Xiaomi’s modern smartphones are famous for their value for money, but users often face intrusive behavior: the built-in MIUI algorithms and the new HyperOS shell constantly analyze your actions to suggest the installation of new games or services, a phenomenon that annoys many owners, especially when pop-ups overlap the desktop or appear in folders.
Fortunately, the company's engineers have provided many hidden and explicit switches to take back control of the device. Disabling app offerings is not just a matter of aesthetics, but a way to improve the performance of the gadget, eliminating the background processes of advertising modules. In this detailed guide, we will examine all possible ways to block intrusive content.
You don't have to be a skilled programmer to clean the interface, but you have to go through the system settings in a consistent manner, which we'll describe in detail below, and remember that some changes may require you to restart the device to take effect.
Disabling recommendations in folders and on the desktop
The most visible activity is the Recommendations section that appears inside the app folders. When you collect multiple icons into a group, MIUI-based Android automatically generates a list of similar software, and to remove that block, you have to open any folder on your desktop and click on the folder name to get an input line or edit menu.
In the menu that opens, you'll see a switch called "Recommendations" or "Promoted apps," which needs to be put inactive. Importantly, this option needs to be turned off in each folder separately, there's no global setting for all groups in the standard interface at once, and once you turn off the list of games you've offered, it disappears instantly.
In addition to folders, ads can appear in the wallpaper carousel widget or in the left-hand edge screen (Google Discover). To turn off, press and hold your finger in the free space of your desktop, go to the screen settings and find the "Wallpaper carousel" option.
⚠️ Note: When you turn off the Wallpaper Carousel, you will also lose access to Xiaomi’s daily updated background images if you use this feature.
To fine-tune your desktop, you can take advantage of the latent launcher capabilities. Go to Settings → Desktop and carefully study the options available. This often hides the switches for news feeds and other services.
Blocking system advertising through the MSA service
The data collection and display of banner ads in standard applications (Conductor, Music, Themes) is managed by the system process msa (MIUI System Ads). Disabling this component is a key step in the fight for a clean interface.
To start, go to the smartphone settings menu and find the Passwords and Security section. From the options list, select Access to Data or Special Opportunities (depending on the HyperOS or MIUI version). Find the msa app in the list and turn off the network access or permission slider.
When you try to shut down, you'll have a countdown timer (usually 10 seconds) and you'll have to press the "Disable" button several times until the system agrees, and don't give up after the first try, which is a defense mechanism.
☑️ Shutdown checklist MSA
After successful disabling, it is also recommended to limit background activity for other system services, search the list of applications “MIUI Daemon” and “Mi Video” (if you do not use), and prohibit them from auto-starting. This will significantly reduce the load on the processor.
Set up standard Xiaomi applications
Ads are built deep into native utilities, and to completely clean a smartphone, you have to go through each of them, starting with the Security app, which is often the main source of notifications.
Open the Security app, click on the three dots in the top right corner and select Settings. Scroll down to Get Recommendations and turn off this feature. It's also worth looking at the Memory Cleanup section inside the app's settings and unchecking the tick from Show Ads After Cleaning.
- 📱 Explorer: Open the menu, select Settings» → «About the Application (or just Settings) → Turn off "Receive recommendations».
- 🎵 Music: Go to the app settings, find the Advanced Settings section and remove the tick from Show Ads».
- 🎨 Topics: In the user profile, click on “Settings” and turn off “Personal recommendations” and “Show ads».
Don’t forget to check the Downloads app. This is often where the hot offers notifications accumulate, and the bootloader’s settings also have a point that displays the recommended content.
| Annex | The path to adjustment | What to turn off |
|---|---|---|
| Security | Settings (cogs) | Receive recommendations |
| Conductor | Menu → Settings | Recommendations |
| Music. | Settings → Advanced | Advertising |
| Topics | Profile → Settings | Personal recommendations |
Why is Xiaomi so much advertising?
Notification and personalization management
Even after disabling the main sources, some apps may continue to send push notifications with offers, often due to Mi Account settings and general personalization, and the system collects data about your interests to target content.
To stop this process, go to Settings → Passwords & Security → Privacy. This is the Advertising Services section. Click on it and activate the “Disable Ad Personalization” switch, which will reset your advertising ID and stop selecting content based on your history.
Also, check the settings of the apps themselves. Go to Settings → Notifications and Status bar → Notification Management. Go through the list of system applications (e.g. Scanner, Clean) and turn off notification categories labeled as Marketing or Recommendations.
⚠️ Warning: Disabling notifications from system applications completely may cause you to miss important virus alerts or memory overflows.
Sometimes, app suggestions come through the Mi Browser browser if it is installed by default. In its settings (three bars → Settings → Privacy and Security), you need to turn off Personal Recommendations and Receive Notifications.
Use of Developer Modes and ADB
For advanced users who want to securely remove ad units, there are more radical methods: they require the developer mode to be enabled. Go to Settings → About phone and quickly press 7 times on the MIUI build number until the message “You became a developer” appears.
The Developer Menu (in the "Additional" section) provides debugging options, but the most effective way is to use a computer and an ADB (Android Debug Bridge) utility, which allows you to remove the system packages responsible for advertising without obtaining root rights.
You will need to connect your phone to your PC in USB debugging mode and enter a command to remove the com.miui.msa.global package. Be careful: removing critical system components can lead to unstable device operation.
adb shell pm uninstall -k --user 0 com.miui.msa.global💡
Before using ADB, make sure to make a complete backup of the data. Deletion of system packages is irreversible without flashing the device.
If you are not sure about your actions, it is better to limit the software methods of disabling through settings. Using ADB requires technical literacy and understanding the structure of Android.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Does disabling advertising affect the speed of the smartphone?
Will the ad settings return after the system update?
Is it safe to remove advertising packages through ADB?
Do these methods work on the global and Chinese versions of firmware?
💡
A comprehensive approach, including disabling MSA, customizing each app, and banning personalization, is the only way to get rid of ads on Xiaomi completely.