How to remove the screensaver on the Xiaomi phone: from screen lock to advertising in MIUI

The screensaver on the Xiaomi smartphone is not just a background picture, but a whole system of visual elements, which can include animation on the lock screen, banner ads in the video. MIUI, It's a useful feature for some users, an annoying element for others that interferes with the comfort of using the device. POCO, where the advert is built into the firmware level.

In this article, we’ll take a look at all possible types of screensavers on Xiaomi — from standard lock wallpaper to intrusive banner ads in the settings menu — and show you how to turn them off. It’s important to understand that some methods require superuser rights (root), while others are available even without additional manipulation. We’ll also look at the nuances for different versions of MIUI (12 to 14) and explain why some models (for example, Xiaomi 13 Pro or Redmi Note 12) some features may be hidden.

1. Types of screensavers on Xiaomi: what can be removed and what can not

Before you start settings, you need to clearly understand what type of screensaver you are faced with, and on Xiaomi smartphones they are divided into three categories:

• 📱 Lock screen: static or animated wallpaper that appears when the device wakes up and can be changed or disabled through standard settings.
• 📢 Advertising banners: built into MIUI Offers from partners (e.g., ads for Xiaomi games or services) are removed by disabling personalized ads.
• ⚙️ System notifications: pop-ups with reminders of updates, promotions or new features often masquerading as "helpful clues".

Importantly, not all screensavers can be removed without consequences, for example, on models with Global ROM (sold outside China), some of the ads are sewn into firmware and removed only through ADB or root rights, while on the Chinese version (China ROM) there are no ads at all, it is blocked by local law.

If you are not sure what type of screensaver is bothering you, try the following test:

1. Unlock your phone and swipe down from the top edge of the screen – if you see a banner offering to install the game, it’s a MIUI ad.
2. Press the power button to turn off the screen, then turn it on again – if an animation or picture appears before entering the password, this is the lock screen.
3. Open Settings → About the phone – if there pops up a window with a suggestion to update, this is a system notification.

2. How to remove wallpaper and animation on the lock screen

The standard wallpaper on the lock screen changes through the MIUI settings, but many users don't know that you can also turn off animations and some visual effects there.

1. Open the Settings → Lock screen.
2. Select the wallpaper of the lock screen.
3. At the bottom of the screen, tap on Additional (or More, depending on the MIUI version).
4. Turn off the options: 🎨 Animation when blocking – removes smooth screen darkening. 🌅 Super wallpaper effects – disables dynamic background patterns (e.g., color change depending on time of day). 🔄 Automatic wallpaper change – stops cyclical change of pictures.

On some models (e.g. Xiaomi 12T or POCO F4), this menu may not include the option option option.

1. Press your finger in the free space of the lock screen (not on the icons).
2. In the menu that appears, select Wallpaper Settings.
3. Go to the Lock Screen tab and manually select a static image (such as a black background).

Turn off automatic background change

Select a static image without animation

Check the settings of "Super Wallpaper Effects"

Save changes and restart your phone-->

Important: If the wallpaper changes after the changes, check if you have a third-party application to control the lock screen (for example, Always On Display or Lock Screen Magazine), such programs can override system settings.

3. Disabling advertising and banners in MIUI

Ads in MIUI are one of the most annoying features of Xiaomi firmware, and they can appear in the settings menu, in the folder with system applications, or even in the dropdown notification bar, and you can remove it in several ways:

Method 1: Using MIUI settings (without root)

1. Open Settings → Google → Advertising (or Settings → Additional → Privacy → Advertising in older versions).
2. Turn off the option of personalized advertising.
3. Go back to the basic settings and go to Settings → About the phone.
4. Tap 7 times on the MIUI version to activate the developer mode.
5. Go back to Settings → More → For developers and find the USB Debugging option. Activate it.
6. Connect your phone to your PC and execute a command via ADB: adb shell pm uninstall --user 0 com.miui.systemAdSolution

This command removes the system application responsible for displaying ads. After the reboot, the banners should disappear. However, on some models (for example, Redmi 10A), this method does not work stable - the ads can return after the MIUI update.

