How to permanently disable articles on the lock screen Xiaomi: 5 proven ways

Why articles appear on the Xiaomi lock screen and how to fix it

You turn on a Xiaomi smartphone, and instead of the usual time and notifications, you see intrusive news articles, ads or “helpful” tips from MIUI? This is not an accident, but part of the Chinese manufacturer’s aggressive monetization strategy. Since MIUI 12, the company has actively integrated content from partners directly into system interfaces — and the lock screen has become one of the main “advertising platforms”.

Compounding the problem, standard settings often prevent this functionality from being completely disabled. Even after manually switching off through the menu, articles can return after a system update or reset. In this article, we will explore all possible ways to remove news content from the lock screen, including hidden developer and ADB commands for advanced users.

It's important to understand that the methods differ depending on the version of MIUI and the model of the smartphone. For example, on the Redmi Note 11 with MIUI 13, the path to settings will be different from on the Xiaomi 13 Pro with MIUI 14. We covered all the current options, so you will definitely find a solution for your device.

Method 1: Standard shutdown via MIUI settings

Let’s start with the simplest method that works on most Xiaomi, Redmi and POCO devices with MIUI 12-14 versions, which does not require root rights or technical skills, but may not be effective enough on some firmware.

Instructions:

📱 Open the Settings app (cog icon)
🔍 Go to Lock Screen (or Lock and Protect on some models)
📰 Find the lock screen style or lock screen settings
🚫 Turn off the sliders next to: 📄 Recommended content 🌐 News and weather 💡 Hints MIUI

☑️ Verification of deactivation of articles

Open lock screen settingsFound the section "Style of the lock screen"All content sliders are disabledRebooted smartphone to apply changes

Done: 0 / 4

⚠️ Note: On certain devices (e.g, POCO X3 Pro) these settings can be hidden under the option Additional settings or Advanced features. If you do not find the necessary options, check the tab More in the upper right corner.

After turning off, we recommend restarting your smartphone, as changes may not apply immediately. If articles continue to appear, move to the next method.

Method 2: Disconnection through "Special Opportunities"

A little-known trick that works even on devices where standard settings don’t work, and it’s based on disabling the system service that uploads content to the lock screen.

Step-by-step:

Go to Settings. → Special facilities
Select Hearing → Removing Sounds and Vibrations
Activate the slider Remove sounds and vibrations
Return to the main menu Special Opportunities
Now go to Settings → Applications → Application Management
In the search bar, enter msa (without quotes)
Select the com.miui.msa.global app (or simply MSA)
Click Disable and confirm the action

🔧 Why it works: The Service MSA (Miui System Ads is responsible for displaying ads and recommended content on the system, and disabling it removes not only articles from the lock screen, but other intrusive elements in the system. MIUI.

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If some system functions (such as themes) have stopped working after the MSA has been disabled, return the settings back and try Method 3 or 4.

Method 3: Using hidden developer settings

For users who are ready to dive into technical details, there is a more radical method through developer mode: it requires activation of hidden options, but gives full control over the display of content.

Activation of the developer mode:

Go to Settings. → The phone.
Find the MIUI version and tap it 7 times in a row
Enter your password/pattern lock when requesting
You will be notified that you have become a developer!

Now, do the following:

🔧 Return to the main Settings menu and open a new section for developers
🔍 Find the debugging parameter by USB and activate it.
📱 Connect your smartphone to your PC and install Android SDK Platform-Tools
💻 Open the command line (Windows) or the terminal (macOS/Linux) adb-folder
📋 Enter the command: adb shell pm uninstall -k --user 0 com.miui.systemAdSolution

⚠️ Note: This method will remove the system application responsible for displaying ads. On some devices, this may cause malfunctions in Xiaomi services (for example, cloud storage or themes.

What if the ADB does not recognize the device?

1. Make sure that the debugging is enabled by USB Install the official Xiaomi drivers from the manufacturer's website3. Try using another one. USB-cable (original)4. Reboot both smartphone and computer5. Enter adb devices in the command line – if the device is displayed but marked “unauthorized”, confirm access on the smartphone screen

Method 4: Manual removal via MIUI Hidden Settings (without root)

For those who don’t want to mess with ADB, there’s an alternative, the MIUI Hidden Settings app (available on Google Play), which reveals hidden system settings that are not available in the standard interface.

