Owners of Xiaomi, Redmi and POCO smartphones often face intrusive advertising that appears in system applications and on the desktop. This annoying phenomenon is the result of the company’s built-in services designed to monetize budget devices. However, modern versions of the MIUI shell and the new HyperOS allow you to flexibly manage these processes, minimizing the number of inserts to a minimum or eliminating them completely.
To effectively combat digital garbage, it is important to understand that there is no single “Switch Off All” button, a process that involves a complex setup of several parameters, including disabling system services, changing security settings, and adjusting the operation of pre-installed applications, and only consistently following all the steps ensures a clean interface and no sudden pop-ups while using the gadget.
In this guide, we will discuss each step of clearing the system of advertising modules, how to deactivate the msa service, which is responsible for marketing emails, and how to configure the browser to stop being a source of notifications, following these instructions will help return the device to its original speed and eliminate constant visual noise.
Deactivation of MSA Service – the main source of advertising
The main culprit behind the appearance of banner ads in the system is the MSA system application (MIUI System Ads), which collects user data and broadcasts advertising content to various sections of the shell, and to stop this activity, you need to find the appropriate item in the authorization and advertising menu.
The disablement procedure is as follows: go to Settings, then select Passwords and Security (or just Security in older versions). Next click on Access to Personal Data. In the list that opens, find the msa app and put the slider inactive. A countdown timer will appear - wait for it to end and click Review.
⚠️ If the first time you can not turn off the service and the system gave an error, repeat the procedure 3-5 The company's servers are often overloaded, and with a few attempts, the request to turn off advertising will surely pass.
Once permissions are successfully revoked, ads in standard apps should disappear, but to consolidate the result, it is recommended to also disable receiving recommendations in other system utilities, which will create an additional barrier to returning marketing materials to your smartphone screen.
☑️ Checking the ad-off
Customization of personalized recommendations in the system
In addition to the MSA service, individual customization modules are responsible for displaying content, which can offer news, videos and products in the Tools folder, on the lock screen or in the Security section. To completely clean the interface, you need to go through key system applications and turn off the Receive Recommendations feature.
Start with the Security app. Open it, click on the settings gear in the top right corner, and find the Receive Recommendations switch. Turn it off. Then go to the Themes app, open a user profile (human icon) and deaktivate recommendations in the settings as well. Similar actions are worth repeating for the Music and Video app if you use them.
- 📱 Lock screen: Go to Settings → Wallpaper and personalization → Wallpaper carousel and disable the service to remove ads from the locked screen.
- 📂 Explorer: In the Explorer application, go to the settings and remove the tick from the Receive recommendations.
- 🌐 Mi Browser: Open your browser settings, find the Privacy and Security section, and disable personalization.
Disabling these features not only removes visual noise, but also has a positive effect on the autonomy of the device. background loading of banner ads and video previews consumes traffic and processor resources, so comprehensive cleaning of settings will make the interface work smoother.
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After disabling all recommendations, restart your smartphone. This is necessary in order for the cached advertising modules to finally unload from RAM.
Managing Notifications from Applications and Browser
Users often confuse system advertising with intrusive notifications from sites and installed applications. Pop-ups can come from news portals, online stores, or even malware installed bypassing official stores. The key to solving the problem lies in the competent management of permissions to send push notifications.
First, check your browser settings. If you use a standard MIUI Browser or Chrome, go to their settings and find the Notifications or Sites section, and it will list the resources you've allowed to show alerts to, ruthlessly delete or block any suspicious domains, often the ones that cause windows with "win" or "clean up virus" suggestions to appear.
For system control, go to Settings → Notifications and Status bar → Notification management. This is a complete list of apps that can display information on the screen. Go through the list and turn off notifications for programs you rarely use or for those whose activity seems excessive. Pay special attention to applications with names like Memory Cleanup, Flashlight or Calendar from unknown developers.
⚠️ Warning: Never click on links in pop-ups that claim your phone is infected.This is a classic scam scheme that aims to get a user to install malware or go to a phishing site.
If the ads continue to appear even after cleaning the browser, it is possible that the device has an advertising application hidden. Check the list of installed programs in the settings menu. Look for applications without an icon or with a transparent name. If you find such “junk” immediately delete it.
Disabling Advertising in Standard Applications
Some of Xiaomi’s built-in utilities have their own, independent ad settings that are not controlled by the common MSA service. To achieve the perfect result, you need to configure each of them separately. This will take a few minutes, but will ensure a comfortable experience with the gadget in the future.
Consider the main apps that need attention: Downloads uses the menu (three dots) and select the settings where you should turn off the "Show recommended files" option. Calendar also has its own settings where you can remove the display of subscriptions and promotional events, which are often added automatically.
Below is a table with the main places where advertising settings in standard software are hidden:
| Annex | The path to settings | What to turn off |
|---|---|---|
| Conductor | Menu → Settings | Receive recommendations |
| Security | Cog (top right) | Receive recommendations |
| Music. | Menu → Settings → Additional | Show advertising, receive recommendations |
| Topics | Profile → Settings | Personal recommendations |
Remember that after updating MIUI or switching to HyperOS, some settings can be reset to factory values. Periodic checking these points will help keep the device clean. Also pay attention to the GetApps app (application store from Xiaomi), where you can also turn off auto-update and notifications about new products in the settings.
What happens if the MSA item is missing from the list?
Using a Private DNS to Block Advertising
One of the most effective and elegant ways to remove ads from all apps and browsers is to configure a private DNS (Private DNS) that works at the network level, blocking requests to known ad servers before they reach your device, a one-stop solution that doesn’t require third-party software.
To activate the function, go to Settings → Connection and Sharing (or Additional Settings). Find Private DNS. The default is Auto. Select DNS Host Name (or Manual) and enter the verified blocker address. The most popular and trusted service is dns.adguard.com.
dns.adguard.comType this address into the box and save the settings, and then all Internet traffic will be filtered through AdGuard servers, which cut off ad domains, and you will notice that the ads have disappeared not only in the system, but also on the websites in the browser, as well as in many free games and applications.
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Using a private DNS with dns.adguard.com is the most powerful ad blocking method that works globally across the device, including games and third-party apps.
It is worth noting that in rare cases, using a third-party DNS can slightly reduce the speed of opening sites if the server is located far from your region. However, for most users in the CIS and Europe, connecting to AdGuard servers is imperceptible and provides high comfort.
Resetting and radical measures
If none of these methods worked, and pop-ups continue to be a concern, it may be a deeper problem, whether it's a result of installing poor software, modifying the system, or a complex virus-miner, and in such cases, more drastic intervention is required.
The first step may be to look for newly installed applications, remember which program you installed, and remove suspicious utilities, especially those that request permission to "mask over other windows," which is often used to create undeleteable pop-ups.
If manual cleaning fails, the final argument is a complete factory reset: Before this procedure, be sure to back up important data (photos, contacts, documents) to the cloud or computer. Reset will delete all user data and return the phone to the “out of the box” state, guaranteed to remove any software errors or malicious code.
⚠️ Warning: Before performing a full reset, make sure you remember the password from your Mi Account and Google account. After the reset, the phone will require them to confirm ownership (protection) FRP).
After a reset, don't rush to restore all applications from the backup at once. Install the system clean and check it. If the ad doesn't come back, then the problem was in one of the previously installed applications. Restore the programs gradually to identify the culprit.