How to Remove a Pop-up on Xiaomi: The Complete Guide

Owners of Xiaomi and Redmi smartphones often face intrusive advertising that appears as pop-ups on top of the desktop or in system applications.This phenomenon, known as adware, can be caused by both built-in MIUI monetization mechanisms and randomly installed malware.The problem causes serious discomfort, overlaps the interface and interferes with the normal operation of the device, requiring immediate intervention.

Fortunately, there are several proven ways to remove a pop-up on Xiaomi without getting root permissions. In most cases, it is enough to turn off personalized ads in the system settings or identify a specific application that generates traffic. It is important to understand that if the ads appear on a locked screen or on top of other applications, this almost always indicates third-party software, not MIUI system services. In this article, we will discuss the algorithms of actions for both cases in detail.

Before you go to radical measures, try standard optimization tools built into the HyperOS or MIUI shell. Often users activate features that later become aggressive. Competent setting of privacy settings and permissions allows you to completely clear the interface of unwanted visual noise.

Diagnostics of the source of pop-up advertising

The first step before removing ads is to make an accurate diagnosis, to understand what causes the windows to appear: a Xiaomi system service or a third-party application. If the pop-up appears randomly even when you are not using your phone, or overlaps with other programs that are running, it is likely that the culprit is a newly installed software. Carefully analyze after installing which application the problem began.

System advertising in MIUI is usually more predictable, appearing in standard applications like Conductor, Music or Cleanup, and when you unlock the screen as a wallpaper carousel. You can distinguish the system banner by its characteristic interface, often containing a Close button or a waiting timer. Malware behaves more aggressively and can block control of the device.

You can use a built-in task manager or third-party monitoring tools to pinpoint the culprit. Pay attention to the icons in the tray or the list of running processes when the ad appears. Often malware masquerades as system processes with names like "Update Service" or "System Helper" without having a logo.

If you notice that the ad appears immediately after the launch of a particular application, the problem is solved by removing it or finding a paid version without advertising. In the case where the source is not obvious, you will need to dive deeper into the permissions settings and the list of installed programs. Do not ignore this step, as deleting system files instead of a malicious application can lead to unstable operation of the phone.

Disabling system advertising in MIUI and HyperOS

Xiaomi has implemented a mechanism to disable personalized advertising that is available to every user, the first step to minimize the number of ad integrations in the system, which requires the sequential disabling of several switches in different settings menus.

Start with the global recommendation switch. Go to Settings → Passwords and Security → Access to Personal Data. In the list that opens, find the MSA (MIUI System Ads) and turn it off. The system will warn you that some features may stop working and prompt you to wait 10 seconds before confirming. This action blocks the main channel for receiving advertising data.

• 📱 Open Settings and go to Passwords and Security.
• 🔒 Find the item Access to Personal Data or "Authorization and Privacy».
• 🚫 Find the msa service in the list and uncheck the consent box.
• ⏳ Wait for the countdown to end and click "Cancel».

Next, you need to disable the personalization of ads in a particular Mi Account. Go to Settings → Mi Account, select “Privacy Policy” and disable “Receive personalized advertising recommendations” This action breaks the link between your ID and the advertising networks used by the system.

Also worth looking at is the MAB (MIUI Analytics) service, which collects device usage data, which is the same route as msa. While this does not always directly remove visual advertising, it reduces the amount of data being transmitted and can reduce the frequency of targeted offers in system interfaces.

Removing malicious applications and viruses

If the system services shutdown didn't work, and pop-ups continue to be a concern, it's third-party applications, often called cleaners, battery savers, flashlights, or modified versions of popular programs, that request permission to "map on top of other windows," which allows them to override the interface.

To identify such an application, go to Settings → Apps → All Apps. Carefully review the list. Look for programs without a name (empty name field) or without an icon. Often viruses mask themselves, becoming invisible in the regular list, but remaining active in the system. If you find such an object, delete it immediately.

