How to remove ads on Xiaomi Redmi 5: the complete guide

Owners of Xiaomi budget smartphones often face intrusive banners that appear in the most unexpected places of the interface. Especially relevant is the question of how to remove ads from the lock screen on Xiaomi Redmi 5, since this model, released several years ago, is still actively used and receives updates to the shell MIUI. Developers embed advertising modules to monetize the device, which can annoy users accustomed to pure Android.

Fortunately, the modern firmware version allows you to flexibly configure the system and disable most unwanted notifications without obtaining superuser rights. Advertising push notifications most often come from system applications such as a browser, Explorer or recommendation service. Understanding which component generates content is the first step to solving the problem.

In this article, we will take a look at all the known methods of combating intrusive marketing, learn how to disable the MSA service, set personal recommendations and use DNS to block trackers at the network level.

Disabling MSA Service and System Recommendations

The main source of advertising in the MIUI shell is the MSA system application (MIUI System Ads), which is responsible for loading and displaying banners in standard utilities. To limit its impact, you need to find the appropriate item in the authorization settings. Go to the Settings menu → Passwords and Security → Authorization and Review.

In the list that opens, find msa and put the switch inactive. The system will warn you that some functions may stop working correctly, but for the average user this is usually not critical. If you failed to turn off the first time, try repeating the procedure several times, since the server sometimes does not respond instantly.

⚠️ Note: After disabling the msa service, advertising may completely disappear not immediately, but during the course of the service. 5-10 Do not restart the device immediately after changing the setting.

You should also check the personalization settings. → Passwords and security → Confidentiality → Advertising services should disable the “Receive recommendations” option, which will prevent the system from analyzing your actions to select targeted ads. → Notifications and status bar → Status-Bar, Selecting unnecessary system applications.

Configure application-source notifications

Often, ads come from specific built-in apps, such as MI Music, MI Video, Explorer, or Mi Browser. Each has its own settings for receiving news and promotional offers. For example, in the Security app (green icon with a shield), you need to click on the gear in the upper right corner and turn off the "Receive recommendations" item.

The same is true of File Explorer: Open Explorer, go to settings (three bars or dots) and find About or Settings, where you should deaktivate the option to Receive Content or Recommendations, which will remove banners that often appear on the home page of the Explorer.

For MI Video and MI Music, the procedure is identical: Go to the user profile or app settings, find the Settings section, and check the box for Show Ads or Online Recommendations, while local files will continue to play without problems, as online content will no longer be downloaded.

• 📱 Open the Security app and turn off recommendations in the settings.
• 📂 In the “Conductor” find the settings and prohibit the display of popular content.
• 🎵 Players. MI Music and Video disable online services in the profile menu.
• 🌐 In the Mi Browser browser, go to the settings and turn off the News Feed».

Blocking Advertising via DNS and Wi-Fi

One of the most effective ways to avoid installing third-party software is to use secure DNS. This method blocks requests to known ad servers at the network connection level. On Xiaomi Redmi 5 with the current version of Android, you can manually prescribe DNS in your Wi-Fi settings or through the application.

To configure your Wi-Fi, click on your network name, select Change or IP Settings (static IP). In DNS 1, enter 176.103.130.130, and in DNS 2, 176.103.130.131. These are the AdGuard DNS server addresses that filter traffic. However, this may not work if you use mobile Internet (3G/4G).

dns.adguard.com


176.103.130.130




176.103.130.131

A more versatile solution is to install a private DNS if your version of Android (usually 9.0 and higher) supports the “Private DNS” function in the “Connections and Sharing” section. In the “Host Name of the provider” field, you need to enter dns.adguard.com. After saving all applications using the network system settings, they will begin to block advertising domains.

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Use of the DNS-Filtering can slightly increase page load time in the browser, but will significantly improve the purity of the interface in applications.

Removing Advertising in System Folders and Themes

Redmi 5 owners often notice ad folders appearing on their desktop or app menus, usually after a system update or a new theme is installed from Themes. The theme store has its own settings that allow you to show recommended wallpaper and apps.

To remove ads from the theme store, open the Themes app, go to the profile (human icon) and click on the settings. Find the item "Show ads" or "Recommendations" and turn it off. It is also worth checking the "Wallpaper Carousel" section in the lock screen settings, as this is often the source of banners on the locked screen.

If ad icons appear in folders on the desktop, it is often the result of MIUI algorithms that group applications into categories. Delete that folder and create a new one manually, preventing the system from automatically adding shortcuts. Manual management of the workspace ensures that there are no hidden links.

Use of ad blockers

If you don't have enough system settings, you can use specialized applications. One of the most popular and effective Android solutions is AdGuard. It works as a local application. VPN-service by filtering traffic before it enters applications. APK-file from the official website of the developer, as in Google Play versions are limited.

Once you install AdGuard, you need to give the application the necessary permissions. In your smartphone settings, go to Battery and Performance (or simply Battery), find the blocker app, and select No Limits mode, which will prevent the system from stopping service in the background.

The alternative is Blokada, which is open source and works on a similar principle, and it automatically updates the lists of blocked domains, and using such programs is a reliable way to protect against browser pop-ups and banners in games.

Resetting and extreme measures

In cases where the adverts were caused by an adware virus that masquerades as a system process, simple settings may not help. You can identify the malicious application by looking at the list of recently installed programs or running processes in the Settings → Apps menu. Suspicious programs with strange names or without icons should be removed.

If you can't find the source, you may need to completely reset your settings to factory.Be sure to back up your important data before this procedure, as all files will be deleted. Go to Settings → About Phone → Settings Reset → Erase all data.

⚠️ A full reset will delete all photos, contacts and apps. Make sure you have an up-to-date copy of the data in the cloud or on your computer before starting the procedure.

After reset, take your time to restore all applications from the backup at once. First, check the clean system. If the ad disappears, install programs one at a time to identify the culprit. Often malicious code enters the smartphone along with "modified" versions of games or utilities from unverified sources.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

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Comprehensive cleaning of the smartphone from advertising includes disabling MSA, configuring DNS, checking installed applications and disabling recommendations in each system service separately.