How to turn off ads on Xiaomi 8T: the full guide

Xiaomi Mi 8T remains a popular device due to its excellent price-performance ratio, but many users are annoyed by the built-in advertising system MIUI. Aggressive marketing of the company often leads to pop-ups in system applications, recommendations in folders and banners in standard utilities.

Fortunately, the MIUI shell architecture allows you to customize the system, including completely removing advertising content without obtaining superuser rights. In this article, we will discuss proven methods that will help turn your smartphone into a clean device without intrusive offers.

The optimization process will take no more than 15-20 minutes, but the result is worth it: the interface will become more responsive and the use of the phone will be more comfortable.

Analysis of advertising sources in MIUI

Before you start taking decisive action, you need to understand where exactly advertising content on Xiaomi Mi 8T. The main source is the MSA system service (MIUI System Ads), which is responsible for collecting statistics and showing personalized offers, which forms the recommendation feed in the Security application and other standard tools.

In addition, individual component applications such as Music, Themes, Downloads, and Explorer have their own built-in monetization modules, which can work independently of the main service, unless manually disabled in the settings of each particular application.

⚠️ Warning: Complete removal of system components may cause unstable shell operation.We recommend using the method of disabling services through settings rather than physically removing them through settings. ADB, If you are not an experienced user.

Also, you should consider that advertising is often disguised as useful notifications or memory cleanup recommendations. MIUI algorithms analyze your actions to suggest products or games that may interest you.

• 📱 Service MSA — Main engine of advertising throughout the system.
• 🎵 Built-in apps (Music, Themes, Videos) – have their own advertising modules.
• 🔍 Global Search – The search bar often contains promotional offers.
• 📂 Desktop folders – can display recommended applications.

Disabling MSA Service and Personalization

The most effective way to combat intrusive content is to deactivate the MSA service.This is a system process that does not require root permissions to disable, but requires carefulness when performing actions, as the system will try to keep the service active.

To start, go to the smartphone settings menu, you need to find the password and security section. Depending on the version of MIUI, the path may vary slightly, but the logic remains the same for all Xiaomi devices.

Find the "Receive recommendations" option and put the switch in an inactive state, and the system may ask you several times for confirmation of action, saying "Leave on." Persistently choose the option "Disable" or "OK".

1. Open the settings on your Xiaomi Mi 8T.
2. Go to the Passwords and Security section.
3. Select Access to Personal Data or Authorization and Review.
4. Find the msa service in the list and turn off the slider.
5. Wait 10 seconds and press Review.

Once the procedure is completed, the service will no longer receive data about your activities, but to consolidate the result, it is recommended to also disable the personalization of advertising in the Mi Account.

Set up private DNS to block trackers

One of the most elegant and effective methods that works at the network connection level is using a private DNS, which allows you to block requests to known ad servers before they reach your device.

In Android 9 and above, which is installed on the Xiaomi Mi 8T, this feature is built natively. You do not need to install third-party applications or get advanced access rights.

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Use it. DNS-dns.adguard.com is a free and reliable service that blocks ads, trackers and phishing sites at the entire device level.

To activate the function, go to network settings. It is important to specify the correct address so as not to lose access to the Internet. If you make a mistake in the syntax, connecting to Wi-Fi or mobile network may become unavailable.

dns.adguard.com

After you enter the address, save the settings. DNS-The requests will pass through AdGuard filters, which will not only remove ads in the browser, but also clear banners from many apps and games that use standard advertising networks.

Importantly, this method does not require a permanent active Internet connection after setting up, but the lock mechanism only works when you have a network. If you use corporate Wi-Fi with authorization through a web page, temporarily disable the private DNS.

Cleaning up Xiaomi’s standard apps

Even after MSA is disabled, some built-in utilities can continue to show content, which is because each application has its own notification and recommendation settings, and needs to be checked individually.

Start with the Security app. This is where most pop-ups come up with suggestions to clear memory or speed up, go to the app settings (cog in the corner) and turn off all items related to Get Recommendations or Get Tips.

Then check Explorer, which also has a feature that displays recommended files and news, and disabling it will make the file manager interface minimal and fast.

• 🧹 Security → Settings → Disable recommendations.
• 🎵 Music. → Settings → Advanced settings → Turn off the adverts.
• 📂 Downloads. → Settings → Disable recommended content.
• 🎨 Topics → Profile → Settings → Turn off the adverts.

Don't forget to also check the folder settings on your desktop, so if you open the application folder at the bottom, you can click on the folder name and turn off the Recommendations slider, which will return the folders to their original appearance.

Management of notifications and authorizations

Often users confuse system advertising with intrusive notifications from installed apps.The Xiaomi Mi 8T has a powerful notification management system that allows for flexible customization, which can appear on the lock screen or in the curtain.

Go to the notifications section in the settings. Here you will see a list of all the apps that have requested permission to send messages. Go through the list and turn off notifications for those programs that are not critical to you, especially for games and stores.

⚠️ Note: Do not disable system notifications from Google services or Android system components, as this may result in missing important security messages or software updates.

App permissions are also worth considering, and many programs require access to a list of installed apps or a location to target ads, and restricting those rights will significantly reduce the relevance of ad offerings.

Settings → Applications → All Applications → [Select App] → Permissions

Use Permissions Manager for mass screening, which will take time, but will help identify hidden privacy threats, and regular permission audits are a good habit for any Android user.

Alternative methods and system launchers

If standard methods don’t seem effective enough, consider a more radical approach: replacing the standard shell with a third-party launcher, launchers like Nova Launcher or Lawnchair completely replace the desktop, removing the built-in widgets and news feeds of Xiaomi.

Installing a third-party launcher doesn’t delete system files, but hides them from the user.You get a clean Android-like interface that runs faster and doesn’t contain ad units. This is especially true for the Xiaomi Mi 8T, whose screen is great for customization.

However, keep in mind that some MIUI features, such as control gestures or specific widgets, may work differently or become unavailable.

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A comprehensive approach combining MSA disabling, DNS setup and manual application cleaning gives the best result and ensures no advertising in 99% of cases.

In conclusion, anti-advertising is a process that requires periodic monitoring, and system updates may return some default settings, so it’s helpful to check key menu items from time to time.