Owning a Xiaomi tablet is often marred by the intrusive visual noise it generates by default. Users who buy a device with a MIUI shell or the latest HyperOS are confronted with banner ads in standard apps, desktop folders, and even when they unlock the screen. It’s not a bug, but part of the manufacturer’s marketing strategy to keep the cost of iron low by monetizing software.
Fortunately, the Android operating system that runs the tablet allows you to intervene deeply enough in the content display process, you don't need super-user rights to do the basic cleaning of the interface from marketing inserts, you just need to go through several menu items consistently and deactivate the services responsible for collecting data and displaying ads.
In this article, we will discuss all known ways to eliminate unwanted content, including turning off the msa system service, setting up DNS to block network-level trackers, and cleaning up popular applications like Explorer or Music. Following the instructions, you will turn your gadget into a tool for work and entertainment, free of distractions.
Disabling the MSA System Service
At the heart of the advertising ecosystem in Xiaomi devices is a service called MSA (MIUI System Ads), which is a process that captures your actions and determines which banner to display at the moment, and without disabling this service, any other manipulations may be temporary or ineffective.
The deactivation process requires care, because the system will prevent you from wanting to stop advertising. When you try to turn off the switch, the tablet will offer to wait 10 seconds, and then try to confuse the user with the buttons "Cancel" and "Stop." It is important not to get confused and follow the algorithm clearly.
To start, go to Settings → Password and Security → Data Access. In the list, find the msa app and put the slider in an inactive state. A countdown timer will appear. Once it is completed, click the Stop button. If the system has issued an error or the timer has reset, try again 2-3 times until you confirm that you have successfully disabled.
⚠️ Note: After disabling the msa service, advertising may disappear not instantly, but during the 10-15 This is the time it takes for the system to update configuration files and stop background requests to servers.
In parallel with MSA, it is recommended to disable GetApps (formerly known as Mi Apps) if you do not use this app store, it is also a frequent source of push notifications and promotional offers, find it in the same Access to Data menu and deny network connection.
☑️ Checking the ad-off
Setting up DNS to block trackers
One of the most effective methods of combating advertising is the use of DNS-This is a network-based method that blocks requests to known ad servers before content can be loaded onto your tablet screen, and it's a universal solution that works both in the browser and within some applications.
To implement this method, you do not need to install third-party software. MIUI It's built-in « DNS» (Private DNS). You need to write in the address of a server that specializes in blocking advertising traffic. One of the most reliable and free options is the service AdGuard. DNS.
Go to Settings → Connection and Sharing → Private DNS. Select the DNS Host Name (or Manual) mode and enter the address: dns.adguard.com. Save settings. Now all traffic passing through Wi-Fi or mobile network will be filtered.
Use of the DNS-On the one hand, it significantly speeds up page loading and removes banners, on the other hand, some sites may stop displaying correctly if they use the same domains for ad units as for the main content. In such cases, the setting can be temporarily disabled.
| Parameter | Value/Address | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Mode of work | Provider host name | Manual introduction of server address |
| Server address | dns.adguard.com | Blocking Advertising and Tracking |
| Alternative 1 | dns-family.adguard.com | Advertising + Adult Content Blocking |
| Standard | Auto (by default) | Use of DNS Provider |
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If some websites or applications stop opening after DNS is enabled, try changing the server to dns-family.adguard.com or temporarily return the settings to Auto mode.
Cleaning up Xiaomi’s standard apps
Even after disabling the msa service, individual system utilities can continue to show recommendations, because each application (Conductor, Music, Video, Themes) has its own Receive Recommendations switch, which duplicates the general privacy policy and requires a personalized approach.
Start with File Manager, which is often a misnomer on the home screen: Open the app, click three dots in the corner or the menu button, select Settings, find About or Get Recommendations, and turn it off. It's minimalistic and functional.
The same procedure is required for media combines. In the Music app, go to the settings and check the boxes for "Show ads" and "Receive recommendations." In the Video app, the situation is similar: in the settings, you need to find the "Privacy" or "Online services" section and deaktivirovat' data collection and display of promotional materials.
What to do if the settings are reset?
Don't forget the Theme Store. It's one of the main sources of visual noise: Go to a user profile (human icon), select Settings, and disable all items related to personalization, recommendations, and auto-update widgets, which will make the store a utilitarian directory, not an advertising platform.
Managing Notifications and Folders
Not only can banners inside apps be annoying, but pop-up notifications from system services that you rarely use. HyperOS and MIUI have a convenient notification management mechanism for every folder on the desktop. Often users don't know that a folder called Tools can have its own alert settings.
To remove the ad from the folders, click and hold your finger on the empty folder (where there are no app icons), or click on the folder name to open it completely. In the menu that appears, find the Recommended switch. When you remove the tick, you will prevent the system from offering you to download new games or applications right inside the folder.
Also worth checking is the global notification settings. Go to Settings → Notifications and Status bar → Notification Management. Go through the list of system applications: Security, Cleanup, Scanner. Turn off the ability to display notifications for them, leaving only critical system messages, which will save you from the constant reminders to “clean up memory” or “check viruses”, which often contain advertising integrations.
- 📱 Click on the folder name on the desktop.
- 🔍 Find the “Recommended” or “Promoted” switch».
- ❌ Transfer the switch to the position "Off».
- ✅ Repeat for all folders on the home screen and in the app menu.
Browsers and blocking content on the Internet
The Mi Browser (or Xiaomi Browser) system browser is set up by default to actively collect data and display a news feed that is full of advertising inserts. Even with the msa service disabled, the browser itself can generate content. The best solution in the Xiaomi ecosystem is to abandon the standard browser in favor of more private counterparts.
It is recommended to install a third-party browser, such as Brave, DuckDuckGo or Vivaldi. These applications have built-in tracking and advertising blocking mechanisms that work more effectively than any system settings. Once installed, be sure to assign the new browser to the default application in the Settings → Applications → Default Applications section.
If you have to use a standard browser for some reason, you can essentially defuse it. Open the browser, go to settings (three bars), select Privacy and Security. Activate the ad blocker, disable Notifications from Sites, and remove the tick from the News Feed on the home page, which will make the interface cleaner, but does not guarantee 100% protection from all types of web advertising.
⚠️ Note: When installing a third-party browser, the system may alert you several times about a “potential hazard” or try to return you to a standard application.
Additional privacy settings
To maximize efficiency, it is recommended to disable the personalization of ads at the level of Mi Account and system analytics services, which will prevent advertising targeting based on your interests and search history. While completely removing ads may not help (unless msa is disabled), it will reduce its intrusiveness and relevance.
Go to Settings → Password and Security → Privacy → Special Permissions → Ad Personalization. Turn this off. It’s also worth checking the Access to Data section again and checking if there are any new system applications that have appeared since the update, such as Mail or Calendar, and limiting their background activity.
An important step is to send statistics. In Settings → About Phone (tablet) → MIUI version, click several times on the system logo to activate additional settings. Then go to the update menu (three dots) and turn off auto-update if you want to control the process. But most importantly, in the main settings, find the item "Send usage statistics" and disable this action.
- 🔒 Turn off personalization of ads in privacy settings.
- 📊 Stop sending analytics to the system.
- 🚫 Limit background activity for rarely used system services.
- 🔄 Check the list of apps with access to data regularly after updates.
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The comprehensive approach, which includes disabling msa, configuring DNS and cleaning individual applications, ensures that 99% of all ads on the Xiaomi tablet are removed.