Xiaomi Ads: Where Does It Come From, How Does It Work, and Can It Be Removed Forever

You bought a new Xiaomi smartphone, you're excited about the fast work and modern design, but suddenly you notice banners in the settings menu, advertising notifications in the curtain or "recommendations" in the launcher. It's not a virus or a mistake - it's built-in advertising in the shell of MIUI, which the company actively implements even in flagship models. Why is this happening, is it legal, and most importantly - how to get rid of intrusive ads once and for all?

In this article, we will take a closer look at how MIUI displays ads, explain what data Xiaomi collects for targeting, and provide current ways to disable them, from standard settings to radical methods for advanced users, and learn which Xiaomi models are most spammed with ads, and how to avoid them when buying a new device.

Why MIUI has Advertising: Xiaomi’s Official Position

Xiaomi has made no secret of monetizing its firmware through advertising, arguing that it is low-cost because of revenue from partners like Alibaba, Tencent or local services, they can offer smartphones cheaper than competitors, but this approach raises questions:

💰 Double standards: advertising is even in premium models (for example, Xiaomi 14 Ultra or other models). MIX Fold 3, which are priced like an iPhone or Samsung Galaxy S.
📊 Aggressive targeting: The system analyzes your actions (installed apps, geolocation, search history) to show “relevant” ads.
🌍 Regional differences: Europe and India have less advertising due to local laws, while China, Russia and Asia have the highest volume of advertising.

In 2020, Xiaomi even came under a class action lawsuit in India for collecting user data without consent, and after the scandal, the company added the option of completely disabling ads, but in some regions (such as China), it is still forced to turn on after updates.

📊 How do you feel about advertising in MIUI?

It’s normal, but cheaper smartphones

Irritating, but I tolerate it.

I already turned off all the banners.

I don’t buy Xiaomi because of that.

Where exactly is the advertising in the shell Xiaomi

MIUI is system-integrated, so you can find it in the most unexpected places, and here's a full list of "points of contact":

Place of display	Example	Can I turn it off?
Notification curtain	Banners "Recommended Apps" or promotions from the Mi Store	Yeah, in the notification settings.
Launcher (desktop)	Recommended folder with games/applications	Yeah, through launcher settings.
Settings menu	Banners in the "Security", "Security" and "Mi Account" sections	Partially (manual shutdown required)
System applications	Advertising in Mi Video, Mi Music, Browser	Yes, in the settings of each app
Lock screen	“Hot news” or offers from Mi Finance	Yes, but you need to turn off "Mi Push"

Especially annoying advertising in Settings → Additionally, where under the guise of “useful services” they offer to install unnecessary utilities, for example, in Redmi Note 12 there may appear a banner offering to download Mi Credit (microloan service) or Mi Pay.

⚠️ Note: In some firmware (for example, MIUI 14 for China) the ad is disguised as system notifications, and can be confused with important update or security alerts!

How to disable advertising in MIUI: step-by-step instructions

The ways to remove ads depend on the version of MIUI and the firmware region, and we have collected universal methods that work on most devices (from Redmi 9A to Xiaomi 13T Pro).

1. Disconnection through standard settings

The easiest way is to use built-in options. Follow this algorithm.

Open Settings → Xiaomi Account and log in (if you haven’t done it before).
Go to Settings → Memory → Clean up and turn off the “Recommendations” option.
Go back to the basic settings, select Applications → Application Management.
Find system applications (Mi Browser, Mi Video, Themes) and turn off the permission to “Show notifications” in each.

☑️ Disabling advertising in MIUI

Sign in to Mi AccountClear the cache in "Memory"Deactivate “Recommendations”Prohibit notifications to system applicationsRemove the “Recommended” folder from the desktop

Done: 0 / 5

2.Use of ADB-Teams (for advanced teams)

If standard methods don’t work, you can block advertising services via Android Debug Bridge (ADB), which requires connecting your smartphone to a PC.

Download ADB-tools, turn on Settings → About Phone → MIUI version (click 7 times to activate developer mode), then:

adb shell pm disable-user --user 0 com.miui.systemAdSolution


adb shell pm disable-user --user 0 com.xiaomi.midrop




adb shell pm disable-user --user 0 com.android.browser

These commands disable the main advertising modules. For a complete list of services that can be deactivated, use the command:

adb shell pm list packages | grep -i "miui\|xiaomi\|ad"

⚠️ Warning: Do not disable services called com.miui.home or com.android.settings – this will lead to system failure! → Additionally. → Backup.

Installation of custom firmware

A radical method is to flash a smartphone on custom firmware without advertising, for example:

🛠️ LineageOS – pure Android without unnecessary services.
🔄 Pixel Experience – firmware with an interface like Google Pixel.
🌍 MIUI EU — European MIUI with disabled advertising (but without Russian in some assemblies).

The disadvantages of the method: loss of warranty, the risk of “bricking” the device and the lack of security updates from Xiaomi. For detailed instructions on firmware, look for the XDA-Developers forum (specify the model of your smartphone!).

