Xiaomi smartphone owners often encounter intrusive banner ads that appear in the most unexpected places of the interface. Redmi Note 6 Pro, despite its age, remains a popular device, but its MIUI shell is prone to aggressive monetization of the user experience. One of the most annoying manifestations of this policy is the appearance of a carousel of pictures and sentences on the lock screen.
You can remove ads on the Redmi Note 6 Pro lock screen with regular system tools without having to install third-party software or obtain superuser rights. The process requires care, as the settings are scattered across different menu items, and some options can be hidden or renamed in different versions of the firmware. Below is a detailed guide to help you clean the interface.
It's worth noting that completely disabling all elements requires sequential steps. If you skip at least one switch, advertising content can continue to appear. We'll look not only at the basic theme settings, but also at the deep system settings responsible for personalization and recommendations.
Disabling theme "Wallpaper Carousel"
The main source of visual noise on a locked screen is a feature known as Wallpaper Carousel, or Glance, which automatically uploads images from the Internet, often accompanied by news headlines or advertising inserts, and to get rid of this, you need to go to the theme settings menu.
Find Settings in the main menu, then select Wallpaper. In the option list that opens, you will see Wallpaper Carousel (sometimes called Wallpaper Carousel or Glance for Mi), and this module is responsible for changing pictures without you. You need to go inside this menu.
Inside the partition, find a switch that activates the function. It can be called "Enable wallpaper carousel," or it can simply have an active slider at the top of the screen. Put it inactive. The system can request confirmation of action, warning that static wallpaper will return. Agree to the change.
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After turning off the carousel, it is recommended to manually select a static image in the Wallpaper section so that the lock screen does not turn black or standard gray.
It's important to understand the difference between a regular live wallpaper and a carousel. Live wallpaper is animation, stored locally on a device, whereas a carousel requires a constant connection to Xiaomi servers to download content. By disabling the latter, you not only remove ads, but also save traffic.
Customization and MIUI recommendations
Even after the carousel is turned off, there may be hidden switches in the system that are responsible for receiving personalized recommendations, which are often hidden in general security settings or in the Mi Account profile, which allow the system to analyze your actions and offer relevant content.
Go to Settings and search by settings (a magnifier at the top). Enter "recommendations" or "personalization." The system must issue a "Receive recommendations" or "Personalized recommendations" item. Disabling this item prohibits the collection of data for targeted advertising in all system applications, including the lock screen.
- 🔍 Sign in to the Security app on your Redmi Note 6 Pro.
- ⚙️ Click on the settings gear in the upper right corner of the app.
- 📉 Find the “Get recommendations” section and turn it off.
- 🔄 Go back and find About (or About Security) and quickly click 10 times on the version icon to activate the hidden menu if the standard path doesn’t work.
⚠️ Note: In some versions MIUI disabling recommendations in the Security app does not apply to the system shell. be sure to check the Passwords and Security section in the general settings of the phone as well.
There is also a separate switchboard for receiving advertising notifications from system applications, often located in the Settings → Passwords and Security → Access to personal data, which can restrict the rights of system services to collect information, which indirectly reduces the relevance and frequency of the ads shown.
Managing Notifications of System Applications
Often, when you use a lock screen, you'll see pop-up notifications from GetApps, Mi Video, or Mi Music, which have the right to display content on top of other windows and on a locked screen, and you'll need to set the rights of each app in detail to remove them.
Open Settings, select Notifications and Status bar, then Notifications. This list shows all installed apps. Find Xiaomi system services like MSA (Mi System Ads), GetApps, Mi Credit. Click on each of them.
Inside the app's notification menu, find the "Show on lock screen" switch, turn it to "Off" and this action will hide the app's banners when the phone is locked, leaving the screen clean, but the app itself will continue to run in the background.
| Annex | Function | Risk of shutdown | Recommendation |
|---|---|---|---|
| MSA | Systemic advertising | Minimum | Disable notifications |
| GetApps | App store | Medium (no auto-update) | Limit notifications |
| Mi Video | Video player | Low. | Disable the promo |
| Security | Antispam and cleanup | High (virus skip) | Leave only the critical ones. |
Be careful to disable notifications from the Security app. Completely hiding its messages may cause you to miss a warning about a virus or critical memory filling. It is better to leave important system warnings, banning only advertising mailings.
