Owners of POCO smartphones, which are based on the MIUI shell or HyperOS, often face intrusive advertising content, a systemic phenomenon designed to compensate for the low cost of the device, but it can significantly reduce the comfort of operation. Notifications in the curtain, banners in standard applications and pop-ups require a comprehensive approach to eliminate them.
The process of clearing the system of advertising modules does not require obtaining superuser rights or flashing. It is enough to go through several settings menus sequentially and disable specific services responsible for targeted content display. Below is a detailed instruction for the POCO F3 Pro model, which is relevant for current versions of the software.
It should be understood that the complete absence of advertising is achieved only by a combination of methods. Disabling one service can remove banners from the menu, but leave notifications in the browser.
Disabling the MSA System Service
At the heart of Xiaomi’s advertising ecosystem is the MSA (MIUI System Ads) service, which collects data about your actions and generates promotional offers, and the first step to a clean system is to force the component to stop and revoke permissions.
To start, you need to find the service in the list of all installed applications. Go to the Settings menu, then select the App item and click All Apps. In the upper right corner of the screen, find the three-point icon and select the Show System Services option. This action will open access to hidden operating system components.
In the list that opens, find an app called msa. Click on it to enter the management menu. Here you are interested in Permissions or Other Permits. Find Get Location Data or Access Wi-Fi and turn it off. Then go back and click Stop.
⚠️ Warning: The system may require confirmation of action several times. Do not be persuaded by the interface to stay with the ads and press the stop confirmation button persistently.
After the service stops, it is recommended to delete the cache. To do this, in the same application menu, select Memory and click Clear Cache. This will delete temporary files that may have accumulated during the time of the ad module.
Customization of personalization and recommendations
Even after the MSA is disabled, some interface elements may continue to offer content, and this is due to a recommendation service that is built into the shell, which must be disabled separately, as it is responsible for the news feeds and tips in standard utilities.
Go back to the main settings menu and find the Password and Security section. From the options list, select Privacy. Scroll down to the bottom of the Advertising Services block. You need to switch the Personalized Advertising slider to the inactive position.
Then you should check the settings of the apps themselves. Open the standard browser, click three dots in the corner, and go to Settings. Find the Notifications or News Feed section and turn off recommendations. Similar steps should be repeated for the Security and Downloads app.
☑️ Checklist for system cleanup
It's important to note that changes don't take effect instantly. It takes some time for the system to sync the new settings. If you don't notice the changes right away, restart the device and check for banners through the system. 15-20 minutes of active work.
Using a private DNS to block
One of the most effective methods of combating advertising is the use of the DNS-over-TLS protocol, which allows you to filter traffic at the connection level, blocking requests to known ad servers even before they reach your smartphone.
To set up, go to: Settings → Connection and Sharing → Private DNS. The default mode is Auto. You need to select the DNS Host Name (or Manual) option.
In the text box that appears, enter the address of a trusted lock server. The most popular and stable solution is AdGuard.
dns.adguard.comSave the settings. Now all of it. DNS-traffic POCO F3 Pro will pass through filters that automatically cut off ad domains, and this solution also improves security by preventing the transition to phishing sites.
| Parameter | Default value | Recommended value | The effect |
|---|---|---|---|
| DNS mode | Automobile | Host name | Enabling manual adjustment |
| Server address | - | dns.adguard.com | Blocking ads |
| Protocol | DNS | DoT (DNS over TLS) | Encryption of requests |
| Stability | Tall. | Tall. | Minimal impact on speed |
⚠️ Note: If, after the inclusion of a private DNS If you stop opening some sites or applications, try to temporarily disable this feature. In rare cases, corporate networks or specific providers may block third-party networks. DNS-server.
Managing notifications in annexes
Notifications from installed applications are a frequent source of irritation, not system banners, and many programs, especially those of Chinese origin, are in the habit of spamming news and offers, and are monitored through the notification center.
Hold your finger on any app on your desktop and select About. Go to Notifications. Here you will see a list of all the types of notifications that the program can send. Ruthlessly turn off anything that is not critical: "Recommendations," "Marketing," "News." Leave only "Transactions" or "Calls" if it is a messenger.
Also worth checking the global settings. In the Settings menu → Notifications and Status bar → Notifications you can see a list of all programs eligible for. Go through the list and turn off access for games and utilities that should not bother you.
Hidden advertising modules
For advanced users, a method of disabling through ADB is available, but for most cases manual control through the settings of each application is enough. Regularly checking this list will help maintain the cleanliness of the interface.
Cleaning the download folder and browser
The built-in MIUI Browser and download manager are often sources of pop-ups, and even if you don't use them actively, they can run in the background, and it's recommended that you minimize their activity or replace them with alternatives.
Open Downloads. Click on the menu icon (three dots or bars) and select Settings. Find Receive recommendations or Show popular files and turn it off. This will remove the ad tape from the download start screen.
In the browser settings (Settings → Privacy and Security), disable Notifications from sites, and it is recommended to remove the tick from the item Receive news and information.
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Instead of a standard MIUI browser, install Chrome, Firefox or Brave. These have built-in ad blockers and are not integrated into Xiaomi system services, which ensures that no intrusive offers are intrusive.
If you don’t use a standard browser, you can simply delete or disable it in the application settings, which will free up space and guarantee that any attempts to show you ads through this channel will stop.
Additional methods and resetting of identifiers
To fix the result, it is recommended to reset the advertising ID. This is a unique string that is assigned to your device for targeting. Resetting it breaks the link between your past actions and current advertising.
Go to Settings → Password and Security → Privacy → Advertising Services. Press Reset Advertising ID. Confirm action. After that, the old advertising database will become irrelevant for algorithms.
Also worth checking is the permissions for the GetApps app, if you don't use the store, find it in the app list, go to Permissions, and disable network, location, and notifications, ideally delete it.
⚠️ Note: After updating the operating system MIUI or HyperOS, some settings may return to factory values. Periodically check the status of the msa service and the presence of personalized advertising.
The combined application of all of these methods allows you to turn the POCO F3 Pro into a device free from intrusive marketing, the system will work faster and the battery will be spent more economically, as the advertising modules will no longer consume resources in the background.
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The main secret of pure Xiaomi is not just to disable one button, but to consistently restrict the rights of all system components associated with data collection and content display.