How to remove a pop-up window on Xiomi: step-by-step instructions

Xiaomi smartphone owners often face intrusive ads that appear in the most unexpected places.Pop-ups can overlap the interface, interfere with the work with applications and just annoy with their sudden appearance. This problem is especially relevant for users of the shells of MIUI and the new HyperOS, where the marketing policy of the manufacturer involves displaying content by default.

Fortunately, most of these windows are not viruses, but are regular system features or specific applications that you can turn off, so you don't have to have superuser rights or reflash the device to get the clean interface back, you just need to go through key security and service settings consistently.

In this article, we’ll look at all the possible sources of advertising, from the MSA system service to the built-in browser and download manager. We’ll look at the methods that work on current versions of firmware and help you set your smartphone so that it works exclusively for you, not for advertisers.

The nature of advertising in MIUI and HyperOS

Understanding the source of the problem is the first step to solving it, and unlike many competitors, Xiaomi subsidizes the cost of its devices by showing ads in system applications, which keeps hardware prices affordable, but creates discomfort for users who are used to “pure” Android.

The main culprit is the system process, often abbreviated MSA (MIUI System Ads), which analyzes your actions and selects the appropriate advertising content for display, but it is not only the service responsible for pop-ups.

Banners can be integrated into standard utilities: Security, Conductor, Music, and even the screen lock menu. PUSH-notifications from system applications that visually resemble pop-ups but are technically notifications.

• 📢 System Advertising: Built into the shell and managed by the manufacturer’s servers.
• 🌐 Browser Advertising: Pop-ups from visited sites or push-subscriptions.
• 📦 Third-party apps: programs not sourced from official stores can generate overlays.

It is important to distinguish between these types, as the methods of combating them are different, and if system advertising can be disabled in the settings, then malicious applications require the removal or installation of antivirus software.

Disabling the MSA system advertising service

The MSA (Miui Daemon) service is the main engine of advertising in the system, and turning it off is a priority, and the process requires care, as the system will try to “persuade” you to keep the service active, claiming that it is necessary for some functions to work.

To start, go to your smartphone settings. You need to find a section called Password and Security or simply Security, depending on the version of the shell. Inside this menu, look for Personal Data Access or Special Features.

In the application list, find msa. Press the switch to deny access. A countdown timer (usually 10 seconds) will appear, after which you will need to press "Cancel" or "Disable." The system may issue warnings, but they should be ignored.

⚠️ Note: If you failed to turn off the service the first time and there was a "failed to change state" error, just try again. 3-4 quickly switch the switch back and forth so that the system surrenders and turns off the process.

After a successful MSA shutdown, it is also recommended to disable recommendation receipt. To do this, in the same Security menu, find Receive recommendations and deactivate it. This will remove advertising offers in folders and on the desktop.

Setup of the built-in browser and downloads

The second most common source of pop-ups is the standard Mi Browser or Chrome browser with active notifications from sites. Often users accidentally allow sites to display notifications, which then look like pop-up ads.

To remove this, open your browser settings. In Mi Browser, click on three menu bars, then select Settings. You need Privacy and Security. Find the Ad Blocker option and activate it. This will prevent most ad scripts from loading on the pages.

Also worth checking is the list of sites that are allowed to send notifications. In your browser settings, go to Site Notifications. Go through the list and delete any suspicious or unfamiliar addresses. Often, they are the ones that generate windows saying "you won your iPhone" or "your phone is infected."

Pay special attention to the Downloads app. In some versions of MIUI, it also has a built-in recommendation module. Open the Downloads app, click three dots in the corner, select Settings, and turn off Receive Recommendations.

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Use alternative browsers like Firefox or Brave, which have built-in aggressive tracking and engine-level advertising blocking, which is more efficient than system settings.

Cleaning Notifications and System Applications

Even after MSA is turned off, some apps may continue to bother you with notifications that look like pop-ups, including standard Xiaomi utilities like Music, Mi Video, and Explorer.

Each of these applications has a similar algorithm: Open the app, go to its settings (usually through a profile icon or three dots), look for sections with names like Settings, About, or Advanced Settings.

Inside, you need to find the switches that are responsible for recommendations, news or advertising. For example, in the video app, you need to turn off Online Services and Get Notified. In Music, you need to turn off Ads.

Don't forget to check the settings of the notification system itself. Go to Settings → Notifications and Status bar → Notifications. Here you can see a list of all the apps that have the right to display information on the screen. Go through the list and turn off notifications for those programs that you rarely use.

• 🎵 Mi Music: Turn off “Show Ads” in additional settings.
• 🎬 Mi Video: Remove the ticks from the “Online Services” and “Recommendations».
• 📁 Explorer: in the "About the program" section, turn off all toggles.

This comprehensive cleaning allows you to remove up to 95% of all information noise generated by the operating system itself.

Fighting viral advertising and malicious applications

If the ad appears suddenly on your desktop, as full-screen banners in any apps or windows that cannot be closed, chances are you have encountered malware.This is not a regular Xiaomi ad, but the result of installing an infected app.

Often such programs are disguised as useful utilities: "Lightlights", "Memory cleaners", "Scanners". QR-They may not have icons in the app menu, hiding in the list of installed programs.

To find the culprit, go to Settings → Apps → All Apps. Carefully review the list. Look for apps without a name or with an icon that looks like an empty square. Also note the installation date – often viruses are installed on the same day as the problem appears.

⚠️ Warning: If you can't find the app in normal mode, try running your smartphone in Safe Mode. To do this, press the off button, and when the menu appears, keep your finger on the "off" button on the screen for a long time. Only system applications work in safe mode, which will allow you to easily remove the malware.

After removing a suspicious application, it is recommended to scan the device with the built-in antivirus that is in the Security app, and it is also not superfluous to install a reliable antivirus from Google Play, for example, Malwarebytes or Kaspersky, for deep verification.

Using DNS to Block Advertising

One of the most effective and elegant ways to remove system-wide advertising is to use a private DNS. This method does not require the installation of additional applications and works for all connections (Wi-Fi and mobile network).

The essence of the method is that your phone sends requests to a special server that filters advertising domains before they reach the screen of your smartphone, which allows you to block ads even within some applications and games.

To set up, go to Settings → Connection and Sharing (or “Additional”). Find Private DNS-server (Private) DNS). Select the option "Host Name of the provider" DNS» (or "manually" and write in the address:

dns.adguard.com

Once you enter the address, save the settings. The Internet can briefly disappear and reappear, a method that is particularly effective against banners in browsers and intrusive advertising in free apps.

It is worth noting that this method may not work on some corporate Wi-Fi networks, where restrictions are prescribed, or if the provider blocks the use of the Internet. DNS-request for non-standard ports.

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Using a private DNS (dns.adguard.com) is a silver bullet that blocks up to 80% of ads throughout the system without installing additional software and consuming battery power.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)