What happens if you turn off all advertising services?

Most system functions will remain functional, but some MIUI features may be missing: - Standard wallpapers and themes will stop updating. - Notifications will stop coming for new features (for example, Ultra Battery Saver mode). - Some models (for example, Redmi K50) may break synchronization with Mi Band. If something goes wrong, you can always return services with the adb shell enable pm command.

What Xiaomi models are most spammed with advertising

Not all Xiaomi devices are equally affected by advertising, and we analyzed user reviews and tests from independent laboratories (such as DXOMARK) to rank the most “advertising” models:

Redmi 9A/9C/10A – budget models with the maximum number of banners (up to advertising in the call menu).
Poco M3/M4 Pro – Despite being positioned as “gamers”, they contain aggressive targeting through Game Turbo.
Mi 11 Lite – Advertisements are built into the camera (offers to download filters from BeautyCam).
Redmi Note 11 Pro+ – Banners in Mi Video and Mi Music can not be turned off without ADB.

Least advertising in:

📱 Flagships of the Xiaomi series 13/14 (but she is!).
🌍 Models for the European market (firmware) MIUI EE).
🔓 Devices with unlocked bootloader (after manual shutdown of services).

💡

Before buying, check the IMEI firmware region on the IMEI.info website. If the “Region” column indicates CN (China), IN (India) or RU (Russia), prepare for a large number of ads.

Does Xiaomi collect data for targeted advertising?

Yes, and this is confirmed by the company's privacy policy, which clearly states that Xiaomi collects:

📍 Geolocation (even if it is GPS off, determined by Wi-Fi networks).
📱 List of installed applications and history of their use.
🔍 Search queries in the browser and voice assistant.
💳 Mi Store purchase data (if a bank card is tied).

This data is shared with partners (Alibaba, Tencent, Baidu) who create personalized ads, for example, if you run games often, you will be shown banners with new projects from the Mi Game Center.

You can disable data collection in Settings → Privacy → Advertising services, but this does not guarantee complete anonymity.

🔒 VPN (For example, ProtonVPN for masking IP.
🛡️ Traffic Blocker (NetGuard or Blokada).
📵 Disabling Telephony permission for system applications.

⚠️ Attention: B MIUI 14 the function "Private mode" (Settings) appeared → Features that restrict apps from accessing your data, but it doesn’t block Xiaomi’s own collection of information — only by third-party programs.

Alternative launchers and shells without advertising

If you're tired of advertising in a standard MIUI launcher, you can install an alternative shell.

Launcher	Pluses	Cons
Nova Launcher	Flexible setting, no advertising, gesture support	Premium version for some functions
Lawnchair	Free, interface like Pixel, open source	No integration with Xiaomi services (e.g. Mi Share)
Hyperion Launcher	Animations, dark theme, optimized for weak devices	Rare updates, can slow down on old Redmis
Microsoft Launcher	Integration with Windows, synchronization with PC	Collects data for Microsoft (but does not show ads)

To install an alternative launcher:

Download APK from the official website (for example, Nova Launcher).
Run the file and allow installation from unknown sources (Settings → Applications → Special Access).
Click "Home" and select the new launcher as the main one.

Note: Some system features (Dual Applications, Read Mode) may not work in third-party shells.

💡

Alternative launchers do not remove ads from system applications (e.g. Mi Browser or Themes) and must be disabled separately through settings or ADB.

What to do if the ad returns after the MIUI update

Xiaomi regularly resets its ad settings after firmware updates. If banners reappear, follow this algorithm:

Check out MIUI: Go to Settings → About Phone. If the version changes (for example, from 14.0.5 to 14.0.6), then the advertising platform has also been updated.
Repeat disabling: Go through all the points in the Step-by-step instruction section (especially check Settings → Memory → Clean up).
Delete the cache of system applications: In Settings → Applications, find Miui Daemon, MSA (Mi System Ads) and clear their data.
Reverse to the old firmware: If the ad becomes unbearable, run the previous version of MIUI through Fastboot (instructions on the official website).

If nothing works, there are two options:

🔧 Root your device and remove advertising services through Titanium Backup.
📦 Sell your smartphone and upgrade to a brand without ads (like Google Pixel or Nothing Phone).

FAQ: Frequent questions about MIUI advertising

Can you completely remove ads without root and ADB?

Yes, but not on all firmware. In MIUI Global and MIUI EE (Europe), you can turn off ads via settings. In the Chinese version (MIUI CN), you will need ADB or custom firmware. Check your firmware region in Settings → About Phone → MIUI version.

Why did the ads reappear after the reset?

When reset (Settings → Additional → Reset), all system applications return to factory settings, including advertising modules. After reset, you need to reset: Turn off "Recommendations" in Settings → Memory. Disable notifications for Mi Browser, GetApps, Mi Video. Delete the Recommended folder from the desktop (long press → "Delete").

Is advertising legal in MIUI? Can you get your smartphone back?

