Advertising on Xiaomi pops up – how to remove forever: from system banners to hidden services

Pop-up ads on Xiaomi devices are one of the most common complaints users have received, and even after buying a new smartphone or a brand TV, many people are faced with intrusive banners in the settings menu, sales notifications and ads for Mi Account or GetApps services, the reason lies in the MIUI branded shell, which integrates advertising modules for monetization by default.

Complicating the problem, ads can appear not only in standard applications (Weather, Music, Themes), but also in system notifications, on the lock screen or even in the quick settings menu. In some regions (for example, in China or India), the ad display is more aggressive than in European firmware. However, even in the “global” versions of MIUI, banners do not disappear completely – they are simply masked as “recommendations”.

In this article, we will look at all possible sources of advertising on Xiaomi devices (smartphones, tablets, TVs) and provide step-by-step instructions for turning them off. From simple menu settings to profound changes in system services, you can choose the method depending on your technical background.

Why Xiaomi is getting ads: 5 hidden reasons

Many users mistakenly believe that ads on Xiaomi are a virus or a consequence of installing third-party apps. In fact, 90% of banners are built into the MIUI shell itself and are activated by default.

1. MIUI System Apps. Even if you haven’t installed anything superfluous, ads can show up in Settings → About Phone, Security, or Themes. These modules load banners from Xiaomi servers over the Internet.

2. msa (Mi System Ads) is MIUI’s main advertising engine, which analyzes your activity and shows “personalized recommendations” and works even without your consent and can display ads in notifications.

3. Branded apps. Mi Video, Mi Music, GetApps and even the Camera often contain built-in ad units. For example, a banner may pop up in the gallery offering to edit a photo in Mi Photo Editor.

4. Updates and “helpful tips”: After the MIUI update, the system can show notifications for new features — but with them come banner ads. For example, after upgrading to MIUI 14, many users complain about pop-ups with an offer to buy the Mi Band 8.

5. Regional settings: If your device was purchased in China or Asia, there is a good chance that the firmware contains additional advertising modules, and even changing the region in the settings does not always help.

⚠️ Warning: Some Google Play “optimizers” and “cleaners” promise to remove ads on Xiaomi, but in fact they show banners or require a paid subscription. MIUI" Xiaomi Cleaner Pro – they don’t have access to system services.

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

This is the simplest method that works on most Xiaomi devices with global firmware.It does not require superuser rights and takes no more than 5 minutes.

1. Go to Settings → About Phone and tap the MIUI version several times until the message “You became a developer!” appears. This will unlock hidden options.

2. Return to the main settings menu and open Additional → Special Features → Advertising (on some devices, the path may differ: Settings → Applications → Application Management → Settings).

3. Turn off the sliders:

• 🔴 Personalized recommendations (responsible for banners on the menu)
• 🔴 Show recommended content (remove ads in notifications)
• 🔴 Mi Video recommendations if available)

4. For Mi TVs, the path is different: Settings → Account and Security → Advertising → Turn off all items.

⚠️ Note: On some firmware (for example, MIUI for India) the item with the adverts turned off may not be available.

Method 2: Blocking Advertising Services through ADB

If standard settings don’t work, you can turn off advertising services using Android Debug Bridge (ADB), a method that works on all Xiaomi devices, including TVs, but requires a computer connection.

1. Download and install ADB Tools on your PC. Enable USB Debugging on your smartphone in Settings → For Developers.

2. Connect the device to the computer and open the command line (terminal) in the folder with adb.exe. Enter the command:

adb devices

Make sure your device is listed.

3. execute the following commands in turn (each disables a separate advertising module):

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


adb shell pm disable-user --user 0 com.xiaomi.midrop




adb shell pm disable-user --user 0 com.android.browser




adb shell pm disable-user --user 0 com.miui.analytics




adb shell pm disable-user --user 0 com.xiaomi.joyose

For Mi TVs, use:

adb shell pm disable-user --user 0 com.dianshang.bazaar


adb shell pm disable-user --user 0 com.xiaomi.mitv.appstore

5. Reboot the device. Ads should disappear from the system menus and notifications.

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If after executing ADB commands, the ad returned after a few days, repeat the procedure - some services can self-repair after updates.

Method 3: Removing embedded advertising applications

Some Xiaomi apps can’t be disabled through standard settings, but they can be removed without root rights using ADB or third-party utilities.This is a radical method that is suitable for power users.

