How to permanently disable Xiaomi recommendations on the lock screen: the complete guide

The lock screen on Xiaomi, Redmi and Poco smartphones often turns into an advertising platform: here are news from Mi Browser, app installation suggestions, and even content from GetApps. These Xiaomi recommendations are not only annoying, but also increase battery consumption by 3-7% due to the background activity of services. Fortunately, you can turn them off without root rights - and we will show you how to do it on any device with MIUI 12-15, including Xiaomi 13/14, Redmi Note 12/13 and Poco F5/X5.

The problem is that Xiaomi hides these settings in different menus, depending on the firmware version and region. You can turn off one switch and you have to dig into ADB or even edit system files. In this article, we have collected all the working methods, including little-known tricks for the Chinese versions of MIUI (where there are a lot of ads), and we will also analyze why recommendations can come back after the update and how to prevent it.

Why does Xiaomi show recommendations on the block?

Since 2019, Xiaomi has been actively monetizing its MIUI shell by adding ads and “personalized content” to different parts of the system.The lock screen is one of the most prominent places for such inserts.

• 📰 Mi Browser – shows news cards and website ads.
• 📱 GetApps – offers to install apps (often unnecessary).
• 🎵 Mi Music/Mi Video – recommends tracks and videos from partner services.
• 🔄 System services – analyze your activity for “personalization” (in practice – for targeted advertising).

On the Chinese versions of MIUI (for example, Xiaomi 12S Ultra or Redmi K60) advertising is even more, adding banners from Alipay, Tencent and local services. Global firmware is smaller, but it does not disappear completely even after turning off all the switches in the settings.

It’s important to understand that lock recommendations aren’t just ads: They consume traffic (up to 50 to 100 MB/month), drain the battery, and can even slow unlocking due to background content loading. For example, on the Redmi Note 11 Pro+, users complained of delays of up to 2 seconds when swiping up — the problem disappeared after disabling the recommendations.

Method 1: Disconnect via standard MIUI settings

The easiest method is to use built-in switches, which works on most devices with MIUI 12-15, but may vary depending on the regional firmware.

1. Open the Settings → Lock screen.
2. Slip on the lock screen style (or lock screen settings on new versions).
3. Choose No Recommendations or Classic (if there is no such option, proceed to the next step).
4. Go back and find the Recommendation option on the lock screen – turn it off.
5. Reset the device (required!).

On some firmware (for example, on the Poco F4 GT with MIUI 14 for Poco), the path is different:

Settings → All settings → Lock screen → Additional settings → Recommendations

Are notifications from Mi Browser disabled | Are unnecessary widgets removed from lock | Is firmware updated to the latest version | Is backup set-up-->

If the recommendations are still there, they come from another source, and Mi Browser is most often to blame, because it needs to be turned off separately.

1. Go to Settings → Applications → Application Management.
2. Find the Mi Browser (or just the Browser).
3. Tap Disable (if the button is inactive, click Stop first).
4. Confirm the action – this will remove all browser updates and reset it to the factory version.

⚠️ Attention: On Chinese firmware (MIUI CN) Disabling Mi Browser can cause errors in the operation of system services. ADB (3-way).

Method 2: Remove widgets and disable notifications

Sometimes recommendations are disguised as widgets or notifications, such as on Xiaomi 13 Lite, news cards may appear from Mi Weather or Mi Video widgets to remove them:

• 🌡️ Remove widgets from lock screen: Unlock phone and swipe your finger across lock screen down (as for calling notification bar). ⚙️ in the top right corner. Select Remove widgets or Edit and brush off unnecessary items.
• 📵 Disable notifications from system applications: Go to Settings → Notifications → Notification management. Find Mi Browser, GetApps, Mi Video and turn off notifications for them. For reliability, also turn off notifications from Security (unless they are critical).

MIUI 14+ has introduced Intelligent Notifications, which can automatically display content on lockdown to deactivate it:

Settings → Notifications → Intelligent Notifications → Disable

⚠️ Note: On some firmware (for example, MIUI 13 for Redmi Note 10) after disabling notifications from GetApps, automatic app updates may stop working. In this case, use alternative stores like the Aurora Store.

Method 3: Disconnect via ADB (for power users)

If standard methods don't work, you'll need to use Android Debug Bridge (ADB), which works on all versions of MIUI, including Chinese ones, but requires a computer connection.

• 🖥️ 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 Settings → For developers).
• 🔌 USB-cable (preferably original).
• 📱 Third-party launchers: Nova Launcher + Sesame Lockscreen (paid but no ads) Action Launcher with Quicktheme.Lawnchair setting (free but requires manual setup).
• 🔒 Locking apps: Always On Edge - replaces the lock screen with a custom one. Lock Screen & AppLock - allows you to hide system elements.