Why does Xiaomi have ads in the video and can it be removed?
If you own a Xiaomi Mi TV, Redmi Smart TV or a MIUI smartphone, you’ve probably encountered intrusive ads that interrupt video viewing, which appear in the standard Mi Video app, on the main screen of the TV, and sometimes even in third-party services like YouTube or Netflix through built-in banners, the reason is simple: Xiaomi monetizes its firmware by showing ads to users from regions with a “stripped-down” version of the software (including Russia, Ukraine, Kazakhstan).
The good news is that most types of ads can be turned off without rooting or complicated manipulation. The bad news is that some methods require firmware updates or third-party apps. 7 It's important to understand that the effectiveness of the method depends on the device model and the version. MIUI/PatchWall (shell TV).
Before you start, check: 1. Firmware Version: Settings → About TV → MIUI TV (for TV) or Settings → About Phone → MIUI (for smartphones). 2. Device Region: Settings → Personal Data → Region. If it is Russia or Global, there will be more advertising than the EU or India version.
Method 1: Disabling personalized advertising in MIUI settings
The easiest way to do this is to deactivate targeted ads through the privacy menu, which won't take away all banners, but will reduce them by a few minutes. 30–50%. The instructions are suitable for Mi TV, Redmi TV smartphone Xiaomi/Redmi/POCO:
- Open Settings → Accounts and Sync → Mi Account.
- Select Confidentiality → Personalized recommendations.
- Turn off the sliders: 🔄 Personalized recommendations (master switch) 📺 Recommendations for TV (only for the TV) 🎬 Interest-based advertising
Restart the device (Settings → Reboot).
⚠️ Attention: On some firmware (MIUI 12.5 and below) this item may be called Ads and Recommendations or hidden in Additional Settings. If you do not have an option, upgrade to the latest version.
Are all sliders in the "Privacy" section disabled"|
Is the device rebooted? |
Checked for Advertising in Mi Video after Reboot|
Is the firmware updated to the latest version?-->
Method 2: Change of region to Europe or India (without root rights)
Xiaomi shows less advertising in the firmware versions for the European Union (EEA) and India, and you can change the region without losing data, but this can affect the availability of some services (for example, Google Play on TV).
Instructions for Mi TV/Redmi TV: Step 1. Go to Settings → Personal Data → Region. Step 2. Select India (India) or Germany (for EEA). Step 3. Confirm the change and restart the TV.
For smartphones: Step 1. Install a VPN with servers in India or Germany (like ProtonVPN). Step 2. Open Settings → Additional → Region and select the desired country. Step 3. Disable the VPN and reboot the device.
| Region | Advertising level | Pluses | Cons |
|---|---|---|---|
| Russia/Global | ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ (maximum) | All services available | Advertising in Mi Video, on the main screen |
| India | ⭐⭐ (minimum) | There's almost no advertising. | Some applications may be missing |
| Europe (EEA) | ⭐⭐⭐ (middle-class) | Stable firmware | GDPR restrictions on certain functions |
⚠️ Warning: Google Play may be lost on your TV after a region change, and you'll have to reset your settings to factory settings to get it back (Settings) → Additionally. → Reset).
Russia/Global|India|Europe (EEA)|Other-->
Method 3: Use of alternative video players
If the ads only appear in the standard Mi Video app, the easiest way to install a third-party player is to install the best options for Mi TV:
- 🎥 VLC for Android TV — Supports all formats, no advertising, subtitles.
- 📺 Kodi – Media Center with Plugins for Streaming (requires customization).
- 🌍 MX Player - a lightweight player with gesture support (for smartphones and TV).
- 📁 File Commander + VLC — combos for viewing files from a flash drive without advertising.
How to install on Mi TV: 1. Download. APK-player-file USB-drive (e.g. from APKMirror site). 2. Connect the flash drive to the TV and open the File Manager. 3. Find APK Then, set it up by allowing it to be installed from unknown sources (Settings) → Security → Unknown sources). 4. Launch the player and open the video through it.
