Xiaomi and Redmi smartphone owners often face intrusive marketing built right into the shell of MIUI 13. Unlike pure Android, this system is set up by default to show promotional offers in system applications, which can annoy users accustomed to a sterile interface. Fortunately, the company's engineers have provided the ability to disable most advertising modules without the need to obtain superuser rights.
The cleaning process requires a consistent approach, as the settings are scattered across different menu sections, you have to disable the MSA (MIUI System Ads), which is responsible for targeted advertising, and remove recommendations in standard utilities, which will take no more than 15 minutes, but will significantly improve the comfort of using the gadget.
Below we will take a detailed look at each step of deactivating marketing blocks, starting with the most important system component.
Disconnection of MSA Service: System Level of Protection
The first and most critical step is to disable the MSA service, which is a system process that collects data about your actions and generates personalized advertising offers, and without deactivating it, all other settings may not be effective, as the system will periodically download content again.
To start, go to the settings menu and select Password and Security. In the list that opens, look for Access to Personal Data. This lists all the apps and services that have the right to collect user information. Search in the msa list and put the slider inactive.
The system will alert you that turning off this service may affect some functions, and start a countdown of 10 seconds. It is important to wait until the timer ends and press the "Cancel" button. If the button is inactive or the system gives an error, wait a few seconds and try again - Xiaomi servers are sometimes overloaded.
Once permissions are successfully revoked, the ad won’t disappear instantly, but the mechanism for generating it will stop, and this action is fundamental to all subsequent privacy settings on your device.
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If the “Cancel” button is not pressed the first time, try switching the Internet from Wi-Fi to a mobile network – this often helps to bypass temporary login server failures.
Set up standard applications: conductor, music and video
Even after disabling the MSA, individual applications can continue to display banners unless they change their individual settings. In MIUI 13, each standard application has its own recommendation switch, which must be deactivated manually.
Start with the Explorer app. Open it, click on the menu (three bars) and select Settings. Find About or Receive recommendations and turn it off. Similar steps should be taken for the Music and Mi Video apps, and you should find the About section or profile settings in each of them, and check the Receive recommendations box.
Special attention should be paid to the application "Security" is a system utility that often shows notifications about "junk" or viruses, accompanied by banner ads. Go to the settings of the application (cog in the corner), select Receive recommendations and disable this feature. Also in the section "Receive Memory Cleanup inside the security settings" should remove the tick from the item "Receive recommendations".
☑️ Verification of standard applications
Keep in mind that the interface may vary slightly depending on the regional firmware version (Global, Russia, EEA), but the switch layout logic remains the same for all MIUI 13 builds.
Remove advertising in the desktop folders and browser
One of the most notable features of MIUI is that the recommended apps appear in folders on the desktop. When you open the icon folder, the Recommended Block can appear at the bottom. To remove it, open any folder on the desktop, click on the folder name (to go to name editing mode), and just turn off the Recommended Apps switch.
As for Mi Browser, it's more complicated. It's a separate product and requires customization. Go to your browser settings (three dots at the bottom), select Privacy and Security, and disable all personalization and recommendation items.
⚠️ Note: Mi Browser is the default system browser.If you are actively using Chrome, Firefox or Opera, consider completely removing or disabling Mi Browser through the application management menu to avoid accidentally opening ad links.
For those who can’t live without a built-in browser, there is a hidden setting: enter chrome://flags (if the engine allows) in the address bar or look for the Home page in the settings where you can turn off the news feed. However, installing a third-party browser and assigning it by default is a more radical and effective solution.
Alternative launchers
System notifications and lock in the Downloads folder
In MIUI 13, there is a specific type of advertising that manifests itself in the form of push notifications from system applications such as Downloads or Scanner. Often users notice pop-ups offering to install a game or clean the phone, which come from standard system components.
To block notifications from the Downloads app, go to Settings → Apps → All apps. Go to Downloads. Go to Notifications and disable all categories, especially those called Ads or Recommended. Leave only important system statuses, if any.
Also worth checking is GetApps, the main source of push notifications for discounts and new items. Go to the app, go to profile and settings, find Notifications and disable anything related to promotions and recommendations. Ideally, just uninstall the app if you don't use the Xiaomi alternative store.
There's another hidden mechanism called the Wallpaper Carousel, which changes the wallpaper on the lock screen and shows the commercials, and you can turn it off along the way: Settings → Always on screen and Lock screen → Wallpaper carousel. Turn the switch to off.
Using Private DNS to block at the network level
The most effective method that works globally for the entire system and most applications is to configure a private DNS. This method does not require installing third-party software and blocks ad domains before they even hit the screen of your smartphone.
To implement this method, go to Settings → Connection and Sharing → Private DNS (or Private DNS). Select the DNS Host Name (or Manual) option and enter the address: dns.adguard.com. After saving the setting, restart the device.
This move is critical for users who want the system to be as clean as possible.It blocks trackers and ad servers not only in Xiaomi apps, but also in many free programs and games you install additionally.
| Setup parameter | Meaning/Action | The result |
|---|---|---|
| The way is on the menu | Settings → Connection and Sharing | Access to network parameters |
| Type DNS | Host Name of the Provider (Manual) | Activation of manual settings |
| Server address | dns.adguard.com | Blocking Advertising and Tracking |
| Required version | Android 9.0 and higher (MIUI 13) | Full compatibility |
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Private DNS is a silver bullet that removes up to 90% of all ads in the system without the need for root rights.
Additional sources of advertising and their elimination
Even after all of the above steps, some corners of the system may remain “polluted” such as the Topic app. Go to the Topics app, click on profile, select Settings, and disable Show Ads and Personal Recommendations.
Also check the Cleaner app, which often hides the Receive Recommendations option in its settings. Make sure it's disabled. In addition, the system settings in Advanced Settings may include Receive Recommendations, a global switch for various system services.
⚠️ Attention: After update MIUI Some settings may be reset to factory values. Periodically check key items, especially after major system updates, so that the ads do not return.
Don’t forget widgets. Some desktop widgets (like Music or Wallpaper) can load up ad content. Remove the standard Xiaomi widgets and replace them with Google or third-party widgets.