How to Turn Off Ads on Redmi 13: The Complete Guide

Modern Xiaomi smartphones and the Redmi sub-brand are famous for their excellent value for money, but many users are annoyed by the built-in advertising that appears in system interfaces and applications. The Redmi 13 model, which works on the basis of the current MIUI shells or the new HyperOS, is no exception to this rule. Owners often encounter intrusive banners when unlocking the screen or in standard utilities, which reduces the overall comfort of using the device.

Fortunately, most advertising mechanisms can be deactivated with the operating system’s regular tools without the need to obtain superuser rights or flash the gadget. Disabling ads requires several steps in the various sections of the settings menu. In this article, we will discuss in detail all the necessary steps to help you make the Redmi 13 interface clean and free from commercial noise.

The optimization process takes no more than 10-15 minutes, but the result is worth it: the system starts to work more responsively, and the battery is spent more economically, since the background processes will not load the advertising modules.

Disabling the MSA service is the main source of advertising

At the heart of Xiaomi’s advertising ecosystem is a system service called MSA (MIUI System Ads), which is responsible for collecting data about your preferences and displaying personalized ads in various parts of the interface. Without disabling this service, any other manipulations will have only a temporary or partial effect, so you need to start cleaning the Redmi 13 smartphone from this point.

To access the desired option, go to the Settings menu, then select the Password and Security section and find the Access to Personal Data (in some versions of the firmware it may be called “Authorization and Security”). In the list of applications that opens, find msa and put the slider in an inactive position. The system will warn you about the possible consequences and suggest waiting for 10 seconds, after which you will need to click the “Cancel” or “Disable” button.

⚠️ Note: The msa service may not shut down the first time, a well-known feature of the shell that requires repeating the shutdown procedure. 3-4 once in a row until the system finally agrees to deactivate the component.

After successful MSA disabling, it is also recommended to find GetApps (Xiaomi app store) on the same list and restrict its access to data if you do not use this directory. This will prevent pop-ups with suggestions to install games or utilities. It is important to understand that disabling these services does not disrupt the basic functions of the phone, calls or messages, but only removes the commercial component of the interface.

Some users also note that Mi Video or Mi Music is on the authorization list, and if you use third-party players, access to personal data can also be safely limited, which will reduce the number of ads and banners received within the applications themselves.

Setup of system applications and tools

Once the main ad module is deactivated, you need to go through the built-in tools, which often contain their own recommendation settings. Xiaomi’s standard apps, such as Explorer, Music, Video and Cleanup, have separate switches to display content. Ignoring these settings will cause ads to continue to appear inside specific utilities, even if the global MSA service is disabled.

Start with the Security app, which is the control center of the system. Click on the gear icon in the top right corner of the screen to open the settings. Find the "Get recommendations" and turn it off. It's also useful to check the Cleanup and Acceleration settings, removing the boxes that offer news or advertising. This will make the system utilities work faster and cleaner.

☑️ Verification of system applications

Done: 0 / 4

Then go to the Themes app. Click on the profile icon(s) in the lower right corner, then select Settings. You need to turn off the "Show Ads," "Personal Recommendations" and "Automatic Update Widgets." Similar actions should be repeated in the Music app: go to the settings, select "Advanced Settings" and remove the tick from "Receive Recommendations."

The situation is similar in the Mi Video app: open a profile, go to settings and find the Privacy or General section. Turn off the Online Recommendations and Autostart Video option, which will significantly reduce the load on the processor and RAM of your Redmi 13, as background media content will stop loading.

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After disabling recommendations in applications, completely close them through the menu of running tasks so that the new settings take effect immediately.

Notification management and blocking in the browser

A common source of annoyance is not so much banners in the interface, but pop-up notifications from sites that you accidentally signed up to while surfing the Internet. Chrome browsers, Mi Browser or other programs you install may have permission to display notifications, which creates the effect of constant advertising on the lock screen, control over this aspect is in your hands through the system settings of notifications.

To remove advertising notifications, go to Settings → Notifications and Status bar → Notification Management. In this list, find your browser (like Chrome or Mi Browser). Once inside, you will see a list of sites that are allowed to send notifications. Carefully examine this list and remove any suspicious or unfamiliar domains by clicking on them and selecting “Block” or “Delete”.

You should also check the settings of the Mi Browser browser itself if you use it by default. Open the menu (three bars), go to Settings → Privacy and Security. Here activate the Ad Block and Tracking Protection function, which will help filter advertising traffic during the page loading stage, which is especially important for mobile networks.

source of advertisingWhere to turn offThe effect
System Advertising (MSA)Password and security → Access to dataRemove banners in the system and Mi Video
Site notificationsSettings → Notifications → BrowserStops pop-up messages
Recommendations in foldersDesktop settingsRemove advertising icons in folders
Content blockerBrowser settings → PrivacyFiltering advertising on websites

Don't forget to check your desktop settings, too. Hold your finger on the blank spot of the screen, select Settings (cogs), and find "Get recommendations" or "Wallpaper carousel." Turning off the wallpaper carousel will not only remove ads on the lock screen, but also save traffic, as the phone will stop downloading beautiful but heavy pictures.

