How to completely disable advertising in MIUI 12 on Xiaomi and Redmi: all ways

Ads on Xiaomi and Redmi smartphones running MIUI 12 are one of the most annoying features of the brand shell, appearing in the settings menu, on the lock screen, in system applications and even in notification panels, the manufacturer positions this as “personalized recommendations”, but users perceive it as intrusive marketing. Fortunately, there are several ways to get rid of advertising – from standard settings to deep system interventions.

In this article, we will discuss all the current methods of removing advertising in the MIUI 12, including formal and informal solutions, you will learn how to disable ads through the phone menu, using the ADB-We will consider the nuances for different regions (global, Chinese, European firmware) and the possible consequences after the disabling of advertising services.

Important: Some methods require unlocking the bootloader or the rights of the superuser (root).If you are not ready for such manipulation, focus on the safe ways from the first sections of the article.

Official settings MIUI 12: what can be turned off without risk

To start with, the most basic is the built-in shell options: Xiaomi provides limited control over advertising, but even these settings will help reduce the number of banners by 30-50%.

The main points that need to be checked:

• 📱 Advertising in the Settings menu: go to Settings → The phone. → Version. MIUI (tap 7 times to activate the developer mode, then return to Settings → Additionally. → Special facilities → Advertising recommendations and disable slider.
• 🔒 Lock screen: Settings → Lock screen → Additionally. → Advertising notifications (turn off all switches).
• 📊 System applications: in each application (Weather, Music, Themes) open the settings (⚙️) and look for "Advertising Recommendations" or "Personalized Advertising".

Note that some firmware (especially Chinese) may not have these items or may be called otherwise. For example, Mi Browser disables ads through Settings → Privacy → Personalized recommendations.

⚠️ Attention: After update MIUI before the new version (for example, from 12.0.1 to 12.5.3) all advertising settings are reset!

2. ADB-Teams: Deep Shutdown of Advertising Services

If standard settings don't work, it's time to move on to more radical measures. ADB-It allows you to disable system services that are responsible for displaying ads without obtaining root rights. MIUI 12, but requires connecting the phone to a computer.

You'll need:

• 🖥️ Computer with Windows/macOS/Linux and installed Xiaomi drivers.
• 📱 Developer mode enabled and debugging by USB (In Settings → The phone. → Version. MIUI Tap 7 times, then in Settings → Additionally. → For developers, turn on debugging).
• 🔧 Utility. ADB (You can download from the official Android website).

After preparation, execute the following commands in the terminal (command line):

adb shell pm hide com.android.browser


adb shell pm hide com.miui.analytics




adb shell pm hide com.xiaomi.ab




adb shell pm hide com.miui.systemAdSolution




adb shell pm hide com.miui.msa.global

These commands hide (not remove!) the system applications responsible for collecting analytics and displaying ads, and after the phone is rebooted, the banners should disappear from most places.

Install Xiaomi drivers on PC

Enable the developer mode on the phone

Activate debugging over USB

Download and unpack ADB Tools

Connect your phone to your PC with the original cable-->

⚠️ Note: On some firmware (especially Chinese) the pm hide commands may not work. In this case, try replacing hide with a disable-user, but this will require an unlocked bootloader.

3. Root access: complete removal of advertising modules

If you're willing to go to extremes, root access allows you to completely remove advertising services from the system, which is 100% effective, but has risks:

• 🚫 Loss of warranty (if the phone is under warranty).
• 🔄 Possible problems with OTA-update.
• 🛡️ The risk of “bricking” with incorrect actions.

To obtain the root rights to MIUI 12, you will need to:

1. Unlock the bootloader through the official Xiaomi tool (binding to the Mi Account is mandatory!).
2. Install custom Recovery (e.g., TWRP).
3. Switch to Magisk for root rights management.

Once root is available, remove the following system applications (via Root Explorer or ADB with superuser rights):

com.android.browser


com.miui.analytics




com.xiaomi.ab




com.miui.systemAdSolution




com.miui.msa.global




com.miui.player (unless you use a standard player)

It is also recommended to freeze services via Magisk or Titanium Backup, if you do not want to delete them forever.

4. Alternative methods: blocking ads without root

If ADB and root don’t work for you, there are a few other ways to reduce the amount of advertising you’ll find:

1. Use of alternative launchers

Install a third-party launcher (like Nova Launcher or Lawnchair) and disable the standard MIUI Launcher. This will remove ads from the home screen and appbar.

2. DNS lockdown

Set up a private DNS in Settings → Connections → Private DNS:

• 🔒 dns.adguard.com (blocks ads and trackers).
• 🛡️ 1.1.1.3 (Cloudflare with malicious site filtering).

3.Advert blocking applications

Install Blokada or AdGuard (does not require root, but create) VPN-They filter traffic and block ad requests at the network level.

💡

If, after application, ADB-Teams adverts are back, check if the settings have reset after the update MIUI. Repeat the procedure or use Tasker to automatically execute commands after the reboot.

5. Features for different regions (global vs Chinese firmware)

The number of ads in MIUI 12 depends on the regional firmware:

• 🌍 Global: Less advertising, but still present in system applications.
• 🇨🇳 Chinese (China): maximum number of banners, including ads in Settings and Security Center.
• 🇪🇺 European (EEA): Minimum advertising (because of the GDPR), But some banners remain.

Chinese firmware (even with a lot of language packs) has a lot more advertising, and standard shutdown methods often don’t work, in which case only ADB or flashing to the global version will help.

To check your firmware, go to Settings → About Phone → MIUI version. If there is CN at the end of the name is Chinese firmware, Global or EEA is international.

⚠️ Warning: Flashing from Chinese to global requires unlocking the bootloader and can lead to data loss. On some models (e.g. Redmi Note 9 Pro for China), global firmware may not work stable!

Frequent problems and their solutions

Problem 1: After the ADB ad was turned off, it reappeared.

Solution: Xiaomi periodically resets ad settings when updating. Repeat commands or use the script for automatic application after the reboot.

Problem 2: There is no “Advertising Recommendations” clause in the Settings.

Solution: This is typical of Chinese firmware. Try the ADB method or install an alternative launcher.

Problem 3: After receiving root, it stopped working OTA-update.

Solution: Remove Magisk before upgrading or install firmware manually via TWRP.

Problem 4: Blokada or AdGuard do not block ads in system applications.

Solution: These tools block network requests, but cannot affect local advertising in the Internet. MIUI. Combine them with ADB-team.

💡

Chinese firmware (MIUI CN) has 2-3 times more ads than global ones. If you bought a phone in China, consider flashing it on MIUI Global or MIUI EEA to reduce banner count.

FAQ: Frequently Asked Questions