How to permanently remove ads on the Xiaomi desktop: from widgets to system banners

Xiaomi desktop advertising is one of the most annoying features of MIUI firmware. Even after buying a new smartphone, users are faced with intrusive banners in the app menu, a Msa widget (Mobile Services Ads), pop-up notifications from Mi Browser and ad units in system applications.

In this article, we’ll look at all the possible sources of ads on the Xiaomi, Redmi and POCO screen, from obvious widgets to hidden system services, how to turn off root-free ads, with standard settings and third-party tools, and why banners can come back after the MIUI update and how to avoid it.

Spoiler: You can only remove ads completely with a combination of 3-4 methods — a single shutdown in the settings is usually not enough. But the good news is that all methods work on current versions of MIUI (including MIUI 14/15 on Android 13/14) and do not require technical skills.

1. Where does Xiaomi advertising come from: we analyze the sources

Before you remove an ad, you need to understand what elements are displaying it, and in MIUI, there are several components that are responsible for this:

🔹 The Msa (Mobile Services Ads) widget is the main source of banners on the desktop, displays ads for games, apps and Xiaomi promotions as cards to the right of the app icons. Removed through the launcher settings.

🔹 System notifications – push messages from Mi Browser, Mi Video, Mi Music and other standard applications, often masquerading as “recommendations” or “new features".

🔹 Advertising blocks in apps – banners inside Weather, Calendar, Notes and even in Settings (section "Recommendations").

🔹 Widget "We recommendations" - appears after the update MIUI It offers “useful” apps (actually, ads from Xiaomi partners).

🔹 Mi Browser – shows ads on the homepage and in search results, even if you don’t use it.

Important: Some banners may appear due to regional settings, such as firmware for India (IN) or China (CN) more ads than global (Global) or European (EEA) versions.

2. Method 1: Disabling advertising in MIUI settings

The easiest method is to use the built-in MIUI options, which will remove most banners, but not all (for example, notifications from applications will have to be disabled separately).

📌 Step-by-step instruction:

1. Open the Settings. → About the phone and 7 times click on "Version" MIUI" (This will unlock hidden options for developers).
2. Return to the main settings menu and select Additional → Special features.
3. Scroll down and find the Notifications section and status bar, then select Advertising Notifications.
4. Turn off the slider Show recommendations.
5. Return to Settings → Home screen and remove the Msa widget (long press → “Delete”).

⚠️ Note: On some models (Redmi Note 10 Pro, POCO X3 Pro) item Advertising notices may not be available, in which case use method 3 (ADB-team).

🔧 Additional settings:

Method 2: Removal of Advertising through ADB (without root)

If the standard settings do not help, use ADB-This method works on all Xiaomi models and removes system-level advertising without requiring superuser rights.

🛠 What's the matter:

• 🖥 Computer with Windows/macOS/Linux.
• 📱 USB-cable (original or quality).
• 🔧 Utility. ADB Tools (download from Android site).
• 🔄 Included debugging by USB phone-on.

📌 Instructions:

1. Turn on USB Debugging: Settings → About Phone → MIUI Version (click 7 times) → Return to Settings → Additional → For Developers → Turn on USB Debugging.
2. Connect the phone to your computer and select File Transfer mode.
3. Open the command prompt (Windows) or terminal (macOS/Linux) in the folder with adb.exe.
4. Enter the commands in turn (after each press Enter): adb shell pm uninstall --user 0 com.miui.systemAdSolution pm uninstall --user 0 com.xiaomi.midrop pm uninstall --user 0 com.miui.analytics pm hide com.android.browser
5. Reboot the phone.

⚠️ Note: Pm hide and pm uninstall commands --user 0 They don't delete applications completely, they just hide them for the current user, and they're safe and they don't disrupt the system.

🔍 What teams do what they do:

💡

If after executing commands, the ad returned, check for MIUI updates. Sometimes system applications are restored after the update.

Method 3: Use of third-party launchers

If you don't want to dig into the settings, the easiest way to get rid of ads is to install an alternative launcher, which will replace the standard MIUI interface and remove all banners from the desktop.

📌 Best launchers for Xiaomi without advertising:

🛠 How to install and configure:

1. Open the launcher settings and turn off: 📱 Widgets MIUI (including Msa and "Mi recommendations"). 🔔 Notifications from system applications. 🔍 Xiaomi Search Engine (replace with Google or another search engine).

⚠️ Attention: Some functions MIUI (For example, Double-Tap to Waking Up or Navigation Gestures may not work properly with third-party launchers. Check compatibility on forums before installing, 4PDA).

