Owners of Xiaomi, Redmi and POCO smartphones often encounter intrusive content that appears immediately after unlocking the device. Instead of the usual wallpaper or widgets, the user sees bright banners offering to buy goods or install an application, a phenomenon that has become especially common with the release of new versions of the MIUI shell and the transition to HyperOS. The system actively monetizes the user experience by integrating advertising modules into system components.
Fortunately, developers have left the option to disable this feature, although sometimes hidden deep in the menu or disguised as useful recommendations. You can remove ads from the screensaver by regular means without resorting to complex manipulation of the code or obtaining superuser rights. It is important to understand that the appearance of banners is responsible for a specific system service, which we will now consider the management of.
Not to be confused with the usual app notifications, but the system layer that is activated when the screen is turned on. Successful resolution will require a careful check of several sections of security and personalization settings. Android on Xiaomi devices has a specific permission architecture that we will use.
The nature of the appearance of advertising on the lock screen
The main culprit behind unsolicited banners is a service called MSA (MIUI System Ads), which is responsible for collecting user preferences and displaying targeted information. Even if you have never seen explicit banners in the interface, the analytics collection process can run in the background, waiting for the right moment to display content.
There's also a separate mechanism called wallpaper carousel, which is technically a feature that changes images on a locked screen, but in practice, it's often used as a platform for promoting partners, and a screensaver can be part of this feature, and you need to disable it separately from the main advertising service.
⚠️ Warning: Disabling system services completely may affect some built-in features, such as auto-tuning themes or app recommendations.Be prepared for the interface to become more “sterile».
Understanding exactly what the mechanism is causing the ad to appear is critical. In some cases, it is enough to simply turn off the switch in the settings, in others it is necessary to revoke the license agreement. Xiaomi periodically changes the location of these items, so the algorithm of actions can be broken depending on the version of the firmware.
Disabling the MSA service through settings
The first and most effective step is to limit the activity of the MSA service. This process does not delete the file completely, but prevents it from receiving data and displaying content. First, you need to go to the settings menu of your device. Find a section that can be called Password and Security or simply Security in different versions of the shell.
Inside this section, look for "Data Access" or "Internet Access" -- it shows a list of all the apps that are allowed to go online, find msa, and turn off the Wi-Fi and mobile data sliders, and it will alert you that the app will stop working if you turn off the Internet -- that's exactly what we need.
Once you've disabled your network, go back a step in the Security menu and find Ad Services or Advertising, and there's a global switch that prevents ads from being personalized, and turning off ads at this level significantly reduces the amount of ads you have throughout the system, including the lock screen.
☑️ Checking settings MSA
It is important to note that changes may not take effect immediately, sometimes you need to restart your device to make the new settings apply to all system processes. If after the reboot the ad appears again, you may need to repeat the procedure or check for system updates that may have reset your settings.
Setting up the wallpaper carousel
The Glance feature is the second most common source of intrusive content, replacing a static image on the lock screen with a shifting photo feed, often containing brand logos or news headlines, and to remove this element, you need to go to Settings → Lock screen.
In the menu that opens, look for the option “Wallpaper Carousel” or “Glance for Mi.” Inside you will see the activation switch. If it is on, just turn it off. It is also recommended to go to the settings of the carousel itself (often it is a gear next to the switch) and turn off the option “Receive updated content”.
Some users value this feature for its beautiful images, but want to get rid of only logos. In the carousel settings, sometimes the option “Show Logotip” or “Advertising Content” is available, which can be deactivated by saving the change of images. However, to completely get rid of the screensaver, it is better to turn off the entire feature.
| Parameter | Standard value | Recommended value | Impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wallpaper carousel | Included. | Off. | Removes the change of pictures and logo |
| Access to the Internet (Glance) | Permitted. | Forbidden. | Blocks the loading of content |
| Notifications to the Carousel | Permitted. | Forbidden. | Removes pop-up messages |
| Personalization | Included. | Off. | Reduces targeting |
Managing personalization and recommendations
MIUI and HyperOS are deeply integrated with cloud services that analyze user behavior. To minimize the number of promotional offers, you need to disable personalization at the account and system level. Go to your Mi Account settings and find the Privacy section.
You should turn off user experience improvement and usage statistics, which are often used to create an advertising profile, and check the settings of the Security app, which is the control center of the system.
In the Security app, click on the three dots in the top right corner and select Settings. Scroll down to Get Recommendations. This item is responsible for pop-ups with tips and suggestions that can also appear when you unlock. Disabling recommendations makes the interface cleaner.
⚠️ Caution: Disabling statistics collection may cause some features, such as smart photo sorting or predictive typing, to work less efficiently.
Be sure to check the settings of the Themes app as well. Even if you don’t use third-party themes, this system app often has a recommendation tab, and it also has a Receive References switch in its settings, which you need to deactivate for full effect.
Use of Developer Mode and ADB
For advanced users who don’t have enough standard settings, there is a method of disabling system components through USB debugging, which requires connecting a smartphone to a computer and using the ADB (Android Debug Bridge) tool, which allows you to remove or freeze system applications responsible for advertising.
First, activate the developer mode. To do this, quickly click on the build number in the About Phone section seven times. Then, in the advanced settings, turn on “Debugging USB.” Connect the phone to your PC and type a command to delete or disable the com.miui.misys or com.android.adbd package names (be careful with the package names).
adb shell pm disable-user --user 0 com.miui.msa.global
adb shell pm disable-user --user 0 com.miui.personalizationThese commands force the shutdown of advertising and personalization services, and unlike simply shutting down Internet access, this method blocks the start of processes at the system level, but use it with caution: incorrectly disabling system packages can lead to unstable operation of the device.
Frequent problems and their solution
Sometimes users are faced with a situation where after all the actions taken, the ad returns, this can occur after the system update, when Xiaomi resets some of the default privacy settings, in which case the procedure for disabling the MSA and the Wallpaper Carousel will have to be repeated.
Another problem may be installing third-party apps that implement their ad modules. If you notice that the screensaver has changed after installing a particular application (for example, “clean up memory” or “flashlight”), try to remove it.
Also worth checking is the access rights for the Music and Video app, which often hide content downloads and recommendations that can be displayed on the lock screen, and shutting down the Internet for these apps also helps reduce noise.
⚠️ Warning: Do not install phone acceleration apps from unverified sources, they are often a source of aggressive advertising and can reinstalle services you have disabled.
If nothing helps, consider installing a global firmware version if you’re using a Chinese version of the device, and global firmware tends to contain less aggressive advertising targeting the Chinese market, although it’s not completely free of it.