⚠️ Note: If you can't find an application in a regular list, try sorting the list by installation time or size. Malware may be hiding under system names but have a suspiciously small size or installation date that coincides with the start of the problems.

An effective method is to use a built-in antivirus or Google Play Protect app, run a full device check, and use the Security feature in Xiaomi’s standard Services app, which can detect known threats and suggest neutralizing them.

In some cases, Safe Mode helps. Press the off button, and when the off icon appears on the screen, press and hold it until the request to go to Safe Mode appears. This mode only runs system applications. If the ad is gone, then the culprit is third-party software. Delete the newly installed programs one by one, restarting after each until the problem disappears.

Configuring permissions for system applications

Even after disabling the msa service, some system applications may continue to display ads if they have the appropriate permissions, and special attention should be paid to the Explorer, Downloads, Music and Video applications, which should be prohibited from accessing the Internet or receiving recommendations.

Consider an example of a Explorer setting. Open an app, click on the menu (three bars), select Settings → About (or just Settings inside the app). Find Receive recommendations or Show ads and turn it off. Similar steps should be repeated for Downloads, which is often the source of pop-ups when downloading files.

• 📂 Open the Explorer app and go to the settings.
• 🔕 Find the “Get References” switch and turn it off.
• 📥 Repeat the procedure for the Download application.
• 🎵 Check the settings of the Music and Video applications.

Another important aspect is limiting background activity. In Settings → Applications → All apps, select a suspicious or intrusive app. Go to Other Permits and disable Auto Start and Background Launch. This will prevent ad modules from activating without your knowledge.

Keep in mind that updates to system applications through GetApps can return default ad settings. Periodically check key applications after major updates to the MIUI or HyperOS shell. Controlling permissions is a continuous process, not a one-time promotion.

Blocking Advertising via DNS and Browser

Often pop-ups are the result of browser activity or applications linked to ad networks. DNS-This allows you to block requests to known ad servers before they reach your device.

To set up, go to Settings → Connection and Sharing → Private DNS. Select “DNS Provider Host Name” and enter dns.adguard.com. Save settings. This simple step can remove up to 90% of ads in apps and browsers without requiring additional software.

Also worth checking your primary browser settings (Chrome, MI Browser). Enable the built-in pop-up lock feature. In Chrome, this is done via Settings → Site settings → Pop-ups. Make sure the switch is in the Lock position.

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Use browsers with built-in protection, such as Brave or Firefox with uBlock Origin, to minimize the risk of accidentally clicking on advertising links.

If you use MI Browser, go to its settings, select Privacy & Security, and activate the ad blocker, which is especially true as Xiaomi’s native browser may miss certain types of advertising content by default.

Radical measures: resetting and reflashing

In situations where none of the soft methods have worked and the device continues to attack with pop-ups, the option of a complete reset to factory settings remains, guaranteed to remove any viruses and hidden modifications to the system, returning the phone to its original state.

Before resetting, make sure to back up your important data. Go to Settings → About Phone → Settings Reset → Erase all data. The device will reboot and begin the cleanup process. Once turned on, the phone will be as new, without third-party apps and viruses.

⚠️ Warning: Before resetting, make sure that the battery is at least 50%, or better fully charge the device. Interrupting the reset process can damage system files and inability to load the operating system.

If, even after a reset, the ad returns, it could mean that the malicious code is embedded in the firmware itself (which happens on custom builds or Chinese versions without global firmware), in which case the only solution is to flash the device to the official global version of MIUI or HyperOS through the computer using the Mi Flash Tool utility.

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A complete data reset is a last resort that solves 99% of software problems with advertising, but takes time to restore settings and applications.

For ordinary users who do not want to risk warranty or face the difficulties of flashing, the best solution is a combination of disabling msa, installing a private DNS and carefully monitoring installed applications, which are usually enough to make a comfortable use of the smartphone.