How to turn off pop-up chats on Xiaomi: the complete guide

Owning a modern Xiaomi or Redmi smartphone should be fun, but many users are faced with intrusive advertising and unexpected windows that block the desktop. Often these are not viruses, but aggressive system settings or permissions given to legitimate applications. Understanding the source of the problem is the first step to solving it.

Pop-ups may appear due to the operation of the browser activated MDS (system advertising service) or malware that has got through third-party APK-Ignoring these signals leads to rapid battery discharge and reduced performance of the device. In this article, we will discuss all methods of eliminating intrusive elements.

You'll learn to distinguish between system notifications and real-world security threats. By configuring MIUI properly, you'll have complete control over what's happening on your screen. Below are step-by-step instructions for different scenarios.

Identification of the source of pop-up windows

Before you start active blocking actions, you need to determine exactly which application generates ads. Often users mistakenly blame the system services, although the culprit is a recently installed flashlight or memory cleaner. Careful analysis will help to avoid deleting important system files.

There's an easy way to identify the intruder when the ad appears, so when an unwanted window appears on the screen, don't close it right away, but go to the menu of the running apps, and the active app will usually be highlighted or at the top of the list.

• 🔍 Click the Menu button (three bars or swipe from the bottom up) to view open tasks.
• 📱 Find the icon of the application corresponding to the content of the advertisement.
• 🚫 Click on the cross or swipe to close the process.
• ⚙️ Go to the settings and find the name of this application in the list of installed.

If the ads appear chaotic and are not associated with any running application, it is possible that a hidden ad module is active in the system, in such cases, it is worth checking the Security section and running a deep scan with the built-in Security antivirus.

⚠️ Warning: If the pop-up locks your phone and doesn't close, try pressing the power button for 10 seconds to force the device to restart.

Sometimes the problem is not the application itself, but the permissions, and some programs require the right to “mask over other windows,” which allows them to override the system interface, and limiting these rights is a key step in setting up.

Disabling MSA and MIUI system advertising

Xiaomi is embedding its own advertising services such as MSA (MIUI System Ads) into the MIUI and HyperOS shell, and although it is difficult to completely remove them without root rights, you can turn them off through standard settings, which will significantly reduce the number of pop-ups.

First, you have to go to the password and security settings menu, and there's a switch that's responsible for getting recommendations from the system, and disabling that option removes most of the built-in banners in standard applications.

Next, you should find msa in the list of applications. After you move to its properties, you need to turn off notifications and, if possible, limit background activity. The system can warn about the consequences, but for the purity of the interface it is necessary.

• 📂 Open "Settings» → «Passwords and security» → «Access to data».
• 🔍 Find the msa and miui daemon list.
• 🚫 Remove the box from the item "Receive recommendations».
• ⏳ Wait 10 seconds and click “Disable” in the confirmation window that appears.

It’s also worth checking the settings of the Security app, which has a “Receive References” section inside it, which is often activated by default, and disabling this feature will prevent news feeds and ad units from appearing in the control center.

⚠️ Note: When disabling system services MIUI If the "Disable" button is not active immediately, wait for the countdown of 10 seconds and try again.

Blocking Ads in the Mi and Chrome Browser

Most pop-up chats and windows are the result of browsers. The built-in Mi Browser and popular Google Chrome have their own protection mechanisms that need to be activated manually, without which any site with aggressive monetization will open new tabs.

In Xiaomi’s browser, you need to go to the settings through the bottom menu, and there is the Privacy and Security section where the Ad Block switch is located, and activating it filters most of the known ad networks.

For Google Chrome, the situation is similar, but the path to settings is different: in the settings menu, you need to find the section “Privacy and Security” and activate “Secure browsing”, which will also help protect the device from phishing sites.

Notifications from sites should be given special attention, and users often let sites send notifications themselves, which then look like pop-up chats, and cleaning up the list of permitted sites will solve the problem.

• 🌐 In the browser, go to "Settings» → «Notifications».
• 📋 Find a list of sites that are allowed to send notifications.
• 🗑️ Remove any suspicious or unknown domains from the list.
• 🔒 Enable the option to “Block pop-up windows».

If standard tools are not enough, it is recommended to install a specialized browser with built-in AdBlock, such as Brave or DuckDuckGo. They automatically filter content at the network level, without requiring complex settings.

Managing application permissions

A key reason for windows to appear on top of other applications is the “Master over Other Windows” resolution, which is often abused by cleaning, battery optimization, or simple games.

To check which programs have this access, you need to go to advanced settings. In the section "Special. features" or "Access to special features" (the path may vary depending on the version of Android), you need to list the desired.

Carefully review the list of applications that have the right to overlay. If you see a simple calculator, flashlight or game, immediately take that right away. System applications such as Phone or Messages do not need to be touched.

It’s also worth checking the Notifications section in the settings of each suspicious app, often just preventing the app from sending any notifications to make the pop-ups disappear.

Search and Removal of Malware

If previous methods have failed, there is a high probability that Adware has taken over the device, often masquerading as system processes or without a desktop icon.

The first sign of a hidden virus is that there is an app without a name and an icon in the installed program list, and to find it, you need to be very careful when scrolling through the list in the settings.

• 📱 Go to "Settings» → «Annexes» → «All applications».
• 👀 Take a close look at the entire list, looking for empty places or strange names.
• 🔍 If you find an application without an icon, immediately click on it and select “Delete».
• 🛡️ After removing the smartphone restart.

💡

Use Safe Mode to look for the virus. When you boot your phone, press the volume button. This mode only runs system applications, which will remove the virus if it interferes with normal operation.

To remove complex threats, you may need to use third-party antivirus software such as Malwarebytes or Dr.Web. Run a full system scan and remove all threats found.

⚠️ Warning: Never download "antivirus" from pop-up ad windows. This is a guaranteed way to infect your phone. Use only proven apps from Google Play.

As a last resort, if the virus blocks login, you may need to completely reset your settings (Hard Reset).Be sure to save important data before that, as all information from the phone will be deleted.

Set up notifications and block chats

Sometimes, what people mean by pop-up chats is not ads, but intrusive notifications from messengers or social networks, and to get rid of them, you need to fine-tune the MIUI notification system.

In newer versions of the shell, you can configure Floating Notifications separately for each application, which allows you to leave important messages in the curtain, but prevent them from covering the screen while playing or watching videos.

💡

Flexible notification settings allow you to save important messages by removing visual noise. Don't turn off notifications completely, better set their priority.

Go to the notification settings and select “Floating Notifications” where you can prevent banners from displaying for all apps at once or selectively, especially for news aggregators and gaming platforms.

Also check the Digital Well-Being settings, where you can set time limits for apps, which will indirectly reduce notifications and pop-ups.

Preventing Advertising in the Future

To keep the problem from returning, you need to change your smartphone usage habits, and the main cause of infection is installing apps from unverified sources, and try to use only the official Google Play store or GetApps.

Check the list of installed apps regularly, and if you see a program that hasn't been used in months, you'd better delete it, which will make room and reduce the risk of ad modules.

• 🚫 Do not follow suspicious links to SMS messenger.
• 📲 Disable installation from unknown sources in security settings.
• 🔄 Regularly update your system and applications through official channels.
• 🧹 Periodically clear your browser cache and browsing history.

Using a DNS-level ad blocker (e.g. dns.adguard.com) is also an effective prevention method, and you can prescribe this option in the private DNS settings under the Connections section.

Compliance with these simple rules will allow you to enjoy a clean interface and high performance of your Xiaomi device for many years to come.