Why Puffin AdBlock on Xiaomi TV Blocks the Right Content and How to Fix It
Puffin browser TV Browser on Xiaomi TVs (Mi series) TV 4/4S/4A/5/5X, Redmi Smart TV Often comes with a built-in ad blocker that aggressively filters not only banners, but also useful content: video players, interactive site elements or even entire pages. Unlike desktop versions, where AdBlock is managed in two clicks, on the Internet, the Internet is not a very good choice. TV-This process is complicated by the limited interface and the lack of direct access to extensions.
The main problem is that, starting with Puffin 9.5.0 for Android TV, the ad blocker is integrated at the core level of the browser and does not have a separate switch in the settings menu, which means that standard methods (like disabling extensions) do not work here, but there are workarounds – from resetting settings to using alternative browsers with manual filter control.
In this article, we’ll look at 5 proven ways to disable AdBlock in Puffin on Xiaomi TV, including hidden settings, changing configuration files, and installing third-party browsers, and learn why some sites can remain blocked even after filters are turned off and how to fix it.
Method 1: Disable the built-in AdBlock through the hidden Puffin menu
The fastest method is to use the hidden developer panel that is available in the TV-This method works for most Xiaomi models. TV firmware MIUI TV 3.0 and above, but requires strict follow-up of instructions:
- Open the Puffin browser and enter: puffin://settings
- Scroll down to Advanced Settings and select Developer Options.
- Activate the Disable Ad Blocking switch, and if you don't, move on to the next step.
- Go back to the main menu and type in the address bar: puffin://flags Then find the #enable-adblock flag and set it to Disabled state.
After applying the changes, restart your browser. If sites are still blocked, clear Puffin's cache through the Xiaomi TV settings: Settings → Apps → Puffin → Clear the cache.
Close all browser tabs |Plug the remote to the TV (for precise commands)|Check the Puffin version in Google Play |Disable the VPN if it is active-->
Method 2: Reset Puffin settings to factory
If the hidden menu is not available or changes are not saved, a full reset of the browser settings can return AdBlock to its original state (sometimes it turns off automatically), a method suitable for Xiaomi Mi TV Stick and TVs with limited access to system files.
Instructions:
- 📱 Open the Xiaomi Settings TV → Annexes → Application management.
- 🔍 Find Puffin. TV Browser and select Warehouse.
- 🧹 Click Clear Data and confirm action. Attention: this will delete all bookmarks and saved passwords!
- 🔄 Restart your TV and check your sites without AdBlock.
⚠️ Note: On some Xiaomi models TV (Like Mi. TV 4A 32") The data reset may result in the reset of the Puffin interface language into English. puffin://settings → Language.
Method 3: Using alternative browsers without AdBlock
If you can’t disable AdBlock in Puffin, consider installing another browser. On Xiaomi TV with Android TV 9.0+, the following options are available:
| browser | AdBlock support | Features | Reference to installation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Google Chrome | ❌ No built-in | Full sync with Google account, support for extensions (only on some models) | Google Play |
| Firefox for Android TV | ⚠️ You can install uBlock Origin manually | Open source, support for addons | Google Play |
| TV Bro | ❌ No. | Optimized for remote control, gesture support | Google Play |
| Kiwi Browser | ✅ Built-in AdBlock (can be turned off) | Support for Chrome extensions, mode for Android TV | Google Play |
To install the browser on Xiaomi TV:
- Open the Google Play Store on your TV.
- In the search, type the browser name (for example, Firefox).
- Click Install and wait for the download to be completed.
- Run your browser and check the display of ads on test sites (e.g. https://adblock-tester.com).
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If the browser you want is not on Google Play on your TV, download it. APK On your smartphone, load on. USB-Drive and install through the file manager Xiaomi TV (Enable installation from unknown sources in security settings).
Method 4: Configuration file editing (for advanced users)
On Xiaomi TVs with root access or ADB connectivity, you can manually edit the Puffin Configuration, which spells out AdBlock rules. This technique requires technical skills and is suitable for models with an unlocked bootloader (for example, Mi TV 5 Pro after firmware custom software).
Instructions:
- Connect your TV to your PC via ADB (instructions for Xiaomi TV here).
- Execute the command to obtain a list of packages: adb shell pm list packages | grep puffin
- Find the path to the AdBlock configuration file (usually /data/data/com.cloudmosa.puffinTV/files/adblock.cfg).
- Download the file to PC: adb pull /data/data/com.cloudmosa.puffinTV/files/adblock.cfg
- Open the file in a text editor (e.g. Notepad++) and replace all lines with: [AdBlock] enabled=0
- Save the file and download it back: adb push adblock.cfg /data/data/com.cloudmosa.puffinTV/files/
- Reboot TV: Adb shell reboot
⚠️ Warning: Incorrect editing of configuration files can cause Puffin to crash.Before changes, make a file backup with the adb pull command /data/data/com.cloudmosa.puffinTV/files/adblock.cfg adblock_backup.cfg.
What to do if ADB Xiaomi doesn't see it TV?
Method 5: Bypassing AdBlock by changing DNS or VPN
If you can't disable AdBlock, you can trick the system into thinking that ads are being blocked at the network level, not the browser level.
- 🌍 Change of change DNS: Use it. DNS-servers without filtering (e.g. 8.8.8.8 from Google or 1.1.1.1 from Cloudflare). TV → Network → Setting up DNS.
- 🔒 VPN with AdBlock disabled: Install VPN-App (e.g. ProtonVPN or Windscribe) and connect to the server without filtering traffic.
- 🛡️ Special proxies: Services like Hide.me or KProxy allow you to bypass locks at the level IP.
Example of DNS setup on Xiaomi TV:
- Open Settings → Network → Wi-Fi (or Ethernet).
- Select your connection and click Additional.
- In the DNS field, enter 8.8.4.4 (alternative Google DNS).
- Save the settings and restart the TV.
If the sites are still down after changing the DNS, check if the built-in MIUI TV firewall blocks them. To do this, temporarily turn off Network Protection in Settings → Security.
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Changing DNS is the safest way to bypass AdBlock, as it doesn’t require tampering with your TV or browser’s system files, but it may not work on hard-to-IP sites (such as some streaming services).
Frequent problems and their solutions
Even after disabling AdBlock in Puffin, Xiaomi TV users are faced with typical errors.
| Problem. | Possible cause | Decision |
|---|---|---|
| Websites open, but video is not played | AdBlock has blocked the player scripts (for example, on YouTube or Kinopoisk) | Clear your browser cache or use puffin://flags → #ignore-gpu-blacklist (enable) |
| AdBlock settings reset after rebooting | MIUI TV restrictions on changing system files | Install Puffin in manual mode (via APK) or use an alternative browser |
| Some elements of the site are not displayed (such as buttons or menus) | Aggressive AdBlock filters remove parts HTML-code | Add your site to the whitelist through puffin://settings → Content Settings → Exceptions |
| After turning off AdBlock TV brakes | Advertising consumes a lot of resources (especially on Xiaomi TV 4A with 1GB of RAM) | Limit the number of tabs open or use Lite mode in your browser settings |
If none of these methods worked, check to see if your router is blocking traffic. Some router models (such as the Xiaomi Mi Router) have built-in DNS ad filtering. Disable it in the router's web interface at 192.168.31.1 (Security → Ad Blocking).