Owners of Xiaomi’s smartphones and sub-brands Redmi and POCO often face intrusive content that appears in system applications.This is a fee for the device’s affordable cost, as the company compensates for its low margins by monetizing user experience. However, the constant pop-up of banners and recommendations annoys users who want a clean interface.
Fortunately, the current versions of MIUI shells and the new HyperOS provide enough tools to minimize this effect. You don't have to have superuser rights or reflash your phone to get rid of most ad inserts. You just need to go through multiple settings menus consistently and reconfigure your system.
In this guide, we will look at all the current methods available at the moment. MSA, setup DNS-filters and manual permissions for each application. Follow the instructions carefully to make your Redmi as comfortable as possible.
Disabling the MSA system advertising service
The main source of intrusive content in the system is the MSA (MIUI System Ads) process, which is responsible for loading and displaying ad units in standard utilities, and completely disabling this component is the most effective step that must be done first.
To start, go to your smartphone settings and look for the Password and Security section. In some firmware versions, this item may be simply called Security or be located inside the Advanced Settings menu. You need to find the Access to Personal Data section, which displays a list of all the processes that have access to information.
Find the msa string in the list and turn off the switch next to it. The system will alert you to the possible consequences and start a countdown of 10 seconds. Wait for the timer to end and press the Revoke button. If the first time the disconnection did not occur, repeat the procedure 2-3 times until the system confirms the revocation.
⚠️ Attention: After the withdrawal of rights service MSA will stop downloading new ads, but old cached banners may temporarily display.
In parallel with MSA, check the GetApps process (formerly the Mi App Store) is a branded app store that can also notify. Go to its settings through the desktop icon, select Settings, and disable all items related to notifications and personalization.
☑️ Verification of system services
Setting up DNS to block ads
A more radical but effective method is to use a private DNS, which filters traffic at the connection level by blocking requests to known ad servers, and it works not only in the browser, but also within many apps and games.
To activate this feature, open the settings and go to Connect and Sharing (or Wi-Fi). DNS (Private DNS). The default is "Auto" or "Disconnected." Select hostname of the provider. DNS Enter the address of the blocker server.
The most popular and stable solution is the AdGuard DNS service. In the field for entering, you must specify the following line:
dns.adguard.comOnce you save your settings, the phone can lose the Internet connection for a second, and then restore it. If you typed the address correctly, the DNS icon in the status bar can change or a notification will appear about connecting a secure connection. Now most of the advertising traffic will be cut off.
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If after turning on DNS, some applications or sites stopped working, temporarily return the setting to Auto mode to eliminate connection problems.
It is worth noting that this method does not require the installation of third-party software and has little impact on the speed of the smartphone, but it does not guarantee 100% blocking, since some advertising networks use the same domains as useful content.
Managing personalization and recommendations
MIUI and HyperOS actively collect data about your preferences to generate personalized recommendations, which are used to show targeted ads in folders, on the lock screen and in widgets, disabling this feature increases privacy and removes unnecessary interface elements.
Go back to the Password and Security menu and select Privacy. Scroll down to Special Features or Advertising Services. Here you need to find the Ad Personalization and Deactivate Switch.
Next, check the lock screen settings. Go to Settings → Lock screen and find the Wallpaper Carousel (or Glance) section, which changes the wallpaper and displays news and ads on the locked screen. Turn off the wallpaper carousel to see only a static image.
| System component | Where to look for settings | What to turn off | The effect |
|---|---|---|---|
| System-based announcements | Security → Settings | Receive recommendations | No publicity in the cleanup |
| Conductor | Conductor → Settings | Receive recommendations | Clean file interface |
| Music. | Music → Settings | Showing ads | No banners in the player |
| Downloads. | Downloads → Settings | Show recommendations | No extra tabs |
Also, remember to check your theme settings. Go to the Themes app, click on the profile icon and select Settings. Turn off Show Ads and Personal Recommendations. This will remove banners from the design store.
Setup of system applications and folders
Ad blocks are often hidden inside standard utilities like Explorer, Music, Video, and Cleanup, each with its own hidden settings that need to be configured separately from the system’s global settings.
Start with the Security app. Open it, click on the three dots in the top right corner, and select Settings. Scroll down and find the Get Recommendations section. Move the slider to the inactive position, and that will remove the ads from the main window of the antivirus and the accelerator.
In Explorer, the situation is similar. Click on the menu (three bars), select Settings → About the application (sometimes the settings are hidden inside Settings → About function). Find the Recommendation switch and turn it off. In newer versions of MIUI, this item may be called Receive Content.
Desktop folders are worth special attention. They often display applications (recommended applications). To remove them, open any folder, click on the folder name on the top to open settings, and disable Recommended Applications. If there is no such item, try keeping your finger on the recommended application for a long time and select "Delete" or "Hide".
⚠️ Note: The settings interface may vary slightly depending on the version MIUI (12, 13, 14) or HyperOS. Look for keywords "Recommendations", "Content" or "Adverts".
You should also look at the settings of the Music widget on your desktop. Click on it, select the widget settings, and disable the display of banner ads or online recommendations if they are present in your version of the interface.
Disabling notifications from system services
Even if you remove the visual banners, notifications can continue to bother you in the curtain, often sent by system services such as Mi Credit, Mi Video or Mi Music, even if you do not use them.
To manage notifications, go to Settings → Notifications and Status bar → Application Notifications. Here is a complete list of all installed programs. You need to find Xiaomi system applications and manually prevent them from showing notifications.
Pay special attention to the following services:
- 📢 Mi Video – often sends notifications about new popular videos".
- 🎵 Music – can advertise new tracks or subscription features.
- 📁 The guide – sometimes notifies you of “hot news".
- 🛒 GetApps – reports updates and promotions.
- 🧹 Cleanup – may offer acceleration or purchase of a premium version.
Once you go into the settings of each of these applications, just switch All notifications to off. This will not disrupt the application itself, but will save you from information noise.
What to do if notifications are returned?
Specifics of HyperOS and new methods
With the release of the HyperOS shell, Xiaomi changed the structure of some menus, although the principles remained the same. In the new system, the integration of services was increased, so some ad settings could move to the Additional Services section.
HyperOS has a new mechanism called the Content Center, which is responsible for the news feed to the left of the desktop and widgets, and to turn off ads here, you swipe right on the home screen, click on the settings gear and turn off all the switches associated with news and recommendations.
The new versions also changed the path to MSA settings. Now it's often on the path: Settings → Password and security → Access to personal data. If you can't find the right item, search by settings by typing the word "MSA" or "Advertising."
⚠️ Note: In some regions (e.g. Russia or Europe), the default number of ads is lower than in global or Chinese firmware versions.
It’s important to understand that removing system components completely without root rights is impossible, as they are part of the operating system, but the right configuration allows you to keep their activity to an absolute minimum, making the smartphone almost free from intrusive marketing.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Is it safe to turn off the MSA process?
Will the DNS setup reset after the reboot?
Will it help to remove ads on YouTube and other apps?
What if after the MSA shutdown, the phone started to work slower?
Do I need to repeat this after an Android update?
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A comprehensive approach, including disabling MSA, setting up DNS and manually cleaning notifications, allows you to eliminate 99% of ads in the Xiaomi system without losing warranty and functionality.