How to remove ads, garbage and unnecessary applications on Xiaomi

Xiaomi smartphone owners often face intrusive banners and system debris that accumulates during operation. MIUI and the new HyperOS are famous for their functionality, but built-in monetization mechanisms can annoy users. To make the device work quickly and the interface stay clean, you need to conduct a comprehensive optimization of the system. This does not require deep knowledge of programming, but involves careful attention to settings.

Many users are looking for ways to remove unnecessary items from their phone, believing it is difficult or impossible without flashing. In fact, developers have left hidden switches that block most ad integrations. Xiaomi allows you to disable personalized recommendations and clear cache in the background, which significantly extends battery life. It is important to act consistently so as not to disrupt the operation of system services.

In this article, we’ll look at proven methods to clean up the interface from visual noise and remove unused software. You’ll learn to block pop-ups in standard apps and disable analytics services. Competent customization will turn your smartphone into a tool that works solely for your tasks, not to collect statistics.

Disabling system advertising in standard applications

The first step in the clean interface battle is to deactivate the MSA (MIUI System Ads) service, which is the process that drives banner displays in system utilities, and first you go to the settings menu and find the password and security section, and there's a switch that often changes its location across different versions of the firmware.

Once you turn off the main service, you should go through each built-in application separately. Explorer, Music, Video, and Cleanup have their own recommendation settings. They are usually in the About section or in the settings menu of a particular application, which is called through three dots or a gear.

Don’t ignore this stage, because even after disabling MSA, individual programs can continue to show content. Personalization in folders and on the desktop also requires manual disabling.

In some cases, the system may resist change by suggesting that recommendations be left on for the sake of “improvement of the experience.” You need to be persistent and consistently choose the option of failure, this is guaranteed to remove visual noise.

Cleaning up memory and removing system debris

Temporary file accumulation is a natural process for Android, but on Xiaomi shells it is more intense due to aggressive caching. The standard Cleanup app often leaves hidden files that take up gigabytes of space. For deep cleaning, it is better to use the built-in storage analyzer, which shows the distribution of space by category.

Special attention should be paid to the folders Android/data and Android/obb. It stores caches of games and messengers that can inflate to huge sizes. Deleting folders inside Android/data can reset the progress in games, so act carefully. It is best to clear the cache of specific applications through the menu to manage them.

It’s also worth checking the Download folder and DCIM/.thumbnails. The latter stores thumbnails of photos that sometimes weigh more than the original images. Regularly cleaning these directories makes room without losing important data.

Using third-party utilities to clean the registry on Android makes no sense, since the system manages the file links itself. Garbage files are mostly update residues, error logs and temporary browser files, and they are safe to delete and recommended to be done once a month.

Removal and disabling of pre-installed applications

Xiaomi's pre-installed software list can number dozens of programs that the user will never experience. Complete removal of system applications without Root rights is impossible, but they can be "freezed"; this makes the program invisible to the system and the user, freeing up the processor's resources.

For advanced users, the Android Debug Bridge (ADB) disablement method is available, which allows you to remove even those applications that are hidden from the average user in the settings. Connection to a computer is not always necessary, there are mobile terminal emulators, but the PC gives a more stable result.

The table below lists processes that can be safely turned off without risking the smartphone:

When working with system components through ADB, it is important to know the exact name of the package. A single-letter error can lead to unstable launcher operation or loss of communication. Always check the purpose of the process on the Internet before the pm disable-user command.

Set up notifications and block spam

Annoying push notifications from games and stores often penetrate the lock screen. MIUI has a powerful notification management tool that allows you to filter them by category, and you can completely prevent certain applications from displaying messages on the lock screen or making sound.

The system automatically sorts the mailings, but sometimes important notifications from banks get there, and periodically check this folder in the notification curtain to avoid missing critical information.

Changing DNS is a system method that does not require additional software to be installed, and it blocks requests to known ad servers at the network level.

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Use DNS (Private DNS) to block ads. In the connection settings, specify the address dns.adguard.com. This will remove up to 90% of banners in the browser and applications without installing blockers.

It’s also worth going to the settings of every heavy app (social media, marketplaces) and disabling internal notifications about “news” and “promotions” there, and users often ignore the internal settings of applications, relying only on system permissions, which is a mistake.

Optimizing Autoboot and Background Processes

Many apps tend to run immediately after the phone is turned on, consuming RAM. Xiaomi has a rigid power management system, but it requires manual adjustment for third-party programs. Without restrictions, background activity can reduce battery life.

In the "Applications" -> "Permissions" -> "Out-run" section, you should leave only messengers on. For all other programs, such as online stores or games, autoloading should be prohibited. This will not remove them, but prevent the start without the user's knowledge.

There's also an "Advanced Memory Cleanup" setting, which if enabled, will aggressively unload background applications. For devices with 6GB of RAM or less, it's a useful feature, but it can lead to rebooting browser tabs or music resets.

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Proper startup management is key to Xiaomi’s budget models, so don’t let dozens of apps hang in your memory if you’re not using them right now.

⚠️ Warning: Do not disable system processes whose names contain the words "System", "Framework" or "Service" if you are not sure of their purpose.

Resetting settings as a radical cleaning method

If the software cleansing fails and the smartphone continues to run in an unstable way, the last resort is a complete reset. Hard Reset returns the device to factory status by removing all user data, accounts and applications. This is the most effective way to eliminate software errors.

Before starting the procedure, you need to back up your important data, photos, contacts and correspondence will be irretrievably lost, and you'd better use the Mi Cloud or Google Drive cloud service to save information.

Resets can be done via the settings menu or via Recovery Mode (clutching the volume and power button), the second option is preferable if the system is running with serious errors and does not boot to the desktop.

Once reset, the phone will look like new, and it is recommended that you don't restore all applications from backup at once, but install them again, so you can avoid returning junk settings and cache that may have caused problems before.

⚠️ Warning: Make sure the battery is at least 40-50% interruption of the process due to discharge may cause damage to the system partition.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

⚠️ Note: When using third-party launchers to replace the standard interface, some features MIUI (Memory management and gestures may not work properly.