Instructions for use:

Download and install MIUI Hidden Settings
Open the application and provide all the permissions requested
Go to the Lockscreen section (lock screen)
Find the parameters: 📵 Disable magazine lockscreen (Disable log on lock screen) 🚫 Disable recommended content (disable recommended content) 🌍 Disable news feed (disable news feed)

Activate all switches found

Reset the device

📊 Advantages of this method:

Criteria	MIUI Hidden Settings	ADB-team	Standard settings
Requires root.	❌ No.	❌ No.	❌ No.
It works on all versions of MIUI.	✅ Yes (12-14)	⚠️ Partially.	❌ No.
Possibility of rollback	✅ It's easy to return the settings.	⚠️ Requires a recommand	✅ Instantly.
Risk to the system	✅ Minimum	⚠️ Medium.	✅ Absent.

⚠️ Attention: Annex MIUI Hidden Settings may not work on some custom firmware or modified version MIUI. If articles continue to appear after activation of options, check for updates for the app or try alternative methods.

📊 How did you help to disable articles?

Standard settings

Special facilities

ADB-team

MIUI Hidden Settings

Nothing helped.

Method 5: Complete removal via TWRP (for advanced users)

If all previous methods failed, the most radical option is to remove system applications through custom recovery, which requires an unlocked bootloader and a TWRP installed, but is guaranteed to remove all unnecessary elements.

🛠️ Conditions required:

🔓 Unlocked bootloader (bootloader)
📱 Established custom recovery TWRP
💾 Backup copy of data (required!)

Step-by-step:

Turn off your smartphone and press Volume Up + Power to enter TWRP
Select Advanced → File Manager
Go to /system/priv-app/
Delete the following folders (if any): MagazineGlobal MSA or msa SystemAdSolution

Wipe → Dalvik/ART Cache

Reset the device

🔥 Warning: Deleting system files can lead to unstable device operation or even a "brick" (breaking firmware).This method is recommended only for experienced users who understand the risks and have experience with the work of the system. TWRP.

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TWRP removal is the most effective way, but it's also the most dangerous way, and only use it if other methods haven't worked, and you're prepared for the consequences.

Additional tips: how to prevent the return of articles

Even after successful disabling, articles may return after a MIUI update or reset. To avoid this, follow these guidelines:

🔄 Turn off automatic updates MIUI: Go to Settings. → The phone. → Update the Tapnet system at three points in the upper right corner Select Update settings and disable Autoboot
📦 Freeze unnecessary system applications: Use AppOps or App Quarantine to block: com.miui.magazine com.miui.systemAdSolution com.xiaomi.mipicks
🛡️ Install an alternative launcher: Launchers like Nova Launcher or Lawnchair can override lock screen system settings

💡 Useful Life Hack: If you are using POCO Launcher, try switching to standard MIUI Launcher, turn off articles, and then back up. Sometimes it helps to reset the intrusive settings.

FAQ: Frequent questions about disabling articles on Xiaomi

❓ Why articles continue to appear after being turned off?

This is due to the cache of system applications. Try: Clear the cache for Settings and Launcher in Settings → Applications Execute the command via ADB: adb shell pm clear com.miui.home Reboot the device in Safe Mode and check for articles If the problem remains - most likely your device is running a background service that restores settings, in which case only removal via TWRP or ADB will help.

❓ Can I turn off articles without root rights?

Yes, most users are short on Method 1 (standard settings) or Method 2 (special features). Root rights are only required for deep system modifications, such as completely removing system APKs via TWRP. If standard methods don't work, try MIUI Hidden Settings (Method 4) - it doesn't require root, but gives access to hidden settings.

❓ Will these methods work for POCO redmi?

Yes, all of the described methods are relevant for POCO and Redmi, as these brands use the same MIUI firmware. Exceptions: POCO F1/F2/F3 may not have a Lock Screen Style section - use MIUI Hidden Settings On Redmi Note 8/9, you sometimes need to additionally disable com.xiaomi.midrop via ADB For precise instructions, specify your device model and MIUI version in the settings.

❓ How to return articles if I change my mind?

Depending on the method used: 🔙 Standard settings: Just turn the sliders back on to the Lock screen 🔄 ADB-Enter adb shell cmd package install-existing com.miui.systemAdSolution 📦 MIUI Hidden Settings: Deactivate the switches in the app 🛠️ TWRP: You will need to manually restore the deleted APK backup or reflash the device

❓ Is there a risk of losing the warranty after these manipulations?

Standard settings (Methods 1–2) and MIUI Hidden Settings (Method 4) do not affect the warranty, as they do not require unlocking the bootloader or root rights. ADB (Method 3) could theoretically be considered an interference with the system, but in practice Xiaomi service centers rarely pay attention to this unless the device has physical damage. ⚠️ The greatest risk is when using TWRP (Method 5), since unlocking the bootloader officially voids the warranty, however, in most cases, it is enough to return the device to standard firmware before visiting the service center.