How to block notifications on Xiaomi: from system to applications

Modern Xiaomi smartphones running MIUI shells or the new HyperOS offer users a huge amount of functionality, but with it comes an excess of digital noise. Constant pop-ups, advertising in system applications and intrusive messages from preinstalled services can turn using the gadget into a challenge, especially for those who appreciate the purity of the interface and want to focus on important tasks without unnecessary distractions.

Fortunately, Android security is coupled with Xiaomi’s tools to provide powerful tools to control incoming traffic. You can not just turn off the sound, but completely block the ability of applications to send you messages. In this article, we will examine all available methods, from global shutdown to fine-tuning each individual component of the system.

Global Notification Management in System Settings

The easiest and most efficient way to control the flow of information is to go to the central settings of the operating system, where the main switch is located, allowing you to instantly (cut off) all incoming signals or adjust their behavior for the entire system at once. First, you need to go to the Settings menu of your device, where you should find the section responsible for alerts.

Depending on the firmware version, the path may vary slightly, but the logic remains the same. In current versions of HyperOS and fresh MIUI 14 builds, you need to open the Notifications and Control Center section. This is where the basic controls are hidden. You can completely disable icons on application icons or turn off pop-up banners on a locked screen.

And you should pay special attention to the Do Not Disturb feature, which is not just a sound lock, but a comprehensive filter that hides visuals and turns off vibration, and by activating this mode, you are guaranteed to get rid of any interruptions, which is especially useful during sleep or important meetings, and the system allows you to set up automatic activation of this mode on a schedule.

⚠️ Warning: Disabling all system notifications completely may cause you to miss important messages about low battery charge or critical safety errors.

Point lock for individual applications

Often, the system works perfectly, but a particular application, such as a game or a news aggregator, begins to behave aggressively. In such cases, it does not make sense to turn off notifications completely - just apply a point lock. Go to Settings → Notifications and Control Center → Application Notifications.

Select the app you want from the list. Inside, you'll see a detailed Allow Notifications switch. If you put it inactive, the app will lose its voting rights completely. It won't be able to vibrate, make sounds, or display banners. It's the perfect method for combating obsessive games that require constant attention.

Moreover, modern versions of shells allow you to flexibly customize categories, so you can let an app send messages about personal chats, but block promotional mailings or newsletters, and you need to open the list of categories inside the settings of a particular application and uncheck the unnecessary types of content.

It’s important to understand that some system services, such as Security or Explorer, may have their own internal notification settings that duplicate the system’s. So if the standard method didn’t work, go inside the application itself and look for the Settings section or the gear in the corner of the screen, often hiding items like “Recommendations” or “Ads” that need to be turned off separately.

Setting up the control center and lock screen

The lock screen and the notification curtain are your smartphone's showcase, and this is where visual debris most often accumulates. To get things right, you need to dig deep into the display settings. In the Notifications and Control Center section, find the Lock Screen subsection, where you can disable the content of messages, leaving only the app icon, and this will keep your correspondence confidential.

You also have to look at the display style, and MIUI and HyperOS have the ability to choose how messages are grouped, and you can set up the system so that notifications from one application don't take up half a screen, but they fold into a single line, which saves space and makes it easier to understand.

The feature analyzes your actions and can hide notifications when you use your phone in full screen mode (for example, watching videos or playing), however, if you want to be sure that you do not miss anything, this feature is better to deactivate or configure exceptions.

Combating MSA Advertising Notices and System Recommendations

One of the most painful topics for Xiaomi users is embedded advertising, which is managed by the MSA (MIUI System Ads) system process. To reduce its activity, you need to turn off ad personalization. Go to Settings → Password and Security → Access to personal data (or Privacy).

After shutting down, the system will ask you to wait 10 seconds and confirm the action with the recall button. This is a critical step. After that, it is also recommended to go to the Security application → Settings (cogs) → Get recommendations and turn off this option. This will remove the ads from the antivirus scanner and memory cleaner.

And the other system applications, too, are all set up in Music, Video, and Topics, and you have your own recommendation settings, and you have to find a gear of settings in each of these apps, and you have to look for items that say "Recommendations," "Advertising," or Get Recommendations, and you'll be able to disable them and clean up the interface.

💡

If the ads are not immediately gone after revoking permissions from msa, restart the device, which can take up to 24 hours to fully update the policies on the company's servers.

Use of Do Not Disturb Mode and Schedules

For those who want to automate the silence process, the phone’s modes are perfect. Xiaomi has a powerful automation tool that allows you to create scripts. You can set the phone up so that from 23:00 to 7:00 it automatically goes to “Do Not Disturb” mode, ignoring all calls except favorite contacts.

This mode is set up in Sound and Vibration → Do Not Disturb. You can set exceptional lists here, for example, allow repeat calls (if someone calls a second time within 3 minutes, the call will pass - this is a feature for emergency cases), you can also allow alarm notifications to avoid sleeping over an important event.

And then there's Sleep Mode, which not only blocks notifications, but also turns the screen into black and white (in some versions of the software), reducing the effect of blue light on your biorhythms, a comprehensive approach to digital wellbeing that helps you relax better.

💡

Automating modes is the best way to keep the balance between accessibility and personal space without requiring manual intervention every day.

⚠️ Note: When activating Do Not Disturb mode, be sure to check your contact exclusion settings.You may miss a call from a loved one in case of an emergency if you forget to add it to your favorites list.

Advanced methods: ADB and third-party utilities

For advanced users who don’t have enough standard settings, there are system-level locking methods through USB debugging. Using the Android Debug Bridge (ADB) tool, you can completely remove or freeze packets that are responsible for the push notifications of specific services, which requires a connection to a computer and basic command-line knowledge.

The command to disable notifications of a specific packet through ADB is as follows:

adb shell pm grant com.android.permission_controller android.permission.POST_NOTIFICATIONS

However, a safer method for the average user is to use filter applications such as Notification History Log or built-in in. MIUI Spam filter. Security app → Antispam can be set to block messages from unknown numbers and filter keywords. SMS-Spam that often ignores the system’s prohibitions.

Also worth mentioning is the possibility of using third-party launchers: Replacing a standard desktop with a more minimalist counterpart (like Niagara Launcher or Microsoft Launcher) can dramatically change the way notifications interact, making them less intrusive and more structured.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)