How to permanently disable ads on Xiaomi: a complete guide to MIUI

Advertising in Xiaomi smartphones is one of the most controversial features of MIUI firmware. Even after buying a device, users are faced with banners in the settings menu, notifications from Mi Browser, and advertising blocks in system applications. The manufacturer argues that this is necessary to monetize, but for many owners of Redmi, POCO or Mi, such a “pay for cheapness” of the device becomes an annoying factor.

In this article, we will look at all the current ways to disable ads on Xiaomi smartphones, from standard MIUI settings to advanced methods for power users. It is important to understand that some of the advertising is built-in at the system level, so there is no universal magic switch. However, a combination of several methods can reduce the number of impressions by 90% or more. We tested the instructions on devices with MIUI 12-15 (including global and Chinese versions of firmware) and selected only working solutions.

Why Xiaomi is getting ads and where they come from

Unlike the Google Pixel or iPhone, where advertising is limited to third-party apps, Xiaomi integrates promo content directly into the system interface.

• 📱 System notifications – banners from Mi Video, Mi Music, GetApps and other Xiaomi services.
• ⚙️ Settings menu – advertising blocks in the Topics, Security or Additional sections.
• 🌐 Standard apps – Mi Browser, Mi File Manager, Mi App Store show banners even without active use.
• 📲 Widgets and screen lock – Advertisements can appear on the lock screen or in the weather widget.

The main mechanism for delivering ads is msa (Miui System Ads), which works even if you do not use Xiaomi’s branded applications. There are more ads in Chinese firmware than in global, but even European versions. MIUI The manufacturer claims that the data collection is anonymized, but traffic analysis shows the transmission of unique device identifiers (IMEI, MAC-address) to ad network servers.

⚠️ Attention: Disabling Advertising through Settings MIUI Some banners may return after system updates or resets.

Method 1: Disabling personalized advertising in MIUI settings

The easiest and safest method is to deactivate personalized recommendations in the system menu, which does not require superuser rights and is suitable for all Xiaomi, Redmi and POCO models:

1. Open Settings → Google → Advertising.
2. Click Disable Personalized Ads and Confirm the Action.
3. Return to the main settings menu and go to Settings → Memory → Cleanup.
4. Slap the gear icon (⚙️) in the upper right corner and select Disable recommendations.

Next, you need to disable advertising in each system application separately:

• 📁 Mi File Manager: Settings → Recommendations → Shut down.
• 🎵 Mi Music: Settings → Advertising → Disable personalized recommendations.
• 📺 Mi Video: Settings → Recommendations → Shut down.
• 🌍 Mi Browser: Settings → Confidentiality → Turn off personalized news.

This method reduces banners by 60 to 70 percent, but doesn't eliminate them completely, like ads in GetApps or on the lock screen, which can stay, and you need to take additional action to remove them.

Method 2: Blocking Advertising through Mi Account (for global firmware)

Owners of devices with a global version of MIUI (for example, Redmi Note 11 Pro+ 5G Global or POCO X5 Pro) can use the official method of disabling advertising through the Mi Account.

1. Open Settings → Xiaomi account and log in if you haven’t already done so.
2. Go to Mi Cloud → Sync and make sure the option is enabled.
3. Return to the main Settings menu and select About Phone → MIUI version.
4. Slip the firmware version 7-10 times until the message appears You became a developer!
5. Back to Settings → Additionally. → For developers.
6. Find the option to Disable MIUI Ads (or Disable MIUI Ads in English localization) and activate it.

After restarting the device, most of the system banners will disappear, but this method does not work:

• 🚫 On devices with Chinese firmware (for example, Xiaomi 13 Pro China) ROM).
• 🚫 If the Mi Account is not linked to the Europe/Russia/Global region.
• 🚫 In some models POCO custom-made (e.g., custom-made, POCO F4 GT on POCO Launcher).

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If the option to Disable MIUI ads is not in the developer menu, try changing the region of your Mi Account to “Russia” or “India” via the web version of mi.com.