From a legal point of view, Xiaomi does not violate the law, since: the user agrees to the privacy policy on the first setup. Advertising is positioned as “recommendations” and not as forced content. In most countries (except the EU) there are no laws prohibiting embedding advertising in the software. It is almost impossible to return money for a smartphone because of advertising. The exception is if the device was sold as “without advertising” (for example, in European stores), but in fact contained it.

Are there any Xiaomi smartphones without advertising?

Officially, no. Even flagships (Xiaomi 14 Ultra) have minimal advertising in system applications. However, there are workarounds: Buy devices for the European market (MIUI EE firmware) - there are fewer ads there. Install custom firmware (for example, LineageOS) immediately after you buy. Choose Poco models with Poco Launcher firmware - there are less advertising than in Redmi. You can also consider Xiaomi for business (Xiaomi Enterprise series), but they are sold only in bulk.

How to complain about advertising in MIUI?

If you are annoyed by a specific ad or the method of displaying it, you can: Write in support of Xiaomi: Through Settings → Review or on the site mi.com/support. Leave a review on Google Play: Find an app (e.g. Mi Browser) and describe the problem in the comments. Complain to the regulator: In Russia - to Roskomnadzor (if advertising violates the law “On advertising”). In the EU - in the EU - in the 📖 How to put a widget on the lock screen Xiaomi Redmi: step-by-step instructions Detailed guide to install widgets on the lock screen of smartphones Xiaomi Redmi (MIUI 12-14) How to turn off the auto-shut screen on Xiaomi — 5 method 2026 Step-by-step instructions on how to remove the automatic disabling of the display on Xiaomi, Redmi and smartphones POC How to make a screen on Xiaomi Poco: all the ways 2026 A complete guide to creating screenshots on Xiaomi Poco. Gestures, buttons, voice, autoscroll. Solutions for M How to make a beautiful font on Xiaomi: 7 ways 2026 Step-by-step instructions for changing the font on Xiaomi phones: system settings, third-party app How to disable the Chinese language Xiaomi: reset and settings Full instructions on how to get rid of Chinese on Xiaomi. How to put emojis like on iPhone on Xiaomi Redmi Note 8: 5 ways Want beautiful emojis like in iOS on your Redmi Note 8? Learn how to replace the standard emoji X 📱 XiaoMaster 🔓 Reset and release · ⚙️ System setup · 💾 Memory and files · 🔊 Sound and vibration · 📸 Camera and photo · 📡 Communication and network Home · About the project · Contacts · Privacy © XiaoMaster, all rights reserved. Accept document.getElementById('pbMenuBtn')?.addEventListener('click', () => { document.getElementById('pbMainNav')?.classList.toggle('pb-nav-open'); }); // Dropdown menu toggle (click for touch devices) document.querySelectorAll('.pb-dropdown-toggle').forEach(btn => { btn.addEventListener('click', (e) => { e.stopPropagation(); btn.closest('.pb-nav-dropdown').classList.toggle('pb-dd-open'); }); }); document.addEventListener('click', () => { document.querySelectorAll('.pb-nav-dropdown.pb-dd-open').forEach(d => d.classList.remove('pb-dd-open')); }); (function() { const popup = document.getElementById('cookie-consent'); const btn = document.getElementById('cookie-accept'); if (popup && btn &&!localStorage.getItem('cookie-accepted')) { setTimeout(() => popup.classList.add('pb-cookie-visible'), 1500); btn.onclick = () => { localStorage.setItem('cookie-accepted','true'); (function(d,s){d.getElementById("licnt06C4").src= "https://counter.yadro.ru/hit?t26.5;r"+escape(d.referrer)+ ((typeof(s)=="undefined")?"":";s"+s.width+"*"+s.height+"*"+ (s.colorDepth?s.colorDepth:s.pixelDepth))+";u"+escape(d.URL)+ ";h"+escape(d.title.substring(0,150))+";"+Math.random()})(document,screen) 🍪 We use cookies to improve the operation of the website. popup.classList.remove('pb-cookie-visible'); }; } })(); function pbPollVote(el) { var poll = el.closest('.pb-poll'); if (poll.classList.contains('voted')) return; poll.classList.add('voted'); el.classList.add('selected'); var opts = poll.querySelectorAll('.pb-poll-option'); var n = opts.length; var raw = []; var sum = 0; for (var i = 0; i < n; i++) { var v = Math.random() * 50 + 5; if (opts[i] === el) v += 30; raw.push(v); sum += v; } var pcts = raw.map(function(v) { return Math.round(v / sum * 100); }); var diff = 100 - pcts.reduce(function(a,b){ return a+b; }, 0); pcts[Array.from(opts).indexOf(el)] += diff; setTimeout(function() { opts.forEach(function(opt, i) { opt.querySelector('.pb-poll-bar').style.width = pcts[i] + '%'; opt.querySelector('.pb-poll-pct').textContent = pcts[i] + '%'; }); }, 50); }