Owners of Xiaomi, Redmi and POCO smartphones often face intrusive behavior from the operating system, which regularly offers advertisements, news and recommendations for installing applications, a phenomenon that has become the hallmark of the MIUI shell and the new HyperOS, causing irritation for users accustomed to pure Android.
Disabling ads not only improves the visual experience of the interface, but also positively affects the performance of the device. System processes responsible for collecting data and displaying banners cease to consume RAM and battery power. In this article, we will discuss in detail how to disable all Xiaomi recommendations using only built-in tools, without the need to obtain root rights or install third-party software.
It's important to understand that the customization process requires care, because some options are scattered across different menus. We'll go through all the key points where advertising content may be hiding. The key is to turn off the MSA (MIUI System Ads), which is responsible for delivering ads throughout the system. Without this step, other actions may not be effective.
Disabling MSA and system advertising
The first and most important step is to deactivate the MIUI System Ads service. This component is responsible for collecting analytics and displaying advertising in standard applications. To access the settings, go to the Settings menu → Passwords and security → Access to personal data. In this list, you need to find msa and switch the switch toggle to the inactive position.
⚠️ Warning: The system will persistently discourage you from doing this by running a countdown timer on the 10 You have to wait until the end of time and press the switch button again. If you don't work the first time, try repeating the procedure. 2-3 once.
After successfully disabling the MSA, it is also recommended to limit ad personalization.This will not remove banners completely, but will make them less intrusive and irrelevant to your location. Go on the Settings path → Passwords and Security → Privacy → Advertising Services and turn off the option to Receive Personalized Advertising Recommendations.
Additionally, check your authorization settings through your Mi Account. In Settings → Xiaomi Account → Privacy, find Advertising Services and uncheck the recommendation box. Complex execution of these actions creates a basic level of protection against system spam.
Setting up the desktop and application folders
One of the most annoying features of the shell is the appearance of advertising carousels and recommended applications directly on the desktop, especially inside folders. To remove recommendations in folders, you need to open any folder with applications, click on the folder name (or the icon of three dots / gears depending on the version of MIUI) and disable the switchboard Recommended applications.
Also often on the home screen is a Google Discover tape or Glance's own feed (formerly Mi Video/Lock screen magazine), which is saturated with news junk. To turn it off, you need to pinch the empty space on the desktop, select Settings (or the gear icon) and find the Tape to the left (or -1 screen).
- 📁 Open any folder on your desktop and click on the header.
- 🚫 Find the Recommended Applications switch and turn it off.
- 🏠 Press the empty screen area to enter the desktop editing.
- 📉 In the screen settings, select the option to disable the left news feed.
Some users also notice the appearance of "Security" or "Clean up" widgets with promotional offers, which can be removed in the standard way: press the widget and select "Delete." If the widget returns automatically, check the settings of the "Security" application, which will be discussed in the next section.
☑️ Cleaning the desk
Cleaning System Applications: Security and Downloads
Security is the central node for many system functions, but it's also a source of frequent notifications. To remove ads here, open the app, click on the settings gear in the top right corner, and find the Receive recommendations section. Turn off all the switches in this menu, including Get News and Recommendations.
In the same section of security settings, you should disable virus notifications if you are confident in the sources of your applications, as they often contain links to clear memory or install antivirus. Go to the Antivirus → Settings section and remove the tick from the Receive recommendations item.
| Annex | The path to adjustment | What to turn off |
|---|---|---|
| Security | Settings → General | Receive recommendations |
| Downloads. | Three points → Settings | Showing recommended |
| Conductor | Settings → About the programme | Recommendations (via taps) |
| Music. | Settings → Advanced | Receive recommendations |
Don't forget the Downloads app. Often, that's where the junk notifications accumulate. Open the app, click three dots in the corner, select Settings, and turn off the Recommended Content option, which will prevent banner ads from appearing on the downloaded file list.
Hidden function of cache cleaning
Removing Advertising in Standard Media Applications
Xiaomi’s standard media players, such as Music, Video and Explorer, are also prone to displaying ad integrations. In the Mi Video app, you need to go to Profile → Settings and disable all items related to online services and recommendations. In some versions of the shell, this application can be simply removed or disabled if you use third-party players like VLC or MX Player.
In a music player, the situation is similar: Settings → Advanced Settings → Get recommendations. It is also worth turning off the display of covers from the Internet if they are downloaded through advertising networks, although more often it is just traffic. For File Manager, the process is hidden deeper: go to Settings → About the program and quickly click on the application icon 5-10 times. This will open a hidden menu where you need to turn off the Recommendation (or rec) switch.
⚠️ Attention: Newer versions of HyperOS may have different interfaces. If you don't find "About" in the Explorer, look for "Appearance" or "General settings." The logic of hiding menus through multiple taps in the software version has been relevant for many years.
If you’re actively using Mi Browser, which is often preset by default, its ad settings are in Settings → Privacy & Security → Advertising Services. However, many experts recommend simply not using this browser, replacing it with Chrome, Firefox or Brave, which have built-in ad blockers and are not integrated as deeply into the system for displaying banners.
Block notifications and pop-up windows
Even after the major services are disabled, some apps can continue to send push notifications with an advertising nature. There is a universal method to combat them: When an unnecessary notification appears on the screen, take your time to swipe it. Hold it with your finger for a few seconds until the action menu appears, and select Turn off notifications or notification settings.
In the menu that opens, you can completely disable the sending notifications app or leave only critical categories (for example, “Messages”, but disable “Marketing” or “Activity”), this is especially true for system applications like GetApps (the Xiaomi app store), Mi Credit or Mi Pay, if you do not use them.
- 🔔 Wait for the advertising notification to appear on the lock screen or in the curtain.
- ✋ Make a long press (long tap) on the text of the notification.
- ⛔ Select the "Disable" option or go to the detailed settings.
- 📉 In the application settings, find the "Notifications" section and remove all unnecessary ticks.
Also worth checking is Settings → Notifications and Status bar → Notification Management. You can view a list of all apps and massively turn off notifications for those that shouldn’t bother you. Pay special attention to applications called “MIUI”, “System”, “Analytics”.
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Use the "Sleep Mode" or "Do Not Disturb" feature at night, not only will it remove ads from the screen, but it will also save battery power, preventing the screen from waking up from background processes.
Advanced methods: DNS and debugging over USB
For users who want to get rid of network-level advertising, changing the system is an effective solution. DNS-This is a root-free method that works globally for all applications. → Connection and sharing → Private DNS (The path may vary depending on the Android version).
In the settings box, specify the address of the server that blocks ads. One of the most popular and reliable is the AdGuard server. Enter the following value in the hostname field:
dns.adguard.comOnce you save the settings, the system will start filtering traffic by cutting requests to known ad servers, which can lead to some applications not only stop loading banners, but also legitimizing images if they are on the same domains, which is rare but happens.
⚠️ Attention: Use of third-party DNS-servers can slightly increase ping in online games or slow down the opening of some sites if the server is far from your region. DNS in the "auto" position".
An alternative, more sophisticated method is to use USB debugging and ADB commands to freeze system ad packets, but this requires a computer connection and basic command line knowledge, and for most users, a combination of disabling MSA, setting permissions, and changing DNS is enough.
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The combination of disabling the MSA service, manually configuring each system application, and using a private DNS blocks 99% of all ads on the system without losing smartphone functionality.