Xiaomi, Redmi and Poco smartphone owners often encounter intrusive banner ads that appear in system applications, folders and even on the desktop, the result of the built-in MSA (MIUI System Ads) service, which is activated by default to monetize budget devices. However, knowing the exact paths in the menu, you can completely free the interface from unnecessary visual noise.
The process of disabling does not require rooting or flashing the device to the global version, just go through the settings of each system application consistently and disable personalized recommendations. Below is a detailed guide that is relevant to current versions of the shells MIUI 14, MIUI 15 and the new HyperOS.
It's worth noting that some changes can only take effect once the device is restarted. If you want to achieve the perfect result, it's recommended that you follow all the steps sequentially, without missing a single menu item. This will take about 10-15 minutes, but will forever change the smartphone experience.
Disabling Advertising through MSA Settings
The central element of the advertising system is the service msa (MIUI System Ads), which is responsible for collecting data about your actions and displaying the relevant banners, the first step is to limit its capabilities by prohibiting receiving recommendations.
To do this, go to the Settings menu, then select Password and Security (or Security and Privacy). In the list, find the Access to Personal Data or Special Permits section, and you will need to find msa and switch the slider to an inactive state.
The system will try to convince you to leave it as it is by running a countdown timer for 10 seconds. Once it is over, press the recall button. If you fail the first time, repeat the procedure - the servers may be overloaded, and the button may not respond instantly.
⚠️ Note: After revoking permissions, msa may try to recover on your next Wi-Fi connection. Check this item periodically to make sure access is still closed.
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If the "Revoke" button is inactive or the timer is not running, turn off the Internet on your smartphone before entering the permissions menu. This will prevent synchronization of status with the Xiaomi server in real time.
Cleaning the security application
Security is one of the main sources of pop-ups and push notifications of an advertising nature, it regularly scans the device and suggests “optimizing” memory, while showing banners of partners.
Open the Security app and click on the gear icon in the top right corner to enter the settings. Find Receive recommendations and turn it off. It is also recommended to go to Clean up inside the app settings and remove the tick from Show ads after cleaning.
You might also want to check the Viral Protection section, and there might be a Receive Recommendations switch that streams news and suggestions to the antivirus feed, and turning it off will make scanning faster and quieter.
- 🛡️ Turn off Receive recommendations in the main menu of the app settings.
- 🧹 Remove the tick from the ad after the memory cleanup is completed.
- 🦠 Check the antivirus settings and turn off the news feed.
☑️ Checking the application Security
Setup of system conductor and loader
The standard file manager, Explorer and Download Manager, also contain built-in monetization modules, which can display ad units in the "Recent" section or offer game installations when files are downloaded.
In the Explorer app, click on the three-bar menu at the top left and select Settings. Go to About the app and find the Recommendation switch. Turn it off to remove the ad tape from the Explorer start screen.
For the bootloader, the algorithm is similar: open the app, click three dots in the corner, select Settings, and find Show Recommended Content. Deactivating this setting will remove suggestions of games and applications that often pop up when downloaded. APK-file.
These system utilities are updated regardless of the main firmware through the GetApps store or Google Play. So after a major system update, it makes sense to recheck these settings, as they can be reset to standard values.
Why is the ad coming back?
Remove ads from folders and on the desktop
One of the most annoying things about MIUI is that you have recommended apps inside your desktop folders, and even if you created the Tools folder and you only put a calculator in it, the system can add a game icon marked "Recommended."
To remove this, click on any folder that has ads to open it. The top of the window that opens (where the folder name is) usually has a gear setting or icon. Find the Advertise folders (or Cards) switch and disable it. After that, the extra icons will disappear, and the folder will contain only your applications.
It's also worth checking the settings of the theme itself. Some third-party themes have built-in ads. If you're using a custom theme from Themes, try switching to a standard Classic or Default theme and checking to see if banners disappear.
| source of advertising | Where to look for settings | Name of the switch |
|---|---|---|
| Desktop | Settings → Desktop | Cards (or "Recommendations") |
| Application folders | Open the folder → Settings | Advertise folders |
| Music. | Settings → Additional | Receive recommendations |
| Topics | Profile → Settings | Showing ads |
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Advertising in desktop folders is not a virus, but a regular shell function, and it is turned off individually for each folder or globally in the launcher settings.
Cleaning up Mi Browser and Music apps
The standard Mi Browser browser and Music player are often the source of push notifications with news and offers, and if you use these apps, they need to be "detached" first.
In Mi Browser, go to the menu (three bars) → Settings → Privacy and Security. You need to turn off Personalized Recommendations. Also, in the Notifications section, you should remove the ticks from the "Receive Notifications" and "Recommended Sites" so that the news feed does not appear on the home page.
In Music, click on the menu, select Settings, then Additional. Find Show Ads and Receive Recommendations, putting them inactive, and this removes the banners of concert halls and merch that often overlap album covers.
If you don’t use standard Xiaomi apps, preferring Chrome, Yandex Music or VK Music, they can be simply removed or disabled.However, even when disabled, they can receive updates, so it’s best to remove them completely through the app management menu.
- 🌐 In Mi Browser, turn off personalization in the privacy section.
- 🎵 In the Music Player, remove the boxes from the recommendations in additional settings.
- 🔔 Check system notifications for these apps and ban them completely.
Disabling personalization in the system
The final step is to disable the general data collection system to personalize ads, which will not eliminate all ads completely (since some apps have their own SDKs), but will significantly reduce their relevance and frequency.
Go to Settings → Password & Security → Privacy. Find the Advertising Services (or Advertising ID) section. Click on it and select Disable or Reset Advertising ID. There may also be an Ad Personalization option that needs to be deactivated.
In newer versions of HyperOS, this item may be in the menu Advanced Settings → Privacy. The interface may vary slightly depending on the firmware region (Global, EEA, Russia), but the logic remains the same: look for the words "Ads", "Relevance", "Personalization".
⚠️ Note: Once you reset your advertising ID, you will not stop seeing the ads completely, but they will become less targeted.
Additional Methods and Frequent Questions
Sometimes standard methods are not enough, especially if the device is pre-installed with a lot of third-party software from partners, in such cases, you can use deeper methods of configuration, such as disabling unnecessary system applications through ADB, but this requires caution.
For ordinary users, it is enough to update the system regularly and check the settings after major updates. Xiaomi constantly changes the location of the switches, so vigilance is the best tool in the fight for a clean interface.
Remember that removing system components completely can cause your device to run in an unstable way. Use only official switches provided by the developers to avoid Android errors.