Xiaomi’s smartphones are famous for their price-performance ratio, but users are often annoyed by intrusive advertising on the system, especially models released before the implementation of stricter privacy rules, such as the Xiaomi 10 with a MIUI shell.
Fortunately, there are many ways to minimize this digital noise and take back control of your gadget: disabling ads does not require super-user rights or flashing the device; you just need to change several menu settings sequentially and disable the system services responsible for marketing.
In this article, we will go into detail all the steps of cleaning the interface, and you will learn how to disable the MSA service, which is the main source of banners, and how to set up standard applications like Explorer or Music, the result will be a clean interface that works exclusively for your tasks.
MSA Disconnection: The Main Source of Advertising
The main culprit behind banner ads is the MSA (MIUI System Ads) system application, which collects data about your actions and displays relevant offers, and to stop this activity, you first need to disable the service authorization and then delete the application itself.
It is important to understand that the "Disable" button may be inactive at the first press. The system specifically causes the user to wait 10 seconds before allowing the shutdown. If you press the button ahead of time, the timer will reset and the procedure will have to start again. Sometimes you need to repeat the action 2-3 times, since the server may not respond from the first request.
Once you successfully disable authorization, you need to find the application itself in the list of all installed programs, it can be simply called "msa" or "Advertising Services." Once it is disabled, the banner ads in folders and system windows should disappear.
☑️ Checking the shutdown MSA
⚠️ Attention: If after the service is disconnected MSA If you're not completely ad-free, try restarting your device, and changes in your system processes sometimes only take effect after you restart the operating system.
Set up personalization and advertising ID
In addition to the MSA service, MIUI has a personalized advertising mechanism that uses a unique device identifier, which does not completely remove ads, but makes them less relevant and intrusive, resetting the accumulated interest profile.
To access these settings, you'll need to go to Passwords and Security, and this is where the privacy button is, where the key switches are hidden, find the Ad Services option, and put the slider in an inactive position, which will prevent the system from using your ID to target.
Also on the same menu, you should disable the "Get recommendations" option, which is responsible for the appearance of prompts in application folders and on the desktop, often these "recommendations" are disguised advertisements for third-party applications or services.
- 🔒 Go to Settings. → Passwords and security → Confidentiality.
- 🚫 Find the “Advertising Services” item and turn it off.
- 📉 Click “Reset Advertising Identifier” to clean up the accumulated data.
- 📵 Turn off the “Receive recommendations” slider in the “Special Opportunities” section».
Once you do this, the system will stop creating your digital portrait for advertisers, and this will also have a positive impact on the device’s autonomy, as the background data collection processes will stop.
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Repeat resetting your advertising ID periodically if you are actively using your device, which prevents you from accumulating a lot of data about your preferences.
Cleaning Standard Apps from Advertising
Even after the MSA system service is disabled, some of Xiaomi’s built-in apps can continue to display ads, including Explorer, Music, Theme, and Security, each with its own settings that need to be changed manually.
Start with the Security app, which is often the gateway to promotional materials. Open the app, click on the settings gear in the top right corner, and find the "Get recommendations." Turn it off. It's also worth going to the "Clean up" section inside the app and turning off the same option there.
In the Downloads app, ads often appear as banners at the bottom of the screen. To remove them, open Downloads, click three dots in the corner, select Settings, and turn off Recommended Content. Similar actions should be done in the Music and Video apps.
| Annex | The path to adjustment | What to turn off |
|---|---|---|
| Security | Settings (cogs) | Receive recommendations |
| Downloads. | Menu → Settings | Show recommended content |
| Conductor | Menu → Settings → About the application | Receive recommendations / Advertising |
| Topics | Profile → Settings | Showing Advertising/Push Notifications |
Remember that after the MIUI update, some settings may reset to factory values, so it makes sense to check these points after each major system update.
What to do if the advertisement returns?
Managing notifications and push messages
Advertising on Xiaomi 10 often comes in the form of push notifications from system applications. Even if you have disabled banners inside the interface, pop-up messages can continue to bother.
Go to Settings → Notifications and Status bar → Notification Center. Here you will see a list of all applications that have the right to send you messages. Go through the list of system applications such as Mi Store, GetApps, Mi Video, and completely prohibit them from sending notifications.
Special attention should be paid to the browser. If you use a standard Mi Browser, it can be a source of spam, it is best to turn off notifications or completely replace it with a cleaner analogue, for example, Chrome or Firefox with an ad blocker installed.
- 🔔 Open the Settings. → Notifications and status bar.
- 📱 Select “Notification Center” and go to the list of applications.
- 🛑 Find system services (Mi Store, GetApps, Mi Video) and disable notifications.
- 🌐 In the browser settings, disable permissions to send push messages for all sites.
This careful filtering will allow you to see only the really important messages from messengers and social networks, ignoring the information noise.
Using DNS to Block Advertising
One of the most effective methods of combating advertising today is the use of private DNS, which works at the network connection level and blocks requests to known ad servers even before content is downloaded to the device.
Android 10 and more, which is based on MIUI for Xiaomi 10, has a built-in private DNS function. You don’t need to install third-party apps.
The most popular and proven option is the AdGuard DNS server, which not only blocks ads, but also protects against phishing sites. To activate, go to the connection settings and enter the appropriate address.
dns.adguard.comOnce you enter the address, save the settings. Now all traffic that goes through Wi-Fi and the mobile network will be filtered, and you will notice that the ads have disappeared even in some applications where they were previously not removed.
⚠️ Attention: When in use DNS-Some sites or applications may not work properly if they use the same domains as ad networks. If you encounter problems accessing resources, temporarily disable private DNS.
Additional measures and alternative launchers
If standard methods don’t give the desired result, or you want to completely change the look of your Xiaomi 10, install a third-party launcher.Replacing the standard shell MIUI Launcher with an alternative allows you to completely get rid of branded widgets with news and advertising.
Popular launchers like Nova Launcher, Microsoft Launcher or Smart Launcher provide a clean interface without built-in advertising. Once you install such a launcher and assign it to the main one, the desktop will look different and folders will no longer show recommended applications.
It is also worth considering installing specialized blocking apps like Blokada or AdGuard.
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A comprehensive approach, including disabling MSA, setting up DNS and replacing the launcher, allows you to remove 99% of all advertising on the Xiaomi 10.
And the simple rule is, don't install apps from unknown sources. APK-files downloaded from third-party sites become a source of aggressive advertising, which is difficult to remove by standard means.