How to turn off talkback on Xiaomi: Deep customization of MIUI

Xiaomi smartphone owners often experience intrusive behavior, popularly called “talk-back.” While technically not always the correct term, users mean the sudden opening of advertising applications, pop-ups in the interface or the automatic launch of services after unlocking the screen. This behavior is not only annoying, but also significantly consumes battery power and mobile Internet traffic. MIUI, the manufacturer’s branded shell, does contain many built-in advertising modules that require manual deactivation.

The problem is solved in a complex way, since there is no single button “disable everything” in the standard settings menu. You'll have to go through a few sections of the system, disable advertising personalization, deny access to data for system applications, and perhaps use hidden engineering menus. In some cases, the reason for the "talk-back" is not system processes, but malicious ones. APK-It's important to distinguish between these scenarios to apply the correct method of elimination.

In this article, we will look at all known ways to combat intrusive pop-ups and automatically run programs on current versions of MIUI and HyperOS. We will examine both secure methods through standard settings, and more advanced options for power users. The key is to disable the MSA service (MIUI System Ads), which is responsible for delivering advertising content to system applications. Follow the instructions carefully to regain control of your device.

The nature of the phenomenon: what is a system talk-back

The term “talk-back” in the context of the Xiaomi ecosystem is most commonly understood as a push notification or automatic application launch (Auto-start) mechanism that is used to display advertising content. Unlike standard notifications, such messages can appear even when the screen is locked or block the interface of other programs, this is because system services such as msa, miuiDaemon or dab have deep permissions to access the Android operating system.

The main purpose of these processes is to monetize the device. Xiaomi smartphones are often sold at a minimal margin, and the company compensates for the costs by advertising in the interface. However, algorithms can work incorrectly, causing chaotic launches of browsers or app stores. User experience suffers first, so disabling these features is a priority after purchase.

⚠️ Note: Some system processes may be disguised as advertising. Before disabling services, make sure you do not block critical components necessary for the phone to work, although in the case of a phone that is not a service that is not a service that is critical. MSA risks are minimal.

It is worth noting that global firmware versions (Global ROM) tend to have less advertising than Chinese versions (China ROM), but even in globals, there are hidden mechanisms for collecting data and showing recommendations, and understanding the MIUI architecture helps to more effectively combat unwanted behavior.

Basic setting: disabling advertising personalization

The first step in combating intrusive content is to turn off ad personalization. This will not remove the ads completely, but will stop collecting your preferences and reduce the frequency of targeted pop-ups. To do this, go to the Mi Account settings. Open the Settings menu, find the Mi Account section, and select Advertising Services.

In the window that opens, you'll see the Ad Personalization switch, which needs to be put inactive, and the system will warn you that the ads are not going anywhere, but will become less relevant, which is standard for all Android devices with Google services and their own add-ons, and after that, the collection of statistics for ad networks will be limited.

Next, check your settings for specific system applications. Go to Settings → Passwords and Security → Access to Personal Data. This lists all the applications that have access to your information. Find system components such as Security, Explorer, Themes and Music on the list, and disable them from accessing data if it is not required for the basic functionality.

It is important to understand that changes do not take effect instantly. The system may take some time to synchronize new parameters. cached ad data may still be displayed for some time, so it is recommended to also clear the cache of the relevant services through the memory management menu.

Management of MSA Service and System Processes

MSA Service (MIUI System Ads is the main culprit in the appearance of advertising in system applications, which is responsible for loading and displaying banner ads in the standard interface. To disable the talk-back effectively, you need to deactivate this service. → All applications. In the upper right corner, click three dots and select Show System Processes.

In the list, find an app called msa. Click on it and select the option to Disable. The system may warn you several times about the possible consequences and even require you to wait 10 seconds before confirming an action. Don't give up - this is a necessary step. Once you turn off msa, ads in standard applications like Downloads or Music should disappear.

Beyond msa, you should look at the dab (Data Analysis Base) process, which also collects usage statistics, and it is disabling in a similar way, but beware: in some versions of MIUI, completely disabling these services can lead to unstable launcher operation or periodic resets of settings.

To consolidate the result, it is also recommended to limit the background activity of these services. In the menu of a specific application (msa), go to Activity Control and select No Limits - Wait, here the logic is reversed. You need to choose Limit background activity or disable autostart so that the process does not resume after the restart.

