How to remove ads in Xiaomi Explorer: step-by-step instructions

Xiaomi and Redmi are famous for their excellent value for money, but their MIUI shell is often criticized by users for intrusive marketing. One of the most annoying manifestations of this policy is the appearance of banner ads in system applications, including a standard file manager. It is not just visual noise that distracts from working with documents or photos, but also a factor that slows down the speed of the device when you download excess content.

The Mi File Manager is not a random ad, but a direct result of the MSA (MIUI System Ads) service, which is responsible for targeting ads across the brand ecosystem. Fortunately, the company's engineers have left users with the option to disable this mechanism, although the path to the desired silence and cleanliness of the interface is not always in a straight line. In this article, we will discuss all the current ways to permanently get rid of pop-ups and promotions in your file manager.

Before we start taking any drastic measures, it is worth understanding that the complete removal of system components can lead to unstable operation of the operanic system. Therefore, we will only use safe deactivation and blocking methods available in the standard settings menu or through simple commands. Your goal is to preserve the functionality of the device, but deprive it of the ability to download advertising content in the background.

MSA Disconnection: The Main Source of Advertising

The main culprit behind the introduction of ad integrations in the Xiaomi interface is the msa system application. It is this process that collects data about your preferences and loads the corresponding banners into various parts of the shell, including the Explorer. The first and most logical step in the fight for a clean screen will be to try to disable or remove this service through the application management menu.

First, you have to go to the settings of the smartphone and find the partition responsible for managing installed programs. Depending on the version of MIUI, the path may vary slightly, but the general logic remains the same. You have to find a system application called msa on the list and try to stop it from working, but the system will resist this action in every way, suggesting to wait or cancel the action.

The process of disabling often requires persistence. The first time you try to turn off a service, you'll likely see a countdown timer or an error message. This is the normal behavior of system protection. You'll need to try to disabling several times in a row until the button is active and the service goes to the status of "Stop." After that, it's also important to uncheck the "Receive recommendations" item, if it is available in the Explorer menu itself.

It is worth noting that in some regions and on certain versions of the firmware, the complete removal of msa may be blocked at the permission level, in which case the shutdown is a temporary measure, since the process can start again when the device is restarted, but this is the first mandatory barrier that must be overcome to achieve the goal.

Configure the privacy settings in MIUI

In addition to directly blocking the service responsible for advertising, it is important to close the data collection channels that are used for targeting.In the shell of MIUI there is a separate section dedicated to privacy and advertising identifiers. Disabling the personalization of advertising will not remove banners completely, but will make them less intrusive and deprive the system of the right to use your data to match them.

To access these settings, you should open the security menu or the special Passwords and Security section, and you should find the item associated with advertising services, often hidden inside the Privacy or Special Opportunities menu. The key element is the Receive References switch, which you need to put into an inactive state, which signals the system that you do not want to see personalized content.

Also in this section, there is often an option to reset the advertising ID. Regular resetting of OAID (analogue of Google Advertising ID) confuses algorithms by preventing them from building a stable user profile. While this is not a direct way to remove ads from the conductor, in combination with other measures, it significantly reduces the frequency of its occurrence and relevance.

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If the "Receive recommendations" switch is inactive (shadowed), try first to turn off the Internet, go to the settings, turn off the switch, and only then restore the connection.

It is important to understand that privacy settings in Xiaomi can be scattered across different submenu depending on the location of the firmware (Chinese, Global, European). If you do not find the right item right away, search by settings, entering the keyword “advertising” or “recommend”.

Using a Private DNS to Block Advertising

One of the most effective and elegant ways to remove ads in Explorer and other applications is to use the “Private” function. DNS» (Private DNS), This method does not require root rights and allows you to filter traffic at the device level, blocking requests to known ad servers.

The essence of the method is to redirect DNS-So you can actually use a server to automatically filter out the ad content, and you don't have to install third-party apps to do that, but you just need to write down the address of the server in your smartphone's network connection settings. This solution works globally, affecting not only Mi Explorer, but also browsers and games.

