Modern Xiaomi smartphones offer users excellent value for money, but for the affordable cost often have to pay obtrusive service called MSA (MIUI System Ads). This system component is responsible for displaying banner ads in standard applications, as well as on the lock screen, which can seriously annoy the owner of the device.
Advertising integrations penetrate the system deeply, using various personalization mechanisms and content recommendations. To regain a clean interface and stop being distracted by store or game offers every time you turn on the screen, you need to perform a comprehensive setup. In this article, we will discuss proven methods that will help completely clean MIUI and HyperOS from unwanted visual noise.
The Nature of Advertising Notifications in MIUI and HyperOS
Understanding where advertising comes from is the first step to eliminating it effectively. Xiaomi’s Android shell uses multiple layers of content display. The main source is msa, which runs in the background and analyzes your actions to find relevant offers, and is responsible for the appearance of banners in application folders and on the desktop.
The second layer is personalized recommendations in system utilities: the Mi Browser browser, the Security app, Music, and even Themes can stream news feeds or ad units. Often users confuse system notifications with ads, but in the case of Xiaomi, it is built-in functionality that requires manual shutdown.
Special attention should be paid to the lock screen, which is set to display wallpaper carousel by default, which downloads beautiful images from the Internet, but also brings with it advertising logos and links, and turning off this service is a key task for those who want to see only time and notifications.
- 📱 System Services: Background processes responsible for collecting analytics and displaying banners.
- 🎨 Wallpaper carousel: a service of replacing images on a locked screen with the integration of advertisers.
- 📢 Personalization: use ID Advertising for Content Targeting in Applications.
⚠️ Warning: A complete shutdown of system services may cause some shell functions to function in an unstable manner, and it is recommended to act consistently and check the result after each step.
Importantly, with the release of new firmware versions like HyperOS, the company is changing the algorithms of the ad modules, so the methods used in MIUI 12 may need to be adjusted, the main thing is not to remove system files without root rights, as this can cause a cyclical reboot of the device.
Disabling the MSA service and advertising identifier
The most effective way to combat intrusive banners is to deactivate the msa service, a process that requires care, as the system will try to “persuade” you to leave things as they are by showing a countdown timer when you try to shut down.
To start, you need to go to your phone settings. Find the Passwords and Security section and select Access to Personal Data. From the list that opens, find the msa app and put the switch in an inactive position. The system will issue a warning that some features may stop working.
After the confirmation of the action, the timer will start for 10 seconds. After this time, the Disconnect button will appear. If you failed to turn off the first time, repeat the procedure 2-3 times - this is a common "protection" from random user actions. In parallel, you should turn off data access for the Mi Credit application if you do not use it.
☑️ Checking the ad-off
The next important step is to reset your advertising ID. Go to Settings → Passwords & Security → Privacy → Advertising Services. You need to activate the option to “Disable Ad Personalization” and click “Reset Advertising ID” button, which breaks the link between your device and your advertising profiles.
Setting up the lock screen and wallpaper carousel
Wallpaper Carousel is the most common source of ads on a locked screen, replacing the standard static screensaver with dynamic content, so to get rid of it, open Settings and go to Always On and Lock.
In this menu, find the wallpaper carousel. Inside, turn off the switch Turn on the carousel. After that, the system will return to the standard display of time and date on a black background or selected static image.
If you use HyperOS, the path may be slightly different: Settings → Wallpaper and personalization → Wallpaper carousel. The logic of the action remains the same – completely disabling the function. It is also worth checking the settings of the Themes app, as this is where updates for the carousel are often downloaded.
What if the carousel comes back on its own?
For those who want to leave beautiful wallpaper without advertising, there is an alternative: You can install a high-quality static image from the gallery or download a third-party wallpaper change app that does not have integration with Xiaomi servers, which ensures that no third-party code will be executed on the lock screen.
Cleaning system applications from advertising
Even after disabling the MSA, some embedded apps may continue to show recommendations, including Explorer, Downloads, Music, and Security, each with their own privacy settings that need to be checked separately.
Start with the Safety app. Open it, click on the settings gear in the top right corner. Find the Receive recommendations section and turn it off. You should also go to the Cleanup section inside the settings and remove the tick from the "Show ads after cleaning."
The File Manager is the same. Click on three menu bars, select Settings, then About. In the Additional Settings or Display Settings menu, turn off the Recommendations, and this will remove the news feed from the Explorer's home page.
| Annex | The path to settings | What to turn off | The result |
|---|---|---|---|
| Security | A gear. → General settings | Receive recommendations | Clean scanner interface |
| Downloads. | Three points. → Settings → About the annex | Showing recommended | List of files only |
| Music. | Three points → Settings → Extended | Showing ads | Absence of banners in the player |
| Topics | Profile → Settings | Personal recommendations | Catalogue without intrusive sentences |
Also, be sure to check the Mi Browser if you use the standard one. Its settings (Settings → Privacy & Security) need to disable personalization and clear browsing data. Many users prefer to install a third-party browser immediately, such as Chrome or Firefox, to avoid the built-in news feed.
💡
Use In-Air mode when you first set up your new Xiaomi smartphone, which will prevent MSA profiles and services from being downloaded before you can turn them off.
Changing the region as a method of blocking advertising
There's an interesting thing about Xiaomi's advertising system: it's very regionally dependent, and in some countries, like India or Russia, it's very dense, but in regions like the United States, Germany or Singapore, the laws are stricter, and the number of intrusive offers is much lower.
To take advantage of this, go to Settings → Additional Settings → Region. Select a country with strict data protection laws (e.g. Germany). Once you change region, the phone may reboot some services, and you will notice that the recommendations in standard apps have disappeared or become less aggressive.
This method is not a panacea or a reversal of the need to disable MSA, but it is a great addition, and changing the region sometimes gives access to features that are not available in your country, although it can change the format of the display of date and time.
Note that when you change region, some system sounds and a set of pre-installed applications may change. If you notice the disappearance of important features (for example, some widgets), return the region back by pre-performing all manual ad shutdowns.
Using DNS to block at the network level
For advanced users who want to maximize their impact, setting up a private DNS is a great solution, which allows you to block ad requests before they reach your screen, operating at the network connection level.
In the phone settings, find the Connection and Sharing section (or just Wi-Fi and the Internet). DNS (Private DNS). Select the mode "Host Name provider" DNS» and type in dns.adguard.com. Save the settings.
Once you have these settings, the system will filter traffic by cutting off connections to known ad servers, which helps to remove ads not only in the system, but also in some free apps and games, but you should be careful: if the DNS address is entered incorrectly, the Internet on the phone may stop working.
⚠️ Note: When using a third party DNS Some features that require license or geolocation verification (e.g. Yandex.Music or streaming services) may not work properly. DNS.
The advantage of the method is that it is versatile and works on any version of MIUI and HyperOS, regardless of the year of release of the smartphone, which also saves traffic, since advertising content simply does not load.
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Combination of shutdown MSA, change of region and use DNS-The filter gives a 99% guarantee of no advertising in the system Xiaomi.