Xiaomi’s modern smartphones are known for their excellent value for money, but the company’s aggressive marketing policies often cloud the user experience. Device owners regularly encounter intrusive banners in system apps, pop-ups and recommendation tapes that are hard to ignore. Removing ads on Xiaomi is not just a matter of aesthetics, but a necessity to improve performance and preserve privacy of personal data.
In 2026, the company’s ecosystem, whether it’s the MIUI 15 shell or the new HyperOS 2.0, offers a variety of built-in tools to block unwanted content, even though they’re hidden in the depths of the menu. Deleting ads requires sequentially disabling multiple services, from the MSA system analyzer to setting up specific applications like Music or Explorer, ignoring these settings leads to constant telemetry collection and traffic consumption in the background.
In this guide, we’ll take a look at all the current digital noise control techniques available without superuser rights (Root) and learn how to permanently disable advertising identifiers, block internet access for system processes, and clean desktop debris. Following these instructions will make your Redmi or POCO much faster and more enjoyable to use.
Disabling the MSA System Service
The key component in the system for displaying advertising content is the MSA (MIUI System Ads) service, which collects data about your preferences and broadcasts personalized offers. To remove ads on Xiaomi, the first thing you need to do is deactivate this service, since it is the foundation of the entire advertising infrastructure of the shell.
The system does not allow the service to be turned off the first time, mimicking a technical error or delay. You will need to press the shutdown button several times in a row, showing persistence. This artificial restriction is designed to reduce the number of users who really want to get rid of monetization, but costs a simple repetition of the action.
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If the shutdown button remains gray or inactive, make sure you have a stable internet connection at the time of the operation, as the server must receive a confirmation of the refusal of services.
To complete the task, go to Settings → Passwords and Security → Access to Personal Data. In the list that opens, find msa and put the switch to an inactive state. After the countdown timer appears (usually 10 seconds), click “Disable.” If the system sends an error message, repeat the procedure 2-3 times until you see confirmation of a successful shutdown.
⚠️ Attention: After disconnection MSA Advertising in system applications may not disappear instantly, but within 24 hours until the cache files are completely updated or deleted.
Management of advertising identifier
In addition to the MSA service, the system has a unique advertising identifier that is assigned to your device to target content by third parties. Even if you disable the main services, this identifier allows advertising networks to track your actions in applications.
To manage this setting, open the Settings menu → Passwords & Security → Privacy → Advertising Services. There are two main options available to you: Reset Ad ID and Turn off Ad Personalization. Both actions are recommended to achieve maximum effect. Resetting ID breaks the link with previously collected profile data.
It is important to understand that completely removing this identifier is impossible, as it is part of the Android and HyperOS architecture, but its regular reset prevents advertising algorithms from building a stable user profile, which is especially true for those who often install new applications and test various services.
Setup of system applications
Ad units are often built directly into standard utilities like Explorer, Music, Video, and Cleanup. Even after MSA is turned off, these applications can continue to show recommendations if they don't change their internal settings. Each component requires a customized approach to completely clean the interface.
Consider the main applications where obtrusive content is most common, and ways to customize them:
- 📂 Explorer: Open the app, click on the menu (three bars), select Settings» → «About the App (or “Recommendations”) and disable the “Get Recommendations” slider».
- 🎵 Music: Go to the profile menu, select Settings, then Advanced Settings, and turn off the option to Show Ads».
- 🧹 Security/Cleanup: Go to the app settings (cogs), find the “Get recommendations” section and deactivate it.
- 🎥 Video (Mi Video): In the user profile, select Settings, find Online Recommendations and turn it off.
☑️ Verification of system applications
After making changes to each application, it is recommended to close them completely through the running task menu to make the settings effective.In some versions of MIUI, menu items may be called slightly differently, for example, “Get hints” instead of “Recommendations”, but the meaning remains the same.
Blocking through DNS and hosts
The most effective method, which works at the operating system level, is the use of private DNS. This method allows you to redirect requests to known advertising servers to nowhere, blocking the loading of banners and trackers before they are displayed on the screen.
To activate the function, go to Settings → Connection and Sharing → Private DNS. Select the DNS Host Name (or Manual) mode and enter the trusted blocker address. One of the most popular and trusted services is AdGuard DNS.
dns.adguard.comEnter the specified line in the input field and save the settings. After that, all network requests of your smartphone will be passed through the filters of the service, which automatically cuts off advertising traffic, which also helps save mobile traffic and speeds up the loading of pages in the browser.
⚠️ Attention: When using private DNS Some apps or sites may not work properly if they use the same domains to deliver useful content. DNS diagnostic.
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Use of the DNS-Filtering is a silver bullet that removes up to 90% of ads across the system and browsers without having to configure each application separately.
Comparison of cleaning methods
There are many ways to combat unwanted content, and choosing the best one depends on your technical skills and goals. Some methods require just a few clicks, others require a deeper intervention in the system.
| Method | Difficulty | Efficiency | Risks. |
|---|---|---|---|
| MSA shutdown | Low. | High (systemic advertising) | Minimum |
| Private DNS | Low. | Very high (web and applications) | Possible Network Conflicts |
| Set-up of applications | Medium | Medium (only full-time apps) | Absent. |
| ADB-team | Tall. | Maximum | High (code error) |
For most users, the combination of the first two methods (MSA + DNS disable) is the perfect balance between security and outcome.The use of ADB (Android Debug Bridge) commands is recommended only for advanced users, since incorrectly removing system packages can lead to a cyclical reboot of the device.
What is ADB and is it worth using?
Removing Browser Advertising and Notifications
Users often confuse system advertising with intrusive notifications from sites they accidentally subscribed to or with ad modules in the browser. If you constantly pop up windows with news or offers to download antivirus, the problem is most likely to lie in the settings of the Chrome browser or the system Mi Browser.
To clear notifications in Chrome, go to Settings → Privacy & Security → Site Settings → Notifications. Here you will see a list of sites that have the right to send you messages. Ruthlessly delete or deny access to any suspicious resources. In the system browser, the path is similar to: Settings → Privacy → Site settings.
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Install a browser with built-in ad blocker, such as Brave or Firefox with uBlock Origin addon, to completely eliminate the appearance of banners when surfing the Internet.
It’s also worth checking installed apps. Sometimes free utilities (lightlights, QR scanners) can embed their ads on top of other windows. If you notice pop-ups at random, check Settings → Apps → All apps and remove newly installed or suspicious programs without an icon or name.