How to permanently remove pop-up wallpaper on Xiaomi: advertising, banners and background pictures

Pop-up wallpaper on Xiaomi smartphones is one of the most annoying features of MIUI firmware, which comes after updates, not only with desktop banners, but also with automatically changing backgrounds, offers to download new themes or even full-screen “wallpaper of the day” that suddenly change your background, especially annoying for owners of budget models (Redmi Note 12, Poco X5), where advertising is built-in at the system level.

Compounding the problem, Xiaomi regularly changes the layout of its settings, and some settings are hidden so deep that it is almost impossible to find them without instructions. In this article, we will examine all the current ways to turn off pop-up wallpaper, from standard methods through menus to radical solutions using ADB and third-party utilities.

1. disabling advertising in the MIUI settings (official method)

The first and most obvious step is to try to disable banner ads through standard settings. Note that newer versions of MIUI 14/15 may have different paths to these options than older firmware. If you have a Xiaomi 13 or newer, some menu items may be renamed.

Go to Settings → Password and Security → Authorization and Lock. Here, find the Advertising Services section (some models call it Personalized Advertising).

• 📱 Personalized recommendations (responsible for analyzing your actions)
• 📢 Showing ads on the lock screen
• 🖼️ Automatic wallpaper (if such a item is available)

Then reboot your phone. If the wallpaper keeps popping up, move on to the next way -- most likely, the advert is built into the launcher level.

⚠️ Note: On some models (Redmi) 10A, Poco M4 Pro) after disabling the ad in the settings, it can return after the update MIUI. In this case, you will need to repeat the procedure or use it. ADB.

2. Removal of the standard launcher and installation of an alternative

If you have an ad built into the standard MIUI launcher (com.miui.home), you can replace it with a third-party one, a radical but effective method that eliminates not only pop-up wallpaper, but also other ad inserts.

The most popular alternatives are:

• 📱 Nova Launcher (Paid version removes all ads)
• 🎨 Lawnchair (free, open source)
• ⚡ Hyperion Launcher (optimized for Xiaomi)
• 🔄 Microsoft Launcher (minimalist design)

To install an alternative launcher:

1. Download. APK-file from the official website (for example, Nova Launcher).
2. Install the application by allowing installation from unknown sources (Settings → Applications → Special Access → Install Unknown Applications).
3. Launch the launcher and select it as the default launcher in the application settings.

After the launcher is replaced, standard MIUI wallpaper will no longer pop up, but some system notifications (such as from Mi Video or Mi Browser) may remain.

3.Using ADB to Deeply Disable Advertising

If previous methods failed, you'll have to connect to your phone via ADB (Android Debug Bridge) and manually disable the system components responsible for displaying wallpaper, a method that requires unlocking the bootloader and enabling debugging over USB, but produces 100% results.

Instructions:

1. Turn on Developer Mode: Go to Settings → About Phone and click on MIUI Version 7 times.
2. Return to Settings → Additional → For developers and activate Debugging over USB.
3. Connect your phone to your PC, install ADB Tools, and execute the commands:

adb shell


pm uninstall -k --user 0 com.miui.msa.global




pm uninstall -k --user 0 com.xiaomi.midrop




pm uninstall -k --user 0 com.miui.analytics




pm disable-user --user 0 com.miui.systemAdSolution

These commands remove or disable the system services responsible for displaying ads and automatic wallpaper.

⚠️ Note: Removing system applications through ADB It can cause some functions to work unstable (e.g. Mi Share or Quick Apps).If you have problems after you turn off, return the applications with the pm install-existing command.

4 Manual removal of wallpaper through file manager

Some pop-up wallpapers are stored in system folders and can be manually deleted, requiring a root file manager (such as Solid Explorer or FX File Explorer) or access via ADB.

The way to wallpaper:

• 📁 /data/system/users/0/wallpaper — here is the current wallpaper.
• 📁 /system/media/theme/default_wallpapers — wallpaper MIUI.
• 📁 /data/data/com.android.settings/files/wallpaper — wallpaper.

Delete files with.jpg,.png or.webp extensions, but do not touch files without extensions - they may be associated with system processes. After deleting, restart your phone and set the wallpaper manually through Settings → Wallpaper.

If after removing the wallpaper, the screen turns black or the error “Wallpaper is not supported”, manually install any picture through the gallery.

5. Disable automatic updates of themes

Often pop-up wallpapers are due to the Auto Update Theme feature, which downloads new backgrounds and banners in the background to stop this:

1. Open the “Themes” app (icon with brush).
2. Go to Profile → Settings → Auto-Update Themes.
3. Turn off the Automatic Update slider.
4. In the same menu, find “Recommendations” and turn off banner displays.

If the Themes app is not on the menu (e.g., Xiaomi 14), it is integrated into Settings → Screen → Wallpaper. There is also an Auto Update item that needs to be deactivated.

💡

If after disabling auto-update theme wallpaper still changes, check the settings of the application “Security” (com.miui.securitycenter) – there can be enabled module “Screen Optimization”, which forcibly sets the background pictures.

6.Resetting launcher settings to factory

If all previous methods failed, try resetting the launcher settings, which will return the desktop to its original state, but will not affect user data.

Instructions:

1. Go to Settings → Applications → Application Management.
2. Find Louncher (com.miui.home) and open its settings.
3. Click on “Storage”, then “Clear Data” and “Clear Cache”.
4. Confirm the action and restart the phone.

After discharge:

• 🔄 I will have to re-arrange the icons and widgets.
• 📱 The pop-up wallpaper and advertising should disappear.
• ⚠️ Some theme settings (dark mode, font size) will reset.

⚠️ Note: On some models (Redmi Note 11 Pro)+) After the launcher is reset, you may lose access to Quick Commands (gestures on the lock screen). → Lock screen.

💡

Resetting the launcher is the safest way to return standard settings without losing data, but it won’t help if the ads are built into the firmware layer (for example, in regional versions for India or China).

7.Alternative methods: Disconnection through the registry and third-party utilities

For advanced users, there are two other ways:

1. edit system files via MT Manager (requires root):

• Open /system/priv-app/MiuiHome/MiuiHome.apk in MT Manager.
• Move to the res/values/bool.xml and find a line. enable_advertisement.
• Change the meaning from true to false.
• Save the file and restart the phone.

2.Using the Xiaomi ADB/Fastboot Tools utility:

• Download the program from GitHub.
• Connect your phone in Fastboot mode (clip Volume Down + Power when the phone is off).
• In the utility, select "Debloat" and tick:

Miui Home Ads


System Ads




Wallpaper Carousel




Theme Manager Ads

Click on Uninstall Selected and wait until it is finished.

These methods are suitable for unlocked phones and require technical skills. If you are not sure about your actions, it is better to dwell on the methods from the previous sections.

FAQ: Frequent questions about pop-up wallpaper on Xiaomi