Owners of the POCO X3 Pro smartphone often encounter intrusive banner ads that appear in standard applications and even on the desktop.This is not a bug, but a feature of the MIUI for POCO firmware, which monetizes free access to the system through advertising. However, built-in mechanisms allow you to completely or partially clean the interface of marketing content.
The process of deactivating advertising modules does not require root rights or flashing the device. You only need to be careful when switching switches in the system settings. In this article, we will discuss in detail how to disable MSA (MIUI System Ads), remove ads in standard utilities and block pop-ups in the browser.
Disabling MSA System Advertising
The main source of banner ads in the shell is the system service msa (MIUI System Ads), which is responsible for collecting data about your actions and showing targeted offers, and disabling this component is the first and most important step in the fight for a clean interface.
To start, you need to go to the phone's settings menu. Find the Password and Security section and select Access to Personal Data. In the app list that opens, find msa and put the switch to an inactive state.
The system will try to convince you to leave the service on by running a countdown of 10 seconds. Once it is completed, press the Turn off button. If you failed to turn off the first time, repeat the procedure 3-4 times - this is a known algorithm for protecting against accidental shutdowns.
- 📱 Go to Settings. → Password and security → Access to personal data.
- 🔍 Find the msa app in the list.
- 🚫 Turn off the switch and wait for the timer to end.
- ✅ Click Disable in the confirmation window that appears.
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If the "Disable" button is inactive, check for an active Internet connection. the Service requires online confirmation to remove restrictions.
Once these steps are done, the number of ad integrations in the system will be significantly reduced, although some embedded applications may remain separate elements.
Set up standard Xiaomi applications
Even after the MSA is disabled, individual system ulites can continue to display ads because they have their own recommendation settings, and POCO X3 Pro owners should check the settings of applications such as Explorer, Music, Video and Cleanup.
In the Safety app (green zipper icon), go to the settings (cog in the corner) and find "Receive recommendations." Turn off this feature to remove banner ads from the utility's main window. Similar actions should be performed in the Topic app.
☑️ Verification of system applications
Pay special attention to the Downloads app. Often, this is where the notifications of hot offers accumulate, go to the download settings and turn off the "Show recommended content" option.
| Annex | The path to adjustment | What to turn off |
|---|---|---|
| Conductor | Menu → Settings → About the application | Recommendations |
| Music. | Menu → Settings → Advanced settings | Showing advertisements |
| Topics | Profile → Settings | Showing advertising, personal recommendations |
| Video | Menu → Settings | Online recommendations, Mi Video |
Remember that after major MIUI updates, some settings may be reset, and checking these points periodically will help keep the system clean.
Removing Advertising in Mi Browser
Xiaomi’s standard browser is known for its aggressive policy of displaying news and banner ads, and if you use this app, you need to carefully configure it or replace it with an alternative, such as Chrome or Firefox.
To minimize ads in your native browser, open the app and go to settings. Find the Privacy and Security section. You should activate the ad blocker and disable notifications from sites.
⚠️ Note: Complete removal of the system browser Mi Browser without root rights is impossible. You can only disable its updates or hide the icon, but it is better to just stop using it.
In the Home Page Settings section, remove all news sources and widgets. Leave only the address bar and the search engine. This will make the start page clean and fast.
- 🛡️ Enable "Ad Blocking" in the privacy settings.
- 🔕 Turn off notifications for all websites.
- 🧹 Clear the history and cache of the browser through Settings → Confidentiality.
Alternative browsers
Blocking Advertising through DNS (Private DNS)
The most effective method that works globally for all applications and browsers is the use of Private DNS. This method does not require the installation of third-party software and is based on forwarding requests to advertising servers.
In your smartphone settings, go to Connection and Sharing (or Wi-Fi). DNS (Private DNS). Select the mode "Host Name of the provider" DNS" and enter the address: dns.adguard.com.
dns.adguard.comOnce you save your settings, all requests for known ad domains will be blocked at the network level, removing banners from games, free apps and websites.
However, it is important to note that activation DNS-Filtering can slightly increase ping in online games or slow down the loading of some "heavy" pages. If you notice problems with Internet speed, return the settings to "Auto" mode".
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AdGuard DNS is the most powerful blocking method that does not require superuser rights and works immediately after activation.
Limitation of advertising identifier
Android uses a unique Advertising ID to track your interests and generate personalized advertising, and resetting or deleting this ID makes tracking less effective.
Go to Settings → Password & Security → Privacy → Advertising Services. Here you will see the option “Delete Advertising ID.” Click on it and confirm the action.
Also on this menu, it is recommended to disable the item "Personalized Ads" that will prevent applications from using your data to select ads, the effect may not be instantaneous, but over time the number of relevant (and annoying) ads will decrease.
- 🆔 Go to the privacy settings.
- 🗑️ Click "Delete the advertising ID".
- 🚫 Turn off personalized advertising.
This procedure is useful to perform periodically, for example once a month, to reset the accumulated user profile.
Additional methods and FAQ
If standard methods haven’t helped clean up the POCO X3 Pro completely, more radical ways can be used: Installing third-party launchers like Nova Launcher or Microsoft Launcher allows you to completely ignore the standard MIUI desktop with all its widgets and news feeds.
There are also blocking apps that work through a local VPN (like Blokada or AdGuard) that filter traffic in real time, but use them can increase battery consumption, which is critical for smartphone autonomy.
⚠️ Note: Install applications from unknown sources (APK-files) carry security risks. download blockers only from official developer sites.
Users often ask questions about the legality and safety of such manipulations, and the following are the answers to the most popular of them.
Is it safe to turn off the msa service?
Will the ads return after the MIUI update?
Do you need root rights to block it completely?
Does blocking ads affect the work of applications?
To sum up, the POCO X3 Pro remains a powerful device even with intrusive advertising, and with a good setup, it can be turned into a handy tool without unnecessary visual noise.