💡 A useful tip: if the TV can not see USB-The storage device, format it in FAT32 (not NTFS For files larger than 4 GB, use exFAT. MX Player with support for network folders (SMB).
How to set up Kodi to view without ads
Method 4: Blocking Advertising via DNS (for TVs and smartphones)
Change of change DNS-The method works for all applications, including YouTube and Mi Video, but requires setting up a router or device.
Instructions for Mi TV: 1. Open Settings → Network & Internet → Wi-Fi (or Ethernet). 2. Click on Connected Network → Additional → IP. 3 Select Static IP and write:
- DNS 1: 1.1.1.1 (Cloudflare)
- DNS 2: 1.0.0.1
4.
Alternative DNS for blocking ads:
- 🛡️ AdGuard DNS: 94.140.14.14 and 94.140.15.15 (blocks trackers)
- 🔒 NextDNS: 45.90.28.167 (registration required for customization)
- 🌍 Google DNS: 8.8.8.8 (does not block ads, but speeds up loading)
⚠️ Note: Some services (e.g. Netflix or Disney)+) You can block access when using AdGuard. DNS. In this case, return the standard DNS Or set up exceptions in the AdGuard personal account.
Method 5: Disabling Advertising through ADB (for Advanced Users)
If previous methods didn’t work, you can manually disable advertising services via Android Debug Bridge (ADB).
Step-by-step: 1. Enable Developer Mode:
- On TV: Settings → About TV → MIUI TV version → Click 7 times.
- On your smartphone: Settings → About phone → MIUI version → click 7 times.
2.
Settings → Additional → For Developers
- 🔌 Debugging by USB
- 🔄 Network debugging (for TV, if not USB-port)
3.
ADB
adb shell pm disable-user --user 0 com.miui.systemAdSolution
adb shell pm disable-user --user 0 com.xiaomi.joyose
adb shell pm disable-user --user 0 com.miui.analytics
adb shell pm disable-user --user 0 com.miui.msa.global🔹 What teams do:
- com.miui.systemAdSolution is a personalized advertising system.
- com.xiaomi.joyose is a service for displaying banners.
- com.miui.analytics – statistics collection (affects advertising).
⚠️ Warning: Disabling these services may cause Mi Account or app store to malfunction. If the device becomes laggit after the command, return the service with the command:
adb shell pm enable com.miui.systemAdSolution💡
ADB-commands are the most radical way, but it requires caution. Before you run, back up your data (Settings) → Additionally. → Backup).
Method 6: Removal of pre-installed advertising applications (requires root)
If you have root access (e.g., through Magisk), you can completely remove the ad modules, which is suitable for power users and can lead to unstable system operation.
List of removal applications (via Root Explorer or ADB):
- 🗑️ com.miui.systemAdSolution – the main advertising engine.
- 🗑️ com.xiaomi.mitv.appstore – app store with banners.
- 🗑️ com.miui.videoplayer - standard Mi Video player.
- 🗑️ com.miui.analytics – data collection for targeted advertising.
Delete commands via ADB with root rights:
adb shell
su
pm uninstall -k --user 0 com.miui.systemAdSolution
pm uninstall -k --user 0 com.xiaomi.mitv.appstore
exit💡 Useful tip: Before removing, make a backup system through TWRP If you delete your Mi Account, restore the applications from the backup.
Method 7: Reset the TV to factory settings (last resort)
If none of these things work, it's a complete reset, which will delete all the data, including the accounts and the apps installed, but it will return the TV to a clean state, and sometimes after the reset, the ads disappear for several months.
How to reset Mi TV/Redmi TV: 1. Go to Settings → Additional → Reset and Restore. 2. Select Settings Reset and Confirm Action. 3. After rebooting, do not connect Mi Account and immediately change the region to India (see Method 2).
⚠️ Note: On some models (Mi) TV 4S, Redmi Smart TV X55) After reset, you may need to re-activate Google Play. 1. Install Google Installer via File Manager (download) APK with APKMirror). 2. Launch the installer and wait until it's finished.