How to turn off recommendations on Xiaomi: the complete guide to MIUI

Owners of modern smartphones Xiaomi, Redmi and POCO often encounter intrusive content that the MIUI system offers in various sections of the interface, such as advertising in folders, recommending applications in the notification curtain or offering news on the lock screen, such activity is caused by the fact that MSA (MIUI System Ads) and other system services are activated by default to monetize budget devices.

Fortunately, developers are giving users the tools to take full control of their device, removing unnecessary elements and improving performance. The process of turning off does not require root rights or reflashing the phone to the global version. It is enough to go through the system settings consistently to make the interface clean and secure.

In this article, we will discuss in detail which services are responsible for collecting data and displaying ads, and how to properly deactivate them without harming the operating system. We will look at both standard methods through the settings menu, and more advanced ways to block traffic, which will allow you to completely clean your smartphone of digital noise.

Disabling the MSA service, the main source of advertising

The central element that drives banner displays and usage statistics is the msa system process, which analyzes your actions and loads content from the network, and to turn it off, you need to go to the settings menu and find the password and security section.

Inside the menu, you'll need to find "Access to Data" or "Authorization and Privacy" and you'll have a list of all the system services that have Internet access, find the msa component in the list and switch the slider to an inactive state, and the system will alert you to the possible consequences, but they're not critical to the average user.

When the service is turned off, a 10-second countdown timer will appear, so that the user does not accidentally turn off an important system process, wait until the countdown is completed and press the Stop button, and the ad modules will no longer receive data from the network.

⚠️ Attention: After disconnection MSA Some features, such as the personalized recommendations in the Security or Music app, may stop working properly. If you notice a failure, just return the slider to its original position.

It is important to understand that a single shutdown may not be enough, and the msa service tends to reactivate automatically after a while or after a system update, so it is recommended to check this setting a few days after the initial setup.

Managing personalization and advertising identifier

In addition to direct advertising, Xiaomi actively uses Advertising ID to target content to the user’s interests, which allows the company’s algorithms to build a profile of your preferences, and to increase privacy, this ID can be reset or completely disable.

To do this, go to Passwords and Security, then select Privacy. At the bottom of the screen, look for Advertising Services. Here you will see the Personalized Advertising switch, which must be switched off, and this action will break the connection between your device and the ad servers.

The menu also provides a reset feature for advertising IDs, and the regular reset of Advertising ID prevents advertisers from accumulating longevity.

This is especially true for those who often install new apps or change interests.

• 🔒 Disabling personalization prevents collection of your location data for advertising purposes.
• 📉 Resetting your ID makes your digital profile less recognizable to algorithms MIUI.
• 🛡️ Blocking advertising services reduces the load on the processor, as background processes are not activated.

This setting should not be confused with a complete ban on advertising in applications. The advertising ID is responsible for targeting, but does not block the display of static banners in system utilities, unless the MSA is disabled.

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For maximum efficiency, it is recommended to reset your advertising ID every month, especially if you are actively using the GetApps store.

Setting up the lock screen and wallpaper carousel

One of the most annoying features for many users is the “Glance” which automatically changes images on the lock screen and shows news, a service often perceived as spam, as it is activated immediately after the first turn on of the smartphone.

To get rid of this, open the settings and go to Always on Screen and Lock screen. Find Wallpaper Carousel and turn it off. Then the lock screen will only have the static image you chose, and the extra widgets will disappear.

Also, the lock screen settings should check "Recommendations" and often hide suggestions to install new games or apps, and make sure that all the switches associated with recommendations and news are in the "Off" position.

The changes will make the lock screen much cleaner, not only improving visual perception, but also saving battery life, as the system will not need to constantly upload new images and data over the Internet.

Cleaning folders and desktop from advertising

There's a feature in the MIUI shell: when you create folders with applications, the system can automatically add recommended games or programs to them, usually marked with a "Recommended" plaque or an appropriate icon, you can remove them, but you need to know the correct algorithm of actions.

Open the folder where the ad appears. Click on the empty space inside the folder or the folder name to open the edit menu. There you will see the Recommended Apps switch. Put it inactive, and all the imposed icons disappear.

You should also look at the Wallpaper or Gallery widget on your desktop, which can sometimes broadcast advertising images. (long press) on the widget will remove it or change the display settings. Replace it with a standard clock or calendar for a more neat look.

⚠️ Note: Do not delete system applications such as Explorer or Downloads, even if they seem unnecessary.This can disrupt the file system and lead to update errors.

For full order, manually go through all the folders you create. Often, the "recommendations" settings are applied individually to each folder, and in one of them, the ads may remain active until you turn it off.

Disabling recommendations in system applications

Xiaomi system utilities such as Explorer, Downloads, Security, and Music also contain built-in ad modules, which can appear as banners at the bottom of the screen or pop-ups when scanning is completed.

Consider the example of the Security app. Open it, click on the settings gear in the top right corner. Find the "Get recommendations" and turn it off. The same settings are in Explorer: click on the menu (three bars), select Settings, then About or Recommendations, and deaktivate the extra one.

In Downloads, ads often appear as a "Recommended" tab. To hide them, go to the bootloader settings (three dots in the corner) and find "Show recommended content." Once disabled, the interface becomes minimal.

• 📁 In "Conductor" disable receiving recommendations in the general settings of the application.
• 🛡️ In "Security" remove the tick from the item "Receive recommendations" in the settings menu.
• 🎵 In "Music" and "Video" disable autoplay and recommendation tapes in the relevant sections.

Some apps may require re-entering the settings menu after an update.This is normal behavior for MIUI, as updates often reset user preferences to default values that include ads.

Advertising Blocking Through DNS and Additional Methods

If standard methods are not enough, a more radical approach can be taken: blocking ads at the network connection level, using filtered DNS allows you to cut off advertising requests before they reach the device.

Modern versions of Android (starting with 9.0) have a built-in "Private" feature. DNS" (Private DNS). Go to "Settings" →"Connection and sharing" →"Private DNS". Select the "Host Name Provider" option DNS" and enter the address: dns.adguard.com. Save settings.

This method blocks ads not only in the system, but also in the browser and some applications. DNS-The server will become unavailable, the Internet on the phone may stop working, in which case, just return the setting to the "Auto" position".

Using dns.adguard.com is the most effective way to protect the system, and it does not require the installation of additional applications, which has a positive effect on the autonomy of the device. However, this method does not block Xiaomi’s own advertising, as long as it is sewn into the code of system applications and does not access external trackers.

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Combining disabling the MSA service and using a private DNS gives the best result, completely clearing the smartphone of most types of advertising.

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