to Settings → Connection and Sharing.

Find Private DNS (or Private DNS) mode, select DNS Host Name and enter dns.adguard.com. Save settings. Now all requests to known advertising domains will be blocked.

The advantage of this method is that it works globally for all applications, including browsers and games. However, if the DNS server is not available, the Internet may temporarily disappear, in which case, just return the settings to automatic mode.

This also helps to save traffic, as banner ads simply don’t load, especially for Internet-limited rates, and the speed of loading pages in the browser can also increase markedly.

Comparison of methods of disabling analytics

There are pros and cons to blocking, some of which take longer to set up, others affect the functionality of the system, and here is a table to compare the effectiveness of the methods.

For most users, a combined approach would be optimal: disabling MSA plus setting up DNS, which balances cleanliness with stability, and ADB commands are recommended only for advanced users.

If you decide to use your computer for deep cleaning through Android Debug Bridge, be sure to back up the data.Removing mission-critical system packages can lead to a bootloop (cyclical reboot).

Frequent questions and possible problems

In the process of optimization, users often face unusual situations, for example, after updating the firmware settings can reset, in which case the procedure must be repeated, and some applications may require the inclusion of geolocation to correctly work the maps.

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Before making major changes to your system, make a full backup of your data to your computer or the cloud to avoid losing important information.

Sometimes, when analytics services are turned off, the weather widget or voice input may disappear, because of the system components' dependence on shared services from Google or Xiaomi, the solution being to selectively enable the necessary permissions.

Remember that HyperOS and newer versions of MIUI are constantly changing the structure of the menu. If you do not find an item, search the settings by typing the keyword "advertising" or "privacy".

⚠️ Warning: Using third-party "acceleration" and "cleaning" programs from unknown sources may cause the device to become infected with viruses.

Regularly checking the settings of the privacidad should become a habit. Every six months, check what new permissions the updated applications have requested, which will help keep the device clean and safe throughout its life.

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A comprehensive approach, including system settings, DNS and permission control, provides maximum privacy without losing the functionality of the smartphone.