How to permanently remove recommendations from the lock screen on Xiaomi: from advertising to weather

The lock screen on Xiaomi smartphones has long been a source of irritation for many users. Instead of a minimalist interface with time and notifications, the MIUI system stubbornly demonstrates banner ads, app recommendations, weather for irrelevant cities and even news feeds from GetApps or Mi Browser. And this “fiction” appeared in MIUI 10 and has since only become more complicated – the manufacturer regularly adds new widgets that can not be turned off by standard means.

The problem is compounded by the fact that even after manually disabling all widgets through settings, the system can return them after updating or restarting the device. This is not a coincidence, but a Xiaomi idea: the company monetizes lock screens through affiliate programs, and users have to either put up with intrusive advertising or look for workarounds. In this article, we will analyze all working methods, from official settings to hidden ADB commands and modification of system files.

Why Xiaomi Shows Recommendations on the Lock Screen

The problem is rooted in Xiaomi’s business model, and unlike Apple or Google, which makes money selling devices and services, the Chinese manufacturer is actively using advertising monetization in MIUI firmware. The lock screen is one of the hottest places to display content, because users see it dozens of times a day.

• 📢 Ads from Mi Ad Service – banners of apps, games and services (such as Mi Credit or Mi Pay) are shown even on devices with global firmware.
• 🌦️ Weather widget — often tied to the wrong city or displays data with a delay. Many users note that it eats up battery power.
• 📱 App recommendations – suggestions to install software from GetApps or Google Play, even if you don’t use it.
• 📰 News Feed – brief reports from Mi Browser or local partners (in Russia it is often Yandex.News»).
• 🎮 Gaming notifications - on devices POCO Black Shark may be invited to tournaments or accessories advertising.

It's important to understand that Xiaomi makes it harder to disable these elements for a reason: In some regions (such as India or China), users get bonuses in Mi Points for viewing ads. In global firmware, this feature is disabled, but the code remains, and the widgets continue to work. Moreover, after major MIUI updates (for example, from 12 to 13), the settings can be reset, and the ads return.

Method 1: Disconnect via standard MIUI settings

Before resorting to radical methods, try the official tools. In the latest versions of MIUI 14 (and partly in MIUI 13), Xiaomi has added the ability to disable some widgets, but not all. The instructions are relevant for most models: Redmi Note 11/12, POCO X4/X5, Xiaomi 12/13 and newer.

Steps to shut down:

1. Open the Settings → Lock screen.
2. Slip on the lock screen style (or Wallpaper & Style in the global version).
3. Choose the current style (usually MIUI or Classic).
4. Scroll down to Lock Screen Widgets (or Lock Screen Widgets) section.
5. Turn off the sliders next to the unnecessary items: 🌍 Weather (Weather) 📱 Appendix recommendations (App recommendations) 📰 News (News or Mi Browser feed)

Save the changes and restart the device.

Unfortunately, this method does not remove banner ads from Mi Ad Service – they need a separate method (see Method 3). Also, on some devices (for example, Redmi 9A or POCO M3), the widget section may not be at all – this means that the manufacturer has blocked the settings for your region.

Method 2: Remove widgets via ADB (without root)

If the standard settings didn’t work, the next step is to use Android Debug Bridge (ADB), a method that doesn’t require root rights, but requires a computer and a little bit of training.It works on all Xiaomi devices with MIUI 11 and newer, including Redmi, POCO and Black Shark.

Warning: Before you start, enable USB debugging in the developer settings (Settings → About Phone → MIUI version – tap 7 times, then go back to Additional Settings → For Developers).

Commands to disable:

adb shell pm hide com.miui.weather2 # Weather widget


adb shell pm hide com.miui.analytics # Analytics collection (can return widgets)




adb shell pm hide com.xiaomi.midrop # Mi Drop Advertising




adb shell pm hide com.miui.systemAdSolution # Core Advertising Module




adb shell pm hide com.miui.bugreport # Error Reports (sometimes restores widgets)

After completing the commands, restart your smartphone. If the widgets have disappeared but returned after the update, repeat the procedure or use ADB to permanently turn off:

adb shell cmd package compile -m speed -f com.miui.weather2


adb shell pm disable-user --user 0 com.miui.weather2

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If you have left widgets after executing the commands, check if duplicate applications are installed (for example, com.miui.weather and com.miui.weather2). Use the command adb shell pm list packages | grep miui to find all system packages.

