How to permanently remove pop-ups on Xiaomi Redmi phone: from ads to system notifications

Pop-ups on Xiaomi Redmi smartphones are one of the most annoying problems for users, appearing at the most inopportune moment: during games, watching videos or working with important documents. The reasons for their occurrence are diverse, from aggressive advertising in MIUI to system notifications that cannot be disabled through standard settings. In this article, we will analyze all possible sources of pop-ups, from banners in apps to hidden Xiaomi services that show ads even on a locked screen.

The thing about MIUI is that it initially contains ad modules that are integrated at the system level. Even after personalized ads are turned off, some windows keep popping up. Moreover, after MIUI updates, these settings are often reset, and the user has to fight the intrusive banners again. We tested all the current methods on the Redmi Note 12 Pro+, Redmi 10C and POCO X5 Pro models (based on MIUI 13-14) and identified 5 working methods, including hidden tricks and commands for experienced users.

It's important to understand that not all pop-ups are the same. Some are related to ads (like banners from Mi Browser or Mi Video), others are associated with system notifications (updates, MIUI tips), and others can be the result of viral applications. So before you start settings, determine what type of windows you're worried about, which will save you time and effort.

1. Disabling personalized advertising in MIUI

The first and most obvious step is to disable personalized ads in Xiaomi’s settings, which removes most banner ads, but not all of them, for example, it doesn’t affect pop-ups from third-party apps or system notifications about “useful features.”

The following is the case for MIUI 12-14:

1. Open Settings → Google → Advertising.
2. Click Disable Ad Personalization and confirm the selection.
3. Return to the basic settings and go to Settings → About Phone → MIUI version (tap 7 times to activate the developer mode).
4. Now open Settings → Additional → Special features → Advertising settings MIUI.
5. Disable all switches: Personalized recommendations, Ads on the lock screen, Notifications for new features.

After these actions, the number of ad pop-ups will decrease by 60-70%, but some banners (such as from Mi Browser or Mi Music) may remain.

⚠️ Note: Some Redmi models (e.g. Redmi) 9A Redmi 8 - Advertising Settings MIUI In this case, use the methods from the following sections.

2. Removal of system applications showing ads

Many pop-ups on Xiaomi Redmi are linked to standard apps that can’t be removed in the usual way.

• 📱 Mi Browser – Shows banners on the home screen and in search results.
• 🎵 Mi Music – Pop-ups with subscription offer.
• 📺 Mi Video - Advertising before rollers and in playlists.
• 🛒 GetApps (Mi App Store) – Notifications about “hot discounts".
• 🔄 Cleaner – windows with a suggestion to clear the memory.

To get rid of them, you need to either disable them through settings or remove them using ADB-Teams (for experienced users).

Method 1: Disconnection through settings

1. Go to Settings → Applications → Application Management.
2. Find the app you want (such as Mi Browser) and open the page.
3. Click Disable (if the button is inactive, click Remove Updates first).
4. Confirm the shutdown. The app will disappear from the menu, but it will remain in the system.

Method 2: Remove via ADB (PC required)

If the shutdown doesn't work, you can completely remove the apps you don't need.

1. Install ADB Tools on your computer.
2. Activate USB Debugging in the developer settings (Settings → About Phone → MIUI Version → 7 taps → Developer Settings → Debugging by USB).
3. Connect the phone to the PC and type in the command line:

adb shell pm uninstall --user 0 com.android.browser  # Mi Browser


adb shell pm uninstall --user 0 com.miui.video        # Mi Video




adb shell pm uninstall --user 0 com.miui.player       # Mi Music




adb shell pm uninstall --user 0 com.xiaomi.midrop     # Cleaner




adb shell pm uninstall --user 0 com.xiaomi.market      # GetApps

Once these commands are executed, the applications will be removed for the current user (without root permissions). To return them back, you just need to reinstall them through the Play Market or update the MIUI.

USB debugging activated

Installed ADB Tools on PC

Data backup created

The phone is connected in file transfer mode

Battery charge > 50%-->

3. Block notifications from specific applications

If pop-ups come from third-party apps (such as games or social media), they can be blocked through the notification menu, which does not remove ads inside the apps, but prevents intrusive banners from appearing on top of other windows.

How to do this:

1. Press the notification from the problem app (such as AliExpress or Wildberries).
2. In the menu that appears, select Disable notifications.
3. For more fine-tuning, go to Settings → Notifications → Notification Management.
4. Find the app in the list and disable it: 🔔 Pop-up notifications 📌 Badges on the lock screen 🔕 Sound signals

For system applications (such as Security or MiuiDaemon), this method may not work, such as using ADB or editing configuration files (described below).