Method 2: Through third-party applications (root required)

If you have root rights, use the AdAway or Blokada app:

1. Install AdAway from F-Droid.
2. Open the application and click Download files and apply.
3. Reboot the phone.

On models with MIUI 14 and later, blocking ads via AdAway can cause system applications (e.g. Gallery or Music) to crash, and use the alternative DNS66, which filters ads at the DNS level.

4. Remove system notifications and “helpful tips”

MIUI likes to remind users of updates, new features or promotions, and these notifications often appear as pop-ups or banners in the status bar to turn them off:

1. Go to Settings → Notifications and Status bar → Notification management.
2. Find System Tips (or MIUI System in English) in the list.
3. Turn off all switches: Pop-up notifications, Sound, Vibration.
4. To completely disable, tap on Notification Categories and deactivate all items.

POCO models (such as the POCO X5 Pro) may require additional disabling of the Poco Launcher service, which sometimes duplicates system notifications.

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If you don’t want to completely disable update notifications, but they are annoying, set the interval to check for updates to the maximum (1 time per month). → The phone. → Updating the system → Settings (⚙️) → Frequency of checking for updates.

5. Reset the lock screen settings to factory

If you've tried different ways, but the screensaver still doesn't disappear, you might have a configuration failure, and then resetting the lock screen settings without losing data will help.

1. Open Settings → System and device → Resetting settings.
2. Select Reset the lock screen settings (not to be confused with a full reset!).
3. Confirm the action by entering a password or pattern lock.
4. After the reboot, adjust the lock screen again by choosing a minimalist style without animation.

This method works on all models, including the Xiaomi 11T, Redmi Note 11 and POCO M4 Pro. However, note that it will reset:

• 🔐 Password/pattern lock (you will need to reset).
• 📱 Wallpaper and lock screen style.
• 🔔 Notification settings on the locked screen.

Important: On some devices (e.g. Xiaomi Mi 10 with MIUI 13) the Always On Display feature may be missing after reset. To return it, go to Settings → Lock Screen → Always On Display and turn it on manually.

6. Alternative firmware: a radical solution to the problem

If none of these methods worked, the last option is to install an alternative firmware.

The process of installing alternative firmware includes:

1. Unlock the bootloader via Mi Unlock Tool (requires Xiaomi account binding and waits 7-14 days).
2. Installation of custom recavery (TWRP or OrangeFox).
3. Format partitions and firmware of the new OS.

⚠️ Attention: Installing custom firmware will void the warranty and may result in a device blink (completely inoperable).Before the procedure, back up the data via adb backup or TWRP.

If you’re a beginner, start with Xiaomi.eu, a modified version of the official firmware with no adverts and support for all features. Installation instructions are available on the xiaomi.eu forum.

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Alternative firmware is the only way to get rid of the advertising and system limitations of MIUI, but it requires technical skills and is risky for beginners.

7. Frequent mistakes and how to avoid them

When trying to remove the screensaver, users often face typical problems, and here are the most common ones and ways to solve them:

• 🔧 The team's not working. ADB: Make sure that Xiaomi drivers are installed on the PC and debugging is enabled USB. Also check that the phone is connected in File Transfer mode, not Charging.
• 🔄 Settings reset after update: Before update MIUI Backup your settings through Settings → Additionally. → Backup and reset. Restore configuration after update.
• 📵 Always On Display is gone: On some models (Xiaomi 12 Lite), it turns off when you reset the lock screen. → Lock screen → Always on Display and activate it again.
• 🚫 You can’t turn off ads on Global. ROM: On global firmware versions, some system applications are protected from removal, in which case only installing Xiaomi.eu or using AdAway with root will help.

⚠️ Note: If you have been manipulated by ADB or the root phone stopped loading, try going to Fastboot Mode (clip the power supply) + Volume down) and flash the original firmware through the Mi Flash Tool. Do not use unofficial firmware from questionable sources - this can lead to loss of the firmware. IMEI.

FAQ: Answers to Frequent Questions