How to completely disable advertising on Xiaomi smartphones: a step-by-step guide

Advertising in Xiaomi smartphones is one of the most talked-about topics among owners of devices based on MIUI. Even after buying a new Redmi Note 12 or POCO X5 Pro, users are faced with intrusive banners in the settings menu, notifications from msa (Mobile Service Ads) and advertising in system applications like Browser or Music. the manufacturer has integrated advertising modules at the firmware level, but they can be disabled - partially or completely, depending on the model and regional version of the software.

In this article, we will discuss 7 proven ways to remove ads on Xiaomi without and with root rights, including hidden MIUI settings, disabling services through ADB, as well as alternative methods for global and Chinese firmware. All instructions are relevant for 2020-2026 devices (from Redmi 9A to Xiaomi 14 Ultra) and tested on the latest versions of MIUI 14/15 and HyperOS. Importantly, some methods may require resetting or installing additional applications – we will warn you about this in advance.

Why Xiaomi is getting ads and can it be removed forever?

MIUI inserts are part of Xiaomi’s business model to keep device prices low.

• 📱 System Notifications (from Mi Push Service or msa)
• ⚙️ Settings menu (banners in the Topics section, Security)
• 🌐 Standard applications (Browser, Music, Video)
• 🔍 Search bar on the main screen
• 📊 Block screen (advertising topics or promotions)

Can you delete the ads forever? It depends on the firmware:

• 🔄 On the global versions MIUI (EEA, Global) less advertising and easier to disable through settings.
• 🇨🇳 On Chinese firmware (China) ROM) Advertising modules are sewn deeper - will be required ADB-commands or root access.
• 🆕 In HyperOS (new shell for Xiaomi 14 and Redmi) K70) Advertising has decreased, but it is still present in Xiaomi services.

⚠️ Note: Disabling advertising through hidden settings or ADB This may cause some services to crash (e.g. Mi Cloud or Find Device) before making changes, back up your data!

If you're willing to sacrifice some functionality for the sake of clean interfaces, go to the instructions. Let's start with the simplest ways.

Method 1: Disabling personalized advertising in MIUI settings

The safest method is to use built-in MIUI options, which is suitable for global firmware and partially reduces the number of banners.

Instructions:

1. Open Settings → Google → Advertising.
2. Activate the switch to Turn off personalized advertising.
3. Return to the main settings menu and go to Settings → Memory → Cleanup.
4. Click on the icon. ⚙️ in the upper right corner and select Disable recommendations.

This method removes some of the targeted ads, but not all banners, for example, ads in the Browser or on the lock screen will remain.

Method 2: Hidden MIUI settings (without ADB and root rights)

MIUI has hidden options that allow you to turn off advertising services without using a computer, which works on most devices, but may vary depending on the firmware version.

Steps:

1. Open the Settings app.
2. Go to About Phone and tap 7 times on the MIUI version line to activate the developer mode.
3. Return to the main settings menu and open Additional → Special features → Settings for developers.
4. Find the option to Disable MIUI Ads (or Disable MIUI Ads) and activate it.
5. Reset the device.

If there is no item Disable MIUI Advertising, try an alternative way:

1. In Settings, select Applications → Application Management.
2. Press three points (⋮) in the upper right corner and select Show System Processes.
3. Find the msa (Mobile Service Ads) and MiuiDaemon apps, open their settings and turn off Show Notifications.

⚠️ Note: On some firmware (for example, MIUI 13 China) disabling msa can block access to Mi Account and Xiaomi services. ADB (see method 4).

On devices with HyperOS (Xiaomi 14, Redmi K70), hidden advertising settings may not be available – in this case, move to the ADB method or install custom firmware.

Method 3: Disabling Advertising in System Applications

Even after the main ad modules are disabled, banners can remain in standard applications: Browser, Music, Video, Themes and Security.

If the application does not have explicit advertising settings, try resetting its data:

1. Go to Settings → Applications → Application Management.
2. Select the desired application (for example, the browser).
3. Click Warehouse → Clear the data and Clear the cache.

💡

If the application is unstable after cleaning the data, reinstall it through Settings → Applications → Remove updates (for system applications).

Method 4: Disabling Advertising through ADB (no root rights)

If previous methods have failed, use ADB (Android Debug Bridge), Google’s official tool for managing system settings through a computer, which works on any firmware (including Chinese), but requires connecting your phone to a PC.

Step-by-step:

1. Download and install ADB Tools on your computer.
2. On your phone, activate the Developer Mode (see Method 2) and enable USB Debugging in Settings → Additional → For Developers.
3. Connect your phone to your PC through USB-cable and select File Transfer Mode.
4. Open the command prompt (cmd on Windows or Terminal on macOS/Linux) and type:

adb devices

(Your device name should appear as a confirmation of your connection.)

adb shell pm hide com.miui.systemAdSolution

adb shell pm hide com.xiaomi.midrop

adb shell pm hide com.miui.analytics

adb shell pm hide com.miui.msa.global

Once you've done the commands, restart your phone, which shuts down the main ad services, but doesn't affect the system applications.

