How to completely disable recommendations in the Xiaomi gallery: 5 proven ways

Xiaomi’s MIUI-based built-in gallery is one of the most controversial firmware elements, offering easy-to-view photos, basic editing tools, and cloud backups, while aggressively imposing recommendations such as banner ads, suggestions to install new apps, editing tips, and even content from “interesting” publics, which not only take up space on the screen but consume up to 15 percent additional RAM each time a gallery is opened, which is critical for budget models like the Redmi 9A or Poco M3.

Compounding the problem, Xiaomi regularly updates its recommendation algorithms to make them more intrusive. For example, MIUI 14 has personalized selections based on analyzing your photos (even without the explicit consent of the user), and HyperOS has integrated with Xiaomi GetApps, which feeds “useful” apps right into the gallery interface. Fortunately, there are ways to disable this functionality from standard settings to deep system edits. In this article, we will examine all the current methods, including those that Xiaomi specifically hides from users.

Why Xiaomi Gallery Recommendations Are Appearing and Can They Be Removed Forever?

The recommendations in Xiaomi Gallery are part of the MIUI Ads ecosystem, a free firmware monetization system, and even if you've never clicked on banner ads, the algorithms continue to collect data about your behavior:

• 📊 Photo analysis: the system scans the metadata of the images (geolocation, shooting time, filters used) to form “interesting” proposals.
• 🔄 Mi Account integration: If you are logged in, recommendations are pulled from your search history in Mi Browser and activity in Mi Community.
• 📱 Connecting to other apps: The gallery is sharing data with Mi Video, Music and even Xiaomi Cloud to offer “relevant” content.

Technically, you can only remove the recommendation mechanism completely with root rights or custom firmware. However, in 90% of cases, it is enough to disable key settings and restrict the application's access to data. It is important to understand that after the MIUI update, some parameters can be reset, so we recommend combining several methods for a stable result.

⚠️ Note: On models with HyperOS (e.g. Xiaomi 14 or Redmi Note 13 Pro)+) Part of the settings moved to the section Special features → System applications. If you don't find the menu items in the instructions, check this section.

Method 1: Disabling recommendations through standard gallery settings

The simplest method that works on most devices without any additional manipulation is suitable for Xiaomi, Redmi, Poco and Black Shark on MIUI 12-14 and HyperOS:

1. Open the Gallery app.
2. Slap the icon. ⋮ (three points) in upper right corner.
3. Select the Settings item.
4. Go to the Recommendations or Personalization section (the name depends on the firmware version).
5. Turn off all sliders: 🔘 Show recommendations 🔘 Personalized content 🔘 Offers from Xiaomi 🔘 Advertising in the gallery (if any)

Save the changes and restart the application.

On some devices (e.g. Redmi Note 11 Pro), you may need to further disable the option to Show Interesting Content in the Cloud section of the same gallery settings. If recommendations continue to appear after the restart, clear the app cache:

Settings → Applications → Application Management → Gallery → Storage → Clear cache

Disable mobile internet and Wi-Fi (to avoid synchronization of settings)

Check out the MIUI/HyperOS version in About Phone

Backup of important photos

Close all background applications-->

Method 2: Blocking through "Special Opportunities" (hidden method)

This is a method that works for devices where standard settings do not give full control over recommendations, and works by restricting the rights of the Gallery application at the system level:

1. Open the Settings. → Special facilities.
2. Go to Special Opportunity Services (or System Applications in HyperOS).
3. Find the Gallery (could be called com.miui.gallery).
4. Disable all permissions related to: 📡 Internet access 📍 Geolocation 📊 Analytics and improvements 🔄 Background activity

Applications → Application Management → Gallery → Permissions

Warehouse

Camera.

Microphone

This method does not remove recommendations completely, but makes them extremely rare as the application loses access to data for personalization.

💡

If the gallery starts to issue errors after the permissions are turned off, return the rights to the Warehouse and the Camera, but leave the blocking on the Internet and Geolocation, which will reduce the number of recommendations without critical failures.

