How to completely disable advertising collection on Xiaomi: 5 proven ways

Xiaomi, Redmi and POCO are known for their value for money, but many users are facing intrusive ads in system applications.It’s not just banners β€” devices are actively collecting data about your preferences to show β€œrelevant” ads, a practice that has become especially noticeable since the MIUI 12-14 updates, where ad units have appeared even in the settings and file manager.

In this article, we’ll look at all the ways you can disable ad data collection, from standard settings to hidden developer settings, how to block personalized ads, remove your advertising ID, and even disable Xiaomi’s ad services completely through ADB. All methods are tested on current firmware versions and work without root rights.

It is important to understand that some ways can affect the performance of system applications (for example, msa or MiuiDaemon).We will explain in detail what consequences await after each step, so you can choose the best option. If you are ready to get rid of intrusive advertising once and for all, read on.

1. disable personalized advertising in MIUI settings

The easiest and safest way to do this is to use the built-in privacy settings, which require no additional software and is suitable for most models, including the Xiaomi 13, Redmi Note 12 and POCO F5.

Go to: Settings β†’ Google β†’ Advertising (or Settings β†’ Additional β†’ Privacy β†’ Advertising in some versions of MIUI).

Here you will see two key parameters:

  • πŸ”„ Reset the advertising ID β€” This will remove your current identifier used for targeted advertising, and once reset, the ads will become less personalized.
  • 🚫 Disable personalized ads – this switch completely blocks the collection of data about your actions for displaying ads.

When personalized ads are turned off, banners will not disappear completely, but their content will become random (for example, instead of advertising smartphones, you will see generic offers from Xiaomi), this method does not require a reboot and works instantly.

⚠️ Note: On some devices with MIUI global-market (EEA) The item "Advertising" may not be available, in which case use the methods in the following sections.

πŸ“Š What kind of Xiaomi model do you have?
Xiaomi (11/12/13 series)
Redmi (Note 10/11/12)
POCO (F/X/M series)
Another model

2. Blocking advertising services through "Application Permissions"

Xiaomi system applications (e.g. Mi Browser, Security, Cleaner) have built-in modules for displaying ads. They can be disabled through permission settings, but this method requires care - incorrect actions can disrupt some functions.

Follow the instructions:

  1. Open Settings β†’ Applications β†’ Application Management.
  2. In the search bar, type the name of the system application (for example, msa is Miui System Ads).
  3. Select the application and go to Permissions.
  4. Disable all permissions related to: πŸ“‘ Internet (prevents the download of banner ads) πŸ“ Location (used for geo-targeting) πŸ“ Storage (some apps save ad cache)

For maximum effect, repeat the procedure for the following applications: com.miui.systemAdSolution (advertising engine), com.xiaomi.midrop (transfer of files with advertising), com.miui.cleanmaster (cleaning with banners).

β˜‘οΈ Ad-blocking applications

Done: 0 / 5

⚠️ Warning: Disabling permissions for com.miui.systemAdSolution may cause Mi Account and Cloud Storage to crash. If you actively use these services, skip this step.

3.Using ADB to Deeply Disable Advertising

If standard methods didn’t work, you can use Android Debug Bridge (ADB), a debugging tool that allows you to disable system components without rooting permissions, which is suitable for power users and requires connecting a smartphone to a PC.

You'll need:

  • πŸ–₯️ Computer with installed ADB Tools
  • πŸ“± Included debugging by USB on a smartphone (Settings) β†’ The phone. β†’ Version. MIUI β€” Press 7 times, then return to Settings β†’ Additionally. β†’ For developers)
  • πŸ”Œ Cable USB (preferably original)

Open the command prompt (or Terminal on Mac/Linux) and enter the following commands in turn:

adb shell pm hide com.miui.systemAdSolution


adb shell pm hide com.xiaomi.mipicks




adb shell pm hide com.android.browser




adb shell pm disable-user --user 0 com.miui.analytics

These teams:

  • πŸ›‘οΈ Disable the main advertising engine (systemAdSolution)
  • πŸ“΅ Block the Mi Picks app (shows ads on the lock screen)
  • 🌐 Remove the built-in browser with banners
  • πŸ“Š Disable the collection of analytics (com.miui.analytics)

Once these commands are executed, ads will disappear from 90% of system applications, including Security, Themes, and Cleanup, but some features (such as synchronizing themes) may not work properly.

πŸ’‘

Before using ADB, back up your data via Settings β†’ Additional β†’ Backup and Reset. This will help restore the system if something goes wrong.

4. Removing Advertising through Hosts File Editing

Another effective method is to block ad servers at the system level, by editing the hosts file, which is responsible for redirecting domain names, which requires root rights or special applications like AdAway.

If you have root, follow the following steps:

  1. Install any file manager with root support (such as Root Explorer).
  2. Go to /system/etc/hosts and open the file in the text editor.
  3. Add the following lines at the end of the file: 127.0.0.1 ad.mi.com 127.0.0.1 data.mistat.xiaomi.com 127.0.0.1 sdkconfig.ad.xiaomi.com 127.0.0.1 api.brs.intl.miui.com
  4. Save the file and restart the device.

