Ownership of Xiaomi’s modern smartphone is often overshadowed by intrusive banner ads that appear in the most unexpected places on the interface, as users encounter promotions when unlocking the screen, in standard applications and even in system folders, the result of aggressive marketing policies by the company that subsidize the cost of devices by displaying ads in the shell of MIUI or HyperOS.
But there's an effective way to get rid of that visual noise and get the device back clean, so you don't need super-user rights or complicated reflashing, you just need to change a few settings in the system in a sequential fashion and disable key services that collect data and display content.
In this article, we will discuss a detailed algorithm of actions that will help you forget about pop-ups forever. We will consider disabling the msa system service, setting up browsers and cleaning the desktop from garbage.
Disabling system advertising through MIUI settings
The first step is to go to the basic settings of the system, where the master switch of personalized advertising is hidden, which is the most secure method and does not require third-party software, and you need to find a point responsible for recommendations, which are often masqueraded as useful tips.
Go to Settings → Passwords & Security → Access to Personal Data. Here you will need to find a list of system applications that have access to data to serve targeted advertising. Search the MSA service (MIUI System Ads) and turn off the access slider.
The system will try to dissuade you by running a 10 second countdown timer, which is a psychological trick to change your mind. After the time has expired, press "Cancel." If you fail the first time, try repeating the procedure 2-3 times, as the company's servers can temporarily block the request to disconnect.
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If the msa slider is back on itself after 5-10 seconds, turn off the Internet (Wi-Fi and mobile network) before again trying to turn off access.
Next, you should disable the Receive References feature. The path to this may vary depending on the shell version, but most often it is located at Settings → Passwords and Security → Privacy → Advertising Services. Here you need to switch the Personalized Advertising switch to an inactive state.
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Disabling the msa service blocks up to 80% of all system advertising, including banners in standard applications.
We remove advertising in folders and on the desktop
One of the most annoying things about the shell is that the recommended apps appear in folders, and when you create a group of icons, the system automatically adds a Recommended box, which is essentially an advertising showcase.
To remove this item, open any folder on your desktop. Click on the folder name (at the top) to open the name edit menu. In the window that opens, you'll see the Recommended Switch. Turn it to "Off."
Now the folder will only contain applications that you installed yourself, which not only cleans the visual range, but also saves traffic, since the system no longer needs to download icons and descriptions of third-party programs.
- 📱 Open any folder with applications on the desktop.
- 📝 Click on the line with the name of the folder for editing.
- 🚫 Find and disable the "Promoted Apps" switchboard).
- ✅ Check that the ad unit has disappeared from the bottom of the folder.
You should also check the settings of the Glance widget if you have it installed on your lock screen, which often shows news feeds and banner ads every time you turn on the screen. → Lock screen.
Setting up the standard Mi Browser browser
Xiaomi’s built-in browser is known for its aggressive policy of displaying news and promotional materials. Even if you rarely use it, it can consume resources in the background. If you are not ready to completely remove the application, it can be significantly “lightened”.
Open your browser and go to the menu (three bars at the bottom or top). Select Settings → Privacy and security. You need to turn off "Get recommendations" here. This will remove the news feed from the home page.
Next, go to Notifications inside your browser settings. Disable all push notification permissions from sites. Often, these are the source of pop-ups with suggestions to download antivirus or win a prize.
⚠️ Note: Complete removal of the standard browser is possible only through ADB-Just removing a shortcut won't stop services.
For advanced users, it is recommended to consider alternative browsers such as Via, Brave or DuckDuckGo, which have built-in ad blockers and do not collect telemetry.Installing a third-party browser and assigning it by default is the best way to protect.
Remove Mi Browser via ADB
Cleaning the "Security" and "Downloads" application
Security is the control center of the device, but it's also one of the main sources of advertising, and every time you check for viruses or clear the cache, you see banners, and to minimize the impact, you have to change the settings of the app itself.
Run the Security app, click on the settings gear in the corner, find the "Receive recommendations" item and turn it off, and go to the "Clean up" section inside the settings and remove the tick from "Show ads after cleaning."
The Download app is a special focus, and it is through it that often comes notifications about “wins” or “viruses”, which are actually disguised ads. Go to your phone settings, find Download Provider (or Download Provider) and turn off notifications for this system component.
| System component | Way of shutdown | The effect |
|---|---|---|
| MSA | Passwords and security → Access to data | 80% of ads are missing |
| Folders. | Title of the folder → Recommendations | Clean desk |
| Security | Appendix → Settings → Recommendations | No banners when scanning |
| Downloads. | Settings → Applications → Downloads → Notifications | Protection against spam notifications |
Blocking Advertising at DNS Level
The most radical and effective method is to use a private DNS, which allows you to filter traffic at the connection level, without even allowing ad servers to load a banner onto your device, and it works in all applications and browsers at once.
In modern versions of Android and MIUI, this feature is built in. Go to Settings → Connection and Sharing → Private DNS. Select the DNS Host Name (or Manual) mode and enter the address of the trusted blocker.
dns.adguard.comOnce you save your settings, your phone may need to reboot or reconnect. Check the Internet: if the sites open, you're successful. If the Internet is gone, return your DNS settings to Auto mode.
☑️ Setting up DNS-filter
Use of the DNS-Filtering also increases page load speeds by blocking heavy ad scripts, but it’s worth remembering that this method can also block ads in applications where it’s the main way to monetize developers.
Additional measures and clearance of notifications
Even after all the settings, some apps may continue to send spam, often not through Xiaomi system ads, but through permissions you gave yourself when installing games or utilities, and you need to audit the notifications.
Go to Settings → Notifications and Status bar → Notification Center. Go through the app list and ruthlessly turn off notifications for programs that are not messengers or important services, especially for stores, games and memory cleaners.
It is also recommended to disable Mi Video and Mi Music if you do not use them. These applications often have access to display ads on the lock screen. In the settings of these applications, find the "Online Services" or "Recommendations" section and deaktivate them.
⚠️ Note: Disconnect system components through ADB Do not remove services associated with the phone or messages, otherwise the device may cease to function correctly.
Check the list of installed apps regularly. Often, with useful programs, advertising modules are installed on the phone invisibly. If you see an app without an icon or with a strange name that has recently appeared, delete it immediately.
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A comprehensive approach (settings + DNS + notification control) gives 100% results in the fight against advertising.