Xiaomi’s smartphones, particularly the popular 128GB Redmi Note 10 Pro, are widely regarded as among the best in their price range. But owners are often annoyed by the intrusive advertising that appears in system applications and interfaces. It’s not just visual noise, it’s the company’s way of making up for the low cost of iron, but it’s not necessarily put up with it.
There are several proven methods to completely or almost completely clear the MIUI operating system of banner ads, some of which require minimal action, others involve deeper tweaking of the settings, and we will look at all the current methods that work on the current version of the firmware.
It is important to understand that completely disabling ads not only increases the comfort of use, but also the security of the device, reducing the risk of accidental installation of malware. Before you start manipulating, make sure that your Redmi Note 10 Pro is charged and has a stable Internet connection.
MSA Disconnection: The First and Main Step
The main source of advertising integrations in the system is the system application MIUI System Ads (MSA), which is responsible for collecting data on user habits and displaying targeted offers, disabling this component is the foundation without which other settings can be ineffective.
To start, you need to go to the smartphone 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 inactive. The system will warn you of the consequences, but for our purpose it is necessary.
⚠️ Attention: When attempting to disconnect MSA The system may give you a countdown timer several times, or it may say it can't stop the process. 3-4 Once in a row until a confirmation window appears.
After successful MSA shutdown, it is also recommended to limit the background activity of this component. Go to Settings → Applications → All applications, find msa and select Battery. Set No Limits mode to an off state so that the system does not artificially wake the process.
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Disabling MSA is a critical step that eliminates up to 80% of all system advertising in the MIUI shell.
Configure DNS to lock at the network level
A more advanced and effective way is to use private DNS-This method allows you to filter traffic at the connection level, not even allowing ad servers to load a banner on the screen of your Redmi Note 10 Pro. This works for both browsers and many embedded applications.
To activate this feature, go to Settings → Connection and Sharing → Private DNS. The default mode is Auto. Select the DNS Host Name (or Manual) option and enter the trusted blocker address.
dns.adguard.comOnce you enter the address, save the settings. Visually, nothing will change, but the system will send all requests through the AdGuard filter. If a site stops opening, you can always temporarily return the setting to Auto or Disabled.
What to do if the DNS is not working?
Cleaning system applications from advertising
Even after disabling the MSA and setting up the DNS, some built-in utilities can continue to show recommendations, including applications like Explorer, Music, Themes, and Security, and each needs to disable the recommendation function separately.
In the Safety app, click on the gear in the top right corner and find "Receive recommendations." Turn it off. Similar steps should be taken in the Topics app: go to profile, then to settings, and turn off "Show ads" and "Receive recommendations."
- 📂 Conductor: Click on the menu (three bars) → Settings → About the annex → Click on the folder icon 10 times → Turn off "Recommendations".
- 🎵 Music: Menu → Settings → Advanced settings → Turn off "Show ads".
- 🧹 Cleaning: In the Appendix Security → Cleanup → gear → Turn off "Get recommendations".
Remember that after major MIUI updates, these settings may be reset. Check these points periodically to keep the interface clean.
Disabling personalized recommendations
Xiaomi is actively collecting data about your smartphone usage to generate personalized results, not only for advertising, but also for browser news feeds and widgets, and disabling this feature significantly reduces information noise.
Go to Settings → Password & Security → Privacy → Special Permissions → Ad Personalization. You need to turn off the switch and click “Revoke Consent.” Also check the Settings → Advanced Settings → Get recommendations (if available in your firmware version).
Pay special attention to the Mi Browser browser, which often goes pre-installed. Go to its settings, select Privacy & Security, and disable all items related to personalization and news feed. Better use third-party browsers like Chrome or Firefox, which are not integrated as deeply into the system.
Notification and access management
Often, ads don’t come from the system itself, but through notifications from apps you install or through special permissions.Redmi Note 10 Pro owners must carefully monitor which apps are authorized to display messages on the lock screen.
Go to Settings → Notifications and Status bar → Notification Center. Go through the list of applications and turn off notifications for those programs that do not need them (calculator, voice recorder, file managers of third-party developers).
| Type of notification | Where to turn off | Impact on the system |
|---|---|---|
| Banner advertisements | Settings → Password and security → Access to Personal Data (MSA) | High (principal source) |
| Push notifications | Settings → Notifications → Notification Center | Average (depending on applications) |
| MIUI Recommendations | Settings → Advanced settings → Get recommendations | Low (in folders only) |
| Browser advertising | Browser settings → Privacy | Average (browser only) |
Controlling permissions is the key to calming down, and don’t let apps access “Above Other Windows” unless there’s a need for it, as this permission is often used for intrusive advertising.
Hiding Advertising in Desktop Folders
One of the most annoying things about the MIUI shell is that there are ad cards in the application folders on the desktop, called "Recommended Apps," which is, fortunately, pretty easy to disable.
Open any folder on your desktop where the apps are collected. Click on the folder name to open the edit menu. In the window that appears, find the Recommended (or "Promoted apps") switch and turn it off. Ad icons disappear instantly.
⚠️ Note: If the Recommended Switch is missing or inactive, make sure you pre-disable MSA Internet access for system applications as described in the first sections of the article.
Once this feature is disabled, folders will be clean and only contain apps you installed yourself, which will also make it a little faster to open folders, since the system will not need to download content from the network.
Additional measures and expert advice
For those who want to maximize results, there are a number of additional measures, such as disabling specific services that can stream content, such as the Mi Video app and Mi Music app, which are often the sources of pop-ups.
You can completely remove updates to these apps or disable them if you don't use them. Go to Settings → Apps → All apps, find Mi Video, click Remove Updates, and then Disable. This will free up the CPU space and resources.
☑️ Checklist for full cleaning
Use developer mode with caution. While there are many useful settings, randomly changing zoom or animation settings can cause the Redmi Note 10 Pro interface to work unstable.
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Periodically (once a month) check the list of applications with access to Personal Data. New MIUI updates can return the rights to disabled system components.