Xiaomi and Redmi smartphone owners often encounter intrusive banners that pop up during gameplay or when apps are launched.This problem is especially relevant for the MIUI shell, which contains built-in promotion services by default. Advertising in games is not just annoying, it can block the control interface, making passing impossible, or cause accidental clicks on links.
Fortunately, there are many effective ways to combat this phenomenon, ranging from simple settings in the phone menu to advanced methods through ADB. You donβt need to be a programmer to clean the device of digital debris.
It should be understood that some methods require caution because they affect system security settings or network connections, but following the step-by-step instructions, you will be able to safely deactivate most ad modules.
Disabling MSA system advertising on Xiaomi
The main source of intrusive offerings in the Xiaomi ecosystem is the MSA (MIUI System Ads) system application, which is responsible for collecting data about your actions and showing the relevant banners in standard applications and games. The first step to clean the system will be to turn it off.
First, go to your device's settings menu, find the Password and Security section, then select Access to Personal Data, find msa in the app list that opens, and put the slider inactive, and the system will alert you to the consequences, but you need to do this to remove ads.
β οΈ Warning: After the slider is turned off, the system may require you to wait 10 seconds before confirming an action.
If you can't turn off the MSA the first time and the button is gray, repeat the procedure several times, sometimes you need to turn off and turn on the Internet so that the server can't check the license status in real time, and you should also turn off access to data for the Mi Video and Music service if you are not actively using them.
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If the MSA slider is constantly returning to the active position, try first to turn off the Internet, turn off the service, and then turn the network back on.
Set up personalized advertising in your Mi Account
Another channel for distributing content is your personal profile on Xiaomi services, which collects preferences to show more relevant, yet still relevant, ads, and disabling this feature will not remove ads completely, but will make them less targeted and frequent.
Go to Settings and select the top item with your Mi Account. Go to Privacy and then find the Advertising Services menu. You need to deactivate the Personalized Advertising option. This action will break the link between your search history and the banners you show.
Additionally, in the same menu, click the Reset Advertising ID button, which generates a new unique code for your device, resetting the accumulated profile of advertisersβ interests, and regularly resetting this ID helps to maintain anonymity.
- π Deactivation of personalization reduces accuracy of ad network targeting.
- π Resetting the ID resets the accumulated data about your interests.
- π± The setting applies to all applications associated with the Mi Account.
Using a Private DNS to Block Domains
One of the most effective and versatile methods, working at the level of the entire Android operating system, is to configure a private DNS. This method allows you to block requests to known ad servers even before they load a banner into the game.
Go to Settings β Connection and Sharing (or Additional Settings). Go to Private DNS. The default is Auto or Disabled. Select the DNS Host Name option and enter the trusted blocker address, such as dns.adguard.com.
dns.adguard.comAfter saving the settings, all DNS-The requests will be filtered through a service that cuts off domains known for the spread of ads and trackers, and this solution works not only in games, but also in the browser and other applications, without requiring the installation of additional software.
βοΈ Checking the settings DNS
It is important to note that using a third-party DNS can slightly increase ping in online games if the server is far from your region, however, for most users the difference is not noticeable, and the cleanliness of the screen is worth it.
Limitation of background activity and permissions
Many free games and utilities use background processes to download advertising content, and by limiting their rights, you can significantly reduce the number of pop-ups, which is especially true for applications that you rarely use but do not want to remove.
Open the Settings. β Annexes β All apps. Select a suspicious app (often simple games, flashlights, scanners). QR-Go to Other Permissions and disable Display on top of other applications. This is the permission that allows ads to override the interface.
β οΈ Note: Do not disable display over other applications for Xiaomi system services or instant messengers, otherwise they may stop notifying you correctly about calls and messages.
Also, in the menu of a particular application, find AutoRun and turn it off, which will prevent the ad module from starting immediately after turning on the phone. For games that you rarely run, you can also turn on the Power Saving mode with limited background activity.
Comparison of Ad Blocking Methods
There are many approaches to solving the problem, and each has its own characteristics, and to make it easier for you to choose the best option, we have prepared a comparative table of methods available on Xiaomi Redmi.
| Method | Difficulty | Efficiency | Impact on the system |
|---|---|---|---|
| MSA shutdown | Low. | High (systemic advertising) | Minimum |
| Private DNS | Low. | Medium/High | Possible growth of ping |
| Blockers (AdGuard) | Medium | Very high. | Battery consumption |
| ADB team | Tall. | Maximum | Risk of input errors |
As you can see from the table, the combination of methods gives the best result. The safest and most effective starting step is to pair the MSA disabling and the private DNS setting. More complex methods, such as using ADB, require a computer and some knowledge.
Removing system components through ADB
For advanced users who want to achieve complete removal of advertising modules, there is a method using the tool ADB (Android Debug Bridge), which allows you to delete or freeze system packages that cannot be removed through the standard menu.
First, activate the developer mode. Go to Settings β About Phone and 7 times click on the MIUI version. Then in the menu, Additional enable debugging over USB. Connect the phone to your computer with a cable.
On your computer, having an ADB installed, execute a command to remove the advertising service package:
adb shell pm uninstall -k --user 0 com.miui.msa.globalThis command will remove the system (Advertising Service) for the current user. The phone will not require root rights, but changes can be reset after a complete reset to factory state. Be careful when entering commands, as deleting critical system files can lead to unstable work.
List of safe packet removal
Third-party blocking applications
If built-in tools are not enough, specialized applications such as AdGuard, Blokada or other applications come to the rescue. DNS66. They create local. VPN-Tunnel on the device, filtering all incoming and outgoing traffic.
Installation of such an application requires permission to create VPN-Once filtering is activated, the app will automatically block requests to ad servers, which is especially useful for games that don't have their own privacy settings.
However, it is worth considering that the constant operation of traffic filtering can increase battery consumption, and some games with strict cheating protection may even refuse to run when an active local VPN is perceived as a potential security threat.
- π‘οΈ AdGuard is a powerful tool with the ability to filter HTTPS traffic.
- β‘ Blokada β a lightweight open source application.
- π DNS66 β Minimalist blocker that works only through DNS.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Is it safe to disable MSA on Xiaomi?
Will resetting your settings help you remove ads forever?
Can the ads in the games contain viruses?
Why does the advertisement appear even after the blocker is installed?
Does ad blocking affect game developers support?
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Integrated use DNS-Filtering and disabling system services MSA Eliminates 95% of all ads on Xiaomi devices without losing performance.