How to remove ads on the lock screen Xiaomi Redmi: the complete guide

Xiaomi and Redmi smartphone owners often encounter intrusive banner ads that appear at the most inopportune moment. Especially annoying is when an ad pops up right on the lock screen, blocking notifications and widgets. This not only distracts, but also consumes mobile traffic, and reduces the overall speed of the device. Fortunately, embedded ads in the MIUI shell are disabled if you know the right settings.

The reason for these banners is because the company subsidizes the cost of iron by showing ads to users of free firmware versions. However, aggressive marketing often goes beyond reasonable, turning a smartphone into an advertising storefront. In this article, we will discuss detailed steps that will help you clean the lock screen and return the device to a tidy look without unnecessary costs.

It is worth noting that the methods may vary slightly depending on the version of MIUI or HyperOS, but the general principle remains the same for most models of the Redmi Note, Redmi X and the flagship Mi series.

The Nature of Advertising Surfaces in MIUI

The blocked screen ads are often the result of the system application “Mi Wallpaper Carousel”, a built-in service that automatically changes the background image and displays news feeds or promotional offers, and by default it is activated on many devices sold in regions with active marketing policies.

In addition, the MSA (MIUI System Ads) system service is responsible for the appearance of banners, which collects data about your preferences and selects relevant advertising, disabling only one component may not be complete, so a comprehensive approach to setting up privacy and system services is necessary.

⚠️ Warning: A complete shutdown of system services may affect some standard features, such as automatic wallpaper changes or personalized recommendations in apps.

Users often confuse ads with notifications from installed applications. If banners from browsers or games appear on the lock screen, this indicates the presence of an Adware virus or an intrusive application that requires removal through a standard application manager.

Shutting down the wallpaper carousel

The first step to eliminate ads on the lock screen is to deactivate the wallpaper carousel function, which is the module that most often broadcasts advertising slides instead of a static image, and first you need to go to the settings menu of your device.

Find the partition that's responsible for the appearance of the system. Different versions of the firmware may look different, but the logic remains the same. You need to find the item related to the wallpaper or the theme of the design.

• 📱 Open the Settings and go to the Wallpaper section.
• 🔄 Find the Wallpaper Carousel (or Glance in the global versions).
• 🚫 Click on the Disable or switch the slider to an inactive state.
• ✅ Confirm action if the system requests a reconfirmation of the shutdown.

Once you do this, the lock screen will return to the standard static image. If you want to leave the wallpaper change function but remove the ads, you can try to disable the "Receive recommendations" option inside the Carousel settings,** but this does not work in all versions of the software.

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If the wallpaper carousel item is not on the menu, try updating the Themes app via the Mi Store or checking for MIUI system updates.

Configure password and lock screen settings

The second important step is deep security settings, where there's a separate menu in the MIUI shell that regulates the behavior of the lock screen, including the display of advertising materials, and there's a key switch that's often overlooked.

You need to go to the password settings section, which may not be obvious, because it's not directly related to the visual design, but rather to the security of the device, but this is where the ad recommendations lever is.

Settings → Passwords and Security → Screen Lock Password → Password settings

In the menu that opens, look at the bottom of the list, and it may have the "Receive recommendations" option, which is responsible for showing news, promotions and banner ads on the locked screen, and make sure that the slider is off.

Some users also note that there is a separate item “Ad Block” in the same menu, and if your smartphone supports this feature (usually mid-to-high-priced models), activating it will help filter pop-ups in the system interfaces.

Management of MSA System Service

The most radical but effective method of combating advertising is to disable the system process MSA, which is responsible for collecting analytics and displaying advertising blocks throughout the system, including the lock screen, and its disabling does not disrupt the basic functions of the phone.

To access this control, you need to go to the application menu, and it's important to be careful, because system applications are often hidden or have similar names, and you need to find msa in the list.

• 🔍 Go to Settings. → Annexes → All applications.
• ⚙️ Click on three dots in the corner of the screen and select Show Systems.
• 📂 Find the msa app in the list (MIUI System Ads).
• 🛑 Click Disable and confirm the action by waiting 10 seconds in the window that appears.

⚠️ Attention: When disconnected MSA The system can warn you of possible risks several times. Ignore them, a countdown timer is required to confirm the action.

If you notice an unstable interface after you turn off, the process can be easily activated back in the same way, but in 99% of cases, the smartphone’s performance becomes even faster due to the lack of background download of advertising content.

Comparison of methods of disabling advertising

There are several ways to deal with intrusive banners, and each has its own characteristics, depending on your version of MIUI, device model and level of technical knowledge. Below is a table that helps determine the best way to solve the problem.

As you can see from the table, the combination of the first three methods yields the best result. Using third-party ad blockers (like AdGuard) can be redundant if you set up Android and MIUI properly.

It is important to understand that after major firmware updates, some settings may reset to factory values, so it is recommended to check the status of these parameters periodically, especially after the system update.

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Complex disabling of wallpaper carousel, recommendations in password settings and MSA service guarantees the complete disappearance of advertising on the lock screen.

Additional privacy settings

To consolidate the result and prevent the return of advertising, it is worth checking the general privacy settings. Xiaomi has a built-in data collection system that can also be limited. This will not only remove advertising, but also increase your digital security.

In the settings menu, look for a privacy section, and you'll find a list of services that send data to the company's servers, and turning off unnecessary items reduces the likelihood of targeted ads.

Also worth paying attention to is the Security app, which has a Cleanup section inside it that sometimes suggests you speed up your phone by showing banner ads, and you can turn off recommendations and news from the app's settings.

• 🛡️ Open the Security app.
• ⚙️ Click on the settings gear in the upper right corner.
• 📉 Find the item Get recommendations and turn it off.
• 🧹 In the Cleanup section, also turn off the news display.

Doing this will make your Redmi or Xiaomi interface cleaner and more enjoyable to use, and you will no longer see offers to download games or subscribe every time you turn on the screen.