Smartphone owners Xiaomi, Redmi and Poco often face an intrusive feature called Glance.This system, integrated into the shell of MIUI and HyperOS, turns the lock screen into a news feed filled with banner ads and news reports. For many users, this becomes a serious irritant that not only distracts, but also consumes additional battery power in the background.
Fortunately, the developers have provided several ways to deactivate the service, ranging from simple menu settings to more advanced methods via a computer. Disabling Glance does not require super-user rights (root) and takes only a few minutes if you know where to look for the right switches. In this article, we will discuss all the available solutions to the problem in detail.
The need to remove this widget often occurs after a firmware update, when security settings or themes change automatically.We'll look at how to return a clean lock screen and stop seeing promotional offers every time you pick up the phone. Below are the step-by-step algorithms for different versions of the operating system.
What is Glance and why does it appear on the screen?
Glance is a service developed by InMobi that is pre-installed by default on many Xiaomi mid-range and budget devices, and its primary stated function is to provide quick access to news, weather and popular apps without unlocking your smartphone.
The service can be activated automatically when you first set up a new phone or after you reset to factory settings if the user has not read the license agreement carefully, and activation can occur after a major update to the MIUI shell, when developers change priorities for system services.
⚠️ Warning: Glance may collect data about your preferences and phone usage times to create personalized advertising feeds, which calls into question the privacy of personal information.
Technically, it's a standalone system application that's deeply integrated into the locking process, and it has its own permissions to access the network and display on top of other windows, which is why simply removing the icon from the desktop doesn't work, because it keeps running in the background, waiting for the screen to activate.
Disable Glance via standard MIUI settings
The easiest and safest way to remove ads is to use the built-in operating system tools, which are suitable for most modern models of Redmi Note, Poco X and the flagship Mi series. You do not need to connect to a computer or install third-party software, all actions are performed directly in the menu of the smartphone.
To start, you need to go to the settings section that controls the look of the lock screen. The path may vary slightly depending on the Android version and the shell, but the logic remains the same. Find the item associated with the wallpaper or the image carousel, because that's where the service switch is hidden.
- 📱 Open Settings and select Wallpaper or Always On screen and Lock.
- 🔍 Find the Carousel wallpapers or directly Glance for Xiaomi.
- 🚫 Switch the slider to the off position or press the Remove button if the system offers a choice of wallpaper source.
After performing these actions, the system can request confirmation or offer alternative static wallpaper. It is important to select any static background from the gallery so that the replacement does not happen automatically again. If the slider returns to active immediately after turning off, try first clearing the cache of the Wallpaper Carousel application through the application management menu.
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If the gray-colored slider is inactive, try first changing the region in your phone settings to any European country (e.g. Germany or the Netherlands), then disable the feature and return the region back.
Management through Application Topics and Security
Some versions of MIUI firmware have Glance settings in a separate system application that users often ignore, such as the standard security manager and theme store, and there are additional options hidden here that can block attempts to disable through the main settings menu.
Security is the central control node on Xiaomi devices, and this is where the ad filters and optimization settings that affect the system widgets work, and if the standard method didn’t work, checking this section is a must.
Inside the app, find a section related to ads or special offers. Often there is a global switch that disables personalized recommendations across all system services, including the lock screen, which can be labeled "Receive recommendations" or "Personalized advertising."
☑️ Checking security settings
Also worth a look at the Themes app, which can have settings (usually hidden in the user profile or menu button) such as "Receive notifications" or "Automatically update content" and disabling these features will prevent new promotional materials from being uploaded even if the service itself is formally active.
Using Developer Mode for Advanced Users
For those who want to be sure to completely shut down all background processes associated with the newsfeed, there is the possibility of using the developer mode, which allows access to hidden parameters of animation and window operation, which sometimes helps to "strangle" the intrusive service if standard methods fail.
To activate the developer mode, you need to quickly click seven times on the build number in the About Phone section. Once the corresponding notification appears, a new option will appear in the settings menu, Additional or Advanced Settings, where the desired menu is located, and here we will look for parameters related to background processes.
Find the option to limit background processes and set the value of "No more than 2 processes" or "No background processes" at the time of diagnosis, this will help you understand whether Glance is causing brakes or battery discharge. However, for permanent use, this method is not recommended, as it can disrupt the messengers.
⚠️ Warning: Changing the settings in developer mode can lead to unstable system operation, so after checking, be sure to return the standard parameters values.
A safer option in this section is to search for the item associated with the animation transitions. Accelerating the animation or completely turning it off makes the interface more responsive and visually reduces the time during which the banner ad can be displayed when the screen is turned on.
Radical method: Disconnect via ADB (for PC)
If none of the software methods through the phone interface did not help, the most reliable way remains – using the Android Debug Bridge debugging bridge (ADB). This tool allows you to delete or freeze system applications that are not deleted in the usual way. USB-cable.
The first step is to activate USB debugging in the Developer Menu, which was discussed earlier. Connect your smartphone to your computer and install ADB drivers if they are not already installed. Open the command line or terminal on your computer and enter a command to check the connection.
adb devicesOn the phone screen, you'll see a request for debugging permission -- click "Allow." Once you've successfully connected -- type a command to delete or disable the packet that's responsible for Glance, usually called com.miui.misys, or has the word "look", msa (MIUI System Ads) in its name.
adb shell pm disable-user --user 0 com.miui.msaThis command does not remove the app completely, but disables it for the current user, which is a safe way to get rid of ads. The system will assume that the application is not installed, and stop running its processes. To return everything as it was, use the command adb shell pm enable com.miui.msa.
List of deletion packages
Comparison of disconnection methods and their effectiveness
The choice of method depends on your technical background and the version of MIUI. The table below compares the main ways to choose the best one for your situation. Each method has its advantages and risks that should be considered before starting the procedure.
| Method | Difficulty | Efficiency | Risks. |
|---|---|---|---|
| MIUI settings | Low. | Medium | Minimum |
| Annex Topics | Low. | Medium | Minimum |
| Developer mode | Medium | Tall. | Medium (system errors) |
| ADB team | Tall. | Maximum | High (ineptitude) |
For most users, a combination of the first two is sufficient. ADB is only useful if the ads continue to appear despite all attempts to disable them by regular means. Remember that a deep modification of the system can affect the warranty or stability of the device.
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Combining methods (settings + disabling ads in apps) gives the best result in 95% of cases without the need to use a computer.
Possible problems and ways to solve them
Even after all the instructions are successfully executed, nuances may arise, such as resetting the settings after a firmware update, and Glance is activated again, in which case the procedure must be repeated, and some users note that the menu item name may differ on some global firmware versions.
If notifications from important applications stop coming after the shutdown, check to see if you have disabled the system notification component with the ad service. In rare cases, packets have similar names, and an inexperienced user can delete the extra one. Always check the exact packet name before using adb.
- 🔄 Resetting: If nothing helps, try resetting the Security and Themes app settings through the App Management menu.
- 🌍 Changing the region: As mentioned earlier, changing the region to India or Indonesia often changes the set of system applications, making unnecessary features available for removal.
- 📲 App Update: Make sure all system apps are updated through the built-in GetApps store or Google Play, as older versions may have bugs.
In case the phone stopped responding correctly to the touch of the lock screen, perform a forced reboot, holding the power button for 10-15 seconds. This will clear the temporary cache and restart all system services with new parameters.