5. Method 4: Blocking Advertising via DNS or VPN

If the ad appears as pop-up notifications or banners in apps, it can be blocked at the network level. DNS-filter VPN advertising-blocking.

🔧 Method 1: Amend DNS phone-on

1. Open Settings → Connections and Sharing → Private DNS.
2. Select the host name of a private DNS and enter one of the addresses: dns.adguard.com (AdGuard) DNS) 1.1.1.3 (Cloudflare Family) 94.140.14.14 (AdGuard DNS, IP-version)

Save and restart the phone.

🔧 Method 2: Use the VPN advertising-blocking

• 🛡 AdGuard VPN — Blocks advertising at the traffic level, there is a free tariff.
• 🌍 Proton VPN — It does not block ads by default, but you can add custom filters.
• 🚀 1.1.1.1 (Cloudflare WARP) — Easy to set up, but not all ads are blocked.

⚠️ Attention: Some banners MIUI They are downloaded via local services (not the Internet), so DNS/VPN To remove ads completely, combine this method with others (for example, ADB-team).

💡

DNS-filters and VPN Block only network advertising (browser banners, apps) To remove widgets and system notifications, use other methods.

6. Method 5: Manual removal of advertising applications (for advanced)

If you're willing to take more drastic measures, you can manually remove the system applications that are responsible for displaying ads, which requires an unlocked bootloader or root rights, but it gives you 100% results.

🔧 What applications can be removed:

🛠 How to remove (methods):

1. With ADB (no root) commands from Method 3, but with the addition of: pm uninstall -k --user 0 com.miui.systemAdSolution, the flag -k saves cache, which reduces the risk of failure.
2. Through TWRP (requires unlocked bootloader): Install TWRP Recovery. Download MIUI Debloater Script (with XDA Developers). Run the script in TWRP, it will automatically remove unnecessary applications.
3. Manually via Root Explorer (requires root): Install Root Explorer or FX File Explorer. go to /system/priv-app/ or /system/app/. Delete the folders with names from the table above.

⚠️ Warning: Removing system applications can cause crashes if you uninstall something critical.Always back up through TWRP Mi Backup before the changes.

7 Why Ads Return After MIUI Update

Many users complain that after updating the firmware, the ads appear again, because MIUI restores remote system applications with major updates.

🔄 How to avoid it:

• 🔄 Turn off automatic updates MIUI: Settings → The phone. → Updating the system → ⚙️ → Auto-update → Off.
• 📥 Install updates manually by pre-executing: Backup via Mi Backup or TWRP. Re-performance ADB-post-update.
• 🔧 Use firmware without advertising: MIUI EEA (European Economic Area - less advertising than the global version. ROM (LineageOS or Pixel Experience – completely advertising-free, but requires unlocking the bootloader.

📊 Version statistics MIUI (data XDA Developers):

In MIUI 12/13, there were 30% more ads than in MIUI 14/15, but in recent versions it has become “smarter” – banners are adjusted to your actions (for example, after installing the game, they show ads for similar applications).

💡

If you don't want to fight advertising all the time, consider reflashing on MIUI EEA or custom firmware, which is a radical, but the most reliable solution.

8. Frequent mistakes and how to avoid them

When removing ads, users often make mistakes that cause system crashes or return banners, and these are the most common:

❌ Mistake 1: Removing Important System Applications

Not all packages called com.miui. or com.xiaomi. can be safely removed, for example, deleting com.miui.home will result in the loss of the desktop.

✅ Solution: Before removing, check the list of safe packages on the 4PDA or XDA.

❌ Error 2: Use of informal “debloater” applications

Applications like MIUI Debloater or Universal Ad Remover can contain viruses or remove critical components from unverified sources.

✅ Solution: Use only proven scripts (e.g. from Universal Android Debloater) and run them through ADB.

❌ Mistake. 3: Wrong setup DNS/VPN

Some users are entering non-existent DNS-Addresses (e.g. 8.8.8.8 from Google does not block ads) or use unreliable VPN, who are the ones who show the ads themselves.

✅ Solution: Use only verified DNS:

❌ Error 4: Update MIUI backup

After updating the firmware, all changes (including remote packets) are reset, but users forget to save the settings or repeat. ADB-team.

✅ Solution: Before the update:

1. Make a backup with Mi Backup or TWRP.
2. Save a list of deleted packets (for example, in a notebook).
3. After the update, repeat all the actions to remove the ads.

FAQ: Answers to Frequent Questions