How to disable Pulse ads on Xiaomi’s lock screen

Users of Xiaomi, Redmi and POCO smartphones often face a situation where, after updating MIUI or HyperOS, obtrusive cards with news and recommendations appear on the lock screen, this feature, known as Wallpaper Carousel or Glance, in Russian versions of firmware is often integrated with Yandex.Pulse services. Instead of a clean screen with time and notifications, the device owner sees a news feed that cannot be swiped with standard swipes, and the unlock button can be shifted or hidden.

The problem is that standard theme settings don’t always eliminate this visual noise completely. The system aggressively promotes partner content, returning default settings even after manually switching off. To regain control of your gadget, you need to perform a comprehensive setup of several system applications, including System Navigator and Mi Browser. In this article, we will analyze a detailed algorithm of actions that will help remove ads forever.

It is worth noting that the layout of the menu may vary slightly depending on the version of the shell MIUI 12, 13, 14 or the new HyperOS. However, the logic of the system components remains the same throughout the Xiaomi ecosystem.

What is a wallpaper carousel and why there is a pulse

Often referred to as “Pulse Advertising”, the feature is technically part of Wallpaper Carousel, an application preinstalled on the system that automatically changes the background image on a locked screen. In global and Russian firmware versions, this mechanism has been supplemented by a news feed module, and the content source is a partner service integrated deep into system processes.

The main purpose of implementing such elements is to monetize budget devices. Smartphones are sold at a minimal margin, and the company receives revenue from advertising and promotion of services. Yandex.Pulse in this case acts as an aggregator of news, articles and videos that are displayed on top of the lock image. The user sees the headers without even unlocking the phone, which creates a sense of constant information noise.

⚠️ Attention: Complete removal of the system application "Carousel wallpaper" through ADB It can cause the lock screen to work unstable or reset the theme settings to standard. It is recommended to use the standard disable methods described below.

It's important to distinguish between desktop widgets and lock-screen cards. If you can just delete the News or Yandex widget on your home screen, it's built into the security and time layer on the lock screen, so simply removing the icons won't help, you need to reconfigure the lock module itself.

📱 Wallpaper carousel - a system application for changing the background and displaying content.
📰 Integration with Yandex.Pulse takes place at the level of server settings in the region.
🔄 The function can self-activate after major updates MIUI.
⚙️ Disconnection requires access rights to lock screen settings.

Understanding the nature of this phenomenon helps you choose the right strategy to fight, because it is not a virus, but a legitimate (though intrusive) function of the system, antiviruses do not see it, and you need to manually switch the switches in the settings, causing the system to stop downloading content from the network.

Disabling the wallpaper carousel through system settings

The first and most important step is to disable the card display source from the system menu, which is standard and does not require third-party software installation. You need to access the hidden lock theme settings. To do this, go to the main settings menu of your Xiaomi or Redmi smartphone.

Find the look and lock section. Depending on the version of the shell, the path may look different. Usually it's Always on and Lock screen, or just Lock Screen, and inside that menu, there's a switch that activates the wallpaper change and related services.

☑️ Shutdown algorithm

Find lock screen settings: Disable wallpaper carousel: Uncheck the checkmark from the recommendation subscription: Check the result by rebooting

Done: 0 / 1

Once you find the right wallpaper carousel, turn the switch to off. The system may show a pop-up warning that functionality will be limited, or suggest you sign up for notifications. Boldly agree to shut down. Some versions of MIUI require you to additionally click on the gear of settings inside this point and remove the tick from the Receive recommendations option.

If the standard Settings → Locking is not a success, try an alternative route through the theme. Go to the Themes app, click on the profile avatar, select Settings, and find the Wallpaper Carousel there. Disabling here is tantamount to a system ban.

MIUI/HyperOS version	The way is on the menu	Name of the switch
MIUI 12 / 13	Settings → Lock screen	Wallpaper carousel
MIUI 14	Settings → Always on screen...	Wallpaper Carousel/Glance
HyperOS	Settings → Wallpaper and personalization	Wallpaper carousel
Global ROM	Settings → Lock Screen	Wallpaper Carousel

Once you do this, the lock screen should become static, but if you use a browser from the manufacturer, it can duplicate the news feed, so we move on to the next cleaning step.

Set up Mi Browser to remove news feed

Often the source of irritation is not the system itself, but the built-in Mi Browser browser, which has its own news page. When you accidentally swipe or open your browser, you see the same Yandex.Pulse or UC News feed. To (radically) solve the problem, you need to “clean” this component.

Open the Browser app (a compass or globe icon from Xiaomi). Click on three dots or lines in the corner of the screen to open the menu, and select Settings. Find the Home page or the Start page. This is where the news feed display setting is stored.

What to do if the settings are reset?

If you reboot your browser settings back to the original settings, try to clear the application data. Go to Settings → Apps → All Apps → Browser → Memory → Clear the data. This will reset all browser settings to factory, but can help remove the “stuck” configurations of the news feed.

Inside the homepage settings, disable the News Feed or Recommendations option. It is also recommended in the Search Engine section to choose a neutral option, such as Google or Bing, instead of Yandex, if you do not actively use the latter, this will reduce the priority of domestic content in the results.

