Owning a Poco X3 NFC smartphone or its more powerful Pro version is often overshadowed by intrusive marketing content that is embedded in the MIUI shell by default. Users are faced with banner ads in system applications, notifications from the “cleaner” and recommendations in folders, which significantly reduces the comfort of using the device. This is not just an annoyance, but also a potential threat to privacy, as algorithms collect data about your preferences.
Fortunately, Xiaomi’s system allows you to manually deactivate most advertising mechanisms, although the company does not make this process obvious. You do not need super-user rights or complex code manipulation, you just need to go through certain settings menu items consistently. In this article, we will discuss in detail each step necessary to turn your gadget into a clean tool from unnecessary information noise.
It’s worth noting that after major firmware updates, some settings may reset or return to factory values, so periodic checking of these settings will be a good idea.We’ll look at both standard methods through the interface and more advanced DNS locking methods that are effective against most embedded trackers.
Disabling MSA System Advertising
The main source of intrusive content in the shell of MIUI is the system application MSA (MIUI System Ads), which is responsible for downloading and displaying advertising blocks in various interfaces of the smartphone. To stop it, you need to find the appropriate item in the authorization and advertising menu, but there is an important nuance here.
When the first shutdown occurs, the system may issue an error or claim that it failed to disable. This is the normal behavior of the security mechanism that tries to keep the user in the advertising ecosystem. You will need to press the shutdown button several times in a row (usually 3-5 times) until a confirmatory message about successful deactivation appears.
⚠️ Attention: After disconnection MSA Advertising may not disappear completely instantly, as cached data sometimes remains in memory.
To do this, go to Settings, then select Password and Security, and find Access to Personal Data. In the list that opens, find msa and put the switch to an inactive state. If you don't see this item right away, wait a few seconds for the list to load fully.
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If the MSA disable button is inactive, try temporarily turning off the internet (Wi-Fi and mobile data) before entering the settings menu.
In parallel, you should disable receiving recommendations from the system itself. To do this, find the password and security item in the Settings menu, then go to Access to Personal Data or immediately to Advertising and Privacy (the name may vary depending on the version of MIUI).
Setting up the application Security and Cleanup
The standard Security app on Poco X3 is one of the most active sources of advertising notifications, which periodically reports “found viruses” (which are often just cache) or suggests speeding up the system by showing banner ads in parallel.
Open the Security app, click on the settings gear in the top right corner, and find the Receive recommendations section. Turn off this switch. It's also worth checking the Cleanup section inside the app's settings, and unchecking the Receive recommendations box if it's there separately.
Additionally, in the Security settings, you can disable the Cleanup Status Notice, which will save you from pop-ups with scan results, which often contain links to installing third-party games or apps. The path to this setting is usually in the General Settings section within the app’s menu.
☑️ Setting up the Security Application
It is important to understand that the Antivirus app built into this suite can also generate notifications. Go to the antivirus settings and turn off the option to Receive Updates or Status Notifications if you are not using it as your primary protection tool relying on Google Play Protect.
Cleaning folders and desktop from recommendations
The MIUI shell has a habit of adding "Recommended Apps" to folders on the desktop. This is a compendium folder where the system automatically adds game icons and utilities that the algorithms think you might like, and you can remove this block, but you need to do it inside each folder you create.
To do this, open any folder on your desktop that has a recommendation section. Click on the folder name (or the settings icon inside it, if any) and you will see the Recommended Applications switch. Turn it off. This operation will have to be repeated for each folder where this function is activated.
⚠️ Warning: Disabling recommendations in one folder doesn't disable them in others. You need to go through all the groups of applications you've created on the home screen.
Also, you should pay attention to the widget Ribbon widget (formerly known as Mi Vision or Google Discover), which opens with a swipe to the left of the first screen. Go to the settings of this screen (usually a long tap on an empty space or through the launcher settings) and turn off news cards and recommendations, leaving only widgets if you need them.
Hidden launchers
Also check the theme settings. Some third-party themes, even official Themes store ones, may contain embedded ads. If you notice suspicious activity after changing the design, go back to the standard Classic or Default theme.
Blocking Advertising through Private DNS
The most effective and global method that does not require the installation of additional software is the use of the Private function. DNS (Private DNS), This method redirects all requests to ad servers through a filter that simply prevents advertising content from downloading.
To set up, go to Settings → Connection and Sharing (or Additional Settings) → Private DNS. Select the DNS Host Name (or “Manual”) option and enter the address: dns.adguard.com. Once saved, the device will reconnect to the network, and ads in many applications and browsers will stop loading.
| Parameter | Meaning/Action | The result |
|---|---|---|
| Type of setup | Manual (Host Name) | Activation of user DNS |
| Server address | dns.adguard.com | Blocking Advertising and Tracking |
| The alternative | doh.pub (DNSPod) | Asian servers, sometimes faster |
| Shutdown | Auto (by default) | Return to the standard DNS provider |
Using dns.adguard.com is the most stable solution for users in the CIS, since servers have a good response rate. However, it is worth remembering that this method blocks ads only where it is loaded through standard HTTP/HTTPS requests to known advertising networks.
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Private DNS blocks ads in browsers and most apps, but does not affect ads in your own YouTube videos or sponsored posts on social networks.
If you stop opening some websites or applications after you turn on Private DNS (for example, a carrier requires authorization through a portal), temporarily switch the setting back to Auto mode. This is a common problem when connecting to public Wi-Fi networks in cafes or airports.
Disabling Personalization and Analytics
Even after you turn off visible ads, your Poco X3 continues to collect your usage data to “improve the user experience.” This telemetry is transmitted to the company’s servers and used for targeting. To minimize the digital footprint, you need to disable several hidden switches.
Go to Settings → Password & Security → Privacy. Here, find the User Experience Improvement Program and disable it. Also check the Diagnostics section if it is available in your firmware version and prevent error reporting.
Pay special attention to the miuiDaemon service. This is the background process that collects analytics. Go to Settings → About Phone → Press 10 times on the MIUI version to enable Developer Mode. Then in Advanced Settings → For developers, find Enable MIUI Optimization (if available in your version) or look for USB debugging settings and turn off Wi-Fi debugging.
⚠️ Attention: In new versions MIUI Some telemetry items can be hidden deep in the menu or combined. Read carefully the descriptions of all items with the word "analytics" or "data".
It is also recommended to check the permissions for system applications such as Mail, Music and Video. Often they have access to location and contacts without real need.
Removing Advertising Notifications from Applications
Often the source of irritation is not system settings, but notifications from preinstalled apps or those you accidentally installed along with games. On Poco X3, you often find apps like GetApps (the Xiaomi app store), which actively fire notifications.
To remove them, go to Settings → Notifications and Status bar → Notification Management. Go through the list of apps and find suspicious. For GetApps, you can turn off notifications completely or leave only critical ones. For third-party applications (memory cleanup, flashlights, QR scanners), it is better to completely disable notifications.
If you see an ad notification and you don't know what app it's from, do this: when the notification is hanging in the curtain, hold it down and don't let it go. You'll see a "Details" button or a gear button, and you'll click on it and you'll see the name of the source app, and then you can delete it or you can't let it show the notifications.
How to find a hidden advertising application?
Remember to check the list of installed apps regularly. Poco often preinstalled games and services that you don’t use (Facebook, LinkedIn, AliExpress, etc.) Their removal will not only free up space, but also remove channels for notifications.