Owners of Xiaomi, Redmi and POCO smartphones often face a situation where a standard browser or system tape “bootloader” begins to obsessively offer news, articles and goods. This is not a bug, but part of the company’s marketing strategy to keep the cost of devices low through advertising integrations. However, for many users, these pop-ups and endless tapes become a source of irritation, distracting from the main work.
Fortunately, MIUI (or its new version of HyperOS) provides flexible tools for fine-tuning, and you can turn off recommendations both in the browser and at the system level, preventing data collection and personalized advertising. In this article, we will discuss step-by-step methods for cleaning the interface from information noise.
It’s worth noting that the process may vary slightly depending on the version of the operating system and the region your smartphone will sew into. Some menu items may be hidden or renamed in recent updates. However, the overall algorithm of actions remains the same for most models, from budget Redmi series to flagship Xiaomi.
The Nature of Intrusive Recommendations in MIUI
Before we start shutting down, it’s important to understand what we’re removing. Xiaomi’s recommendation system is based on MSA (MIUI System Ads) and embedded news feed algorithms, which collect anonymized data about your preferences to show relevant ads.
The main source of content is GetApps and a news system aggregator, which is often integrated into the bootloader widget (left screen) or the Mi Browser browser’s launch page.
Users often confuse system recommendations with viruses, but this is a legitimate, if annoying, firmware feature, and disabling ads does not violate the guarantee and is a routine privacy setting procedure.
⚠️ Warning: Disabling system ad services completely may cause some system widgets to stop updating or display empty blocks.
Disabling personalized advertising in settings
The first and most important step is to stop the system from collecting data for targeted advertising, which won't eliminate ads completely, but will make them less intrusive and make it impossible for algorithms to analyze your actions.
To start, you need to go to the password and security settings section. Find Settings → Passwords and Security → Privacy. Here we are interested in the Advertising Services section. In some versions of MIUI, it may be on the Settings path → Additional → Privacy → Advertising Services.
In the menu that opens, you need to find the Personalized Advertising switch and turn it to the "Off" position. The system will ask you to wait 10 seconds, after which it will confirm the action. It is also recommended to reset the advertising ID by clicking the corresponding button on the same menu.
Next, check your Mi Account settings. Go to Settings → Mi Account → About Mi Account → Privacy Agreement. Here you can find options related to the user experience and disable participation in product improvement programs, which also reduces the amount of data transferred.
Setup of the built-in browser Mi Browser
If you are concerned about the built-in browser, then its setting requires special attention. Mi Browser by default loads the news feed on the home page, which consumes traffic and distracts attention.
To remove the news feed, open your browser and click on the three dots in the bottom menu (or in the corner of the screen). Select Settings. Find the Settings section of the home page or News Feed. You need to turn off the "Show Ribbon" or "News Summary" switch.
Also in the browser settings, you should disable push notifications from sites. Go to Settings → Notifications and select Block Site Notifications. This will prevent pop-ups from visited resources.
☑️ Checking browser settings
For more advanced users, it is possible to clean the browser’s cache and data if it starts to work incorrectly after the changes. This can be done through the application menu in the Task Manager or in the Settings section → Applications → All Applications → Browser → Memory.
Removal or disabling of the MSA service
MSA (MIUI System Ads) is responsible for displaying ads throughout the system, and turning it off is a key step in the fight for a clean interface, but you can't just remove it, because it's a system component.
Go to Settings → Applications → All Apps. Search for “msa.” If you find an app with that name (or “miui daemon” in some regions), click on it. If the “Delete” button is inactive, select “Disable” or “Stop”.
Often, the system requires a confirmation of action and counts down a 10-second timer to try to convince the user to leave the service. You need to wait for the end of the countdown and press "Disable." If the first time failed, repeat the procedure 3-5 times in a row - this is a known bug / feature of MIUI.
| System component | Appointment | Can I turn it off? | Effects of consequences |
|---|---|---|---|
| MSA | Systemic advertising | Yes. | Disappears ads in folders and applications |
| GetApps | App store | Yes (partially) | Discount notifications will cease to arrive |
| Mi Video/Music | Media players | Yes. | Advertising in standard players will disappear |
| DA (Device Assistant) | Analysis of data | Yes. | Reduced telemetry sent to the server |
After the MSA is turned off, it is recommended to restart the device, which is necessary for the changes to take effect and the background processes to stop working.
Cleaning the tape "loader" (App Vault)
The left screen of the main menu, known as App Vault or bootloader, is often filled with news widgets, promotions and short videos, one of the most visible sources of visual noise.
To clear this screen, swipe to the right of the main screen to open the tape. At the bottom (or at the top, depending on the version), click on the Settings button (cog), where you can turn off all the cards: News, Pedometer Status, Calendar Events, and others.
What to do if the tape settings are hidden?
You can also turn off the display of this screen completely. To do this, go to Settings → Desktop. Find the bootloader (or "Swig left") and turn it off. Now, when you swipe to the right, nothing happens.
If you use a third-party launcher (like Nova Launcher or Lawnchair), the problem is solved automatically, as the third-party shells do not have access to Xiaomi's system tape. MIUI They may not work properly.
Advertising Blocking Through DNS and Additional Methods
For those who want to go further, an effective method is to use DNS with ad filtering, which allows you to block ad requests at the network level without installing unnecessary applications.
Go to Settings → Connection and Sharing → Private DNS. Select the option “Host Name of the DNS Provider” and type in the address: dns.adguard.com. Save settings.
dns.adguard.comThis method blocks ads in many apps and browsers, but may conflict with some local services or public Wi-Fi that require authorization, in which case DNS will have to be temporarily disabled.
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If the Internet stopped working after the Private DNS was turned on, try to register the address dns-family.adguard.com - it also blocks adult content, but sometimes works more stable on mobile networks.
Another way is to disable auto-update widgets, which in the weather or news widget settings often has a separate "Update Automatic" switch, which will save battery power and traffic.
⚠️ Attention: Use of third-party DNS-The servers mean that your entire DNS-The traffic passes through third-party servers. Make sure you trust the provider you choose (this example uses AdGuard).
Using third-party browsers as an alternative
If the built-in browser continues to be annoying, the most radical and effective solution is to install an alternative browser.Google Play or GetApps stores offer a plethora of easy and fast options.
Popular alternatives like Brave, Via Browser or Firefox with uBlock Origin installed are completely devoid of built-in advertising and news feeds. They consume fewer resources and provide better privacy.
After installing the new browser, make sure to make it the default browser. Go to Settings → Applications → Default Applications → Browser and select the installed application. Now all links from the messengers will open in a clean environment.
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Complete replacement of the built-in browser with a third-party analogue with an ad blocker is the most reliable solution that eliminates the need to fine-tune the system parameters of MIUI.
In addition, many third-party browsers have default Incognito mode or built-in VPNs, which adds an additional layer of security when surfing open networks.