Advertising on the lock screen Xiaomi Redmi Note 5: how to remove forever

Your Xiaomi Redmi Note 5's lock screen has become a billboard? Are you not alone, thousands of users are exposed to intrusive banners that appear when unlocking their phone. This is a problem common in Android-based MIUI firmware, where the manufacturer has integrated ad modules into system services. The good news is that you can get rid of intrusive advertising without root rights and complex manipulation.

In this article, we will discuss three working methods for removing ads from the lock screen, including hidden MIUI settings, disabling advertising services through ADB, and alternative solutions for those who are not afraid of experimentation. We will focus on the nuances of the Redmi Note 5 model (codename whyred), since some methods may not work on other Xiaomi devices, and you will learn why ads return after updates and how to avoid this.

Why does Redmi Note 5 have a lock screen ad?

The reason lies in the policy of monetization of MIUI. Since the version of MIUI 10, Xiaomi has been actively implementing advertising modules in system applications, including:

• 📱 Lock screen – banners appear when unlocked or swiped down.
• 🔍 Search String – Advertising in Search Results by System.
• 📁 Explorer – offers of cloud services and applications.
• 🛠️ Settings – sometimes advertising in the “Recommendations” section".

On the Redmi Note 5, ads are activated by default in regional firmware (for example, for Russia, India or the global version), while there is no advertising in the European firmware (MIUI EU) - it is removed by enthusiastic developers, and banners can appear after updates if Xiaomi has added new advertising mechanisms.

⚠️ Attention: Some "advice" on the Internet suggest disabling ads through resetting settings or installing custom firmware. This is not safe - reset will not remove advertising modules, and informal firmware may deprive you of warranties.

Method 1: Disabling Advertising through MIUI Settings (without root)

The easiest method is to use the built-in MIUI options, which is suitable for most users and does not require technical skills.

1. Open the Settings. → Password and security.
2. Go to the Lock Screen section.
3. Click on Additional Settings (or Lock Screen Settings depending on the MIUI version).
4. Find the Recommendation option on the lock screen and turn it off.
5. Return to the basic settings and go to Settings → About Phone → MIUI version. Tap on the firmware version 7-10 times to activate the developer mode.
6. Go back to Settings → More → Developer and find the option to Turn off MIUI ads (if any). Activate it.

If you do not have the option to disable MIUI ads, try an alternative way:

• 🔧 Go to Settings. → Annexes → Application management.
• 🔍 In the search, type in msa (this is a system application). MIUI System Ads).
• 🚫 Click Disable or Stop (if the button is active).

There are no banners when unlocking|No advertising in the search bar|The msa app is disabled|Developer mode activated-->

This works on 60-70% of devices, but it doesn't guarantee 100% results. If you still have ads, move on to the next method.

Method 2: Disabling Advertising through ADB (Advanced Method)

If the system settings do not help, use ADB-Android Debug Bridge, which requires you to connect your phone to your computer, but you don't need root rights.

Steps to disable advertising:

1. Download and install Platform Tools (includes adb).
2. Activate Developer Mode (as in Method 1) and enable USB Debugging in the Developer Settings.
3. Connect the Redmi Note 5 to your PC via USB-Cable (use the original cable for stability).
4. Open the command line (Windows) or terminal (macOS/Linux) in the adb folder.
5. Enter the command to check the connection: adb devices If the device is displayed, continue.
6. Follow the commands alternately (copy and paste): adb shell pm hide com.miui.systemAdSolution adb shell pm hide com.xiaomi.msa.global adb shell pm hide com.miui.analytics
7. Reboot the phone.

If the commands fail (hide failed), try the alternative:

adb shell pm uninstall --user 0 com.miui.systemAdSolution


adb shell pm uninstall --user 0 com.xiaomi.msa.global

⚠️ Note: Pm hide and pm uninstall commands --user 0 They only work on the current user, and after you reset your settings or update your firmware, the ad can come back.

Method 3: Installation of an alternative launcher (bypass)

If previous methods didn't work, you can trick the system into installing a third-party launcher that would intercept the lock screen, which doesn't remove the ads completely, but makes them invisible to the user.

The best options for the Redmi Note 5 are:

• 🌟 Nova Launcher – supports customization of the lock screen through plugins.
• 🔄 Microsoft Launcher – has built-in ad blocking on some devices.
• 📱 Smart Launcher 5 – automatically hides system banners.

Instructions:

1. Download the selected launcher from Google Play.
2. Set it as the default launcher (the system will offer a choice when you first start).
3. For Nova Launcher, install the Nova Lockscreen plugin (a premium version is required).
4. Set up the lock screen through the launcher menu by disabling the display of system notifications.

Important: This method does not remove the ad modules from the system, but only masks them. After returning to the standard MIUI launcher, banners can appear again.

Disabled through settings MIUI|Used. ADB-team|Set up a third-party launcher|I tried everything, but nothing helped.|I haven't tried it yet.-->

What if the ads come back after the updates?

Xiaomi regularly updates the advertising mechanisms in MIUI, so after installing new versions of the firmware banners can appear again.

If you often experience ad returns, consider turning off automatic updates:

1. Go to Settings → About the phone → System update.
2. Click on the icon. ⚙️ (settings) in upper right corner.
3. Turn off the option of Automatic download via Wi-Fi.
4. Choose Never Check for Updates (if available).

💡

Before updating your firmware, back up through Settings → Additional → Backup and Reset. This will allow you to quickly restore the settings after resetting the ad modules.

Myths and Dangerous Advice: What Not to Do

There are dozens of "advertising tips" online that not only don't work, but can also harm your device.

• 🚫 "Resetting to factory settings will remove ads" — No, reset will return all system applications, including ad modules.
• 🔧 "You need to get root rights and delete system files" - This is risky: you can damage the firmware and lose the warranty.
• 📱 "Install custom firmware is the only way out" - Unofficial firmware can contain errors and vulnerabilities.
• 🛡️ "Antiviruses block advertising MIUI" — No, ads are built into the system, antiviruses don't see it.

Avoid tips on editing build.prop files or using applications like LADB without understanding the consequences. Incorrect changes can lead to bootloop or loss of functionality.

💡

The safest way is to combine disabling ads through settings MIUI use ADB-It does not require root rights and does not violate the guarantee.

Alternative solutions: if nothing has worked

If all of these methods fail, radical but effective options remain:

1. Installation of firmware MIUI EU: It's an unofficial version. MIUI, It's free of advertising and Chinese services, and you'll need to unlock the bootloader to install it (the official process from Xiaomi. ⚠️ Warning: Unlocking the bootloader resets all data and can void warranty. On the Redmi Note 5, the process takes up to 360 hours of latency (by Xiaomi rules).
2. Use of the VPN Ad-blocking: Some of the VPN-Services (e.g. AdGuard) VPN Blokada or Blokada blocks ad domains at the level DNS. This will not remove banners completely, but will reduce their number.
3. Switch to a different smartphone: If ads are critically intrusive and the ways to remove them seem too complicated, consider switching to a device with a “clean” Android (like Google Pixel or Motorola).

There is also a Disable MIUI Ads wizard for the Redmi Note 5, but it requires Magisk and root rights, and installing it may disrupt some features (such as Google Pay or banking apps).

FAQ: Frequent questions about advertising on Xiaomi Redmi Note 5