Method 3: Completely disabling ads through Mi Ad Service

The main source of advertising on the lock screen is com.xiaomi.mipicks (or Mi Ad Service).It can not be removed by standard means, but can be disabled through hidden settings or ADB. This method is suitable for all devices on MIUI, including Redmi Note 10 Pro, Xiaomi Mi 11 and POCO F3.

Instructions:

1. Open the Settings app and type Ads (or Ads in global firmware) in the search bar.
2. Select Personalized Ad Recommendations (Personalized Ad Recommendations).
3. Turn off the slider Show personalized advertising.
4. Return to the main settings menu and open About Phone → MIUI version. Tap 7 times to activate the developer mode.
5. Go back to Additional Settings → For developers and find the Debugging by USB item – turn it on.
6. Connect your phone to your PC and execute the command: adb shell pm uninstall --user 0 com.xiaomi.mipicks If the command doesn't work, try: adb shell pm disable-user --user 0 com.xiaomi.mipicks

After that, banner ads must disappear not only from the lock screen, but also from other system applications (Mi Browser, GetApps, Mi Video).However, the weather widget and news feed may remain - they must be disabled separately (see Method 1 or Method 4).

Method 4: Using third-party launchers for the lock screen

If the system didn't work, you can replace the standard lock screen with a third-party one, which is a radical solution, but it's guaranteed to remove all the widgets and ads.

To install a third-party lock screen:

1. Download the app from Google Play (e.g. Always On Edge).
2. Open the application settings and select it as Lock Launcher.
3. In Xiaomi’s security settings (Settings → Passwords & Security → Autolock), turn off the standard lock screen.
4. Reset the device.

⚠️ Note: Some third-party launchers may conflict with MIUI, Check reviews for your smartphone model before installing it (e.g. Redmi Note 11 or Redmi Note 11) POCO X3 Also remember that after the update MIUI The standard lock screen can return.

Method 5: Editing system files (root required)

For power users who are ready to root, there is a radical method of editing system files, which will permanently remove widgets and ads, but can lead to a loss of warranty and the risk of “bricking” the device, the method was tested on the Xiaomi Mi 10T, Redmi K40 and POCO F2 Pro.

Instructions:

1. Get root rights with Magisk (see instructions for your model on XDA Developers).
2. Install a file manager with root support (such as Solid Explorer or FX File Explorer).
3. Cross the path: /system/priv-app/MiuiSystemUI/MiuiSystemUI.apk/res/xml/ and find the file. lock_screen_magazine_config.xml.
4. Open the file in the text editor and delete or comment (<!-- -->) line: <bool name="enable_advertisement">true</bool> <bool name="enable_weather">true</bool> <bool name="enable_news">true</bool> Replace true with false.
5. Save the file, set the rights to 644 (rw-r--r---) and restart the device.

If the widgets remain after the restart, check for duplicate files in:

/vendor/overlay/

or

/product/overlay/

Remove packages called LockScreenMagazine or MiuiLockScreen.

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Editing system files is the most reliable way, but it requires root and can lead to unstable system operation, and is recommended only for experienced users who are prepared for possible consequences.

⚠️ Note: On some devices (e.g. Xiaomi 12 Pro or Redmi) K50) files can be protected by DM-Verity, in which case you need to disable integrity check via Magisk (Disable DM-Verity module) before editing. Also remember to back up before changing system files!

Additional tips: how to prevent widgets from returning

Even after successfully disabling recommendations, they can return after a MIUI update or reset.

• 🔄 Turn off automatic widget updates: adb shell settings put global lock_screen_weather_update_interval -1 This team is blocking the weather update.
• 📵 Freeze system applications: Use App Freezer (root required) to disable: com.miui.weather2 com.xiaomi.mipicks com.miui.systemAdSolution
• 🔒 Block Advertising Domains: In File /etc/hosts (root required) add lines: 127.0.0.1 ad.mi.com 127.0.0.1 tracking.miui.com 127.0.0.1 api.ad.xiaomi.com
• 🛡️ Use a firewall: Apps like NetGuard or AFWall+ They can block network access for advertising services.

If you don’t want to get root, check your lock screen settings regularly after MIUI updates. You can also use automatic scripts (for example, via Tasker) that will reset your widget settings every time you turn on your device.

FAQ: Frequent questions about recommendations on the lock screen