How to completely remove ads on Android: block ads on Xiaomi and other smartphones

Why Advertising Appears on Your Smartphone and How to Deal With It

Advertising on Android smartphones is not just an annoying interface element, but an entire ecosystem built into the operating system, applications and even system services. This problem is especially acute on Xiaomi, Redmi and POCO devices, where the MIUI branded shell actively monetizes user attention through banners in settings, notifications and even on the lock screen. But advertising is not only targeting Xiaomi owners: it penetrates through browsers, games, social networks and even system updates on any Android device.

The problem is that there are dozens of sources of advertising, from legitimate Google services (like Google Play Services) to aggressive adware programs that are installed along with free apps. Many users mistakenly believe that it is enough to turn off personalized advertising in the settings of Google → Advertising – but this is only the tip of the iceberg. In fact, removing ads completely requires a comprehensive approach: from manual cleaning of system applications to using specialized tools like Blokada or AdGuard.

In this article, we will discuss all the current ways of blocking advertising – from simple (without root rights) to advanced (with unlocking the bootloader and installing custom firmware). Particular attention will be paid to Xiaomi devices where advertising is sewn into the shell of MIUI, but the methods will also be suitable for other brands: Samsung, Realme, Oppo, etc. We warn in advance: some methods can violate the warranty or lead to unstable system operation – so read the warnings carefully!

Method 1: Disabling Advertising in MIUI without root (official settings)

If you own Xiaomi, Redmi or POCO, check the built-in MIUI shell settings first. The manufacturer provides limited but workable tools to reduce the amount of advertising.

Go to Settings → About Phone and tap the MIUI version several times to unlock the advanced developer settings. Then go back to the basic settings and open a new section Additional → Special Features → Advertising. Here you will find two key switches:

• 🔴 Personalized recommendations – disables the collection of data about your actions for targeted advertising.
• 📵 Showing advertisements in MIUI — main tumbler, which theoretically should remove banners in system applications (for example, in the Browser, Music or Themes).

Even after these options are turned off, however, ads may still be in some apps, because Xiaomi is working with partners like Alibaba or Tencent to implement their ad SDKs directly into firmware, and additional measures will be needed to block them.

⚠️ Note: On some regional versions MIUI (For example, for India or China, the Advertising option may not be available in the settings. In this case, try changing the region of the device to Europe (EEA) through settings → Additionally. → Region.

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If banners continue to appear after disabling ads in MIUI, clear the cache of system applications (Settings → Applications → Application Management → Three Points → Clear the cache for everyone).

Method 2: Blocking Advertising via DNS (without root)

One of the most effective and safest ways to fight advertising is redirection. DNS-This method works at the network level, so it blocks ads in all applications, including browsers, games and system services.

To set up:

1. Go to Settings. → Connections and sharing → Private DNS (or settings → SIM-maps and mobile networks → Private DNS version MIUI).
2. Select the host name of the private provider DNS and enter one of the addresses: 🛡️ dns.adguard.com – AdGuard server, blocking ads and trackers. 🌍 doh.centraleu.pi-dns.com – alternative server with DoH support (DNS-over-HTTPS). 🔒 security.cloudflare-dns.com – Cloudflare with malicious domain filtering.

Save the settings and restart the device.

The advantage of this method is that it doesn't require any additional applications to be installed and it works at a system level, but it has limitations.

Method 3: Blocking applications (without root)

If system methods didn't work, it's time to turn to third-party apps, and there are several proven solutions on the market that work without superuser rights and effectively filter ads.

Top.-3 Applications for blocking ads on Android:

• 🛡️ Blokada is the most popular open source solution. it blocks ads at the level VPN, It does not require root. It supports custom filter lists (e.g. EasyList or AdAway.
• 🔒 AdGuard is a powerful blocker with advanced settings. There is a free version with basic filters and a paid version with support. HTTPS-It's a local filter. VPN.
• 🚀 DNS66 — Easy application to block advertising through DNS. Supports multiple profiles and custom domain lists, ideal for weak devices.

