How to permanently disable advertising in Xiaomi system applications: 5 proven ways

Why Xiaomi is showing ads in system applications?

Xiaomi’s MIUI-based smartphones have long been known for their aggressive advertising policies, and even in standard apps, from Browser to Weather, users are confronted with banners, pop-ups and “recommendations” from partners, with ads appearing not only in China but also in global firmware for European and Russian users.

The main reason for this approach is monetization, which Xiaomi traditionally sells devices at a minimal margin, offsetting losses through ad impressions and affiliate programs. According to analysts, up to 30% of the company’s profits come from advertising integrations in MIUI. However, for users, this turns into daily annoyance: advertising slows down applications, consumes traffic and battery, and sometimes even intercepts clicks on banners, redirecting to stores or games.

Fortunately, you can turn off ads, at least partially. Below we will look at all the current ways, from official settings to radical methods using ADB and modified firmware. It is important to understand that the effectiveness of methods depends on the version of MIUI and regional firmware (China, EU, Russia, India).

Method 1: Disabling personalized advertising in MIUI settings

The easiest and safest method is to use built-in shell tools, which allow Xiaomi to disable personalized ads, but not all ads, but reduces impressions by 40-60%.

This is the same as MIUI 12-14 (including HyperOS).

1. Open the Settings. → The phone.
2. Tap 7-10 times on the MIUI version to activate the developer mode (notification will appear).
3. Return to the main Settings menu and select Additional → Special Features.
4. Scroll down and find Ads (or Personalized Recommendations in newer versions).
5. Turn off the sliders: 🔘 Personalized recommendations (master switch) 🔘 Interest-based advertising 🔘 Notices of promotions

After applying the changes, restart the device, and the effect will be noticeable in 12-24 hours: advertising in the Browser, Music and Themes will become less intrusive, but will not disappear completely.

💡

If the item "Advertising" is not in the settings, try to change the firmware region to Europe (EEA) through settings → Additionally. → Region. EEA-version MIUI Advertising is much less due to the laws GDPR.

Method 2: Manually disabling ads in each application

Many Xiaomi system applications have their own ad settings that can be deactivated, a method that takes time but produces better results than a global shutdown.

Here is a list of apps where ads can be manually disabled:

Note that in some regional versions of MIUI (e.g. India), these items may be missing or hidden, in which case only ADB or modified firmware will help.

Open each system application from the list above|Check for the "Advertising" item in the settings|Disable all sliders associated with recommendations|Reboot your phone to apply changes-->

Method 3: Using ADB to Deeply Disable Advertising

If the built-in settings didn't work, the next step is to turn off ads via ADB (Android Debug Bridge), a method that requires connecting the phone to a computer, but doesn't require root rights. It works on most versions of MIUI, including HyperOS.

Warning: Incorrect ADB commands may disrupt the system. Follow the instructions carefully.

⚠️ Attention: Before use ADB Make sure that the phone is on debugging. USB (Settings → The phone. → Version. MIUI (tap) → Developer settings → Debugging by USB). Also install Xiaomi drivers on PC.

Steps to disable advertising through ADB:

1. Download Google’s Platform Tools and unpack the archive.
2. Connect your phone to your PC via USB, select File Transfer mode.
3. Open the command prompt (cmd) in the folder with Platform Tools.
4. Enter alternately the commands: adb shell pm hide com.miui.systemAdSolution (disables the system ad module) adb shell pm hide com.xiaomi.midrop (disables ads in Mi Drop) adb shell pm hide com.miui.analytics (blocks analytics collection for targeted advertising)

After completing the commands, restart the phone. Ads should disappear from most system applications. If some banners are left, try additional commands:

adb shell settings put global hidden_api_policy 1

(Unlocks hidden APIs for deeper control)

Method 4: Installation of modified firmware (for advanced)

If you're willing to take drastic measures, the surest way to get rid of advertising is to install custom firmware or a modified version of MIUI without ad modules.

• 📱 Xiaomi.eu – European build MIUI no advertising, no support OTA-Suitable for most models Xiaomi/Redmi/Poco.
• 🛠️ LineageOS or Pixel Experience – “clean” Android without branded services Xiaomi.
• 🔧 MIUI Mix – Hybrid firmware with remote advertising services and optimizations.

The installation process shall include:

1. Unlock the bootloader via Mi Unlock Tool (requires a Mi Account binding and a wait of 7-30 days).
2. Installation of custom recavery (TWRP or OrangeFox).
3. Flash firmware through the Recovery with a preliminary wip (Dalvik, Cache, Data, System).

⚠️ Attention: Installing custom firmware resets all data on the phone and can lead to loss of warranty, there is also a risk of "bricking" the device if you do not do it correctly. TWRP beforehand.

Advantages of custom firmware:

• 🚀 Complete absence of advertising in system applications.
• 🔄 Regular security updates (as opposed to official firmware for older models).
• 🎛️ Additional functions (e.g, ViPER4Android for sound or GCam for camera).

Official MIUI|Xiaomi.eu (no ads)|LineageOS/Pixel Experience|Other custom |I don't know/haven't tried-->

Method 5: Blocking Advertising via DNS or VPN

If previous methods have failed or seem too complicated, you can block Xiaomi’s ad servers at the network level.

• 🌐 Change of change DNS alternatives (e.g. AdGuard) DNS or NextDNS).
• 🔒 VPN Ad-blocking (e.g. AdGuard) VPN or Blokada).

Instructions for setting up AdGuard DNS:

1. Go to Settings → Connections → Private DNS.
2. Select the DNS provider hostname and type in: dns.adguard.com
3. Save the settings and restart the phone.

For more flexible settings, use the NextDNS app:

1. Install NextDNS from Google Play.
2. Register and create a domain-blocking configuration: *.miui.com *.xiaomi.com *.ad.mi.com
3. Activate the protection in the app.

This method blocks not only ads in system applications, but also trackers on websites. However, it can conflict with some Xiaomi services (such as Mi Cloud or Weather), so test it before you use it constantly.

💡

Changing your DNS or using a VPN does not require root rights and is safe for the system, but can reduce your internet speed by 5-15% due to additional traffic processing.

What to do if the advertisement still appears?

If none of the methods worked, the problem may lie in:

• 📱 Regional firmware (e.g. Indian versions) MIUI particularly aggressive in terms of advertising).
• 🔄 System updates that reset your settings.
• 🛠️ Damaged system files (refuse your phone to factory settings).

Radical measures for persistent cases:

1. Disable system applications via ADB: adb shell pm disable-user --user 0 com.miui.weather2 # Weather adb shell pm disable-user --user 0 com.miui.bugreport # Error Reports (data collection)
2. Remove advertising packages using App Inspector (requires root).
3. Switching to another smartphone model (for example, the Poco F5 or Redmi Note 12 Pro+ on global firmware have minimal advertising).

If you notice that ads only appear in certain apps (such as Browser or Video), try replacing them with alternatives from Google Play:

• 🌐 Instead MIUI Browser → Firefox or Brave.
• 🎵 Instead of Mi Music → Poweramp or VLC.
• 📺 Instead of Mi Video → MX Player or Kodi.

FAQ: Frequent questions about Xiaomi advertising