How to remove floating windows Xiaomi: setting up the interface

Owners of Xiaomi, Redmi and Poco smartphones often encounter intrusive interface elements that overlap content and interfere with device management. These so-called “floating windows” can be part of the branded MIUI shell, banner ads from system applications or smart screen widgets. annoying pop-ups reduce speed and distract from important tasks, requiring immediate user intervention.

There are many reasons for windows to be turned on, from personalization settings to activated data analytics. To return a clean and ergonomic interface, you need to consistently check several sections in the settings menu. In this article, we will discuss proven methods to disable ads and remove unnecessary elements on the lock screen and in the system.

It's important to understand that the interface of modern versions of HyperOS and MIUI 14 has its own peculiarities: some windows are system widgets that can be simply closed by swipe, while others require a deep setup of privacy settings. The key is to disable the MSA service (MIUI System Ads), which is responsible for most ad units in the system, without this step, any other actions can only be temporary.

Disabling MSA and system advertising

The first and most effective step in the fight against intrusive windows is to deactivate the system module of advertising. MSA (MIUI System Ads) is responsible for receiving and displaying advertising content in standard applications such as Explorer, Music and Security.

To do this, you'll need access to a hidden developer menu or authorization section. Find the passwords and security section in the settings and go to Access to Data. You'll need to find the msa app and switch the slider to an inactive state. The system can request confirmation of action several times -- that's okay, you just have to wait for the countdown and click on "Disable" again.

After a successful MSA shutdown, it is also recommended to remove permissions for other system services that can generate pop-ups. In the same Access to Data menu, find the Miui daemon and GetApps apps (if you don’t use them) and limit their background activity, which will prevent ad windows from appearing at unexpected moments.

⚠️ Attention: After the service is disconnected MSA The ads can disappear within 24 hours, not instantly. Don't panic if the pop-up appears again immediately after the manipulations, which is cached content that will disappear after the reboot.

Setting up the lock screen and “Wallpaper Carousel”

One of the most common reasons for floating windows and banners on a locked screen is the Wallpaper Carousel feature, which automatically changes the background image and often displays news feeds, app recommendations and ad units, which for many users becomes the main source of visual noise.

To remove these items, go to Settings and select the Lock Screen section. Find Wallpaper Carousel (or "Glance") and turn it off completely. If you want to leave the wallpaper change but remove the ads, you need to uncheck the "Recommendations" and "Receive content" boxes inside the carousel settings.

You should also check the notification settings on the lock screen. In the Notifications and Status section, you can select the display format. You should set the "Show without content" option or disable the notification display from specific applications, which often generate pop-up banner windows on top of the lock screen.

If you use third-party themes, they may also contain embedded ads, so going back to the standard Classic or Default theme will help identify the source of the problem, and often left-hand themes contain scripts that create floating windows to promote products.

Floating Application Windows Management (Multitasking)

MIUI and HyperOS have a convenient multitasking feature that allows applications to run in a floating window, but sometimes this feature is activated accidentally, giving the impression of a system failure, the window can stick on the screen, preventing typing or watching videos.

To close this window, tap it and drag it to the bottom of the screen where the cross or basket icon will appear. If the window doesn't close in the standard way, try swiping from the bottom up and holding your finger to open the menu of recent apps and closing the hanging process from there. To completely disable the ability to create such windows (if you don't need them), go to Settings → Additional → Parallel Windows.

Here, you can prevent specific applications from operating in split-screen or floating window mode, which is useful to prevent the feature from accidentally activating during games or watching videos, when multitasking is often turned on by gestures.

It is worth noting that on some models with a large screen (for example, Xiaomi Pad or smartphones), floating windows are part of the interface, in such devices, control is carried out through a special panel in the corner of the screen, which can also be hidden in the settings of the tablet interface.

Blocking pop-up windows in the Mi browser

Often users confuse system floating windows with banner ads that open in the standard Mi Browser browser. This browser is set by default to aggressively promote news and can open new tabs or windows without the user's knowledge. The solution to the problem lies in the deep setting of the browser itself.

Open your browser, click on three menu bars and go to Settings → Privacy & Security. Activate the Block Up!Stop switch. It is also recommended to turn on Tracking Protection and clear the browsing data to remove scripts that cause new windows to open.

If the problem persists, consider using an alternative browser like Chrome or Firefox, which have stricter default security policies.Installing a third-party browser often solves the pop-up problem entirely, as Mi Browser system integrations stop working.

Disabling widgets and “smart” functions

The MIUI shell offers many widgets that can be displayed on top of other applications or on the desktop as floating elements, especially when it comes to weather widgets, currency rates or news that have a “Always on Display” or permanent display function.

To remove such items, press long on the empty desktop to go into editing mode. Select offending widget and click "Delete" or cross. If the widget is part of the system (for example, "Widget Tape" to the left of the main screen), it can be disabled in the desktop settings.

⚠️ Note: Some widgets, such as "Dictophone" or "Calculator" in floating mode, can run automatically when using the voice assistant. Check the settings of Google Assistant or Xiao AI for automatic application launch.

Also worth noting is the Floating Notifications Window. In some versions, instant messenger notifications can appear as small windows on top of the current app. You can turn this off in Settings → Notifications → Notifications → Notifications Settings by removing the tick from the Floating Notifications section.

Resetting launcher and system settings

If none of the above methods helped to remove floating windows, there may have been a malfunction of the system launcher or software debris accumulated, in which case the effective solution would be to reset the launcher settings to factory parameters, this action will not delete your personal data, photos or contacts, but return the location of the icons and widgets to their original state.

Go to Settings → Apps → All apps. Find Louncher (or System Launcher) in the list, click on it and select Clean → Clear Everything. After that, the desktop will reboot, and all custom settings that may have caused the windows to appear will be reset.

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Before resetting the launcher, take a screenshot of the current location of the icons, so that after the procedure, you can quickly restore the usual structure of the desktop.

In extreme cases, if the problem is systemic and is associated with a firmware update error, you may need to completely reset your device (Hard Reset).Be sure to back up all important data in the cloud or on your computer before doing so, as this step will remove all information from your phone.