Owners of Xiaomi, Redmi and Poco smartphones often face intrusive marketing built right into the operating system. These are not viruses, but a regular feature of the MIUI shell or the new HyperOS, designed to monetize available hardware. However, constant pop-ups, banners in folders and recommendations in applications can seriously annoy and reduce the performance of the device.
Fortunately, most advertising mechanisms can be manually deactivated without having to resort to complex root rights manipulations. The key is to consistently disable the msa system service and advertising identifiers through hidden settings menus. In this article, we’ll look at all the available ways to clean up the interface from garbage so that your smartphone works quickly and cleanly.
Before you start deep setup, make sure your device is connected to a stable Wi-Fi network, as some changes require checking the license status over the Internet. It is also recommended to back up important data, although the methods described are safe for user files.
Disabling the MSA system advertising service
The main source of intrusive offers in the system is the msa process (MIUI System Ads), which is the component that analyzes your actions and selects the content for display. To stop it, you need to find the appropriate item in the authorization and advertising menu. The path may vary slightly depending on the firmware version, but the logic remains the same for all models.
Go to your smartphone settings and find the password and security section, and you'll need to find the privacy or authorization subsection, and in some versions of the shell, this item is hidden inside the System Apps menu or searchable by settings.
What to do if the switch button is inactive?
Once you find the right switch, the system can ask you several times about your decision, saying that without advertising, the functionality will be limited. Ignore these warnings and confirm the disconnect. It is important to perform the procedure quickly, since the countdown timer can reset the choice.
☑️ Shutdown algorithm MSA
Set up personalization and advertising ID
Beyond the system service, Android has a global advertising identifier that is used not only by the MIUI shell, but also by third-party apps for targeted advertising, and resetting and restricting this identifier is an important step towards digital hygiene for your device.
To access these settings, search the menu or go to Passwords and Security, where the Privacy section hides the Advertising ID settings. In new versions of HyperOS, this section can be made separately or integrated into Google’s general settings.
You need to activate the tracking restriction option, which will not remove the ads completely, but will make them less relevant and reduce the amount of data collected about you, and it is also recommended to click the reset button to break the connection with previously collected profiles.
⚠️ Note: Once the advertising ID is reset, the number of random ads may temporarily increase until a new profile is formed.
Remember that some system applications, such as Music, Video, or Explorer, have their own independent ad settings, and must be turned off separately within each application through the settings menu (usually the gears in the corner of the screen).
Blocking Advertising Through DNS and DNS
One of the most effective methods that does not require additional software is the use of secure DNS, which redirects requests to known ad servers to nowhere, blocking the loading of banners at the network level.
In modern versions of Android (starting with version 9), this feature is built natively. You don't need superuser rights or complex applications.
Go to the settings menu and select the section responsible for connection and general settings. DNS» (Private DNS). The default is "Auto" or "Disabled." You have to select "Host Name provider" option. DNS» and enter the address of the blocker server.
dns.adguard.comOnce you enter the address, save the settings, and now all traffic that goes through Wi-Fi and the mobile network will be filtered, and this will remove ads in many games, browsers, and even some of the system applications.
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If you have included a private DNS Some applications have stopped opening, try to prescribe an alternative address: `family.adguard-dns.com`, It also blocks trackers, but works softer.
It is worth noting that this method does not block ads in the services of the manufacturer (for example, in the Themes app), since it is downloaded from domains that are difficult to filter without losing functionality.
Management of Notifications and System Applications
Users often confuse system advertising with intrusive notifications from pre-installed apps. Browsers, cleaners, news aggregators and app stores send out offers all the time, and you can turn them off through notification management.
Go to the notification settings and find a list of all the apps. Pay special attention to the apps from Xiaomi: Security, Cleanup, Mi Browser, Mi Video, GetApps. Inside each of them you can completely disable the display of notifications or leave only critical ones.
There's also a hidden "Recommendations" feature in desktop folders, so if you group applications, the system can start offering similar programs. To remove this block, click on the folder name to make the title keyboard appear, and turn off the "Recommendations" switchboard.
Another important aspect is turning off autoplay of video in the news feed or in the video app, which not only removes visual noise, but also significantly saves traffic and battery power of your device.
Specifics of MIUI and HyperOS configuration
The MIUI and HyperOS shells have different menu structures, which can confuse users when upgrading. In new versions, Xiaomi aims to unify settings by hiding advertising options deeper or changing their names to more neutral ones.
For example, in HyperOS, privacy settings have become more stringent, and some options require re-authorization through Mi Account.--
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In newer versions of HyperOS, ad settings can fly off after a major system update. Check the status of msa after each firmware update.
The table below compares the paths to the main settings in different shell versions so you can navigate faster:
| Function | MIUI 12/13/14 | HyperOS | Standard Android |
|---|---|---|---|
| Advertising service | Passwords and security → Authorization and security | Passwords and security → Privacy | Google → Advertising |
| Recommendations in folders | Click on the folder name | Click on the folder name | Not applicable. |
| Cleaning up the ad cache | Appendix Security → Cleaning | Settings → Memory → Cleaning | Settings → Memory |
| Private DNS | Connection and Sharing → Private DNS | Additional settings → Private DNS | Network and Internet |
Use a Settings Search (a magnifier at the top of the screen) by typing keywords like “advertising”, “msa” or “recommendations.” This is the fastest way to find the right switch, regardless of your system version.
Additional methods and debugging over USB
For advanced users, there is a method to disable advertising through debugging USB and ADB-However, there is an easier way through the hidden menu of the developer, which allows you to limit the background processes.
Turn on developer mode by tapping the build number seven times in the About Phone section. Then, in the developer menu, look for options related to background processes. Limiting the number of options can indirectly reduce the activity of ad modules, although this is not a direct method of blocking.
⚠️ Warning: Do not disable system processes that you don’t know the names of through a developer menu or freeze app, which can cause your phone to run unstable or cyclically reboot.
It’s also worth considering installing third-party launchers if the built-in shell seems too congested. Launchers like Nova Launcher or Microsoft Launcher completely replace the desktop and don’t have Xiaomi ads built in.
Remember that full blocking of ads in system applications (for example, in “Themes”) is sometimes impossible without losing the functionality of downloading new wallpaper.