Xiaomi smartphone owners often face intrusive advertising that can appear in unexpected places, such as when you unlock your screen, when you use apps or even in system folders. This phenomenon, known as MSA (MIUI System Ads), is part of the manufacturer’s advertising strategy to keep the cost of devices at an affordable level.
Fortunately, MIUI and the newer HyperOS provide enough tools to eliminate all or part of this visual noise. The process of disabling does not require root rights or a global flashing of the device if you use Chinese ROM, although the steps may vary slightly in the latter case. In this article, we will discuss in detail all known ways of blocking ads, from system settings to fine-tuning browsers.
Before you start taking action, it's important to understand that some types of notifications may not be triggered by the system itself, but by third-party applications you installed earlier. QR-So, if you're using codes or memory cleaners, you're using your own modules to show pop-up windows, and so a comprehensive approach to cleaning your smartphone is the most effective solution.
Disabling system advertising through MSA settings
The centerpiece of Xiaomi’s advertising ecosystem is the MSA (MIUI System Ads) service, which is responsible for collecting user preferences and displaying targeted ads in system applications. To limit its impact, you need to find the appropriate item in the authorization and advertising menu. Open Settings, then go to the Passwords and Security section (or Advanced Settings in older versions of MIUI) and select Access to personal data.
In the list that opens, find msa and switch the switch to "Switched off." The system will try to convince you to stay by running a countdown of 10 seconds. After the time has expired, press the "Revoke" button. If you failed to turn off the first time and an error message appeared, repeat the procedure 3-4 times in a row - the company's servers are often under load, and on the third attempt, the revocation usually goes well.
In parallel with the MSA disabling, it is recommended to prohibit the personalization of advertising recommendations. To do this, in the same menu, go to Privacy → Advertising Services (or Advertising Identifiers). Here you need to disable the option of Ad Personalization. This action will not remove ads completely, but will make it less intrusive and tied to your search queries.
⚠️ Note: After revoking the rights of the msa service, advertising in system applications may not disappear completely within 24 hours.The system must update the policies on the server, so do not rush to draw conclusions immediately after switching toggles.
Blocking Advertising in System Applications
Even after the main ad module is disabled, individual Xiaomi built-in apps can continue to display banners. This is typical of the standard "Conductor", "Music", "Theme" and "Cleanup". To remove these elements, you need to go to the settings of each application individually. For example, for "File Manager" open the application, click on the menu (three bars), select Settings → About the application and find the "Receive recommendations" item by disabling it.
A similar situation is observed in the Security app, which is often the main source of pop-ups with suggestions to clear memory or speed up the phone. Go to the Security app, click on the settings gear in the upper right corner. Scroll down to the General Settings block and turn off the Receive recommendations option. It is also worth checking the Memory Cleanup section inside the security settings and removing the same item there, if any.
In the GetApps or Themes theme store, ads can appear on the start screen. To fix this, go to the user profile (human icon), then to Settings. Find the Display Ads or Personal Recommendations section and deactivate all the switches. This will make the store interface clean, leaving only the wallpaper and font directory.
☑️ Verification of system applications
Set up notifications from browsers and sites
Often users confuse system advertising with notifications from sites they accidentally subscribed to by visiting various resources through Chrome, Yandex.Browser or UC Browser. These windows can appear even when the browser is closed. To fix the problem, you need to clear the list of permissions for sites. In Google Chrome, click three dots in the corner, select Settings → Notifications → Sites. Here you will see a list of all resources that are authorized to send push notifications.
Carefully review the list and delete any suspicious or unfamiliar addresses. To do this, click on the site address and select Delete or Block. Similar actions should be done in other installed browsers. In Yandex.Browser, the path will be: Settings → Additional → Site Settings → Notifications.
In addition, the browser itself recommends that you include a built-in ad blocker. In Chrome, this is along the Settings → Privacy and Security → Advertising (or Ad Blocking). Activating the Block Intrusive Ads feature will help filter pop-ups when surfing the Internet, preventing accidental transitions to malicious pages.
What to do if the advertisement appears in a turned off browser?
Identification and removal of viruses and miners
If pop-ups appear randomly, overlap the interface of other applications, or appear on the desktop without running programs, there is a high probability of malware infection of the device. Often such programs are disguised as harmless utilities, such as "Battery", "Flightlightlight" or "Calendar." The first step in diagnosis is to check the list of installed applications. Go to Settings → Apps → All applications and carefully review the list.
Look for apps without a name, without an icon, or with a suspiciously simple name (such as simply “Update” or “System Service” with an android icon). If you find one, click on it immediately and select “Delete.” If the delete button is inactive, then the application has device administrator rights. In this case, go to Settings → Passwords and Security → Privacy → Special Access → Administrator Apps and uncheck the suspicious software, after which it can be removed.
For automatic verification, it is recommended to use a specialized antivirus. The built-in scanner in the security application from Xiaomi is based on Avast or AVL engines and is able to detect most known threats. Run a full system check. If the built-in tools do not help, temporarily install a proven third-party antivirus, such as Malwarebytes or Dr.Web Light, scan the system and remove the threats.
| Type of threat | Symptoms | Deleting method |
|---|---|---|
| Adware (Advertising Virus) | Pop-ups in any applications, opening browsers | Removal of the virus application, resetting browser settings |
| Miner | Strong heating, fast discharge, brakes in the interface | Search for hidden process, removal through safe mode |
| Trojan | Data theft, paid subscriptions, SMS | Antivirus scanning, full reset (Factory Reset) |
| Push-spam | Notifications from websites in the curtain | Clearing permissions in browser settings |
⚠️ Warning: Never download or install APK-Files from dubious sites or messaging apps are the most common way that pop-up viruses can penetrate Xiaomi and Redmi smartphones.
Using DNS to block advertising at the network level
One of the most effective and elegant ways to remove advertising in all applications at once, without installing unnecessary programs, is the use of private advertising. DNS This method blocks requests to known ad servers at the network connection level. → Connection and Sharing (or Additional Features) → Private DNS-server.
In the menu that opens, select the Host Name of the Private DNS Provider (or Manual) mode. The server address must be entered in the input box. The most popular and reliable option is AdGuard. Enter the following address in the box: dns.adguard.com. Save settings. Now all traffic on your device will pass through the filter that screens out advertising requests.
This method is particularly effective for blocking ads in free games and applications that are not system based. DNS Some sites or applications may not work properly if they rely on ad networks for functionality. DNS You can temporarily disable by returning the setting to Auto or Off mode.
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If the Internet stopped working in some applications (for example, in banking or government services) after turning on a private DNS, temporarily disable DNS or add exceptions to the router settings, if possible.
Resetting and extreme measures
If none of the above methods helped remove pop-ups, and the ads continue to bother, it may be that system files are damaged or the virus has been deeply integrated into the system. In this case, the most radical but effective way is a complete factory reset. Before that, be sure to back up all important data, as in the process all information from internal memory will be deleted.
To perform the reset, go to Settings → About Phone → Settings Reset → Erase all data. The system will request confirmation and password from the account. After the reboot, you will get a clean smartphone. It is important in the first minutes after you turn on, not to restore the backup of the applications immediately, but first to check if the ads appeared on the clean device. If not, the problem was in one of the installed applications.
It’s also worth considering installing a global firmware version if you’re using a Chinese version of a smartphone (CN). Global ROMs initially contain less advertising and have Google services built in, making it easier to use the device outside of China.
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Full reset is a guaranteed way to remove any malware that causes advertising, but it requires prior retention of all important user data.