Why Advertising Appears on Xiaomi and How to Deal With It
Xiaomi, Redmi and POCO are known for their value for money, but many users face intrusive advertising in system applications. The manufacturer integrates ad units into MIUI, the Android brand shell, to monetize low-priced devices. Ads can appear in the settings menu, the Security app, the Mi Browser browser, and even on the lock screen.
One of the most effective ways to get rid of advertising is to block at the level of the Internet. DNS. This method works because most ad servers use fixed domain names. DNS-Requests for special servers (e.g. AdGuard) DNS Or NextDNS, you cut off access to these domains without installing additional applications, the advantage of the method is that it does not require root rights, works on all models (from Redmi Note 8 to Xiaomi 13 Ultra), and does not affect performance.
It’s important to understand that DNS blocking doesn’t remove ads from apps (like Facebook or Instagram), but it successfully removes MIUI system ads, browser banners, and some of the ads in games. If you use MIUI 12 and above, this will work consistently – earlier versions may have had DNS priority bugs.
How do they work? DNS-servers
DNS (Domain Name System is a system that converts domain names (e.g. ad.xiaomi.com) into domain names. IP-Your smartphone usually uses addresses. DNS-The provider that designates the mobile operator or router, but you can manually specify alternatives. DNS-servers that filter requests for advertising domains.
The principle of operation is simple:
- 🔍 Your device sends a request to download an advertising banner (for example, from the domain tracker.miui.com).
- 🛡️ Instead of the standard DNS The server request goes to AdGuard DNS (e.g. 94.140.14.14).
- 🚫 The server recognizes the domain as an ad and returns an “empty” response or redirects it to a secure one. IP.
- 📱 The smartphone does not receive advertising content, and the banner does not appear.
There are several popular DNS-servers:
| DNS-server | IP-address (IPv4) | Features |
|---|---|---|
| AdGuard DNS | 94.140.14.1494.140.15.15 | Blocks ads, trackers and phishing, and there's a kid-protection option. |
| NextDNS | Individual (registration required) | Flexible settings, the ability to create your own blacklist of domains. |
| Cloudflare Family | 1.1.1.31.0.0.3 | Blocks malicious websites and ads, but is less aggressive than AdGuard. |
| CleanBrowsing | 185.228.168.168185.228.169.169 | Focus on security and blocking adult content. |
Important: Some DNS-Servers (like NextDNS) require registration and configuration through a web interface, where you can select filtering levels. If you want the simplest solution, choose AdGuard. DNS — It works out of the box without any additional settings.
Step-by-step: how to change DNS to Xiaomi
The process of changing the DNS on Xiaomi smartphones is slightly different depending on the version of MIUI. Below is a universal instruction that will suit most models: Redmi Note 10/11/12, POCO X3/X4/X5, Xiaomi 11/12/13 and others. If you have an older version of MIUI (below 12), some menu items may be called differently.
Step 1. Open your Wi-Fi settings
- 📶 Go to Settings. → Wi-Fi.
- 🔗 Click on the name of your network (to which you are connected) and hold your finger. 1-2 A few seconds before the menu appears.
- ⚙️ Select "Change Network" (or "Network Settings").
Step 2: Set up a static IP (required!)
By default, the smartphone receives DNS automatically from the router. To specify your DNS, you need to switch to static IP:
- 📝 In the network settings menu, scroll down and find "Settings" IP" (or "IP-setting").
- 🔄 Select "Static" instead of "Static "DHCP".
- 📋 Fill in the fields: IP-address: 192.168.1.X (where X is any number from 2 to 254 not occupied by other devices. Gateway: 192.168.1.1 (usually the same as IP Network prefix length: 24. DNS 1: 94.140.14.14 (AdGuard DNS). DNS 2: 94.140.15.15 (AdGuard backup) DNS).
IP-The address does not match with other devices on the network|
The gateway matches. IP your router|
Both listed. DNS-servers (main and backup)|
Static mode is on IP"-->
Step 3: Save the settings and reconnect.
Once you enter, click "Save." The device will automatically disconnect from Wi-Fi and reconnect.
- ⚠️ Check if the listing is correct. IP-address and gateway (they must be in the same subnet, for example, 192.168.1.X).
- 🔄 Reboot the router and smartphone.
- 📡 Try connecting to another Wi-Fi network and reset your settings.
For mobile Internet (3G/4G/5G):
Unfortunately, MIUI does not have a built-in option to change the DNS for the mobile network, so to block ads over the mobile Internet, you will need to:
- 📱 Install the application DNS Changer (e.g., changer, DNS Changer by frostnerd).
- 🔧 In the app, select AdGuard DNS activate VPN-Mode (the application creates a local application) VPN forward DNS).
