Advertising in Xiaomi smartphones has become one of the most annoying features of the branded shell MIUI. Even after buying the device, users encounter banners in the settings menu, search recommendations, sponsorship notifications and built-in advertising in system applications. The manufacturer explains this by the need to monetize budget models, but for most owners this state of affairs is unacceptable.
Fortunately, there are several ways to completely or partially disable ads on Xiaomi, Redmi and POCO, from standard settings to deep customization. In this article, we will discuss all current methods, including hidden MIUI options that work on shell versions 12-14 (Android 11-14).
If you're willing to spend 10-15 After a few minutes, you can get rid of 90% We're going to start with the simplest of ways and gradually move on to the most advanced of ways.
1. disable personalized advertising in MIUI settings
The most obvious and safe way to do this is to deactivate options related to display ads in the settings menu, which works on all Xiaomi models, including the Redmi Note 12, POCO X5 and Xiaomi’s flagship 13/14, but does not remove all types of banners.
Go to: Settings → Google → Advertising (or Settings → Additional → Privacy → Advertising in older versions of MIUI).
Turn it off here.
- 🔄 Personalized advertising (main switch)
- 📊 Activity tracking (if there is such a point)
- 📱 Recommendations MIUI (in some regions)
Important: This method only removes targeted ads, not system banners in the Security, Themes, or Mi Video menu.
Hidden MIUI settings: how to remove ads in system applications
The MIUI shell contains hidden settings that allow you to disable ads in key apps: Security, Themes, Mi Video and Downloads. These settings are not visible by default, but can be activated through special commands.
Open the phone application and enter the following USSD-codes (working on MIUI 12-14):
#6484## - Disables ads in "Safety"
#7378423## – removes banners in “Temes” and “Mi Video”
#36446337## – Deactivates recommendations in MIUI searchOnce each code is entered, a notification will appear that the changes have been successfully applied.Reboot the device to make the changes effective. Note that some models (e.g., POCO F4) may require you to enter the code twice.
💡
If USSD-codes do not work, try to enter them through the "Contact" app" → "Dialing. On some firmware, it works better.
3. Disabling notifications from system applications
Many Xiaomi users complain about sponsored notifications from Mi Browser, Mi Video, GetApps and even Calendar, which can be blocked through the notification menu, but there is a caveat: some apps (like Cleaner) restore permissions after an update.
To permanently disable advertising notifications:
- Go to Settings → Applications → Application Management.
- Find GetApps, Mi Video, Mi Browser, Cleaner and Themes in the list.
- For each application, select Notifications → Disable Everything.
- Return to the main menu of the application and click Storage → Clear cache.
For reliability, also disable auto-run of these applications: Settings → Applications → Permissions → Auto-Run.
Notifications disabled in GetApps
Removed AutoRun permissions for Mi Video
Cleared Mi Browser cache
Push messages from Cleaner are disabled-->
4.Use ADB for deep disabling of ads (no root)
If standard methods didn’t work, you can use ADB debugging, which is the official Android tool that doesn’t require superuser rights.The method works on all Xiaomi models, including the Redmi 10, POCO M4 Pro and Xiaomi 12T, but requires a connection to a computer.
Download Google’s Platform Tools and execute the following commands in the terminal (pre-enabled USB Debugging in the developer settings):
adb shell pm hide com.miui.systemAdSolution # Disables system advertising
adb shell pm hide com.xiaomi.midrop # Remove banners in Mi Drop
adb shell pm hide com.miui.analytics # Blocks analytics collection
adb shell pm hide com.xiaomi.mipicks # Disables Mi Picks (recommendations)After you execute the commands, restart the device, and these changes will persist even after the MIUI update, but may reset when you completely reset your settings.
⚠️ Note: pm hide commands temporarily "hide" applications, but do not remove them completely. MIUI The ad will come back, repeat the procedure.
5. Removing ads through file editing hosts (for advanced)
This method blocks Xiaomi ad servers at the system level, redirecting requests to a non-existent address.It is effective against banners in Mi Video, GetApps and even some notifications, but requires access to the file system.
You'll need:
- 📱 Root access or ADB with shell rights (on some firmware)
- 📝 Text editor (e.g., text editor, MT Manager or Root Explorer)
- 🔄 Backup copy of the original hosts file
Open the file on the path /system/etc/hosts and add the following lines at the end:
127.0.0.1 ad.mi.com
127.0.0.1 data.mistat.xiaomi.com
127.0.0.1 sdkconfig.ad.xiaomi.com
127.0.0.1 tracker.ai.xiaomi.com
127.0.0.1 sa.api.intl.miui.comSave the changes, set 644 (rw-r--r---) and restart the device, which blocks most ad requests but can disrupt some services (such as Mi Cloud).
What if the Mi Account sync stopped working after editing hosts?
6.Alternative firmware: complete removal of advertising
If none of these methods worked, there's a radical solution, which is custom firmware.
| Firmware | Features | Do you need to unlock the bootloader? | Support OTA-update |
|---|---|---|---|
| Xiaomi.eu | Official MIUI without ads, weekly updates | Yes. | Yes. |
| LineageOS | Clean Android without Xiaomi services | Yes. | Yes (unofficially) |
| Pixel Experience | The interface is like Google Pixel, without ads | Yes. | Yes. |
| MIUI Mix | Modified MIUI with additional features | Yes. | No. |
The most popular choice among Xiaomi users is the firmware Xiaomi.eu. MIUI, but completely clear of advertising, has advanced settings and supports OTA-Minus: requires unlocking the bootloader, which resets all the data on the device.
Instructions for installing Xiaomi.eu:
- Unlock the bootloader through the Mi Unlock Tool (requires an account to be linked to the device for 72 hours).
- Download the firmware for your model from the official website.
- Install via TWRP Recovery (instructions are in the thread thread on the forum).
- Do a data reset (Wipe Dalvik/Cache) after installation.
⚠️ Attention: Installing custom firmware voids warranty and can result in a device lock if the bootloader unlocking process is disrupted.On Xiaomi 2023 models+ Unlocking a Xiaomi 13 Ultra may require waiting up to 360 hours (15 days) after an account is linked.
7. Additional Advice: How to Avoid Return Advertising
Even after a successful ad disablement, it can return after a MIUI update or reset.
- 🔄 Turn off automatic updates MIUI In Settings → The phone. → Updating the system → ⚙️ → Auto-update.
- 📥 Remove updates for system applications through Settings → Annexes → Application management → ⋮ → Show system-based → GetApps/Mi Video.
- 🔒 Block the domains of advertising through DNS (For example, use 1.1.1.3 or 94.140.14.15 in your Wi-Fi settings).
- 🛡️ Install a firewall (such as NetGuard or AFWall)+) lock-out.
If you notice that after the update, banners in Security or Themes returned, repeat the procedure with the USSD-code ADB-It's also useful to check the list of applications periodically with permissions to display notifications.
💡
The most reliable way to get rid of advertising forever is a combination of methods: USSD-code + off-notification + lock-in ADB. This gives 95% protection without the need to install custom firmware.