Setup of permissions and auto-run applications

Often, the push-back is not caused by system processes, but by third-party applications that have been granted redundant rights. MIUI has a powerful control tool called Security. Open this app and find the Permissions → Autorun section. This is a list of all the programs that start with the system. Leave only messengers and necessary services on, turn off the rest.

Pay particular attention to apps with “display over other windows” and “notification access” rights, the two most commonly used permissions for creating intrusive ads. Check the list under Settings → Privacy Protection → Special features (or Availability) If they have apps you don’t know or simple utilities (calculators, flashlights), turn them off immediately.

Also worth checking is Settings → Notifications and Status bar → Application Notifications. Go through the list and turn off notifications for suspicious or unnecessary programs. Often, it is through the notification channel that the main stream of advertising junk arrives, which users mistakenly mistake for a system failure.

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Tip: Use the Cleanup feature in the Security app regularly, not only frees up memory, but also resets temporary files that may contain the cache of ad modules.

Using Private DNS to block ads

One of the most effective and safest ways to get rid of pop-up ads and talk back is to set up a private DNS (Private DNS), which works at the network level and blocks requests to known ad servers without requiring additional apps or root rights. This is especially true for owners of Xiaomi smartphones, since it does not affect the stability of the system.

To set up, go to Settings → Connection and Sharing (or Wi-Fi) → Private DNS. Select the DNS Host Name option and enter the address: dns.adguard.com. Save settings. After that, all traffic on your device will pass through AdGuard filters, which will automatically cut off advertising requests.

The advantage of this method is that it blocks ads not only in the browser, but also within many applications and games, but it is worth remembering that if the ad server changes addresses or uses the same domains as useful content, there are rare failures in the display of sites, in which case the DNS can be temporarily disabled.

⚠️ Note: When using a third party DNS-Your requests are sent through third-party servers, make sure you trust the provider. DNS (For example, AdGuard or Cloudflare, because they can see your history of visits.

If some applications or sites have stopped working after Private DNS is turned on, try adding an exception to your DNS settings or temporarily returning to automatic mode. For most users, setting up dns.adguard.com works steadily and significantly speeds up page loading by not loading advertising scripts.

Advanced Methods: ADB and Hidden Menus

For power users who want to securely remove the talkback, there is a method of using it. ADB (Android Debug Bridge.This tool allows you to remove or freeze system applications that cannot be disabled through the standard interface, USB-cable and on-debugging USB smartphone.

First, activate Developer Mode: Go to Settings → About Phone and click 7 times on the MIUI Version. Then, in the Advanced Settings menu, turn on Debugging over USB. Connect your phone to your PC and execute a command to remove advertising packages:

adb shell pm uninstall -k --user 0 com.miui.misys


adb shell pm uninstall -k --user 0 com.android.browser




adb shell pm uninstall -k --user 0 com.miui.personalassistant

These commands will remove the system analyzer, browser (if not in use) and widget tape, which are often sources of intrusive content. Be extremely careful: removing critical system components can lead to a bootloop. Always check the name of the package before deleting.

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Using ADB is the most powerful method, but it requires technical literacy. A mistake in the team can lead to the failure of the smartphone.

There is also a hidden CIT menu available through the engineering menu, but it is primarily designed for hardware testing and rarely contains ad-related software settings, so the focus should be on spot packet removal via ADB or carefully configuring access rights.

Malware and virus testing

If the above methods did not help, and the “talk-back” continues, there is a high probability that an adware virus has settled on the device. Unlike system advertising, viruses can open sites at random times, even when the phone is in your pocket. Often such programs are disguised as useful utilities: memory cleaners, flashlights or scanners. QR-code.

Check the list of installed applications. Look for programs without an icon or with a name consisting of a set of characters. Go to Settings → Apps and carefully examine the list. If you find a suspicious object without a name or with a transparent icon, delete it immediately. Also check if the applications have device administrator rights in the Passwords and Security menu → Device Administrators.

For complete cleaning, it is recommended to scan the smartphone with an antivirus, for example, Dr.Web Light or a built-in scanner in the Security application from Xiaomi (using Avast or Antiy databases). In extreme cases, if the virus is deeply embedded in the system, only a full reset to factory settings (Wipe Data), but before that, be sure to save important data.

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