How to permanently remove a floating window on Xiaomi Redmi smartphones: from setting up MIUI to radical methods

The floating window on the Xiaomi Redmi screen is one of the most annoying features of MIUI that appears without warning and interferes with work, such as a pop-up notification from system applications, a banner from Mi Browser, or even a Game Turbo window that is activated during games. In this article, we will discuss all possible causes of floating windows and ways to turn them off, from simple settings to radical methods like reset or firmware.

It's important to understand that both MIUI system services and third-party applications can be the source of the problem. For example, floating windows often appear after updating firmware or installing applications from unknown sources. We tested all methods on Redmi Note 12 Pro+, Redmi 10 and POCO X5 Pro models - instructions are relevant for MIUI 14 and later.

If you are not sure which window is bothering you, first determine its type: it can be a pop-up notification, an advertising banner or a system window (for example, from Security or Cleaner), which depends on the choice of removal method.

1. Disable floating windows in MIUI settings

The safest way is to use Xiaomi's built-in settings, most floating windows are controlled through the Special Opportunities or Notifications section. Here's a step-by-step guide:

1. Open Settings → go to Special Opportunities → Floating Windows.
2. Turn off the slider next to Allow Floating Windows or Show on top of other apps.
3. For individual applications: go back to Settings → Apps → select a problem app (like Mi Browser) → Notifications → turn off pop-ups.

If your MIUI version does not include Floating Windows in Special Opportunities, try an alternative route:

• 🔍 Settings → Screen. → Floating notifications → Turn off all unnecessary.
• 📱 Settings → Annexes → Application management → select the application → Permits → Take the box off of the other windows.

Turn off all background applications in Security → Optimization

Update MIUI to the latest version

Check the list of installed applications for suspicious

Make a backup copy of important data-->

On some Redmi models (e.g. Redmi Note 11), floating windows may appear due to the Game Turbo feature to turn it off:

1. Open Settings → Special features → Game Turbo
2. Turn off the slider Show floating panels during games.
3. In the Game Settings section, uncheck the boxes from the Pop-up Notifications and the Quick Action Panel.

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If the floating window only appears in a specific app (like YouTube or TikTok), try clearing its cache: Settings → Apps → Select the app → Storage → Clear the cache.

2. Removal of floating windows via ADB (for power users)

If system settings don’t help, you can use ADB debugging. This method requires connecting your smartphone to your computer and executing commands via Android Debug Bridge. It is suitable for removing floating windows that are not disabled by standard methods (for example, ads from MiuiSystemUI).

You'll need:

• 🖥️ Computer with installed ADB-driver.
• 📱 Included Debugging by USB on a smartphone (Settings) → The phone. → Version. MIUI → Click 7 times on the build number, then return to Settings → Additionally. → For developers → Debugging by USB).
• 🔌 USB-cable (preferably original).

Instructions:

1. Connect your smartphone to your PC and open the command line (Windows) or terminal (macOS/Linux).
2. Enter the command to check the connection: adb devices If the device is displayed, proceed to the next step.
3. To disable floating windows for a particular application (e.g. com.miui.systemAdSolution), run: adb shell pm uninstall-k --user 0 com.miui.systemAdSolution
4. To completely disable floating notifications from all applications: adb shell settings put global heads_up_notifications_enabled 0

Note: Removing system applications via ADB may cause MIUI to work unstable. Before executing commands, back up your data or create a restore point in TWRP (if installed).

3. Resetting to factory settings: a radical method

If floating windows are due to a system settings failure or application conflict, a factory reset can help.This method will remove all data from the device, so use it only as a last resort.

Instructions:

1. Back up important data (photos, contacts, messages) via Settings → About Phone → Backup or using Mi Cloud.
2. Open Settings → Additional → Recovery and Reset.
3. Select Resetting → Delete all data.
4. Confirm the action by entering the password from the Mi Account (if linked).

After discharge:

• ⚠️ Do not restore data from the backup right away – first check if floating windows appear on a clean system.
• 🔄 Install apps one at a time while watching for floating windows.
• 📱 Update. MIUI Up to the latest version through Settings → The phone. → Updating the system.

MIUI updates

Installation of a new annex

Resetting settings

By itself, for no apparent reason.