Installation and configuration (on the example of Blokada):

1. Download APK from the official website (not from Google Play – there is a stripped-down version).
2. Allow installation from unknown sources (Settings → Applications → Special Access → Install Unknown Applications).
3. Launch Blokada and activate the lock (the app will request permission to create). VPN-linkage).
4. Select active filter lists (we recommend EasyList + AdAway).
5. Reset the device.

⚠️ Note: Some banks and instant messengers (for example, Sberbank Online or Telegram) can block work when active. VPN. In this case, add them to the exceptions in the Blokada settings or disable the blocker temporarily.

Method 4: Remove system applications with advertising (root required)

If you're willing to take drastic measures, the surest way to get rid of ads is to remove the system apps that show them. It requires root rights and can disrupt system stability, but it gives you 100% results. Especially true for Xiaomi, where ads are built into Msa (MIUI System Ads), Browser, Music and other system utilities.

List of Xiaomi apps that can be safely removed (or frozen) to block ads:

To remove system applications:

1. Get root rights (for example, through Magisk).
2. Install Root Explorer or Titanium Backup.
3. Find the apps from the list above and remove them (or freeze them if you fear the consequences).
4. Clear the cache and data of the remaining system applications.
5. Reset the device.

⚠️ Note: On some Xiaomi devices (especially HyperOS), removing system applications may cause update errors. In this case, restore deleted packages from the backup before the firmware update.

Method 5: Custom firmware (for advanced users)

If you’re willing to sacrifice official firmware for full control of your device, installing custom firmware (like LineageOS, Pixel Experience, or ArrowOS) will solve the problem of advertising once and for all, devoid of built-in ad modules and offering a clean Android without unnecessary services.

Advantages of custom firmware:

• 🧹 Total absence of advertising at the system level.
• 🚀 Higher performance (no background Xiaomi processes).
• 🔄 Regular security updates (unlike official firmware, which are often updated with a delay).
• 🛠️ Ability to fine-tune the interface and functions.

However, there are also disadvantages:

• ⚠️ Loss of warranty (if the device is under warranty).
• 🔧 Installation difficulty (requires unlocking the bootloader, installation) TWRP etc.).
• 📱 Possible bugs (not all functions can work correctly, for example, NFC camera).

If you’re considering this step, follow the official instructions for your model on the XDA Developers or 4PDA forums. For Xiaomi, the process usually looks like this:

1. unlock the bootloader through the Mi Unlock Tool


2. Install TWRP Recovery




3. Swipe custom firmware (for example, LineageOS)




4. Install Magisk for root rights (optional)




5. Switch Gapps (if you need Google services)

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Custom firmware is the only way to permanently get rid of system-level advertising, but it requires technical skills and can void the warranty.

Method 6: Blocking Advertising in the Browser and Applications

Even if you block system ads, they can still be used through browsers and apps, like Google Chrome or Youtube, and they show ads regardless of MIUI settings, and there are some special solutions to block them.

Browsers with built-in ad blocking:

• 🦊 Firefox + uBlock Origin extension (the most reliable version).
• 🛡️ Brave Browser – Blocks Ads and Trackers Out of the Box".
• 🌐 Kiwi Browser – Supports Chrome extensions including AdBlock).

Blocking YouTube ads:

• 🎥 Vanced MicroG – Modified YouTube without ads (requires installation via adverts) APK).
• 🔄 ReVanced – a patcher for the official YouTube, removing ads and adding features like background playback.
• 📱 NewPipe – an alternative client for YouTube without ads and with support for video downloads.

For installation of ReVanced:

1. Download the latest version of YouTube in APK format (for example, with APKMirror).
2. Install ReVanced CLI or ReVanced Manager.
3. Select patches to block ads and apply them to APKs.
4. Install the modified application.

⚠️ Note: Using modified versions of YouTube (such as Vanced or ReVanced) can lead to a ban on your account for violating the rules of the service. Google actively fights such tools, so use them at your own risk.

FAQ: Frequent questions about Android ad blocking