Xiaomi, Redmi and POCO are all well-deservedly popular for their excellent price-performance ratio, but many users are faced with intrusive ads that appear in system applications, browsers and even when they unlock the screen, a phenomenon that is often annoying, but the situation is quite fixable.
Aggregating data about user behavior and displaying targeted ads is standard practice for many low-end electronics manufacturers. In the MIUI ecosystem and the new HyperOS, there is an embedded msa service (MIUI System Ads) that is responsible for this functionality, and completely disabling this component requires several actions in the settings menu to be performed consistently.
In this article, we will discuss in detail all available ways to block unwanted content. You will learn to disable system recommendations, customize personalized content. DNS-server and delete advertising identifiers. Follow the instructions to make your gadget as comfortable and clean as possible.
Disabling the MSA system service
The key element that broadcasts advertising content in the MIUI shell is the MSA system application, which runs in the background and is responsible for loading banners into standard utilities, and to stop this process, you need to find the appropriate switch in the authorization and advertising menu.
Go to the settings section, select Password and Security, and then find the "Access to Personal Data" subsection. In the app list that opens, search for msa and put the slider inactive. The system will alert you to the consequences of a shutdown by suggesting that you wait 10 seconds before confirming.
⚠️ Warning: After disabling msa, banner ads may not disappear instantly.Sometimes it takes a device reboot or wait for 24 hours for the cache to be completely cleared.
If the slider doesn't activate the first time, try repeating the procedure several times, often the system resists shutting down the service, and the switch can spontaneously return to its original position, and persistence is necessary to achieve the result.
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If the msa switch is constantly back in the "On" position, try to turn off the internet before confirming the disconnection, and then turn the network back on.
After successfully deactivating the MSA, you will notice a decrease in activity in the background processes, which not only removes visual noise, but can also positively affect the battery life of your smartphone.
Set up a personal DNS to block
One of the most effective methods of dealing with intrusive banners is the use of DNS-This method allows you to redirect requests to ad servers to an empty address, preventing content from loading at the network level, and you do not need root rights or install third-party software.
Open the settings menu and go to Connect and Sharing. DNS» (or “Personal”. DNS-Select the option "Host Name of the provider". DNS» and enter a trusted filter address, such as dns.adguard.com.
- 📱 Blocking occurs at the level of all applications, including browsers and games.
- 🚀 Page loading is accelerated due to the lack of loading heavy advertising creaks.
- 🛡️ Increased privacy as ad trackers do not access data.
☑️ Checking the settings DNS
It is worth noting that using a third-party DNS can sometimes cause some specific applications or games to run unstable, and if you encounter connection problems in a particular program, temporarily return the DNS setting to Auto mode.
This method is especially effective in conjunction with the MSA shutdown. The combination of system settings and network filtering gives almost 100% of the result in cleaning the interface from debris.
Cleaning recommendations in system applications
Even after the core services are disabled, some embedded utilities may continue to show recommendations, including Explorer, Music, Security, and Downloads, and for each, the personalization settings are separate.
Consider the example of the Security app. Open it, click on the settings gear in the top right corner. Find the "Get recommendations" item and turn it off. Similar steps should be repeated for Explorer (settings menu → About application → Recommendations) and other system utilities.
The Download app is a little more complicated. Click on the three dots in the top corner, select Settings, then About. Quickly tap 10 times on the app icon to open the hidden menu, and turn off Show Recommended Content.
Hidden settings in other applications
Remember that after major updates to HyperOS or MIUI, these settings may be reset, and checking these points periodically will help keep the interface clean.
Managing Notifications and Push Services
Users often confuse ads in the interface with push notifications from various services. Many applications, when installed, request permission to display notifications and use this to send promotional materials, control over this data flow is in your hands.
Go to notification settings and select “App Notifications.” Go through the installed list and turn off the sliders for services that shouldn’t bother you with important messages. Pay special attention to stores, news aggregators and games.
| Type of application | Recommended action | Impact on the system |
|---|---|---|
| Social media | Leave it on. | High (important messages) |
| Stores (GetApps) | Turn it off completely. | Low (advertising only) |
| Games | Shut down. | Average (bonuses, events) |
| System services | Careful. | Critical (errors, updates) |
Also worth checking is the “Ad Blocking” section in the standard Mi Browser or Chrome browser.The inclusion of built-in filters significantly reduces the number of pop-ups when surfing the Internet.
Competent setting of notifications will not only eliminate visual noise, but also save battery power, since the screen will light up less often.
Resetting the advertising identifier
Advertising networks use a unique identifier for their adverts, and resetting this code regularly helps to confuse algorithms and reduce the frequency of personalized ads, which is recommended to be done periodically.
To do this, go to the Password and Security menu, then select Privacy. Find Advertising Services and click Reset Advertising ID. Confirm action in the pop-up window.
Once reset, the old profiles will no longer be relevant, and this doesn't guarantee that ads will disappear completely, but it will make them less intrusive and more random, and combined with other methods, this gives you a great result.
⚠️ Warning: Do not use third-party apps to "clean" the ad registry unless you are sure of their source. MIUI It is sufficient for safe settings.
Some users prefer to disable ad personalization altogether, and in the same Advertising Services menu, you can find the Ad Personalization switch, which prohibits the use of your data to select ads.
Disabling Advertising in Folders and on the Desktop
One of the most annoying features of the MIUI shell has long been ads in desktop folders, and when you open the app folder at the bottom, you might see a banner asking you to install a game or buy a product, and fortunately, this feature can be easily disabled.
Open any folder on your desktop. Click on the folder name (or three dots/cogs, depending on the firmware version) to open the folder settings. Find the "Promoted" option and turn the switch to the "Off" position.
Now, when you open folders, you'll only see app shortcuts, and the interface will be cleaner and clearer, and a similar principle works for the wallpaper carousel widget on the lock screen, which also often contains advertising slides.
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Disabling recommendations in folders is a one-time action that applies to all folders on the device immediately after changing the settings in one of them.
If you use a third-party launcher, the folder ad problem can disappear automatically, as third-party shells do not have access to Xiaomi’s system ad modules. However, the standard launcher, when set up properly, works more stable and faster.