Limiting Advertising Identifier and Personalization

Even after you disable visible displays, your smartphone continues to collect data about your actions to create an advertising profile, this happens through an advertising ID, resetting and restricting this identifier makes your digital footprint less visible to Xiaomi algorithms and third-party ad networks, which in the long run reduces the amount of targeted advertising.

To manage this setting, open Settings, scroll down to Password and Security (or “Privacy” in newer versions of HyperOS). Find Privacy → Advertising Services. You need to switch the Ad Personalization slider to the off state. You also need to click the Reset Advertising ID button to reset the data.

📊 What is the most effective method of dealing with advertising?
MSA shutdown
Blocking notifications
Changing the DNS
Installation of a third-party launcher

In the same section, you should pay attention to the user experience improvement program. It is usually on the Settings path → Additional → Send Usage Data (or “MIUI Improvement Program”). Disable participation in this program. This will not only increase your privacy, but also reduce battery consumption slightly, since the phone will not need to constantly send reports to the manufacturer’s servers.

Importantly, the Android operating system (which runs Redmi 13) also has Google settings. Go to Settings → Google → Advertising. You can turn on the option “Delete Advertising ID” (in newer versions of Android) or simply reset it, which will affect ads in Google Play apps and the search giant’s services.

Using DNS to Block Advertising

One of the most effective and elegant ways to remove ads throughout the system, including games and browsers, is to use a private DNS (Private DNS), which requires no additional applications and works at the network connection level, and the essence of the method is that your phone sends requests to a special server that automatically filters and blocks requests to known advertising domains.

To set up, go to Settings → Connection and Sharing (or "Wi-Fi and Internet"). Find a Private Item DNS (Private DNS). The default is "Auto" or "Disabled." Select "Host Name Provider" mode. DNS» (or “Manually”) and enter the following command:

dns.adguard.com

Once you enter the address, save the settings. Now all traffic to your Redmi 13 will go through AdGuard filters. You will notice that ads have disappeared in most free apps and websites. This method is especially effective for blocking video ads in the browser and banners in simple games.

⚠️ Attention: Use of third-party DNS This may result in the inability to connect to some specific LANs or corporate Wi-Fi that require internal DNS-If you have problems with Internet access, return the setting to Auto mode».

The advantage of the method through dns.adguard.com is that it does not slow down the speed of the Internet, unlike some of the most popular methods. VPN-And it works globally for all applications at once, so you don't have to configure each application separately. DNS cannot block ads that are embedded directly into the content of the app (for example, YouTube or Instagram’s own promotional materials).

Additional settings and optimization of the interface

In addition to the basic system settings, Redmi 13 has hidden or less visible options that can generate information noise, including desktop widgets, app folders and lock screen. In the new versions of the HyperOS shell and MIUI 14/15, recommendation algorithms have become more aggressive, so it’s worth checking a few more places.

Notice the application folders on your desktop. When you open the folder at the bottom, you often see the line "Recommended Apps." To remove it, open the folder, click on the folder name (or three dots/cogs inside the folder), and disable the item "Recommended Apps," which will instantly clear the space inside the folders of intrusive icons.

What if the advertisement appeared after the update?
Sometimes, after updating the firmware, privacy settings are reset to factory values, in which case you need to re-go through the MSA disabling procedure and check the permissions for system applications, and the update can bring new advertising modules, so checking the Password and Security section becomes mandatory after each system update.

Also check the lock screen settings. If you have Wallpaper Carousel on, it can broadcast advertising messages. Turn it off in Wallpaper and Personalization settings → Wallpaper Carousel. Instead of dynamic tape, you'd better set a static image, which is guaranteed to eliminate surprises when you turn on the screen.

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The comprehensive approach, which includes disabling MSA, configuring DNS and cleaning notifications, eliminates 99% of all ads on Redmi 13 without losing functionality.

Remember to check the list of installed apps periodically. Sometimes, along with useful programs from unverified sources, miners or ad modules can come to the phone that generate pop-ups on top of all windows. If you see ads when you are on your desktop or menu, check the list of applications in Settings → Apps → All apps for strange names without icons or with suspicious access rights.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Is it safe to completely disable the MSA service?
Yes, disabling msa is safe for your smartphone to work, and it's a system component that's solely responsible for displaying ads, and deactivating it won't affect your ability to make calls, send messages, use the Internet, or take photos, and the only change you'll notice is that banner ads and recommendations in system apps are gone.
Will YouTube ads disappear after these settings?
No, the methods described do not remove ads within the YouTube app. YouTube ads are governed by Google's policies and embedded in the video stream. It requires specialized clients (such as YouTube ReVanced) or YouTube Premium subscriptions. Redmi 13 settings only affect system and browser advertising (when using DNS).
Do I need to restart my phone after all the settings?
Rebooting is not strictly mandatory, but highly desirable. Once the MSA service is disabled and the DNS settings are changed, some processes may remain in RAM.Rebooting the device ensures that all new configurations take effect and the ad modules are not re-started.
Can the advertisements return after the system update?
Yes, with major shell updates (e.g., switching from MIUI to HyperOS or major Android updates), privacy and data access settings can be reset to factory values, so after each major update, it is recommended to recheck the msa service status and personalization settings.