Owners of Xiaomi, Redmi and POCO devices often face intrusive ads that appear in system applications and the interface. This is a fee for the affordable cost of smartphones, but you do not have to tolerate constant pop-ups. The MIUI operating system and the new HyperOS have mechanisms to minimize or completely eliminate digital noise.
The process of clearing the system from advertising requires several steps to be taken in a sequence, because there is no single "Disconnect Everything" button, you have to go through the settings of key applications and change the network settings, and the result is a cleaner and faster interface that does not distract from the main tasks.
In this article, we will go into detail each step of the setup process, including disabling the MSA, setting up your personal DNS, and cleaning your embedded apps from marketing junk. Follow the instructions carefully so you don’t miss important points.
Disabling MSA System Advertising
The centerpiece of Xiaomi’s advertising ecosystem is the service. MSA (MIUI System Ads: This is the process that collects your activity and is responsible for displaying banners in different parts of the system. The first step is to find and deactivate it.
To do this, go to the Settings menu and select Passwords and Security. In the list that opens, look for Data Access (or Permissions) section. This lists all the apps that have Internet access. Find the msa list and put the switch inactive.
⚠️ Attention: When attempting to disconnect MSA The system can display a countdown timer several times (usually 10 seconds) to convince you to leave the service on. Don't give in, just wait for the time to end and hit "Switch off" again.
After a successful MSA shutdown, it is also recommended to restrict network access for other system components responsible for analytics, find Mi Credit, Mi Video (if you do not use), GetApps and Feedback apps in the same list.
Set up a personal DNS to block
One of the most effective methods of combating advertising is the use of specialized advertising. DNS-This method works at the network connection level and blocks requests to known ad servers before content reaches your device screen.
To activate this function, go to Settings → Connection and Sharing (or "Wi-Fi"). Find a Private Item DNS (Private DNS). The default is "Auto" or "Disabled." Select "Host Name Provider" mode. DNS" (manually and enter the address:
dns.adguard.comOnce you enter the address, save the settings. Now all traffic that passes through Wi-Fi and the mobile network will be filtered. This will remove most banners in the browser and some applications. However, it is worth remembering that DNS is not a panacea and may not block ads inside Xiaomi's own applications if they use the same domains as the main functionality.
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If the internet stopped working in some apps after the DNS change, try temporarily disabling Private DNS or using an alternate address, such as from AdGuard Family (dns-family.adguard.com), which also blocks adult content.
Cleaning the security application
Security is a system tool that often displays promotional offers or news every time it launches, and you can turn off this stream through the internal settings of the app itself.
Launch the Security app and click on the gear icon in the top right corner of the screen. In the settings menu, find Receive recommendations (or "Recommendations"). Transfer the switch to "Off." This action will remove banner ads from the app's home screen.
Also in this section, it is useful to disable automatic updates of database viruses and other components if you want to minimize background activity. Although this is not pure advertising, such notifications are often informational and advertising in nature and distract the user.
☑️ Checking security settings
Removing Advertising from Explorer and Downloads
System utilities such as Explorer and Downloads are also susceptible to the introduction of advertising modules. In Explorer, advertising often appears as a news feed or recommended files on the homepage.
To clear Explorer, open the app, click on the menu (three bars) and select Settings. Find About or just Settings inside the menu. You need to turn off the Recommendations option. After that, the start page will be clean and show only your files.
The same situation is observed in the Downloads app. Go to the app, click three dots in the corner, select Settings and turn off Show recommendations, which will prevent advertising offers for installing games or applications when you open the list of downloaded files.
| Annex | The path to adjustment | What to turn off | The effect |
|---|---|---|---|
| Conductor | Menu → Settings | Recommendations | Clean file interface |
| Downloads. | Three points → Settings | Show recommendations | No ads in the file list |
| Music. | Menu → Settings → Additional | Showing ads | Absence of banners in the player |
| Topics | Profile → Settings | Showing ads | Catalogue without promo blocks |
Settings of the "Themes" app
Themes Store is one of the main sources of visual noise in MIUI. When users open an application, they often encounter full-screen banners, and fortunately, this feature can be easily deactivated.
Open the Themes app, go to the Profile tab (human icon) and click on the settings icon. In the options list, find the Show ads switch and turn it off. It is also recommended to remove the tick from Personal Recommendations so that the system analyzes your preferences less.
Hidden theme settings
After you do this, the theme catalog will be much cleaner, but be careful when downloading third-party themes: some of them may contain embedded ads that are not blocked by system settings. Use only verified themes from official authors.
Disabling recommendations in system folders
In the latest versions of MIUI 13/14 and HyperOS, ads even appeared in folders on the desktop, and when you open the app folder, a line called "Recommended Apps" may appear at the bottom.
To remove this item, simply open any folder on your desktop. Click on the folder name (where the name is written, such as "Tools"). In the folder name editing menu that appears, find the Promoted apps switch and turn it off. Now the folders will only contain shortcuts to your programs.
This is a customization that applies to each folder, so if you have many folders on your desktop, you'll have to do it for each folder, and it's a little tedious, but the result is worth it -- it's a very rigorous and functional interface.
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Desktop folder advertising is a separate option that doesn't shut down globally via MSA. It needs to be manually turned off in each folder through renaming.