Disconnection of MSA (Mi System Ads)
MSA (Mi Ad Services) is the primary engine for displaying ads throughout the Xiaomi ecosystem. On the Redmi Note 6 Pro, this service is built deep into the system. Its complete removal requires complex manipulation, but shutdown can be done through the standard interface, although the system will prevent this from happening.
To start, go to Settings → Passwords and Security → Access to Personal Data. In the list, find msa. Click on the switch to deactivate it. A 10 second countdown timer will appear, and then you will press the Stop button.
What to do if the Stop button is inactive?
The system can send out an error message saying, "Failure to disable MSA." This is the standard protective reaction of the shell. Keep your hands down: repeat the shutdown procedure 3-5 times in a row. Usually, on the 3rd or 4th time, the server does not have time to confirm status, and the switch remains in the "Off" position.
After successfully disabling the MSA, the number of ads in the system interfaces, including the Tools folder and lock screen, should be significantly reduced, but remember that when you update the system or reset your settings, this parameter may return to the default value.
Cache cleanup and reset ad settings
Sometimes changes to settings don't take effect immediately because of cached data. On the Redmi Note 6 Pro, with its RAM capacity, this can be critical. To ensure that the new rules are applied, you need to clear the cache of the system services responsible for advertising.
Go to Settings → Applications → All apps. Find miui.daemon, Advertising Services (if available separately) and Security, for each of them, follow the following steps:
- 🗑️ Press Clear Clear. → Clear the cache.
- 📂 Press Clear Clear. → Clean everything (for the Security app, this will reset your antivirus settings, be ready to reconfigure it).
- 🔄 Restart the device completely, not just lock the screen.
There is also a method of resetting your advertising ID. Go to Settings → Passwords & Security → Privacy → Advertising Services. Here you can click Reset Advertising ID. This action resets the profile the system has built based on your actions and temporarily reduces the frequency of impressions.
⚠️ Warning: Clearing the data from the Security app will remove saved file exceptions and set up a blacklist of calls.
Using DNS to Block Advertising
One of the most effective methods of combating advertising at the operating system level is the use of private DNS. This method does not require the installation of applications and works at the network connection level, blocking requests to known ad servers.
On Android 9 and higher (which is relevant for the updated Redmi Note 6 Pro), this feature is built into the system. Go to Settings → Connection and Sharing (or “Additional Settings”) → Private DNS (Private DNS).
Select DNS Host Name (or Manual) and enter the address: dns.adguard.com. Save settings. Now all requests to ad domains will be blocked at the network level, which will prevent banners from loading even in some built-in applications.
dns.adguard.comUsing a third-party DNS can slightly increase network response time in rare cases if the server is overloaded. However, for most users, the difference is subtle, and the cleanliness of the interface is worth it. If the Internet stops working, just return the DNS settings to automatic mode.
☑️ Checking the result of the blocking
Additional measures and limitations of the system
Even after completing all of the above steps, some elements may remain, because Xiaomi is constantly updating its content display algorithms, and in some cases, banner ads can be sewn into specific widgets or themes.
Check your installed theme. If you use a third-party theme from Themes, it may contain its own ad modules that do not depend on the MIUI system settings. Go back to the standard Classic or Default theme to rule this out.
Also worth noting is the Tape widget (left of the home screen) which often contains news blocks with ads. To remove it, swipe right on the home screen, click on the settings (cog or three dots) and turn off the display of the feed or news cards.
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A comprehensive approach, including disabling MSA, Carousels and setting up DNS, eliminates 99% of the advertising content on the Redmi Note 6 Pro.
Remember that the system can automatically update ad components through Google Play or the built-in updater. Periodic settings check, especially after major MIUI updates, will help keep the device clear of intrusive marketing.