💡
If some websites (e.g. banking) are no longer open after the DNS change, try using NextDNS with the Allowlist setting – you can manually add exceptions for critical domains.
Problems and Solutions: What to Do When DNS Fails
Sometimes, after a change in the DNS, ads continue to show up, or there are problems with the Internet. Let's look at the typical mistakes and how to fix them.
Problem 1: The Internet is gone after the DNS change
⚠️ Note: If after saving the Wi-Fi settings, the smartphone lost the connection, most likely you indicated the wrong one IP-The address or the gateway:
- 📌 IP-device address is different IP router (for example, router 192.168.1.1, smartphone – 192.168.1.100).
- 📌 The lock matches with IP router (usually 192.168.1.1 or 192.168.0.1).
- 📌 DNS-servers entered without typos (e.g. 94.140.14.14, not 94.140.14.1).
Problem 2: Advertising is still shown
If the ads have not disappeared after the DNS change, the reasons may be as follows:
- 🔄 Cash. DNS: Clear the cache. DNS via the Mi Security app or restart your smartphone.
- 📵 Circumvention DNS: Some applications (such as Mi Browser) may ignore system settings. DNS. Try using another browser (e.g. Firefox with enabled browser) DNS over HTTPS).
- 🔧 Not all domains are blocked: Servers like AdGuard DNS They block most domains, but not 100%. DNS Blokada-type applications.
Problem 3: Slow Internet after DNS change
Some of them DNS-servers can slow down sites because of geographic distance:
- 🌍 Choose. DNS-server that is physically closer to your region (for example, 94.140.14.14 will be suitable for Russia, 176.103.130.130 for Europe).
- ⚡ Check the speed. DNS via appendix DNS Benchmark (available on Google Play).
- 🔄 Go back to the standard. DNS (remove static IP) Try another server (for example, Cloudflare).
How to check if it works DNS-lockdown?
Alternative ways to block ads on Xiaomi
If changing the DNS didn’t work out the way you wanted it or you want maximum protection, consider additional methods.
1.Advert blocking applications
There are specialized utilities that work at the VPN or firewall level:
- 🛡️ Blokada – blocks ads and trackers without root rights (uses) VPN-regime).
- 🔒 AdGuard – a full-fledged blocker with the ability to configure filters.
- 🚀 DNS66 — lock-in DNS-Requests (requires manual settings).
The advantage of such applications is that they work on the mobile Internet and on Wi-Fi. The disadvantage is that some antiviruses can conflict with the Internet. VPN-regime.
2. disable personalized advertising in MIUI
Even after DNS is blocked, some of the ads can seep through the system services, to reduce the number of ads:
- Go to Settings → Google → Advertising.
- Turn off the option of "Personalized Advertising".
- Go back to the basic settings and find Settings → Memory → Cleanup (or Security → Cleanup).
- Turn off the "Recommendations" or "Personalized Services" option.
3. Use of Hosts file (for advanced users)
If you have root access, you can edit the hosts file in the system by adding lists of ad domains.
127.0.0.1 ad.xiaomi.com
127.0.0.1 tracker.miui.com
127.0.0.1 sdkconfig.ad.xiaomi.comThis will require:
- 📱 Root rights (for example, through Magisk).
- 📝 System File Editor (e.g. Root Explorer).
- 🔄 Regular update of the domain list (you can download ready-made hosts files from GitHub).
💡
Changing DNS is the safest and most versatile way to block ads on Xiaomi, but for 100% results, combine it with disabling personalized ads in the MIUI and Google settings.
Security and Privacy: What You Need to Know
Use of third-party DNS-The servers raise questions about privacy:
- 🔍 DNS-ISP sees all your requests. DNS Knows which websites you visit (but doesn’t see the contents of the pages).
- 📜 Logistics of data. Most public DNS (including Cloudflare and Google DNS) store logs during 24-48 Hours. AdGuard. DNS He claims he doesn't log, but it's hard to verify.
- 🛡️ Leak protection, if you're using VPN, make sure that DNS-The requests are also going through VPN (In some cases, they can “flow” through standard channels).
If privacy is critical to you:
- 🔐 Use it. DNS over HTTPS (DoH) or DNS over TLS (DoT. In Firefox, this is enabled in the settings: Settings → Network → Turn on DNS through HTTPS.
- 🌐 Set up your own. DNS-Pi-hole server (requires a Raspberry Pi or always on PC).
- 🔗 Use the mobile internet for your use VPN Ad-blocking (e.g. ProtonVPN or Windscribe).
⚠️ Note: Some banking applications and services (e.g. SberBank Online or Tinkoff) may block access when using non-standard banking services. DNS. If you have problems with authorization, temporarily return the standard settings. DNS Add bank domains to exceptions (if you use NextDNS).