Poco’s smartphone owners, who run MIUI or HyperOS shells, often face intrusive ads in system applications, a fee for the device’s affordable cost, as the company compensates for the low iron margins by monetizing through software. However, there are many ways to minimize or eliminate this visual noise by returning the device to a clean user experience.
The process of disabling does not require superuser rights or complex flashing of the gadget. Most settings are hidden in the depths of the system menu or require simple actions through network settings. In this article, we will discuss in detail all known methods of blocking advertising modules, from official switches to advanced DNS settings.
Disabling the MSA service is the main source of advertising
The central element in the display of banners in the system is the MSA (MIUI System Ads) service, which collects data about your actions and translates advertising content into standard applications, to deactivate it, you need to go to the settings menu, find the "Passwords and Security" section, and select the "Data Access" option, where you need to find the msa process and turn off Wi-Fi and mobile network access for it.
The system will strongly warn that disabling this component may affect the operation of certain functions. Pay no attention to these warnings, as they are only an attempt to keep the user in the ecosystem. After turning off the slider, a countdown timer lasting 10 seconds will appear, after which you need to confirm the action with the “Disable” button. If the first time failed, try repeating the procedure 2-3 times, since the server may not respond instantly.
You also need to check the list of autoload apps, often MIUI hides permissions to run ad modules in related services, search the list of Get Content Apps, and also limit its background activity, which will prevent the start of advertising processes immediately after the screen is turned on.
⚠️ Attention: After the service is disconnected MSA Advertising in system folders may not disappear instantly, but within 24 hours, until the cached data on the device is updated.
Customization of personalization and recommendations
The second important step is to disable the recommendation system, which analyzes your preferences, so go to Settings, select Passwords and Security, and find Access to Personal Data, where you need to disable Getting Personalized Recommendations, without this permission, the system will not be able to select ads based on your browsing history.
Pay special attention to the Security app, which often hides its own promotions inside it. Open the app, click on the settings gear in the corner, and find "Get recommendations." The switch should be inactive. It's also useful to turn off notifications from this app so they don't appear in the status curtain.
The same thing happens with the standard file manager and the Downloads app, and there's always a hidden About section or just Settings section in the settings of these programs, where the Recommendations switcher is hidden, and its active state causes the phone to show you news and suggestions every time it starts.
- 🔒 Turn off Personalized Recommendations in the main system settings for global effect.
- 📂 Check the settings of each system application separately, as they have standalone ad modules.
- 🛑 Disable background work of GetApps app to avoid push notifications.
Blocking Ads Through DNS Settings
The most radical and effective method is to use a private DNS. This method blocks advertising requests at the network level, preventing the device from even downloading the contents of the banner. To implement this method, go to Settings → Connection and Sharing → Private DNS.
From the menu that opens, select “DNS Host Name” (or “Manual”). The input box must include the address of the server that filters traffic. One of the most popular and reliable options is AdGuard. Type in the address: dns.adguard.com. Once you save the settings, the phone may require a reconnection or reboot.
Use of third-party DNS-On the one hand, ads disappear even within some applications and browsers, where they are not blocked by system settings. On the other hand, internet speeds may slow down slightly, and some sites may stop opening if their domains are mistakenly blacklisted.
dns.adguard.comIf the address stops working, you can try alternative servers, for example, from NextDNS, which allows you to flexibly configure filters through the web interface.
☑️ Checking settings DNS
Cleaning up from advertising in standard applications
Even after the main services are disabled, some apps may continue to show promotional materials. Consider the most dirty embedded utilities. In the Music app, you need to go to the settings, find the Advanced Settings section and disable Ads Display. Similar to the Mi Video app, where in the Settings -> General section you need to uncheck the Online Recommendations and Receive Notifications.
In the desktop, ads often appear in app folders or in the widget feed. Hold your finger on the blank spot of the screen, go to desktop settings and turn off "Get recommendations." This will remove the news feed and promo blocks that appear when you swipe left or in folders.
The Downloads app also requires attention. Open it, click three dots in the corner, select Settings, and turn off Get Recommendations. After that, when downloading files, no more suggestions will pop up to install other games or programs.
| Annex | The path to adjustment | What to turn off |
|---|---|---|
| Music. | Settings → Advanced | Advertising display |
| Video (Mi Video) | Settings → General | Online recommendations |
| Downloads. | Settings (three dots) | Receive recommendations |
| Conductor | Settings → About the programme | Recommendations |
⚠️ Note: The interface and menu item names may vary slightly depending on the version MIUI (12, 13, 14) or regional firmware (Global, EEA, RU).
Removing and disabling system applications
Many pre-installed apps on Poco not only take up space, but are also channels for distributing ads. Some can be removed in the standard way by clamping down an icon and selecting "Delete." However, for system components such as "Mi Browser," "Mi Community," or "GetApps," the delete button may not be active.
Then you can either freeze or turn them off. Go to Settings → Apps → All Apps. Find an unnecessary system service like Mi Browser. Click on it and select the "Disable" button. After that, the app will disappear from the menu and stop working, updating and showing ads. This is a safe operation that will not disrupt the main system.
For more advanced users, it is possible to remove system debris through a computer using the ADB utility (Android Debug Bridge), which requires connecting the phone to the PC in USB debugging mode. ADB commands allow you to remove even those packets that do not appear in the standard application list.
adb shell pm uninstall -k --user 0 com.android.browserUsing the command line gives you complete control over the device, but it requires caution.Do not remove system components whose purpose you do not know (for example, telephony services or system framework), as this can lead to a cyclical reboot of the smartphone.