Method 3: Remove System Applications Without Root Rights (ADB)

For users willing to take more radical measures, there is a method of removing advertising services through the Internet. ADB (Android Debug Bridge. This doesn't require superuser rights, but it requires a computer and a computer. USB-The advantage is that not only banners are removed, but also unnecessary system applications that show them.

Warning: improper use of ADB may cause the device to fail. Follow the instructions carefully and do not remove components not listed.

⚠️ Note: Before starting, back up your data through Settings → Additionally. → Backup and Reset: Removing system applications may disrupt some features (e.g., design themes or cloud syncs).

Steps to remove advertising components:

1. Activate Developer Mode (as in Method 2, paragraphs 3-5).

After you execute the commands, restart the device. Ads in the system menus and notifications will no longer be available, but some apps (such as Mi Video) may continue to show banners - they must be removed separately or blocked through Method 4.

Method 4: Blocking Advertising via DNS or VPN

If previous methods didn't help or you don't want to remove system applications, you can block ad servers at the network level.

• 🔒 Private DNS — Android feature that redirects requests through a secure channel.
• 🛡️ VPN Ad-blocking – for example, AdGuard VPN or Blokada.
• 📡 Local Blocker – RethinkDNS or NextDNS.

Instructions for Private DNS:

1. Go to Settings → Connections → Private DNS.
2. Select the host name of the Private DNS provider.
3. Enter one of the addresses: dns.adguard.com (AdGuard DNS) security.cloudflare-dns.com (Cloudflare) doh.centraleu.pi-dns.com (PI-DNS)

Save the settings and restart the device.

Instructions for AdGuard VPN:

1. Download AdGuard VPN from Google Play.
2. Sign up (free rate is limited to 3 GB of traffic per month).
3. Turn on the VPN and activate the Ad Block option.
4. Add Xiaomi to the list of exceptions for system applications (so that important updates are not blocked).

Step-by-step (on the example of Xiaomi.eu):

1. Unlock the bootloader through the official Mi Unlock tool (requires to link the Mi Account account to the device for 7 days).
2. Download the firmware Xiaomi.eu for your model from the official website.
3. Install custom recovery (TWRP or OrangeFox).
4. Go to Recovery Mode (Switch off phone → Power + Volume Up)
5. Run Wipe → Advanced Wipe (select Dalvik, Cache, Data, System).
6. Install the downloaded firmware through Install.
7. Restart the device (the first start can take 10-15 minutes).

⚠️ Note: Installing custom firmware voids the warranty and may cause some features to fail (e.g, NFC on some Redmi models or POCO). Before the procedure, check the compatibility of the firmware with your model in the forum. XDA Developers.

Advantages of custom firmware:

• ✅ Total lack of advertising at the system level.
• ✅ Regular security updates (as opposed to official security updates) MIUI, where updates are often delayed).
• ✅ Ability to fine-tune the interface and performance.

Disadvantages:

• ❌ Loss of warranty (if you do not return the official firmware before contacting the service).
• ❌ Risk of "bricking" of the device in case of error during firmware.
• ❌ Certain functions (e.g, IR Blaster or Game Turbo may not work properly.

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Custom firmware like Xiaomi.eu or LineageOS is the only way to get rid of advertising forever, but it requires technical skills and lacks warranty.

How to reduce the amount of advertising without technical manipulation

If you don’t want to mess with settings or are afraid of breaking something, use these simple tips:

• 📵 Disable notifications from unnecessary apps: Go to Settings → Annexes → App management. Select GetApps, Mi Video, Mi Browser and other system applications. Click Notifications and turn off all switches.
• 🔍 Use alternative apps: Replace Mi Browser with Google Chrome or Firefox. Install Solid Explorer instead of Mi File Manager. For music, use Spotify or YouTube Music instead of Mi Music. 📴 Hide advertising widgets: Press and hold the empty space on the home screen.Slip on the widgets and remove Mi Weather, Mi News and other unnecessary items. 🔄 Clean the cache regularly: Go to Settings → Apps. For each system application, click Storage → Clear the cache.