Another event.-->

If the reset didn’t work, the problem could be the damaged firmware, which requires you to reflash the device via Fastboot or Recovery, and you can find firmware instructions for specific Redmi models in the official Xiaomi download section.

4. Disabling Advertising and System Notifications

Frequently floating windows on Xiaomi Redmi are MIUI ads that are built into system applications (Mi Browser, Security, Cleaner) to disable:

To remove ads completely, you can use an ad blocker like AdGuard or Blokada, which blocks Xiaomi’s DNS ad servers. Install them from the official website (not from Google Play, as there may be restrictions).

If the ads appear in Mi Browser, try changing your browser to Google Chrome or Firefox — they don’t show floating windows from Xiaomi.

• 🌐 Open Mi Browser. → press on ⋮ (three-point) → Settings → Confidentiality.
• 🔕 Turn off personalized advertising and show news on the homepage.
• 🗑️ Clear the cache and browser data in Settings → Annexes → Mi Browser → Warehouse.

5. Virus and malware check

Floating windows can be a symptom of a virus infection, especially if they appear with suspicious links or "you won a prize" ads.

1. Install an antivirus (recommended Malwarebytes or Dr.Web Light) and do a full check.
2. Check the list of installed apps in Settings → Applications → Application Management. Delete suspicious ones (for example, with names like com.system.update or android.service.secure).
3. Disable the installation of applications from unknown sources: Settings → Privacy → Unknown sources.

Signs of the virus:

• 🚨 A floating window appears even after resetting settings.
• 🔗 The window contains links to suspicious sites (e.g. win-prize.xyz).
• 📱 The smartphone began to slow down or quickly discharge.
• 🔄 In Settings → Accounts have appeared unknown accounts.

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If the antivirus does not find threats, but floating windows remain, try flashing the device through Fastboot with a complete data cleanup.This will remove all hidden viruses, but will require reconfiguration of the smartphone.

If you suspect that the virus has damaged system files, you can use the safe mode:

1. Turn off your smartphone.
2. Press the Power button and hold your finger on the Turn off item until a request to go to Safe Mode appears.
3. In safe mode, remove suspicious applications.

6.Update MIUI: Why might it help?

Sometimes floating windows appear because of bugs in a particular version of MIUI. For example, MIUI 13 had a problem with pop-up notifications from Security, which is fixed in MIUI 14.

1. Open Settings → About the phone → System update.
2. Click Check for updates.
3. If a new version is available, download and install it.

If the update doesn't come in:

• 🔄 Try changing the region to Settings → Additionally. → Region to India (updates are coming more often).
• 📥 Download the firmware manually from the official site and install through System Update → Three points. → Select a firmware file.
• ⚠️ Before upgrading, check that the firmware version is suitable for your Redmi model (e.g., ingres for the Redmi Note 12 Pro).+).

After the update:

• 🔧 Reset network settings: Settings → Connections → Resetting the network.
• 📱 Reboot your smartphone.
• 🔍 Check if there are floating windows.

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If after updating MIUI floating windows disappeared, but new bugs appeared (for example, the battery quickly goes down), try to roll back to the previous version of the firmware via Fastboot.

7. Alternative firmware: when nothing helps

If all of the above methods fail, you will still need to install custom firmware (like LineageOS or Pixel Experience) which is a radical step that requires unlocking the bootloader and installing TWRP, but it is guaranteed to remove all floating MIUI windows.

Advantages of custom firmware:

• 🚀 No system advertising and floating windows.
• 🔄 Regular security updates.
• 📱 More smooth operation compared to standard MIUI.

Disadvantages:

• ⚠️ Loss of warranty (if the bootloader is unlocked).
• 🔧 Difficulty of installation for beginners.
• 📱 Certain functions (e.g, IR-Game Turbo or Blaster may not work.

Instructions for installing Pixel Experience:

1. Unlock the bootloader through the official Xiaomi tool.
2. Install TWRP Recovery for your Redmi model.
3. Download the Pixel Experience firmware from the official website.
4. Go to TWRP, make Wipe → Advanced Wipe (select Dalvik, Cache, Data, System).
5. Install the firmware through Install.

Attention: custom firmware installation can lead to a device "brick" if the wrong version is selected or the sequence of actions is broken.Be sure to read the instructions for your model on the XDA Developers forum before starting.

FAQ: Frequent questions about floating windows on Xiaomi Redmi