How to get rid of advertising on Xiaomi Poco X3: expert guide

Owners of Poco X3 smartphones and other MIUI-based devices often face intrusive ads that appear in system applications and interfaces. This is not a bug, but part of the manufacturer's marketing strategy to keep the cost of gadgets low while performing well. However, for most users, persistent pop-ups become a serious irritant that prevents comfortable use.

Fortunately, Xiaomi’s Android system provides enough tools to minimize or eliminate this digital noise completely. You don’t need superuser rights or complex device flashing, but you need to go through a few key settings that we’ll discuss in this article.

The process of disabling ad modules takes no more than 15 minutes, but requires care, as some options are scattered across different menu sections. Complete disabling of the system service msa (MIUI System Ads) is the most effective step, blocking up to 90% of all advertising. Let's break down each step in detail to ensure that your Poco X3 runs clean and fast.

Disabling MIUI System Advertising (MSA Service)

At the heart of Xiaomi’s advertising ecosystem is the MSA (MIUI System Ads) system application, which is responsible for collecting data on user behavior and targeting ads in standard utilities, and without deactivating this module, any other settings will only have a partial effect.

To access the management of this service, you need to go to the authorization menu. Note that the off button may be inactive the first time - the system will try to keep the user waiting by offering to wait 10 seconds or showing network error messages. If you encounter a timer, just cancel the action and try again in a minute.

The process is as follows:

• 🔍 Go to Settings. → Passwords and security → Access to personal data.
• 🔍 Find the msa application in the list and transfer the switch to the "Off" position".
• 🔍 Confirm the action by waiting for the countdown to end (usually 10 seconds).
• 🔍 Press the "Disable" button".

It's important to understand that after you turn off msa, the ads won't disappear instantly. The system can cache some ads, so the full effect will be noticeable 24 hours later or after you reboot the device. Don't panic if the pop-up comes right after the procedure - these are the remnants of the old cache.

Set up standard Xiaomi applications

Even after the main ad module is disabled, individual Xiaomi apps can continue to show recommendations in their interfaces, including Music, Video, Theme, Explorer and Cleanup, each with its own privacy settings that need to be checked separately.

The Security app is worth paying special attention to, as it is the one that most often displays banners when scanning the system, and ad units are often embedded in the file download menu and memory cleanup, and to remove them, you need to go to the settings of each application through the top three-point in the upper right corner of the screen.

List of applications that require manual configuration:

• 📁 Conductor: Press the menu → Settings → About the annex → Disable "Receive recommendations".
• 🧹 Cleaning: Press the gear → Disable "Receive recommendations".
• 🎵 Music: Menu → Settings → Advanced settings → Disable "Showing Advertising".
• 🎬 Video: Profile → Settings → Disable "Online Recommendations" and "Receive Notifications".

Remember that the application interface can be updated and the location of the switches sometimes changes. If you don't find the right item, look for sections that say "Recommendations", "Online Services" or "Notifications". Poco X3 receives regular MIUI updates that can return some default settings.

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Check your app settings periodically after major system updates – Xiaomi may reset some privacy settings to factory values.

Removing ads in the browser and folders

Two of the most annoying places for ad integrations are the Mi Browser browser and desktop folders. Xiaomi’s browser is set to display news feeds and promotional materials by default, which greatly clutters the start page. Folders can contain a “Recommended Apps” section that appears automatically.

To clean the browser, you need to go to its settings. Usually the path is: menu (three bars) → settings → privacy and security. Here you should disable all items related to personalization and recommendations. However, many experts advise you to simply install an alternative browser, such as Chrome or Firefox, and assign it to the main one.

To remove ads from folders on the desktop:

1. Open any folder with applications on the main screen.
2. Click on the folder name to open the name editing field.
3. In the menu that appears, find the “Promoted apps” switch and turn it off.

If the switch is missing or inactive, try renaming the folder or changing the number of applications inside it. Sometimes the system requires at least one application inside the folder to activate the settings menu. On Poco X3 with the MIUI 12/13/14 shell, this algorithm works steadily.

Blocking Advertising Through DNS (Method for Advanced Advertising)

There is a more radical and effective way to combat advertising that works at the network-connection level, using a private DNS that allows you to block requests to known ad servers even before they reach the screen of your smartphone.

Modern versions of Android (starting with version 9) have a built-in “Private DNS” feature. To activate it, go to Settings → Connection and General Settings → Private DNS. Select the “DNS Provider Host Name” mode and enter the address of a trusted blocker.

The most popular and proven solution is the AdGuard DNS service. In the field for input, you must specify:

dns.adguard.com

Once you save your settings, the system may need to reboot or simply apply changes to the background, and you will notice that advertising has disappeared not only in system applications, but also in many games and sites. Importantly, if you have a corporate Wi-Fi or a specific home router with filtering, this method may conflict with local network rules.

Use of third-party blockers

If standard methods are not enough, you can use specialized software. VPN-It's a tunnel on a device that filters all the incoming traffic through, and it's a powerful tool, but it has its own Poco features. X3.

One of the most popular solutions is AdGuard (the version is not from the Play Market, but from the official website, since Google bans such applications), Blokada 5 has also proved itself well, these programs allow you to fine-tune filter lists, block trackers and hidden mining activity.

However, it is worth considering a few nuances:

• ⚡ Battery consumption: Constant filtering of traffic can increase energy consumption 5-10%.
• ⚡ Conflict: Only one can work at a time VPN-application. if you use VPN shift IP, The blocker will have to be turned off.
• ⚡ Permissions: The app will need access to network monitoring, which some users see as an intrusion into the network.

⚠️ Note: Install blockers only from official developer sites. downloading modified versions (Mod, Premium) from questionable resources can lead to infection of the phone with real viruses that will steal your passwords.

For users who don’t want to deal with sleepy settings, installing one high-quality blocker can be a silver bullet that solves all problems at once. Just make sure the app is added to power saving exceptions so that the system doesn’t “kill” its process in the background.

Frequent problems and their solution

While cleaning the Poco X3 from advertising, users can face a variety of challenges. MIUI is known for its trick: it can hide switches, make them inactive or return settings after an update. Understanding the causes of these problems will help avoid unnecessary nerves.

The most common complaint is the msa button is gray and doesn't press, often due to an unstable Internet connection when you request the license verification server: Try switching from Wi-Fi to mobile Internet (or vice versa), waiting a few minutes and trying again, sometimes changing the region in your phone settings temporarily helps.

Another problem is that ads appear after the system update, Xiaomi regularly changes the ID of advertising services or introduces new modules.

1. Check the list of installed applications for unknown additions.
2. Re-execute the procedure of disabling msa and recommendations in applications.
3. Clear the cache of Google Play and MIUI system services.

⚠️ Warning: Never install apps to “speed up your phone” or “cool your battery” from unverified sources, and they are often the source of aggressive advertising that cannot be removed by standard methods.

If none of the methods works and the ads are virus-like (appears on the desktop as individual icons), it is possible that the device is infected, in which case it is recommended to reset to factory settings, saving important data beforehand.

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A comprehensive approach combining disabling msa, configuring apps and using DNS guarantees a complete 99% elimination of advertising.