Owning a modern Xiaomi smartphone is always a balance between powerful hardware for an affordable price and intrusive marketing inside the system. Users often face a situation when when you unlock the screen, in the Explorer app or even during a call, banner ads suddenly pop up. It is not a bug or a virus, but a feature of the MIUI shell and the new HyperOS, which is set up by default to show content from partners.
Fortunately, the company’s engineers have designed the ability to manually deactivate most ad mechanisms, although they have scattered these settings across different menu sections. Completely disabling ads requires a series of actions to turn off the MSA service (MIUI System Ads) and configure individual system applications. In this article, we’ll take each step in detail so that your smartphone becomes yours, not an ad platform.
It should be noted that the process does not require superuser rights (Root) or installation of complex software on the computer, all manipulations are carried out by the usual means of the system. However, it is important to be careful when switching switches, since some of them are responsible for personalization, not only for advertising.
Disabling the MSA System Service
The central element in charge of displaying advertising content in the Xiaomi interface is the MSA (MIUI System Ads) system service, which collects data about your preferences and uploads banners to various parts of the system, and to block its work, you need to find the appropriate item in the password settings and security menu.
Go to Settings → Passwords and Security → Access to Personal Data. In the app list that opens, find msa. The default switch in front of it is active. You have to click on it and wait 10 seconds, and then the "Cancel" button appears.
⚠️ Warning: When you revoke permission, the system may report a network error several times or ask you to wait. 3-4 until a successful recall is reported.
After successfully disabling MSA, advertising in most system applications will disappear instantly, but some utilities may require additional adjustments, and it is worth considering that completely removing this service is impossible without a deep modification of the system, so we only limit its functionality.
📊 Have you been able to revoke access? MSA first-time?
Yes, it worked immediately / I had to try several times / I can not recall / I have a different version of MIUI
Setting up the "Security" and "Conductor" application
The two most commonly used system applications, Security and Explorer, are often the sources of pop-ups. In the Security app, ads can appear when you scan the system or clear the memory. To remove these banners, launch the app and click on the settings gear in the upper right corner.
In the settings menu, find the General section and turn off the Receive Recommendations option. This action will remove the news feed and promotional offers from the app's home screen. A similar situation is observed in Explorer: open the menu, go to Settings → About App (or just Settings in new versions), and find the Recommendation Content that you need to deactivate.
Don't ignore these settings, because they affect performance, and the background load of ad modules consumes CPU and RAM resources, which is especially noticeable on budget models of smartphones. By disabling unnecessary functions, you not only remove visual noise, but also potentially speed up the device.
Elimination of advertising in the Music and Themes app
Xiaomi's standard multimedia apps are also packed with ad integrations. In the Music app, banners can overlap album covers or appear in playlists. To remove them, open the app, click on the menu icon (three bars) and select Settings. Follow the Advanced Settings path → Get recommendations and turn off this switch.
The Themes app is the main store of content for the shell, so advertising is the most common here. To minimize its presence, go to the user profile (human icon), then to Settings and find the item “Show ads.” Once it is turned off, the number of promotional materials in the directory will be significantly reduced.
What to do if the advertisement returns?
Sometimes after a major system update, the settings may reset. MSA And "Receive recommendations" in the main apps, and ads can come back if you're logged in to a Mi Account with regional settings different from your host country.> It’s important to understand that some elements, such as banners in the browser’s search bar or desktop widgets, can be part of third-party services that are updated independently of the system. However, basic cleaning through application settings eliminates 90% of visual debris. Disabling Advertising in System Folders and on the Lock Screen One of the Most Irritating Features MIUI This is the appearance of advertising carousels in folders on the desktop and on the lock screen». To remove them from folders, just open any folder with applications, click on the folder name on top and turn off the Recommended Toolbox. The lock screen can also broadcast advertising wallpaper and news. To set up, go to Settings. → Always on screen and lock screen → Wallpaper carousel. You have to turn off the wallpaper carousel function, which will return a static image or a standard background change without obtrusive articles and suggestions. ⚠️ Warning: Turning off Wallpaper Carousel will stop automatically changing beautiful, high-resolution background images, and if you liked this feature, you'll have to choose between beautiful photos and no ads, and after that change, the interface will be much cleaner. The visual clutter will disappear and you can find the right icons faster. Many users note that it is after cleaning folders and lock screen that the smartphone begins to be perceived as a more premium device.comparing methods of blocking ads There are several approaches to combating advertising content on Xiaomi. They range from simple settings inside the menu to more complex technical solutions. Below is a table comparing the effectiveness and complexity of different methods. MSA Low High (Basic) Minimum Application Setup Low Medium No Private DNS (AdGuard: Average Very High Network Slowdown Global Installation ROM High Maximum Warranty Loss As seen from the table, a combination of manual settings and use DNS-filtering gives the best result without the need to flash the device. Use of private DNS with the address dns.adguard.com allows you to block advertising not only in the system, but also in the browser and some games, without installing unnecessary applications. DNS Go to Settings. → Connection and sharing → Private DNS. Select the mode "Host Name of the provider" DNS» And you can type in dns.adguard.com, and once you save it, the Internet can be interrupted for a short time, and then it can be restored with active protection. Frequent questions and additional settings Even after completing all the above actions, users may have questions regarding individual interface elements. For example, advertising may come in the form of push notifications from system services. → Notifications and status bar → Manage notifications and disable unnecessary system applications such as “Mi Video”, “Mi Music” or “Security Services». It is also worth checking the Mi Browser settings if you use a standard browser, and in its settings you need to turn off “Receive notifications” and “Popular” so that the news feed does not horn your eyes at each launch. An alternative could be to install a third-party browser that initially does not contain embedded advertising. ⚠️ Note: Complete removal of system applications through ADB (Android Debug Bridge can cause system instability or loss of functionality (such as themes or Mi Pay) and use this method only if you are an experienced user. To sum up, Xiaomi provides enough tools for comfortable use, but they are hidden deeper than you would like. MIUI HyperOS menu items can be moved or renamed. 💡Integrated approach (MSA + Application settings + DNS) Ensures 99% of ads are removed without loss of security and system stability. MSA? Yes, it's safe. MSA It's responsible for displaying ads and collecting statistics for marketing purposes, and it doesn't affect calls, messages, cameras or basic smartphone functions, and it's going to continue to work steadily, and why did the ad settings reset after the update? With major Android updates or MIUI It can restore standard values for some system variables. This is normal behavior. After each major update, it is recommended to recheck the "Get recommendations" items in the main applications? Change of region in settings (Settings) → Additional settings → The region) to India or the USA may temporarily change the set of promotional offers, but will not remove them completely. MSA. Can you remove ads in third-party games and applications? Built-in systems cannot remove ads inside third-party games and applications (e.g. free versions of programs) DNS-filters (as described above) or purchase premium versions of the apps themselves.