To set up, go to Connect and Share or Wi-Fi in your system settings. Find Private DNS (may be called Personal DNS) and select DNS Host Name and enter dns.adguard.com. Once you save your settings, the device will redirect all requests through AdGuard filters, cutting off the ad domains.

Use of third-party DNS It can have its own nuances, for example, when connecting to public Wi-Fi networks in cafes or airports, you may need to log in through a browser, DNS You'll have to temporarily disable or switch to Auto mode, and some antivirus programs may respond to a shift. DNS-The server as a suspicious activity.

Limitation of background activity and permissions

Another setup that reduces the intrusiveness of system applications is managing their permissions and background activity. Mi Explorer is a file-management utility, and it doesn't need any location, microphone, or contacts to do its job. Access restriction is an important measure of digital hygiene.

Go to the Explorer app and select Permissions. Carefully review the list and disable any items that are not directly related to the file system. It is especially important to disable access to Getting an Application List and Action Tracking if such items are present in your version of MIUI. This will prevent the Explorer from scanning installed programs to display targeted advertising.

You should also limit the background of the application. In the Battery or Energy Saving menu for the conductor, you can set a background activity limit. This will prevent the application from running the ad download processes when you are not using it. However, be careful: excessive restriction can lead to the file manager opening longer at startup.

Keep in mind that system updates may return some default permissions, checking this section periodically after major MIUI updates will help maintain the result you have achieved. If you notice that the app is requesting strange accesses again, block them immediately.

Alternative File Managers as a Solution

If you find the built-in tool too difficult or the results are not good for you, the easiest solution is to abandon it in favor of a third-party counterpart. Android makes it easy to replace the standard file manager with a more functional and ad-free product, which often becomes a silver bullet for users who value their time.

There are many great alternatives on the market, such as Files by Google, Solid Explorer, and other alternatives, FX File Explorer or X-plore: These apps are not only devoid of intrusive advertising (especially paid versions or completely free open counterparts), but also offer more advanced functionality: working with the cloud, FTP-server, hidden folders and archives.

To replace the standard Explorer, you just need to install the selected application from Google Play and select it as the default application for opening files when you first start. Xiaomi will remember this choice, and all links to documents will open in the new manager.

⚠️ Note: When installing third-party file managers from unknown sources (not from Google Play), make sure the developer is reliable. Some “modified” versions of paid programs may contain malicious code that will steal your data.

Using third-party software also gives you the benefit of regular updates regardless of your MIUI version. While stock Explorer users wait for patches from Xiaomi, Solid Explorer or Files users are already getting new features and security fixes.

Advanced Methods: ADB and System Modifications

For power users who are not afraid of the command line, the most radical and effective method is removing advertising components through the Android Debug Bridge (ADB), which allows you to cut out the system packages responsible for advertising without obtaining root rights, which makes it relatively safe, but requires care.

To start, you need to activate the developer mode on your smartphone (click seven times on the build number in About Phone) and turn on USB Debugging. Then connect the phone to your computer, install the ADB drivers and tools. With the help of the removal command, you can deactivate com.miui.misys, com.miui.msa.global and others related to analytics and advertising.

adb shell pm uninstall -k --user 0 com.miui.msa.global


adb shell pm uninstall -k --user 0 com.miui.analytics




adb shell pm uninstall -k --user 0 com.miui.personalassistant

Removing critical system components can cause unstable operation of the device or a “boot” (cyclical reboot). Therefore, it is strongly recommended to make a full backup of important data before performing any operations through the ADB.

⚠️ Warning: Do not delete packets that you do not know what they are intended for, a single letter error or the removal of the system component of the interface can make the phone unusable without flashing it.

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Using ADB is the most powerful way to clean a system, but it requires a PC, a cable, and basic command line knowledge.

If you decide to return after all the manipulations, the ADB command prompt allows you to recover deleted packets using the cmd package install-existing command, which allows you to experiment with the system settings, knowing that the path to retreat is always open.

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