Xiaomi smartphones have long been popular for their excellent price-performance ratio. However, when buying a device, many users are faced with intrusive advertising that appears in system applications, when unlocking the screen and even in folders. It is annoying, slows down the interface and wastes traffic. In 2026, the situation with advertising integrations in the shells of MIUI and the new HyperOS became even thinner, but getting rid of them is still real.
In this article, we will discuss in detail all known ways to clean the system of marketing garbage. MSA, And we'll also talk about the banners, and how to set up the built-in browser. DNS-filtering, which allows you to block ads at the entire device level, including third-party apps.
Before taking drastic measures, it is important to understand that certain changes may affect the performance of individual system functions. For example, disabling certain services may stop receiving personalized recommendations, which, however, is the desired result for most users.
MSA Disconnection: The Main Source of Advertising
The main culprit of the appearance of advertising banners in system applications is the service MSA (MIUI System Ads. It analyzes your actions and uploads the content. To deactivate it, you need to go to your phone settings. Find the password and security section and select Access to Personal Data. In the list that appears, find msa and disable the slider.
The system will try to dissuade you by saying that without this service, some functions will not work. This is a standard developer trick: you will have to wait 10 seconds for the recall button to be active. Press it. If the first time the shutdown did not happen (there was an error), repeat the procedure 3-4 times. Usually on the 3rd attempt, the system is surrendered and the service is disabled.
⚠️ Note: After the withdrawal of permits from the service MSA The full cache cleaning and settings can take up to 24 hours of active use of the device.
In addition to the main service, you should check other system components that may have access to data for targeting. In the same menu, access personal data, pay attention to GetApps, Mi Video and Mi Music. If you do not use these standard applications, access to data for them is also better limited, which will reduce the amount of telemetry collected.
For those who want to go further, there is the option of disabling the service through the developer menu or ADB, but in 95% of cases, a standard revocation is enough.
Setup of the built-in browser Mi Browser
Xiaomi's standard browser is often called the "window to the world of advertising," and for good reason. It's full of news feeds, push notifications and banners. To turn it into a normal surfing tool, you need to do a thorough cleaning of your settings. Open your browser, click on three menu bars, and go to Settings.
First, find the Privacy and Security section, you need to disable the Receive Notifications and Personal Recommendations section, and in the general browser settings, find the News Feed (or Discover) switch and turn it off, which will remove the endless feed of articles from the home page.
Then we move on to pop-up blocking. In the security settings, activate Ad Blocker. Although it's not perfect, it cuts off some of the aggressive banners. However, to work properly, it's better to use third-party solutions, which we'll talk about below, because the built-in filter often skips ad integrations.
⚠️ Note: Do not delete the system browser completely through ADB, If you're not sure what you're doing, some system links can only be opened through it, which will cause errors in the interface.
If you only use your browser for rare browsing, you can simply deny it access to the Internet. Go to Settings → Apps → All apps → Mi Browser → Traffic Control and disable data transmission over Wi-Fi and mobile network. The browser will remain in place, but will not be able to download ads.
Cleaning up from advertising in system applications
Advertising is embedded deep in the MIUI and HyperOS ecosystem, and it's found in the Security, Downloads, Music and Video app, and fortunately, each of these apps has hidden switches that allow you to turn off marketing, starting with the Security app.
Open the app, click on the settings gear in the corner. Find Receive recommendations and turn it off. Also, turn off Extended Cleanup if it offers additional software installation.
The Downloads app is similar. Click three dots in the corner, select Settings → About the app (or just Settings inside the menu). Find the Receive Recommendations switch and deactivate it. This will remove the game and app ads that normally hang on the home download screen.
- 🎵 Music: Settings → Advanced settings → Showing ads → Off.
- 🎬 Video: Profile → Settings → Additional settings → Online services → Off.
- 📁 Conductor: Settings → About the programme → Recommendations → Off.
Also remember to check your theme settings. Sometimes the ads appear when you change the wallpaper or theme. In the Themes app, go to profile, then to the settings and turn off Personal Recommendations and Show Ads.
☑️ Checklist for cleaning the system
Blocking Advertising via DNS (The Most Effective Method)
The most powerful tool to combat advertising is the use of private advertising. DNS. This method allows you to block ad requests at the network level without installing unnecessary applications, and it works for both Wi-Fi and mobile Internet. DNS-filter-server.
In your phone settings, go to Connection and Sharing (or Wi-Fi). DNS-server (Private) DNS). Select the mode "Host Name of the provider" DNS" (or "Manually") and enter the address: dns.adguard.com.
dns.adguard.comOnce you set the settings, the phone can lose the connection for a second, and then restore it. Now all requests to known ad servers will be blocked, which will remove banners in many games and applications that do not use their own secure communication channels.
⚠️ Note: If you use corporate Wi-Fi or specific provider networks, enable Private Wi-Fi DNS may restrict access to local resources or captive-portal (authorization pages).
Importantly, this is not a panacea; Google and Xiaomi’s ads on system interfaces may be partially left behind, as they come from domains that are difficult to block without disrupting services; however, overall digital noise levels will be reduced dramatically.
Comparison of blocking methods
Each of the methods examined has its advantages and disadvantages. MSA Safely but does not remove all advertising. DNS-filtering is effective, but may conflict with some networks. Below is a table to help you choose the best strategy for your use case.
| Method | Efficiency | Difficulty | Impact on the system |
|---|---|---|---|
| MSA shutdown | Medium | Low. | Minimum |
| Set-up of applications | High (locally) | Medium | Absent. |
| Private DNS | Very high. | Low. | Possible Network Conflicts |
| ADB Debloat | Maximum | Tall. | Risk of instability |
For most users, the best solution is to use a combination of all the methods: disable MSA, configure applications, and prescribe DNS. This will balance the purity of the system with the stability of its operation. If you are an experienced user, you can consider removing system components through ADB.
Using the ADB command line allows you to physically remove applications like GetApps or Mi Video. However, this requires you to connect to your PC and know the exact packet names. A bug in the packet name can lead to a bootloop (cyclical reboot) of your phone.
Frequent Questions and Challenges (FAQ)
During the cleaning process, users often have questions about system updates or ad returns, and here are some of the most popular ones.
Will the ads come back after the MIUI or HyperOS update?
Is it safe to use third-party ad blockers from the Play Store?
Why does the “Revoke” button in the MSA settings not turn off?
Can I delete the system browser completely?
Does disabling advertising affect the speed of the smartphone?
To sum up, anti-advertising in Xiaomi is a mindful process that is accessible to the average user. Following these steps, you will turn your smartphone into a handy tool without unnecessary visual noise. Remember to periodically check your settings after system updates so that your victory over marketing remains long-term.