Method 3: Use ADB-deep-switch

For users willing to take more drastic measures, it is possible to disable recommendations via ADB (Android Debug Bridge), which requires connecting the phone to a computer, but gives the best result.

You'll need:

• 🖥️ Computer with installed ADB Tools.
• 📱 Included Debugging by USB on the phone (Settings) → The phone. → Version. MIUI — Tap 7 times, then return to the additional → For developers).
• 🔌 USB-cable (preferably original).

Instructions:

1. Connect your phone to your PC and open the command prompt (or Terminal on Mac/Linux) in the adb folder.
2. Enter the command to check the connection: Adb devices must appear serial number of your device.
3. Execute the command to disable recommendations: adb shell pm disable-user --user 0 com.miui.gallery.ads If the command doesn’t work, try the alternative: adb shell settings put global. hidden_api_policy 1
4. For HyperOS devices add: adb shell pm uninstall --user 0 com.xiaomi.mirecommender
5. Reboot the phone.

After these commands are completed, the ad units and recommendations will disappear from the gallery. If they appear again in the future (for example, after an update), repeat the procedure.

adb shell pm enable com.miui.gallery.ads

Method 4: Installation of an alternative gallery (radical solution)

If all previous methods have failed or you don’t want to put up with MIUI features, the most reliable way is to install a third-party gallery.This will completely eliminate the recommendations, but will require you to abandon some features (for example, cloud sync with Mi Cloud).

Best alternatives:

To make a third-party gallery the default app:

1. Install the selected application from the Play Market.
2. Open Settings → Applications → Default Applications → Gallery.
3. Select the installed gallery from the list.
4. Disable or freeze the standard gallery through Settings → Applications → Application Management → Gallery → Disable.

⚠️ Note: On some devices (Xiaomi) 13T, Redmi K60) You can't turn off a standard gallery without root rights, so you just have to hide its icon from the home screen and use an alternative app.

Standard MIUI

Google Photo

Simple Gallery

Another (I will write in the comments)-->

Method 5: Editing system files (for advanced users)

This method involves changing system files and requires root rights or custom recovery (such as TWRP), which is suitable for users who are willing to risk system stability for the sake of complete control.

Instructions:

1. Install Root Explorer or any other file manager with root support.
2. Go to /system/priv-app/MiuiGallery/MiuiGallery.apk or (for newer versions): /system/app/Gallery2/Gallery2.apk
3. Copy the MiuiGallery.apk file to your computer and open it with APK Editor.
4. Find the lines in the manifesto (AndroidManifest.xml) containing: com.miui.gallery.ads com.xiaomi.mirecommender and delete them.
5. Save the changes, sign the APK and install it back on your phone by replacing the original file.
6. Clear the cache and gallery data, then restart the device.

This method is guaranteed to remove all advertising modules from the gallery, but has risks:

• 🚨 Violation of system integrity can lead to bootloop ( looped boot).
• 🔄 After updating MIUI Changes will have to be repeated.
• 🛡️ Some gallery features (e.g., video editing) may stop working.

💡

Editing of systems APK-If you are not sure about your skills, use methods 1-3 or install an alternative gallery.

What to do if recommendations are returned after the update

Xiaomi regularly updates its ad-show mechanisms, so even after a successful shutdown, recommendations may reappear.

1. Check the versions of the applications: 📱 Open the Settings. → Annexes → Application management → gallery → Version. 🔍 Compare the latest updates on APKCombo. 📉 If the version has changed, repeat the disconnection through ADB or setting.

Take a look at the old version of the gallery.

1. Download the old version of APK from a trusted source (e.g., APKMirror).


2. Remove updates via Settings → of the Appendix → Gallery → ⋮ → Remove updates.




3. Install the downloaded APK (allow installation from unknown sources).

Block gallery updates

Settings → Apps → Application Management → Gallery → ⋮ → Disable Auto Update

If the problem is repeated too often, consider a custom firmware option (like LineageOS or Pixel Experience) that doesn’t have Xiaomi’s built-in ad modules.

FAQ: Frequent questions about recommendations at Xiaomi Gallery