How to remove recommendations on the lock screen Xiaomi: the complete guide

Owners of Xiaomi, Redmi and POCO smartphones often face intrusive notifications that appear immediately after waking up the device. Instead of the usual widgets or clean background, users see bright cards with news, app offers and other advertising information, a phenomenon that has become especially noticeable in the latest versions of the MIUI shells and the new HyperOS, where algorithms aggressively promote content.

This activity is not only visually annoying, it also consumes traffic and battery in the background. Fortunately, most of these features are customizable, although the developers have tried to hide the relevant switches as much as possible in the depth of the menu. In this article, we will discuss in detail where to look for advertising sources and how to permanently clean the lock screen from information noise.

You can take back control of your device by disabling unnecessary services and recommendation services, and we’ll look at both standard methods through customization and deeper options for advanced users who want to achieve perfect interface cleanliness.

The Nature of Recommendations in MIUI and HyperOS

The main source of advertising cards is the built-in MSA recommendation service (MIUI System Ads), which is responsible for collecting data on user behavior and selecting relevant content, according to algorithms, MSA forms the news feed and advertising blocks that you see on a locked screen or in application folders.

There is also a separate service called GetApps (formerly Mi Apps), which often provides pop-ups and game install suggestions, and is tightly integrated with the system and can activate notifications even without a user launching them directly, and understanding which component causes the spike in ads helps to pinpoint the device.

Importantly, newer firmware versions have made advertising more complex, can now masquerade as system security notifications or updates. HyperOS tries to position itself as a cleaner system, but many monetization mechanisms have remained unchanged by simply moving to other settings.

⚠️ Warning: Complete shutdown of system services through ADB It can cause some functions to work in an unstable way, such as app search or widgets. Be careful and only disable components that you are sure are intended.

Users often confuse ads with useful notifications from system applications. For example, the “cleanup recommendations” from the “Security” app may look like an ad banner, but are part of an antivirus module.

Disabling MSA and system advertising

The first and most important step in the fight for a clean interface is to deactivate the MSA service, which is the main agent that delivers advertising content to the system, and without disabling this component, the rest of the settings may not be fully effective, as the service will constantly try to download new data.

First, you need to find the service in the application list. Because it's a system component, it can be hidden from normal viewing. Go to settings, select "Applications" and click "All Apps." In the upper right corner of the menu, find three dots and select "Show System Services."

In the list that opens, find the msa app. Click on it to open the information page. Here you need a Data Access or Auto Start switch. Disabling data access will prevent the app from transmitting information about your activities and receiving commands to display ads.

The system will try to alert you to the potential consequences of a shutdown, and you'll have to wait 10 seconds before the "Disable" button is activated, which is a standard random action protection procedure that you just have to wait.

After a successful MSA shutdown, it is also recommended to check the personalization settings. In some regions, these settings may be duplicated. Go to Settings → Passwords and Security → Access to Personal Data. Go to msa and make sure the slider is turned off. This will create a double barrier for advertising algorithms.

Customization of widgets and carousel ribbons

Often the source of annoyance is not classic advertising, but so-called wallpaper carousel or the Glance widget, which automatically change the background of the lock and show news, weather and articles, and are pre-installed on most global firmware versions.

To remove the carousel, go to Settings → Lock screen. Find wallpaper carousel or Glance for Mi. Inside this menu, you need to turn off the function completely. If you just change the picture, after a while, the service will be activated again and continue to show content.

Special attention should be paid to the Tape widget (formerly Mi Video or Mi News), which is often located to the left of the main screen. To turn it off, swipe to the right of the first screen to open the tape. Click on the gear icon or three dots in the corner and select "Tap Settings." Here you need to uncheck the news sources and turn off the tape itself.

Some users prefer to remove these components completely if they are not in use, but with standard tools, this is difficult to do, because they are system-based, and a safer way is to limit their background activity and turn off notifications, which we will discuss in the next sections.

