How to turn off recommendations on Xiaomi: the complete guide

Owners of Xiaomi, Redmi and POCO smartphones often face intrusive notifications that appear in the most unexpected places of the interface.Advertising banners in folders, offers to download games in system applications and pop-ups in the browser are the standard behavior of MIUI firmware and the new HyperOS.The company has integrated marketing modules deep into the system to monetize the affordable value of its devices.

But it's not a dead end. There are a set of hidden settings and system switches that allow you to completely clean the interface of unnecessary visual noise. The deactivation process requires sequential passage through several menus, because the developers did not provide a single button "Stop All Ads", and in this article we will discuss every step necessary to create a comfortable environment.

It's important to understand that after a major firmware update, some settings may reset or move. So knowing the exact paths and process names will help you quickly regain control of your device. We'll look at both standard methods through the settings menu and more advanced ways for power users.

MSA Disconnection: The Main Source of Advertising

At the heart of Xiaomi’s advertising ecosystem is the MIUI System Ads process, often abbreviated as msa. It is this service that collects data about your preferences and broadcasts personalized offers, and disabling this service is the first and most important step in the fight for a clean interface.

You go to the settings menu to find the password and security section, and the path may vary slightly depending on the shell version, but the logic remains the same, and you need to find the ad service item and deactivate it.

⚠️ Attention: The switch may be inactive the first time you press it. The system deliberately creates the illusion of failure, expecting the user to give up. 5-10 once, until the final confirmation window appears.

After successfully disabling msa, the number of ad integrations in standard applications such as Music or Themes will be significantly reduced.However, this will not remove all banners, since some applications have their own built-in mechanisms for displaying content.

Setting up the wallpaper carousel and lock screen

One of the most annoying elements for many users is the Wallpaper Carousel, which constantly changes the image on the lock screen and often shows advertising lock screens with news or store offers. To get rid of this, you need to refer to the lock screen settings.

Go to Settings and select Lock Screen. You're interested in the Wallpaper Carousel option. Inside this menu, you need to turn off the activation switch completely, and this action will stop automatic image change and remove advertising slides.

Also worth checking is the theme settings. Some third-party themes may force ad items back to the lock screen even after system features are disabled. Go back to the standard Classic or Default theme if the problem persists.

It is important to note that on global firmware versions, the path may be called Wallpaper or Always-on display & Lock screen. In new versions of HyperOS, the lock screen widgets are controlled in a separate editing submenu, where you can also remove advertising widgets.

Cleaning folders and desktop from advertising

Ad blocks often appear inside folders on the desktop, offering "recommended apps," which is done to promote software from the GetApps store. To remove these plaques, you need to change the folder display settings.

Open any folder on your desktop that has ads. Click on the folder name or three dots in the corner to open the control menu. Find the Recommended Apps or Promoted Apps switch and turn it off. Now the folder will only contain the shortcuts of installed programs.

Also, check the settings of the desktop itself. A long tap on the empty screen space will cause a menu where you can select Settings. Here you should turn off the option to Receive recommendations, if one is present in your version of the launcher.

Some users prefer third-party launchers to completely ignore system limitations.Installing an alternative shell from Nova Launcher or Microsoft Launcher allows you to fully control the appearance of the desktop, but can deprive you of some of the branded chips of Xiaomi.

Setup of the built-in browser and application Security

Xiaomi’s standard browser and Security app are among the top sources of pop-ups, often notifying users of “dangerous” sites or offering to clean up memory while showing news feeds.

For the Mi Browser, you need to go to its settings through a three-bar menu. Go to Privacy and Security and turn off all notifications, as well as the Popular Sites feature on the homepage, this will remove the news feed and banners.

The situation is more complicated in the Security app. Go to the app settings (cog in the corner). Find the Receive recommendations section and uncheck the box. You should also turn off the hot apps notifications in the Cleanup section.

⚠️ Warning: Do not turn off the Security app notifications completely, otherwise you will no longer receive alerts about viruses or critical system errors.

The alternative is to install a third-party antivirus and use Chrome or Firefox as the primary tools, which will completely ignore the built-in services of Xiaomi, although they will remain on the system.

Manage notifications from GetApps and Mi Video

The GetApps app store and Mi Video player are known for their aggressive push notification policies, which can report updates to games, new videos or promotions, even if you don’t use those apps.

The most effective way is to completely disable notifications for these apps. Go to Settings -> Notifications -> Notification Management. Go to GetApps and Mi Video and stop them from showing any notifications.

There are also hidden settings inside the GetApps app itself. Open your user profile, go to settings, and find App Auto Update. Turn it off if you don't want the store to manage your programs yourself.

For the video player, you can use the Do Not Disturb function inside the application itself or simply remove it if you use a third-party player like VLC or MX Player.

Table: Comparison of methods of disabling advertising

Different methods of combating advertising have different degrees of effectiveness and complexity. Below is a comparison table that will help you choose the optimal cleaning strategy for your use case.

Using ADB (Android Debug Bridge) allows you to remove system applications completely, but requires a connection to a computer and certain knowledge, this method is recommended only for advanced users who understand the consequences of removing system packages.

For most users, the first two methods in the table are enough: they are safe, reversible and require no special equipment, and the main thing is to carefully check the settings after each system update.

Frequent questions and problems when setting up

Even following the instructions, users may encounter nuances, such as when you reset your settings to factory settings, all ad modules are activated again, this is normal behavior, the procedure will need to be repeated, and in some regions (e.g. Europe) there are initially less ads than in the global versions for Asia.

If you can't find a menu item, search by settings, type in keywords like "advertising," "recommendations" or "msa," and the system will tell you where the switch is hiding.

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Use Settings Search: Type the word ‘advertising’ into the search bar at the top to quickly find the right switches in the confusing MIUI menu.

Remember that removing ad services completely can cause some system applications, such as Themes or Music, to run unstable. If you notice a crash, try not to remove the service, but simply limit its background activity through battery settings.

⚠️ Attention: When using methods with ADB Be careful to remove packets that contain the name 'analytics' or 'daemon', and their removal may disrupt the telemetry required for basic smartphone functions.

Regularly checking firmware updates is also important: Xiaomi engineers are constantly changing the structure of the menu, and the paths relevant in 2026 may change in 2026.

FAQ: Answers to popular questions