Owners of the POCO X3 Pro smartphone often face intrusive advertisements that appear in system applications and the interface of the MIUI shell. This phenomenon annoys users, distracts from work and consumes Internet traffic, which is especially unpleasant when using tariffs with limited traffic. Aggressive monetization by the manufacturer leads to the fact that the question of how to remove advertising from the phone becomes one of the most popular among owners of budget and medium-budget devices of the brand.
Advertising mechanisms are built deep into MIUI, and simply removing shortcuts does not work. To completely clear your smartphone of unwanted content, you need to perform a comprehensive setup that includes disabling system services, changing security settings and adjusting the operation of standard applications. Only by consistently following all the steps will allow you to enjoy a clean interface without pop-ups.
In this article, we will discuss in detail all available methods of blocking, from standard privacy settings to more advanced ways to manage network requests. You do not need superuser rights or complex software, all actions can be performed using the standard means of the device.
MSA Disconnection: The Main Source of Advertising
The centerpiece of Xiaomi’s advertising system is MSA (MIUI System Ads), which is the process that collects user behavior data and uploads banner ads to different sections of the interface. The first and most important step in the fight for a clean screen is to force the service to stop and disable through the app menu.
To do this, you need to go to your smartphone settings and find the section responsible for managing installed programs. Find an app called msa (sometimes called "MIUI System Ads") on the list. Click on it to open the information page where you need to turn off the "Recommendations" or "Receive recommendations" switch.
The system will try to convince you to keep the service active, so after turning off, a countdown timer will appear, usually lasting 10 seconds, you need to wait for the countdown to end and press the "Disable" button. If you failed to turn off the first time, repeat the procedure again or two, since Xiaomi servers may temporarily block the request to disconnect.
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If the “Disable” button is inactive, try first to turn off the Internet (Wi-Fi and mobile data), perform the action, and then turn the network back on.
After successful disabling of MSA, the number of ads in the system will be significantly reduced, but to fully effect, you also need to disable the personalization of ads. This will prevent your interests from being analyzed for targeted advertising. Go to Settings → Passwords and Security → Privacy → Advertising Services and turn off the Ad Personalization feature.
Setting up the "Security" application and cleaning
The standard POCO X3 Pro Security app is one of the main sources of pop-ups, and it regularly shows recommendations for cleaning up memory, speeding up the system, and installing additional applications, and to remove these notifications, you need to change the settings of the app itself.
Open the Security app and click on the gear icon in the top right corner of the screen. In the menu that opens, find "Receive recommendations" and put the switch in an inactive position. This is the action of turning off news and promotional offers in the antivirus and optimizer interface.
Also, you should pay attention to your garbage cleaning settings. Inside the Security app, go to Cleanup and click on the settings icon. There may also be a point that shows recommendations after you have finished scanning. Make sure that all options related to tips and news are turned off.
☑️ Checking security settings
Keep in mind that the Security app is tightly integrated with other system components, so once you make changes, it is recommended to restart the device so that the new settings apply to all services, ensuring that the background processes do not try to load the old ad settings.
Removing Advertising from Standard Applications
Banner ads can appear not only in system services, but also in standard applications such as Music, Video, Explorer and Downloads. Each of these applications has its own settings that need to be checked and adjusted to achieve maximum comfort of use.
In Downloads, ads often appear when you open files. To fix this, open the app, click three dots in the corner and select Settings. Find "Show recommended content" and turn it off. This will remove the news feeds and banners on the main download screen.
The Explorer app also requires a separate setup. Go to its settings and turn off the "Receive recommendations" option. In the Music and Video app, the procedure is similar: look for items in the settings that contain the words "recommendations", "online content" or "advertising" and deactivate them.
⚠️ Note: In some versions MIUI Item names may vary slightly. Look for any options related to "online services" or "content" because that's where the ads load.
Special attention should be paid to the Theme app, which is where notifications for new skins and paid themes often come in, go to the theme app settings (profile → settings) and disable all notifications and personalization options, which will help remove pop-ups that offer new designs.
Blocking Advertising in Mi Browser
Xiaomi’s built-in browser is another channel for displaying ad content, including push notifications from sites and news feeds. If you’re actively using Mi Browser, setting it up is a must-have step in system optimization.
To start, open your browser and go to settings (profile icon or three bars → settings). Find the Privacy and Security section. Here you need to activate the Ad Block switch. This will turn on a built-in filter that will prevent most banner ads from loading on the sites visited.
Next, disable personalization. In the same settings menu, find "Receive recommendations" or "Personalized recommendations" and turn it off. This will remove the news feed from the browser's home screen, which often contains spammy articles and advertising headlines.
Alternative browsers
Also worth checking for browser permissions. Go to Settings → Apps → All apps → Mi Browser → Notifications. Here you can completely prevent the app from sending notifications, which will save you from pop-up messages about “hot news” or promotions.
Disabling Advertising IDs and Personalization
To better customize privacy and reduce the number of targeted ads, you need to reset and limit the use of an advertising ID, a unique code used by advertisers to track your interests across different applications.
Go to the Settings menu → Passwords and security → Confidentiality → Advertising services. Here you'll see the option "Reset the advertising ID." Pressing this button will create a new random ID, Breaking the link with previously collected data about your preferences.
In addition, the Ad Personalization switch must be turned off in the same menu. While it is active, the system continues to analyze your actions even if the MSA service is disabled.
Below is a table summarizing the key settings for the various system components that need to be checked:
| System component | Parameter for deactivation | Location on the menu |
|---|---|---|
| Systemic advertising | Receive recommendations | Settings → Passwords and Security → Privacy |
| Security Annex | Receive recommendations | Security → Cog (Settings) |
| Conductor | Receive recommendations | Conductor → Settings |
| Downloads. | Show recommended content | Downloads → Settings |
Regularly checking these settings after major MIUI updates will help keep the smartphone “clean” and developers can return some default settings with major updates, so control will not be superfluous.
Using DNS to Block Advertising
One of the most effective and versatile ways to remove ads throughout the system, including some apps and games, is to use a private DNS filtered, which requires no additional software installation and works at the network connection level.
To set up, go to Settings → Connection and Sharing → Private DNS. The default value is “Auto.” Select “DNS Provider Host Name” (or “Manual”) and enter the address of the verified ad blocker.
One of the most popular and reliable services is AdGuard DNS. In the field for entering you must specify the following address:
dns.adguard.comAfter you enter the address, save the settings. DNS-requests POCO X3 Pros will pass through AdGuard filters that cut off connections to known ad servers, which allows you to remove banners even in places where the usual settings do not help.
⚠️ Note: When using a third party DNS Internet speeds may in rare cases decrease slightly, or some sites may stop opening if their domains are mistakenly entered in. DNS "Auto" means "Auto".
This method is particularly effective when combined with disabling the MSA service. While the MSA blocks system advertising, DNS filters application network requests, and this dual-providing creates a virtually impenetrable barrier to unwanted content.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Will the ad shutdown affect the system?
Do I need to get Root rights to remove ads?
Will the ad settings return after the MIUI update?
Can I remove the MSA app completely?
Will installing an antivirus help to remove advertising?
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Combination of service shutdown MSA, privacy settings in applications and use DNS-Filtering provides maximum protection from advertising on Xiaomi POCO X3 Pro.