Ownership of Xiaomi, Redmi or POCO smartphones is often overshadowed by intrusive visual noise that appears at the most inappropriate moments. Users regularly encounter banner ads, pop-ups and even paid subscriptions to news feeds that are activated by default. This is not just an annoyance, but also a real strain on the device’s RAM and traffic consumption.
But the situation is not hopeless, and most of these features can be manually deactivated through the system menu. The setup process requires care, as the developers of MIUI and HyperOS periodically change the location of the switches, hiding them in the depths of the submenu. In this article, we will discuss in detail all known ways to combat intrusive content to keep your smartphone running clean and fast.
It is worth noting that the complete removal of advertising modules may require not only standard settings, but also the use of special commands or third-party software. We will consider both safe methods for ordinary users, and more advanced options for those who are ready for deep customization of the system.
Disabling the MSA service, the main source of advertising
The central element in charge of displaying advertising content in the MIUI shell is the MSA (MIUI System Ads) system application, which collects data about your actions and translates the ads into regular applications, and first you need to find it in the list of all installed programs and try to disable it.
Go to the Settings menu, then select the Apps section and then All Apps. In the list that opens, find msa (often hidden, so search or sort). Click on it and select the option to Disable Ads (or Revoke).
⚠️ Warning: The switch may be inactive for the first few seconds after opening the menu. Wait 10 seconds before trying to press the switch, otherwise the system will not allow the action to take place.
If you can't turn off the service the first time, don't despair. This is a common "protection" from users. Just repeat the procedure 3-5 times in a row. Usually on the 4th or 5th attempt, the system still allows you to turn off the MSA. After you do it, restart the device so that the changes take effect.
Setting up the lock screen and the themes of design
Ads on the lock screen are often featured in Wallpaper Carousel (or Glance in newer versions), which replaces a static image on a slideshow with news and ad integrations, and to return a static image, you need to change the theme settings or completely disable the carousel.
Go to Settings → Lock screen. Find the wallpaper carousel item (may be called Wallpaper Carousel or Glance). Inside this menu, turn off the activation switch. If you use a third-party theme, the ad can be embedded in the theme file itself, in which case it is recommended to return the standard Classic or Default theme through the Themes app.
- 🎨 Open the Topics app and go to profile.
- 🖼️ Select My Themes and activate the standard.
- 🔒 Check the lock screen settings for third-party widgets.
Also worth checking is the personalization settings. Some firmware versions have a separate "Recommendations" switch right in the wallpaper selection menu, make sure it's off so the system doesn't load advertising content every time you turn on the screen, which is especially true for the budget models of the Redmi Note and POCO M series.
☑️ Checking the lock screen
Cleaning up Mi Browser and Security Apps
Xiaomi’s standard browser and Security app are among the most aggressive sources of notifications: They often feature news, game offers, and memory cleanup with built-in advertising. Customization of these components is critical to making a smartphone experience more comfortable.
To start, open the Security app. Click on the settings gear in the top right corner. You need to find and disable the following options: "Receive recommendations," "Automatically clear memory" (sometimes this causes pop-ups), and "Usage statistics." In the Cleanup section, also remove the tick from "Recommendations."
| Annex | Parameter for deactivation | Location. | The effect |
|---|---|---|---|
| Security | Receive recommendations | Settings (cogs) | Remove banners in the main menu |
| Mi Browser. | Receive notifications | Profile → Settings → Notifications | Stops push notifications |
| Conductor | Recommendations | Settings → About the annex | Remove ads in the file section |
| Downloads. | Showing recommended | Settings → About the annex | Clean download interface |
In Mi Browser, the situation is similar. Open the menu (three bars), go to Settings → Settings Main. Turn off "News Feed" and "Recommendations." Also, in the Notifications section inside the browser settings, you should prevent any information messages, which will significantly reduce information noise.
What to do if the settings are reset?
Personalization and Advertising ID Management
Android and MIUI use a unique ad ID to target content, and resetting or disabling that ID won’t remove ads completely, but will make them less relevant and frequent.
Go to Settings → Passwords and Security (or Advanced Settings). Find Advertising or Special Opportunities → Advertising. You need to activate the "Disable Ad Personalization" switch. It's also helpful to click Reset Ad ID to reset your profile.
Remember that even after personalization is disabled, some system applications may continue to display contextual ads based on current location or time of day, but the frequency of their appearance should be significantly reduced, and checking these settings regularly after major operating system updates will help maintain the cleanliness of the interface.
⚠️ Note: Resetting your ad ID is not an antivirus measure; it only limits the collection of your interests by ad networks, but does not protect against malware.
Disabling recommendations in system applications
Ad integrations are often hidden in utilities like Music, Video, Files, and Calendar, which are set up by default to receive “recommendations,” which are essentially banner ads, and which require a customized approach for each application to disable.
In Music, click on the menu (three bars) → Settings. Find "Show Ads" or "Recommendations" and turn it off. Similarly, in the Video app, go to profile → Settings → Online services and remove the ticks from "Receive Notifications" and "Return Videos".
- 🎵 In the Music app, disable "Online Services".
Pay special attention to the Download app. It often contains a hidden "Show recommended" setting. Open the download settings menu, find the About section (usually in the upper right corner through three dots), and disable all the switches associated with the recommendations, which will return the application to its original, functional appearance.
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Use alternative apps from the Google Play Store (like VLC for video or Solid Explorer for files) to completely eliminate system advertising in media content.
Using Private DNS to block ads
The most effective system-wide method is to configure Private DNS, which requires no root rights and allows you to block requests to known ad servers before they reach your device.
To implement this method, go to Settings → Connection and Sharing (or Additional Settings) Find Private DNS (Private DNS). Select the "Host Name Provider" option DNS" and enter the address in the field: dns.adguard.com. Save the changes.
dns.adguard.comAfter you have set up, it is recommended to restart your smartphone, and you will notice that the ads have disappeared not only in the system, but also in many applications and browsers. However, it is worth remembering that this method may conflict with some public Wi-Fi networks that require authorization through a web page, in which case the DNS will have to be temporarily disabled.
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Private DNS is a “silver bullet” that blocks up to 90% of ads throughout the system, including pop-ups in apps.