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If notifications continue to appear after disabling, check the app's permissions in Settings → Apps → Permissions → Special Accesses → Appearing on top of other windows. Turn off this permission for suspicious programs.

4. editing system files (for advanced users)

If standard methods don't work, you can go further and edit the system files that run ads, which requires root rights or Magisk, and be careful, because an error can cause the system to crash.

Important: This method only works on MIUI firmware prior to version 14.1. In newer versions, Xiaomi blocks changes to key files, so you may need to roll back or use custom firmware.

Instructions:

1. Install a file manager with root support (such as Root Explorer or Mixplorer).
2. Go to /system/etc/hosts and open the file in the text editor.
3. Add the following lines to the end of the file (they block access to ad servers):

127.0.0.1 ad.mi.com


127.0.0.1 globalapi.ad.xiaomi.com




127.0.0.1 tracking.miui.com




127.0.0.1 sdkconfig.ad.xiaomi.com




127.0.0.1 api.ad.xiaomi.com

1. Save the file and restart the phone.
2. Check if banner ads have disappeared. If not, try adding additional domains from this list.

An alternative way is to use the MiuiAdAway module for Magisk, which automatically blocks all known Xiaomi ad domains and updates through the Magisk repository.

5.Use of third-party ad blockers

If manual methods seem complicated, you can use specialized ad-blocking apps. They work at the DNS or VPN level, intercepting requests to ad servers. Best options for Xiaomi Redmi:

• 🛡️ AdGuard – blocks ads in browsers and applications, supports user filters for MIUI.
• 🔒 Blokada is a lightweight blocker without root, works through VPN.
• 🌐 DNS66 — Open source software for blocking advertising at the level DNS.
• 🚀 MiuiAdAway (requires Magisk) – a specialized module for removing ads in the Internet MIUI.

How to set up AdGuard for maximum efficiency:

1. Download AdGuard from the official website (not from the Play Market, as there is a stripped-down version).
2. Activate the Application Protection module in the settings.
3. Go to Filters → Add a filter and select: AdGuard Base filter AdGuard Mobile Ads filter EasyList China (specially for Chinese apps)

Enable HTTPS Filtering (certificate installation may be required).

Reboot the phone.

Blokada’s Default List + EasyList is a standard lock list for Blokada, which does not require root, but can slightly increase battery consumption due to the background.

⚠️ Note: Some banking applications (e.g. SberBank Online or Tinkoff) may block work when active VPN. In this case, add them to the exceptions in the ad blocker settings.

6. Resetting settings or flashing

If neither method works, there are two radical options: factory reset or custom firmware. The first method will return the phone to its original state, but does not guarantee no advertising in the future. The second method will completely remove all MIUI advertising modules, but require unlocking the bootloader and technical skills.

Reset to factory settings:

1. Create a backup copy of data (photos, contacts, messages).
2. Go to Settings → About the phone → Reset settings.
3. Choose to erase all data and confirm.
4. After the reboot, set up the phone as new, but don’t restore data from a MIUI backup – this can bring back ad modules.

Install custom firmware (for example, LineageOS or Pixel Experience):

This method is only suitable for power users, it removes MIUI completely and replaces it with a pure Android without ads, the disadvantages of losing some features (for example, IR Blaster or Game Turbo), and the risk of “bricking” the phone if you make a mistake.

Step-by-step:

1. Unlock the bootloader through the official Xiaomi website (requires a Mi Account and wait 7-15 days).
2. Install TWRP Recovery for your Redmi model.
3. Download the appropriate firmware (e.g. LineageOS 20 for Redmi Note 11 Pro+) from the XDA-Developers forum.
4. Flush the firmware through TWRP and run Wipe Dalvik/Cache.
5. Restart your phone and reset the system.

After installing custom firmware, there will be no advertising in principle, but there may be problems with:

• 📶 The work of two SIM-maps (on some firmware).
• 🔋 Optimizing the battery (MIUI It is better adapted to the iron Xiaomi).
• 🎮 Features for games (e.g. Game Turbo).

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Custom firmware is the most reliable way to get rid of advertising in MIUI, but they are only suitable for users who are willing to sacrifice some features for the sake of “pure” Android.

FAQ: Frequent questions about pop-ups on Xiaomi Redmi