Owners of Xiaomi, Redmi and POCO smartphones often face intrusive content offerings that appear in the most unexpected places of the interface. Developers embed monetization mechanisms directly into the shell of MIUI or the new HyperOS, turning the desktop into a platform for promoting applications and news. This can annoy users who appreciate the cleanliness of the interface and minimalism in using the gadget.
Fortunately, the system allows you to flexibly customize the display of items, although some options are hidden quite deep. In this article, we will discuss proven ways to remove recommendations on Xiaomi on the desktop, in application folders and in the widget feed. Disabling these features will not only improve the visual experience, but also save traffic and battery power of your device.
The setup process may vary slightly depending on the operating system version and the firmware region. We will look at current algorithms for modern versions of the shells so that you can regain control of your smartphone. Below are detailed instructions to help clear the interface of unnecessary visual noise.
Disabling recommendations in application folders
The most common place intrusive content appears is in application folders. Once multiple programs are installed in a group, the system automatically suggests "recommended" applications to install, a block usually located at the bottom of the open folder and takes up useful screen space.
To get rid of this, you have to change the settings for displaying the contents of the folder. Click on the folder on the desktop to open it. In the upper right corner, you'll see the gear icon or three dots, depending on the version of the interface, and clicking on this element will open the settings menu of the particular folder.
In the menu that opens, find a switch called "Recommended" or "Promoted apps." Deactivate this switch, putting it inactive. After that, the block with suggestions disappears instantly, and the folder will display only the shortcuts you have installed.
It's worth noting that in some cases, the system may require a confirmation of action or briefly display ads when you first open your settings. This is normal for free firmware versions. If the switch is missing, it's possible that your version of the shell needs an update or uses an alternative method of hiding through system services.
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If you don’t see the settings icon inside the folder, try pressing and holding your finger in a free space inside the open folder – in some versions of MIUI, the menu is called by a long tap.
Configure the widget tape (Google Discover and Mi Video)
When swiping to the right of the home screen, users often end up in a news feed or widget, which may also contain ad integrations. In global versions, this is usually Google Discover, and in Chinese or custom builds, Xiaomi’s own video and news feed.
To turn off, you need to go to the desktop settings, press your finger on an empty section of the screen until editing options appear, and select Settings or More, where you can control swipe behavior and connected services.
Find the section that says left screen or swipe right, and you can turn it off completely by selecting "No" or "Disabled." If you want a widget feed but no ads, look for the "Recommendations" option inside the settings of Google's feed or Mi Video service.
- 📱 Go to the desktop settings through a long press on the free area.
- 🔍 Select the left screen or swipe control point.
- ⚙️ Turn off the tape display or remove the tick from the item "Show cards».
- ✅ Check the result by swiping to the right – the screen should remain empty or go to the main desktop.
It's important to understand the difference between widgets and recommendations: Widgets (weather, clock) are static elements, and recommendations are dynamic content that is downloaded from the network, and disabling the latter, you do not lose the functionality of widgets if they are installed separately on the desktop.
Disconnection of MSA (MIUI System Ads)
The central element in the system’s display of ads is the MSA (MIUI System Ads) service, which collects your preferences and generates personalized offers, and disabling the service is the most effective way to reduce the amount of advertising content throughout the system.
To access the settings, go to the Settings menu of your smartphone. Scroll down to the Passwords and Security section, and find the Access to Data or Access to Personal Data section that regulates permissions for system components.
In the list of services, find "msa" (or "MIUI Daemon" in some versions). Click the switch next to the name to deny access. The system will alert you that some features may stop working, and trigger a countdown of 10 seconds.
Settings → Passwords and security → Access to data → msa → Turn offWhen the timer expires, press "Disable." If you fail to turn it off the first time (the switch has returned to its original position), repeat the procedure 2-3 times in a row. This is a common interface bug that is solved by re-acting.
⚠️ Attention: After the service is disconnected MSA The ads can disappear within 24 hours, not instantly, and this is due to the caching of data on the company's servers.
Managing personalization and advertising identifier
Even after the core services are disabled, there may be traces of personalization in the system that affect the delivery of content in standard applications such as Explorer, Music or Themes.
Go to settings, then to passwords and security, and find privacy or advertising, and this is where Ad Personalization is located, and turn it off so that the system stops using your data to search for offers.
It is also recommended to click the Reset Advertising ID button, which generates a new unique code for your device, zeroing out the accumulated interest profile, and then the recommendations will become less accurate and, as a result, less intrusive.
| Parameter | Where to find out. | Recommended action | The effect |
|---|---|---|---|
| Personalization | Passwords and security | Turn it off. | Termination of collection of usage data |
| Advertising ID | Advertising services | Drop it. | Zeroing the profile of interests |
| Auto-start | Annexes → Permits | Control | Blocking background processes |
| Access to data | Passwords and security | Limit | Blocking telemetry transmission |
Remember that the path may be slightly different in different versions of MIUI, but the logic remains the same: search for privacy and advertising-related sections. In HyperOS, these settings are often combined into a single security center.
What to do if the MSA disable button is inactive?
Cleaning Standard Applications from Recommendations
Xiaomi’s built-in apps, such as Explorer, Downloads, Themes, and Music, also have their own recommendation display settings. They don’t depend on the general desktop settings and require a customized approach.
In Themes, click on the profile avatar in the corner, then select Settings. Find Show Ads or Recommendations and turn it off. A similar procedure is done in Explorer: click on the menu (three bars), select Settings, and tick off Receive Recommendations.
For Downloads, the process is a little different: Open the app, click three dots in the corner, select Settings → About (or Settings if available), and you need to find the Receive Recommendations Tool and deactivate it.
- 🎵 Music: Profile → Settings → Advertising display → Off.
- 📂 Conductor: Menu → Settings → Recommendations → Off.
- 🎨 Topics: Profile → Settings → Advertising → Off.
- 📥 Downloads: Menu → Settings → Recommendations → Off.
These settings can be reset after major system updates, so it makes sense to periodically check their relevance, especially for users who rarely use standard applications and notice changes only when they accidentally start.
☑️ Checklist of Xiaomi's full cleanup
HyperOS and new methods of blocking
With the release of the HyperOS shell, Xiaomi has changed the structure of many menus, although the principle remained the same: in the new system, advertising settings are often integrated into the Security section or made into a separate subsection “Special features”.
In HyperOS, you should look at the Cards widget, which replaces the old widget tape, go to the widget settings and turn off all news sources, leaving only the system widgets (calendar, notes), which will make the tape useful and clean.
Also, the new shell has more strict control over permissions: Go to Settings → Apps → Permissions → Auto Start. Make sure suspicious system services (except essential) do not autorun, which will prevent the background loading of advertising modules.
⚠️ Note: In some regions (e.g. Russia, Indonesia) the default number of ads is less than in the global versions for Europe. If you have reflashed the device, check the region in the settings "More» → «Region».
Users who are switching from MIUI 13 or 14 may notice that some items have been renamed, but the keywords "Ads", "Recommendations" and "MSA" remain markers for finding the desired options.
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Removing ads completely requires a comprehensive approach, from disabling MSA to manually configuring each standard application.