⚠️ Note: On certain devices (e.g, POCO F5 In HyperOS, the pm hide commands may not work. In this case, use the alternative commands: adb shell pm disable-user --user 0 com.miui.systemAdSolution adb shell pm disable-user --user 0 com.xiaomi.msa.global Method 5: If you are ready to take radical measures – installing custom firmware (for example, LineageOS, Pixel Experience or xiaomi.eu) will completely remove ads and unnecessary Xiaomi services. This method requires unlocking the bootloader and can take away the warranty: 🚀 Complete absence of advertising and bloatware (unnecessary applications). 🆕 Regular security updates from the community. 🔧 Advanced interface and performance settings. Disadvantages: ⚠️ Risk of "bricking" of the device when installed incorrectly. 🔄 Loss of certain functions, for example, IR Blaster or Always-on Display on unofficial builds). 🛠️ Technical skills are required (unlocking the loader, working with the TWRP). Recommended firmware for Xiaomi: Xiaomi.eu – modified MIUI No ads or Chinese services. Pixel Experience is pure Android with Google Pixel features. LineageOS is stable firmware with a minimalist interface. How to unlock a bootloader on Xiaomi?1. Link your Mi Account to your device in Settings → Xiaomi Account. 2. Go to Mi Unlock and download the unlock utility. 3. Connect your phone in Fastboot mode (press Power). + Vol Down when the device is off. 4. Follow the instructions in the program (unlock waiting time is up to 720 hours for new accounts). 5. After unlock, install TWRP And sew the custom firmware. ⚠️ Warning: Custom firmware installation voids Xiaomi warranty and could lead to Widevine issues L1 (Downgrading streaming quality at Netflix and Disney+). Before the procedure, check the compatibility of the firmware with your model in the forum. XDA Developers. 6: Using third-party apps (ad blockers) If you don't want to dig into the settings, you can install third-party ad blockers. They work at the level of the ad blocker. DNS or VPN, intercepting advertising requests.-3 Ad-blocking apps on Xiaomi: Blokada (free, no root rights) 🔗 Official website 🛡️ Blocks ads in browsers and applications through VPN. ⚠️ Can conflict with banking applications (turn off before use). AdGuard (paid version with advanced features) 🔗 Official website 📊 Supports custom filters for blocking ads Xiaomi. 🔄 Requires customization DNS or installing a certificate. DNS66 (open source, no VPN) 🔗 Page on F-Droid 🌍 Uses lock lists at the level DNS (For example, AdAway). ⚙️ Requires root rights for maximum efficiency. How to set up Blokada: Download and install the app from the official website (not from Google Play - there is an outdated version). Launch Blokada and click Activate (let create). VPN-In the settings, select Lock Lists. → Add a list and enter URL: https://raw.githubusercontent.com/Perflyst/PiHoleBlocklist/master/SmartTV.txt (This list blocks ads for Xiaomi and Smart TV). Reset the device. 💡Adblockers like Blokada or AdGuard do not remove system banners. MIUI, but effectively remove advertising in browsers, games and third-party applications. Method 7: Root access and manual removal of ad units If you're ready to root, you can completely remove Xiaomi's ad services from the system, which is the most radical and requires caution: 📱 Unlocked loader (see Method) 5). 🔧 Installed Recovery (TWRP Or OrangeFox). 🖥️ Magisk utility for root rights. Instructions: Install Magisk via custom Recovery. Download and install a file manager with root rights support (for example, Root Explorer or Root Explorer). FX File Explorer. Go to the folder. /system/priv-app/ and delete the following folders: MiuiSystemAdSolution msa Analytics Open /system/etc/hosts Add lines to block advertising domains: 127.0.0.1 ad.mi.com 127.0.0.1 data.mistat.xiaomi.com 127.0.0.1 sdkconfig.ad.xiaomi.com Reboot the device. ⚠️ Attention: Deleting system files without a backup can lead to bootloop (locked phone turn on). TWRP Or OrangeFox!! After removing the ad modules, it is also recommended to disable automatic updates to system applications: Go to Settings → Annexes → App management. Select the Google Play Store → Warehouse → Clear the data. Turn off auto-update for all applications. FAQ: Frequent questions about advertising on Xiaomi ❓ Why After Disabling Advertising Through ADB Does it appear again? This happens due to automatic updates of system applications. To avoid the return of ads: Turn off auto-update in the Google Play Store (see Method 7). Freeze advertising services through ADB: adb shell pm disable-user --user 0 com.miui.systemAdSolution Use App Ops (requires root rights) to restrict msa and Analytics rights. ❓ Can you turn off ads on Xiaomi without a computer? Yes, but the effectiveness will be lower. Use a combination of methods: Turn off personalized ads in the settings (Method) 1). Install Blokada or AdGuard (Method) 6). Clear the data and cache of system applications (Method) 3). This will reduce the amount of advertising, but it will not eliminate it completely. ❓ Will Mi Account work after the ad is turned off? Depends on the method: 🔵 Safe: Ways 1, 3 and 6 (settings, applications, blockers). 🟡 Risky: The way 4 (ADB) — It can block Mi Cloud on Chinese firmware. 🔴 Critical: The way 7 (Root – can break Find Device and synchronization. If Mi Account is important, use only secure methods or back up your data before making changes. ❓ Why not? POCO There is no advertising, but Redmi has it? POCO It uses a modified version MIUI without advertising modules (starting with the POCO F1). However, new models (e.g, POCO X5 Pro) Ads may be due to updates. To remove them: Check the firmware version in Settings → If you have a Global firmware, use the method. 1 or 4. If the firmware India/China — need ADB custom-made. ❓ How to return ads if something went wrong? If Xiaomi services stopped working after disabling ads (for example, Mi Cloud or Themes), restore the changes: ADB-commands: adb shell pm enable com.miui.systemAdSolution adb shell pm enable com.xiaomi.msa.globalFor root access: restore deleted files from backup TWRP. For ad blockers, disable them or whitelist Xiaomi domains. If you have problems, reset (Settings → Additional → Reset).