Owners of Xiaomi smartphones, especially the Redmi Note 10 models, often encounter intrusive ads that appear in system applications and even on the desktop.This phenomenon, known as MSA (MIUI System Ads), is built into the default MIUI shell to monetize budget devices. While it is difficult to completely remove this feature without reflashing to a global version or custom ROM, there are effective methods to minimize its impact.
Advertising can be annoying when it comes at the most inopportune moment, overlapping the interface or requiring manual closure. Fortunately, the company’s engineers have provided the ability to disable most advertising modules through standard settings, and more advanced users can apply technical blocking methods. In this article, we will take a detailed look at all the available methods, from simple switches to customization. DNS-server.
Before you start taking drastic measures, it’s worth noting that some system processes require a stable internet connection to properly shut down services. Make sure your Redmi Note 10 is connected to Wi-Fi or mobile network at good speed. It’s also a good idea to charge your device in advance so that the setup process doesn’t get interrupted by battery drain at a critical moment.
Disabling system advertising through MIUI settings
The safest and easiest way to start fighting intrusive banners is to use the built-in operating system tools. You don't need superuser rights or third-party software. The basic mechanism is hidden in the Security menu, which is preinstalled on every Xiaomi device.
The first step is to find and activate a service called MSA. Go to Settings → Password & Security → Data Access. In the list that opens, find the msa app and turn off the switch. The system will alert you that the service will stop working and suggest you wait 10 seconds before confirming.
⚠️ Attention: First time you turn off MSA The confirmation button may be inactive. Wait for the countdown (usually 10 seconds) and then the "Cancel" option will be available».
If you can't revoke access the first time, repeat the procedure several times in a row. Sometimes it takes 3 to 5 attempts for Xiaomi's server to accept the request to disconnect, due to the peculiarities of synchronizing the settings on the manufacturer's side.
After successful MSA disabling, personalized ads must also be deactivated. Go to Settings → Password & Security → Privacy → Advertising Services. Here, you should switch the Personalized Advertising slider to an inactive state, which will prevent the system from collecting data about your preferences for ad targeting.
Customization of a clean profile in system applications
Even after the general MSA service is disabled, individual Xiaomi apps can continue to show recommendations and promotional materials. Each component of the system, whether it is Explorer, Music or Downloads, has its own content display settings.
Consider an example of disabling ads in a standard browser and the Security app. In Mi Browser, go to the menu (three bars), select Settings → Privacy and Security, and disable the Receive News and Notifications option.
For the Security application, the algorithm of actions is as follows:
- 🛡️ Open the Security app on your desktop.
- ⚙️ Click on the gear in the upper right corner to enter the settings.
- 🚫 Find the item "Receive recommendations" and uncheck it.
- 📉 Turn off the “Automatic Virus Update” option if you don’t need it.
You need to do the same for Downloads, go to its settings through the menu and turn off "Show recommended content," which will clear the interface of tiles with suggestions for games and applications.
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Use the Speed feature in the Security app to clear the cache of the ad modules if they continue to be active.
Be sure to check the theme settings. Often banner ads are embedded through third-party themes downloaded from the MIUI store. Go back to the standard theme or carefully review the description of the designs you install for mentions of advertising.
Blocking Advertising Through DNS
One of the most effective methods that works at the level of the entire Android 11/12/13 operating system installed on the Redmi Note 10 is the use of a private DNS. This method does not require the installation of additional applications and blocks requests to known ad servers.
To implement the method, go to Settings → Connection and Sharing → Private DNS. The default value is “Auto.” Select the option “Host Name of the DNS Provider” (or “Manual”) and enter the address of the trusted blocker.
dns.adguard.comOnce you enter the address, click Save. If you have an Internet connection, the system will apply the settings. Now all requests to ad domains will be blocked at the network level, which will significantly speed up the loading of pages in the browser and clean the application interface.
| Parameter | Default value | Recommended value | The effect |
|---|---|---|---|
| DNS mode | Automobile | Provider host name | Manual control |
| Server address | - | dns.adguard.com | Blocking ads |
| Application | Globally | Globally | All applications |
| Impact on the battery | Normal. | Minimum | Saving traffic |
It is important to understand that using a third-party DNS may have a slight impact on response speeds on some local networks if the provider has a poor route to AdGuard servers. However, for most users, this change is not noticeable, except for the disappearance of advertising.
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Private DNS blocks ads in all applications at once, but it can conflict with some corporate Wi-Fi networks.
Removing System Applications Through ADB
For advanced users who want to maximize the purity of the system, there is a method of removing advertising packages through debugging via USB. This method requires connecting the smartphone to the computer and installing ADB drivers (Android Debug Bridge).
The first thing you need to do is activate the developer mode. → About the phone and seven times quickly click on the build number (MIUI After the message “You became a developer” appears, go back to the settings menu, find the “Additional” section and open the “Developers for Developers” section».
Turn on the USB Debugging Toggle. Connect the Redmi Note 10 to your PC with a cable. You'll see a request for debugging permission on your phone screen, confirm it. On your computer, in the command line, type in a command to check the connection:
adb devicesIf a device has been listed, you can start removing unnecessary components. Be very careful: removing system packages can cause your phone to function in an unstable way. Only remove components that you are sure of.
⚠️ Note: Deleting the system packages (bloatware) may disrupt standard functions such as gallery or theme.
To remove the MSA advertising module, use the command:
adb shell pm uninstall -k --user 0 com.miui.msa.globalYou can also remove analytics services and advertising frameworks such as com.miui.analytics and com.miui.personalassistant. If you find a critical error after deleting, you can return the application with the command adb shell cmd package install-existing package_name.
☑️ Check before removal through ADB
Cache cleanup and reset ad settings
Sometimes, even after all the settings, the ads continue to appear because of the cached data of the old services, in which case the forced shutdown of processes and cleaning their storage helps, and this is especially true after the MIUI firmware update.
Go to Settings → Apps → All Apps. Find Ad Services (or msa) in the list. Click on it and select Clear → Clear Everything. Then click Stop. Do the same for Security and Downloads.
Once the cache is cleared, it is recommended that you restart the device, allowing the system to re-initialize services with new privacy settings. If you use third-party launchers, check their widget settings, sometimes the ads come from there.
As a preventive measure, you can turn off automatic global search recommendations. Swipe your finger down your desktop to open the search, click on the settings icon (cog) and turn off Cards and Recommendations. This will remove the Yandex or Google newsfeed if it is full of promotional material.
Alternative methods and conclusion
There are also specialized blocking applications that work without root rights using local VPN-One of the most popular solutions is AdGuard or Blokada, which filters traffic on the device by cutting off ad requests before they are displayed.
Installation of such applications requires permission to create VPN-Although traffic does not go to external servers (local filtering), this can slightly increase battery consumption, but the efficiency of this method is often higher than standard settings. MIUI.
Should I set up Root Rights to remove ads?
To sum up, the Redmi Note 10 remains a great device even with intrusive advertising, if you set the system up properly. The combination of MSA disabling, DNS settings, and periodic cache cleaning allows you to achieve a clean interface comparable to stock Android.
Check system updates regularly, as Xiaomi will sometimes change the location of privacy settings in new versions of MIUI. Stay alert when installing new applications from unknown sources, as they can reinstalle ad modules.
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Periodically check the list of installed applications. If you see unfamiliar software with a suspicious name, immediately delete it - this may be the source of pop-up ads.