1. Install the App Inspector app (available on Google Play) on your smartphone, which will show you the full list of system applications and their packages.

2. find the following applications (they are responsible for advertising):

• 📱 GetApps (com.xiaomi.mipicks) – an app store with banners

3. Remove them with ADB:

adb shell pm uninstall -k --user 0 com.xiaomi.mipicks

Repeat the command for each package from the list above.

For Mi TVs, delete:

adb shell pm uninstall -k --user 0 com.mitv.tvhome

⚠️ Note: Removing system applications may cause the device to function unstable. For example, after removing Mi Weather, the weather widget may stop updating. Before deleting, back up through Settings. → Additionally. → Backup.

Method 4: Blocking Advertising via DNS or VPN

If the ads appear in a browser or third-party apps, they can be blocked at the network level, a method that requires no system changes and works even on Mi TVs.

1. Change DNS. Go to Settings → Wi-Fi, click on your network and select Change Network → Additional → IP Settings. Set Static and type:

• 🌍 DNS 1: 1.1.1.1 (Cloudflare)
• 🌍 DNS 2: 1.0.0.1

To block ads, use AdGuard’s DNS:

• 🛡️ DNS 1: 94.140.14.14
• 🛡️ DNS 2: 94.140.15.15

2. Use an ad-blocking VPN. Install one of the applications:

• 🔒 AdGuard VPN (there's a free rate)

3. For Mi TVs, DNS settings are done in Settings → Network → Network settings → DNS. Enter the same addresses as for the smartphone.

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Changing the DNS blocks network-level advertising, but does not affect system banners in MIUI. To completely remove ads, combine this method with others.

Method 5: Resetting settings or flashing

If neither method works, there are two radical options: factory reset or custom firmware. The first method is simpler, but it doesn't guarantee results. The second requires unlocking the bootloader and technical skills.

1. Reset. Go to Settings → About Phone → Reset. Choose Delete all data and wait until the process is complete. After the reset, the ad may return in 1-2 days, as MIUI will restore the default settings.

2. Install custom firmware, which is suitable for power users. Popular firmware without advertising:

• 📱 LineageOS (Pure Android without a free Android) MIUI)

For the installation of custom firmware:

1. Unlock the bootloader through the official Xiaomi website.
2. Install TWRP Recovery for your model.
3. Download firmware from the XDA Developers or 4PDA forum.
4. Fly through fastboot or TWRP.

⚠️ Note: Installing custom firmware will void warranty and may lead to a device "brick." Before firmware check compatibility with your Xiaomi model (for example, Redmi Note 12 Pro and Redmi Note 12 Pro).+ differential!).

Method 6: Manual editing of system files (for advanced)

This method requires root rights and is designed for users who are willing to work with system files, and it allows you to disable advertising at the MIUI configuration level.

1. Get root access with Magisk (instructions are available on XDA Developers).

2. Install a file manager with root support (e.g. Root Explorer or FX File Explorer).

3. Go to /system/etc/hosts and open the file in the text editor. Add the following lines at the end:

127.0.0.1 ad.mi.com


127.0.0.1 data.mistat.xiaomi.com




127.0.0.1 sdkconfig.ad.intl.xiaomi.com




127.0.0.1 globalapi.ad.intl.xiaomi.com

4. Save the file and restart the device. This will block access to Xiaomi's ad servers.

5. For Mi TVs, edit the file /system/build.prop. Find the line:

ro.miui.has_system_ad=1

And replace it with:

ro.miui.has_system_ad=0

⚠️ Warning: Incorrect editing of system files can lead to a bootloop cycle. TWRP Or OrangeFox Recovery.

Method 7: Alternative launchers and shells

If you see ads on the home screen or in the app menu, you can replace the standard MIUI launcher with a third-party one, which doesn't remove the system banners, but it makes the interface cleaner.

1. Install one of the launchers:

• 🏠 Nova Launcher (flexible setup, no advertising)

2. After installation, click on the Home button and select the new default launcher.

3.For Mi TVs, replace the standard launcher with an ATV Launcher or Wolf Launcher (required to be installed via ADB).

4.To hide system applications with ads (e.g. GetApps), use the Hide Apps feature in the launcher settings.

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Replacing the launcher does not remove ads from the system menus (e.g., Settings → About Phone), but makes the home screen cleaner and more convenient.

FAQ: Frequent questions about advertising on Xiaomi