If root is not available, you can use the AdAway app (requires an unlocked bootloader) which automatically updates the list of blocked domains and applies them without manual editing.

MethodDo you need root rights?EfficiencyRisks.
Editing by hostsβœ… Yes.⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐May disrupt system updates
ADB-team❌ No.⭐⭐⭐⭐Some applications may not work smoothly.
Disabling permits❌ No.⭐⭐⭐Advertising will return after resetting settings
Resetting advertising ID❌ No.⭐⭐Advertising will become less personalized, but it won’t disappear.

5. Alternative firmware: complete elimination of advertising

If you’re willing to take drastic measures, installing custom firmware (like LineageOS, Pixel Experience or Xiaomi.eu) will completely remove all Xiaomi ad modules.These firmware are based on pure Android and do not contain proprietary data collection services.

Advantages of custom firmware:

  • πŸš€ No system advertising – all advertising components are removed at the code level.
  • πŸ”„ Regular updates – many custom firmware get security patches faster than official versions MIUI.
  • πŸ› οΈ Additional settings – the ability to fine-tune the interface and performance.

Disadvantages:

  • ⚠️ Loss of warranty – unlocking the bootloader will void the official warranty.
  • πŸ”§ Installation Difficulty – Requires unlocking bootloader and knowledge of fastboot commands.
  • πŸ“± Not all features work – for example, Xiaomi’s signature chips like Always-on Display or Super Wallpapers may not be available.

The most popular firmware for Xiaomi:

  • 🌍 Xiaomi.eu – modified MIUI without advertising and Chinese services, with support for all languages.
How to unlock the bootloader on Xiaomi?
1. Link your Mi Account to your device in Settings β†’ Mi Account. 2. Go to Mi Unlock and download the utility. 3. Connect your phone in Fastboot mode (press Power + Vol Down). 4. Follow the program instructions (unlocking takes up to 72 hours). 5. Once unlocked, you can install custom firmware via TWRP or Fastboot.

6. Additional measures: VPNs and ad blockers

If you don't want to interfere with system settings, you can use external tools to block ads.

  • πŸ›‘οΈ Blokada – Blocker of Advertising at the Level DNS, It's root-free. It works through VPN, but not encrypting traffic.
  • 🌐 AdGuard is a full-fledged blocker with the ability to configure filters. There is a version for Android with local VPN.
  • πŸ”— NextDNS is a cloud-based traffic filtering service. You can set up a Xiaomi domain lock manually.

For maximum efficiency, combine these tools with the methods in the previous sections. For example, after disabling advertising services through ADB, you can install Blokada to block the remaining banners in the browser and third-party applications.

Example of setting up NextDNS to block Xiaomi ads:

  1. Register at nextdns.io.
  2. Create a new profile and add the following domains to the blacklist: ad.mi.com data.mistat.xiaomi.com sdkconfig.ad.xiaomi.com api.brs.intl.miui.com tracker.ai.xiaomi.com
  3. Install NextDNS on your phone and activate the protection.

⚠️ Note: Some ad blockers (e.g. AdGuard in mode) VPN) They may conflict with banking applications because of security policies, in which case add banking software to the exceptions.

πŸ’‘

Combination ADB-commands to disable system advertising modules + Blocker like Blokada gives the best result – ads disappear from 99% of places, including hidden banners in the settings.

FAQ: Frequent questions about ad blocking on Xiaomi

❓ Why After Disabling Advertising Through ADB She's coming back?
This is due to automatic updates to system applications. To prevent adverts from returning: Turn off auto-update for msa, MiuiDaemon and System Ad Solution apps on Google Play. Freeze these apps with App Freezer (root rights required) or through ADB: adb shell pm disable-user --user 0 com.miui.systemAdSolution
❓ Can you turn off advertising without a computer?
Yes, there are several ways: Use the App Inspector app (from F-Droid) to find and disable ad modules; install Blokada or AdGuard to block ad servers; manually disable permissions for system applications (see Section 2); however, root rights will still be required to completely remove ads without a PC.
❓ Does the ad blocking affect Mi Account and cloud services?
Yes, disabling some system components (e.g. com.miui.analytics or msa) can result in: Mi Cloud sync errors (photos, contacts, notes); Find Device (phone search) and authorization problems in some Xiaomi services (e.g. Mi Home). If you actively use these features, we recommend using only a personalized lock (see Section 1) or VPN-blockers (see Section 6).
❓ Why Advertising Returns After Resetting?
When resetting to factory settings, all changes to system applications (including disabled permissions and ADB-To avoid this, back up the list of applications that have been disabled (you can take a picture of the settings screen). ADB-Install custom firmware (e.g. Xiaomi.eu) where the ads are removed at the system image level.
❓ Is it legal to disable advertising data collection?
From a legal point of view, you have the full right to disable the collection of personal data on your device. Most countries (including Russia and the EU) have data protection laws (for example, GDPR), which require companies to give users control over their data. However, Xiaomi may stipulate in the user agreement that disabling system components deprives you of the right to warranty service. If you plan to contact a service center, we recommend that you return all settings to the original state.