Managing Notifications of System Applications

Even after the main services are disabled, residual advertising can come through notifications from standard applications, most often the sins of “Security”, “Downloads”, “Music” and “Conductor”, these applications have built-in mechanisms for promoting content.

Start with the Security app. Open it, click on the settings gear in the top right corner. Find the Receive References section and turn it off. It's also worth checking the Cleanup subsection, where the option of showing ads after scanning may be hiding.

Next, go to Settings → Notifications and Status bar → Notification management. Go to Downloads. Go inside and turn off the notification category associated with recommendations or news. Only leave notifications when you have finished downloading files if you need them.

The Music and Video apps also often offer you to watch commercials or articles, and go to their settings (usually through the side menu) and find “Show ads,” “Recommendations,” or “Online content,” which will make the player interface minimalistic and fast.

It is important to check for updates to these apps regularly, and once the firmware or the apps are updated, the settings may reset and the ads will return, and periodic audits of permissions and notifications will help keep the system clean.

Disabling personalized recommendations in the browser

The built-in Mi Browser browser is one of the most active sources of advertising. It offers news feeds, videos and articles on the homepage. If you use this browser, its configuration is critical for comfortable use.

Open your browser and click on the three dots at the bottom of the screen (or at the top, depending on the version). Select Settings → Privacy and Security. Here you need to find and disable Personalized Recommendations. This will stop collecting your interests.

Also in the browser settings there is a section "Start page", which you can turn off the display of news feeds and video recommendations, then when you start the browser, you will see only the search bar and frequently visited sites, without unnecessary visual noise.

⚠️ Note: If you use a third-party browser (Chrome, Firefox, Edge), be sure to go to the system settings. → Annexes → All apps, find Mi Browser and force it to stop or disable notifications so it doesn't work in the background.

For users who don't use the built-in browser at all, the best solution is to completely disable it through the app menu. Find Mi Browser in the list, click "Disable." This will free up the system resources and guarantee that all associated notifications will be removed.

Deep cleaning through ADB and special teams

For advanced users who want to get rid of system-level advertising, there is a method of using ADB (Android Debug Bridge), which allows you to remove or freeze the system packages responsible for advertising without obtaining root rights.

First, you need to activate the developer mode. Go to About Phone and quickly press the MIUI/HyperOS build number 7 times. Then in Advanced Settings, turn on USB Debugging. Connect the phone to your computer and install ADB drivers.

Using the command line on a PC, you can enter a command to disable a particular packet, for example, to turn off the advertising service, you use the command:

adb shell pm disable-user --user 0 com.miui.msa.global

You can also disable the advertising service GetApps:

adb shell pm disable-user --user 0 com.miui.misrc

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Before using ADB, make sure to make a complete backup of the data. Mistakeful removal of system components can lead to a cyclical restart of the phone (bootloop).

This is the most effective method, but also the riskiest. Removing critical system packages through ADB can lead to unstable interfaces, so use it only if you understand what each package is responsible for. If you are not confident in your abilities, it is better to limit yourself to the software settings described in the previous sections.

Prevention and additional safety measures

After all the settings, it is important to consolidate the result. Advertising modules in Xiaomi firmware tend to reactivate after major system updates, so it is recommended to check the key settings described above once a month.

Use alternative launchers if the standard interface seems overloaded. Launchers like Nova Launcher or Microsoft Launcher completely replace the desktop and have no built-in advertising, providing a clean experience.

Also keep an eye on the apps you install. Often, miner viruses or ad modules get into the system along with free games or utilities from unverified sources. Use only the official Google Play store or verified repositories.

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Comprehensive approach: the combination of MSA disabling, notification settings and using a clean launcher gives a 100% guarantee of no ads on the lock screen.

Remember that the freeness of a device is often offset by advertising, but knowing the hidden settings can minimize this discomfort and make the most of your smartphone’s capabilities by making it a convenient tool rather than an advertising platform.