How to permanently remove ads on the lock screen Xiaomi in MIUI 11: the complete guide

Advertising on the lock screen Xiaomi is one of the most annoying “chips” of the firmware MIUI 11. Even after buying a smartphone, users are faced with intrusive banners that appear every time you unlock the device, and the problem is relevant for most models, from the budget Redmi Note 8 to the flagship Mi 9 Pro.

In this article, we will look at all the working ways of removing ads, from standard settings to radical methods like ADB and reset to factory settings. We will focus on the nuances of MIUI 11, because in this version, the algorithms for displaying ads are different from newer firmware. If you are tired of banners with games, credits or promotions, read on.

Important: Some methods require superuser rights or a PC connection, and we will mark these cases in advance so you can choose the best option without risking breaking the phone.

Why is there ad on the block in MIUI 11?

In MIUI 11, the banners on the lock screen are part of Xiaomi’s monetization system, and the company has integrated an MSA (Mi System Ads) advertising engine that analyzes user behavior and selects “relevant” offers.

🔹 If you are in a region where Xiaomi is actively cooperating with local advertisers (for example, India, Indonesia, Russia), banners will be displayed more often.

🔹 Xiaomi Services: Using branded apps (Mi Browser, Mi Video, Themes) automatically includes targeted advertising.

🔹 Update to firmware. MIUI 11 (e.g. with MIUI 10) advertising settings can be reset to default values.

Interesting fact: in some regions (e.g. the EU), blocking ads are disabled by default due to local data protection laws, and in Russia and the CIS, they are activated for most users.

Method 1: Disabling Advertising through MIUI 11 Standard Settings

The easiest method is to use the built-in options of the system. In MIUI 11, the path to the ad settings is hidden, but it can be found without root rights or a PC.

📌 Step-by-step instruction:

1. Open Settings → System and Device folder → More
2. Select Advertising (in some versions – Personalized Advertising).
3. Turn off the MSA Recommendation slider.
4. Return to Settings → Lock screen and deactivate the option Recommended Content.

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Note: Some models (e.g. Redmi 7A with MIUI 11.0.2) may not have Advertising, in which case move on to the next method.

🔧 Additional measures:

• 📱 Turn off Show notifications on the lock screen in Settings → Notifications.
• 🌐 Drop the commercial. ID: Settings → The phone. → All parameters. → Advertising ID → Drop it.
• 🔄 Reboot your phone after changes – sometimes banners disappear only after a reboot.

Method 2: Using ADB to Deeply Disable Advertising

If standard settings don’t work, you’ll have to connect your phone to your PC and use Android Debug Bridge (ADB), a technique that works on 90% of devices running MIUI 11, but requires minimal technical skills.

🖥️ What's the matter:

• 💻 Computer with Windows/macOS/Linux.
• 🔌 USB-cable (preferably original).li>
• 📦 Utility. ADB Tools by Google.
• 🔧 Included Debugging by USB on the phone (Settings) → The phone. → Version. MIUI — Tap 7 times, then return to the additional → For developers).

🛠️ Commands to disable ads:

adb shell pm hide com.android.browser # Disables Mi Browser (advertising source)


adb shell pm hide com.miui.systemAdSolution # Blocks the system ad module




adb shell settings put global captive_portal_detection_enabled 0 # Disables portal check (sometimes shows banners)

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Warning: After completing the commands, restart the phone. If the adverts remain, check if the settings have reset after the MIUI update. Also note that pm hide only works until the next flash.

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If ADB issues a "device unauthorized" error, check that a window appeared on the phone when it was connected requesting trust for that PC.

Method 3: Removing ads through third-party apps (without root)

If you don’t want to mess with ADB, you can use specialized utilities that block Xiaomi’s DNS-level ad servers or filter traffic.

📲 Top.-3 applications for blocking advertising in MIUI 11:

🔧 How to set up Blokada for MIUI 11:

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Note: Some applications (e.g. banking) may block work when an active VPN is running, in which case add them to the exceptions in the Blokada or AdGuard settings.

Method 4: Reset to factory settings (radical method)

If none of these methods worked, the last resort is to completely reset the phone, which will delete all the data, but return MIUI 11 to a "clean" state where the ads on the lock are disabled by default (in some regions).

🔄 How to Reset Settings Without Losing Data:

1. Create a backup through Settings → System → Backup.
2. Go to Settings → About the phone → Reset settings.
3. Choose Reset all settings (not to be confused with Remove all data!).
4. After the reboot, do not log in to Mi Account and immediately disable the ads through Settings → Advertising.

📌 What to do after a reset:

• 🚫 Do not restore backup via Mi Cloud – it can return ad settings.
• 🔧 Install applications manually, avoiding branded Xiaomi services (Mi Video, Mi Browser).
• 🔒 Turn off automatic updates MIUI In Settings → The phone. → Updating the system.

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Note: Some models (e.g. Poco F1) may display factory ads from Xiaomi partners (e.g. Netflix or Amazon Prime) after reset, which can only be removed via ADB or flashing.

Method 5: Flashing on custom firmware (for advanced)

If you’re willing to take drastic measures, you can install custom firmware like LineageOS or Pixel Experience, which will completely remove the MSA and other Xiaomi ad modules, but require unlocking the bootloader and root rights.

🔧 Step-by-step plan:

1. Unlock the bootloader through the official Xiaomi tool (can take up to 72 hours).
2. Install TWRP Recovery for your model.
3. Download custom firmware (e.g. LineageOS 16 for MIUI 11) from the XDA forum.
4. Flush the firmware through TWRP, then install Magisk to manage root rights.

⚠️ Risks and warnings:

• 🚨 Loss of warranty (if the phone is under warranty).
• 🔋 Possible battery or performance problems.
• 📱 Certain functions (e.g, IR Blaster or Always-on Display may not work.

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Custom firmware is the most reliable way to get rid of advertising, but it is only suitable for advanced users. For most methods, 1-3 is enough.

Frequent Mistakes and How to Avoid Them

Many users have trouble trying to remove ads, and here are the most common mistakes and solutions:

🔴 Mistake 1: Advertising returns after update MIUI

🔹 Reason: The system resets advertising settings when updating.

🔹 Solution: After updating, re-disable Recommendations MSA and clear the cache of the com.miui.systemAdSolution application through Settings → Annexes.

🔴 Mistake 2: ADB can't see the device

🔹 Reason: Drivers are not installed or debugging is not included USB.

🔹 Decision:

• Install ADB drivers for your OS.
• Check that Settings → For developers included the option Debugging over USB (Safe Mode).
• Try another one. USB-cable (preferably original).

🔴 Mistake 3: Ad-blocking apps don’t work

🔹 Cause: Conflict with others VPN-services or antiviruses.

🔹 Solution: Turn it off. VPN-Install Blokada or AdGuard, add them to the exceptions of the antivirus.

FAQ: Answers to Frequent Questions