How to remove ads from Xiaomi Redmi: The Complete Guide

Xiaomi and Redmi smartphone owners often encounter intrusive banner ads that appear in system applications, a feature of the MIUI shell designed to compensate for the low cost of the device, but for many users, it becomes a serious irritant that prevents comfortable use of the gadget.

Fortunately, there's a proven algorithm for doing this, which is completely eliminating advertising noise, so you don't need to have Root rights or flash the device, you just need to go through multiple settings and turn off specific services.

In this article, we will discuss the step-by-step process of deactivating ads in standard applications, browser and system services. Attention: completely disabling the MSA service may require several attempts, since the system sometimes simulates a connection error.

MSA Disconnection: The Main Source of Advertising

The centerpiece of the advertising ecosystem in MIUI is the MSA (MIUI System Ads) process, which is responsible for loading and displaying banners in the interface, and the first step is to find this service in the application menu and disable it.

Go to your smartphone settings and go to Password and Security. Go to Access Data and find msa in the application list. The slider to the right of the name needs to be switched to an inactive state. The system will warn you of the consequences — we agree and wait 10 seconds, then confirm the action.

⚠️ Warning: If you hit the "Disable" button and you get an error message or the timer doesn't start, don't worry. MIUI. Repeat the procedure. 3-5 once in a row until the system accepts the command.

After successfully disabling msa, the number of ad integrations will decrease by 90%, but some built-in applications, such as Music, Video, or Explorer, may have their own content display settings that require separate attention.

Setup of Xiaomi system applications

Even after the main service is turned off, some native programs continue to show recommendations, such as Security, Downloads and Explorer, and each needs to be customized.

Start with the Security app. Open it, click on the gear in the top right corner, and select About. Here you need to find the Receive recommendations switch and turn it off. A similar procedure is done in the Downloads app: three dots in the corner, Settings, disabling Receive recommendations.

In standard File Manager, the situation is similar: click on the menu (three bars), select Settings, then About. Remove the tick from the Recommendations. These simple actions will clear the interface of pop-ups when you open the folders.

Remember that system updates can return some default settings, and checking these points periodically after a major MIUI update will help keep the interface clean.

Cleaning from advertising in the Mi Browser browser

Xiaomi’s standard browser is known for its aggressive policy of displaying news and banners, and if you use it, you need to change your privacy and feed display settings.

Open your browser and click on the profile icon or menu. Go to Settings → Privacy and Security. Here you need to activate the Ad Block mode. Next, go back to the main settings menu and find the News Feed (or Content Feed) item to turn off the display of the newsfeed on the homepage.

Hidden flags are available for deeper cleaning, although the latest Mi Browser versions have limited availability. Focus on disabling push notifications from sites: Settings → Site Notifications → disable all or select specific domains.

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An alternative to a standard browser can be the installation of a third-party solution, for example, Brave or Firefox with uBlock Origin installed, which ensures that there is no advertising at the engine level.

Removal of advertising in the Music and Video app

MIUI multimedia applications often include advertising inserts between tracks or in the video player interface. To enjoy content without interruptions, you need to change the region and display settings.

In the Music app, go to the menu (three bars) → Settings. Find the Advanced Settings section and turn off the Receive Recommendations item. It's also worth checking the notification settings inside the app and preventing promotional material from showing.

The situation is similar in the video app (Mi Video), and in the settings menu, look for Online Services or General Services, turn off Receive References and AutoRun Video, which not only removes ads, but also saves traffic.

Blocking Advertising Through DNS (The Advanced Method)

The most effective and versatile way to work in all applications and games is to change the game. DNS-This method redirects requests to ad servers to nowhere.

Modern versions of Android (9.0 and higher) have a built-in Private DNS (Private DNS) feature. Go to Settings → Connection and Sharing (or Wi-Fi → Private DNS). Select the DNS Host Name mode and type in the address: dns.adguard.com.

dns.adguard.com

Save your settings. Now all your device traffic will be filtered through AdGuard servers, which automatically cut off ad requests, and this works even in free versions of games and apps where a regular blocker can't handle it.

⚠️ Attention: Use of third-party DNS It may have a slight effect on network response speed in rare cases. If you notice a connection problem, just return the setting to Auto or Disconnected".

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Changing DNS to dns.adguard.com is the most powerful method that blocks ads across the system, including games and browsers.

Frequent Questions and Challenges (FAQ)

By following these guidelines, you can turn your Xiaomi or Redmi into a clean interface device without intrusive marketing.