🌐 Open Mi Browser and go to Settings.
🚫 Find the "main page" item and turn off the tape.
🔍 Change the search engine to a neutral one.
🗑️ Clear the browser cache to apply the changes.

Some users prefer not to configure but to remove Mi Browser, installing Chrome or Firefox instead. This is an acceptable method, but remember that the system browser may be needed to open links from some applications that are strictly tied to it.

Blocking notifications from system services

Even after the visual part of the Carousel is turned off, there may be background processes in the system that try to fire off notifications of “hot news” or “important events,” which are often disguised as system messages, and you need to use the notification manager to block them.

Go to Settings → Notifications and Status bar → Notification management. In the list of applications, find the Wallpaper Carousel, Mi Browser, and System Launcher. In some firmware, the news feed may come from an app called msa (MIUI System Ads) or daemon.

⚠️ Warning: Be careful when disabling notifications from system applications. Do not disable critical services such as Security, Phone, or Messages to keep calls or security from missing.

For each suspicious app, go to the detailed notification settings, find categories like Recommendations, Marketing, News or Special Offers, turn all these switches to off, and leave only critical notifications active if they exist.

An effective method is also to use the Do Not Disturb feature at night, but this is a temporary solution. Deep cleaning of notification channels gives a permanent result. If you notice that notifications come from an app with Chinese characters or an obscure name (for example, Mi Video, Mi Music), check their settings in a similar way - they also often broadcast advertising content.

📊 Did you manage to remove the advertisement the first time?

Yes, helped disabling the carousel: No, I had to climb into the browser settings: Until it turned out, you need more instructions: I have a global firmware, there is no advertising

Use of third-party launchers and applications

If you don't think the standard methods are effective enough or if the system is constantly returning the ad settings, you can use a radical but effective way - replacing the standard lock screen. There are applications from the Google Play Store that take over the lock function completely, ignoring the system settings of MIUI.

A popular solution is Hi Locker or KLCK Lock Screen. Once you install such an application and assign it to the main lock screen, the system "Carousel" stops loading, as it simply is not called by the system.

However, this method has its nuances: Third-party launchers can consume more battery power, because they operate in active standby mode, and unlocking by fingerprint or face can work a little slower or require double action (first swipe, then scanner), depending on the implementation in a particular application.

The alternative is to install a custom desktop launcher, such as Nova Launcher or Microsoft Launcher. While this doesn’t remove the cards from the lock screen directly, it allows you to completely ignore the system widgets and news feeds on the home screen, creating a clean system feel.

📲 Hi Locker is a popular replacement for the lock screen.
🔋 Third-party applications can increase energy consumption.
⚙️ Permission to display over other windows is required.
🎨 Complete control over design and widgets.

By choosing this path, you are sacrificing native integration (like pedometer widgets on a locked screen) for the sake of no advertising. For most users, the balance shifts in favor of clean interfaces.

For advanced users who are not afraid of technical terms, there is access to the hidden MIUI ad debugging menu.This does not require root rights, but allows you to disable the collection of identifiers for targeted advertising, which indirectly affects the frequency and relevance of impressions in Pulse.

Go to Settings → Passwords and Security → Data Access. You can find a list of all the apps here. Find msa, Mi Browser, Wallpaper Carousel and deny them access to the Internet (Wi-Fi and mobile network). Without access to the network, these apps will not be able to download fresh news cards.

Path to check: Settings → About phone → 7 times press on "Version MIUI" → Special features → Access to data

This is a nuclear method, and if you deny access to the system component that controls the wallpaper, it will stop changing at all, and only use it if you're ready to be static on the lock screen forever.

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Before you ban system applications from accessing the Internet, take a screenshot of the current settings, which will help quickly restore the phone if you suddenly stop receiving notifications about calls or messages due to the mistaken blocking of an important service.

Also in the Passwords and Security section, there's Advertising Services (or MSA) -- turn off the Receive Reference Toggle, and after you turn off, the system will ask you to wait 10 seconds and confirm the action, and this is a mandatory procedure to reduce the level of advertising noise throughout the system.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Can I completely remove the wallpaper carousel app?

No, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no. No, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no. No, no, no. No, no. No, no. No, no. No, no. No, no. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. ADB-commands from a computer, but this can disrupt the theme and require a factory reset to restore.

Why did Pulse Advertisements appear after the update?

When you update your firmware, you reset your user agreements, the system re-requests permission to show recommendations, and by default, it's often in the "On" position, and newer versions of MIUI can force partner services to be activated.

Does the phone region affect the availability of this ad?

Yes, in Russian and Indian versions of firmware integration with local news aggregators (Yandex, UC News) is maximum. In global (European) versions, Google Discover or a standard carousel without an affiliate feed is more common.

Is it safe to disable system applications through settings?

Disabling functions in the settings menu (toggles) is completely safe. This is the normal functionality of the shell. APK-Files through third-party software without understanding their purpose.

What to do if the settings are confused by themselves?

This can be a sign of the msa ad module working. Try to turn off the internet for this process in the Data Transfer section or use an ad blocker at the DNS level (for example, dns.adguard.com in the Private DNS settings).

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A comprehensive approach – disabling the Carousel, cleaning the browser and banning advertising IDs – guarantees complete elimination of obsessive Pulse cards on Xiaomi.