Modern Xiaomi smartphones are famous for their rich functionality and affordable price, but one of the most annoying features of the branded shell is intrusive advertising. It appears in system applications, and the Gallery is no exception. Pop-up banners can block viewing photos, and recommendations in the My Albums feed often contain spammy content that distracts from the main thing.
Users often wonder if it is possible to completely eliminate this visual noise without obtaining superuser rights. Fortunately, the developers of MIUI and the new HyperOS have provided several ways to hide or disable ads. In this article, we will discuss all the current methods in detail, from simple switches in settings to deeper system optimization.
It’s worth noting that menu layouts and item names may vary slightly depending on the operating system version, but the basic principles of ad modules remain similar on most of the brand’s devices, and we’ll look at solutions that will work for both older models and the latest flagships.
Disabling Advertising through Gallery Settings
The most obvious and safest way to start the fight for a clean interface is to check the internal settings of the application itself. In recent versions of the MIUI shell, Xiaomi engineers have added a separate switchboard, which is responsible for showing advertising recommendations, usually hidden in the About section or in the general settings menu of the gallery.
To start, open the app and go to the "My" section, and there's often a "Settings" button where you can find "Get recommendations." Disabling this option removes the ad tape from the "Photos" tab. If you don't have one right away, try clicking on the app version several times.
☑️ Checking the settings of the Gallery
In some cases, settings can be hidden deeper, for example, in older versions of the firmware, you had to click on the gear icon and then look for the Ads or MSA option. It is important to understand that updating the system can return these settings to their original state, so after a major update, the procedure is worth repeating.
- 📱 Open the Gallery app and go to the user profile.
- ⚙️ Find the “Settings” item in the top or bottom corner of the screen.
- 🚫 Turn off the option “Receive recommendations” or “Show ads».
- 🔄 Restart the application to apply changes.
If you didn't find these switches, then your firmware version requires a different approach, and you shouldn't despair, because there are system methods that work at the shell level, not at the application level.
Global shutdown of MSA and system advertising
The system service msa (MIUI System Ads) is responsible for displaying ads in system applications, including the Gallery, and disabling this component allows you to significantly reduce the number of pop-ups throughout the system, which is the most effective method, which works in 90% of cases.
To access the menu, go to Settings → Passwords & Security → Access to Personal Data. Find the msa service and turn off the slider. The system will warn you that this may affect the operation of certain functions, and will start a countdown timer for 10 seconds.
⚠️ Warning: After the slider is turned off, the timer may not work the first time. If the "Disable" button does not become active through the 10 So, for a second, turn the slider back on and try turning it off again. 2-3 try.
Beyond msa, you should check other system services that can stream content. In the same Access to Personal Data menu, look at GetApps, Mi Video and Music. Disabling personal data for them also helps to clean the interface of unnecessary noise.
- 🔍 Go to the Security and Privacy section.
- 📉 Find the msa service in the list and turn off access.
- ⏳ Wait 10 seconds and confirm the action.
- 🛑 Repeat the procedure for GetApps and Mi Browser.
After these steps are done, the Gallery ads should disappear. However, if you are actively using the Xiaomi ecosystem, some personalization features may stop working correctly, although for most users this remains unnoticed.
Adjustment of recommendations in the album "My photos"
Even after the system ad has been turned off, the app itself may still have elements that resemble ad units, such as the My Photos section, where algorithms try to group pictures by people, places and events, sometimes with suggestions to download themes or install games.
To clean this section, you need to go to the Gallery settings and find “Update Automatically” or “Use Mobile Data.” Disabling content download over the mobile network will prevent heavy banner ads from loading when you are not connected to Wi-Fi.
Why does the ad return after the update?
Also worth paying attention to cloud services. If you have Mi Cloud sync enabled, check your cloud gallery settings. Sometimes ad integrations come through a company's cloud services, offering to expand storage or buy a subscription.
| Parameter | Recommended value | Impact on the system |
|---|---|---|
| Receive recommendations | Off. | Removing the news feed |
| msa (system service) | Access denied | Blocking Advertising in the System |
| Personalization of advertising | Off. | Reduces targeting |
| Autosynchronization | Wi-Fi. | Saving traffic |
A comprehensive approach to customizing each setting allows for the cleanest possible interface. Don't ignore the small switches, as they collectively form the final user experience.
Use of Developer Mode and ADB
For advanced users who want to securely remove advertising modules, there is a method using USB debugging and ADB command line. This method requires connecting the smartphone to the computer, but gives the deepest control over the system.
First, activate the developer mode. Go to Settings → About Phone and quickly click on the MIUI build number seven times. After the message “You became a developer” appears, a new section “Additional” or “Extended settings” will appear in the settings menu.
adb shell pm disable-user --user 0 com.miui.misys
adb shell pm disable-user --user 0 com.miui.analytics
adb shell pm disable-user --user 0 com.android.statementserviceInclude USB Debugging in the developer menu. Connect your phone to your PC, install ADB drivers, and enter commands to disable analytics and advertising packages. This action does not physically delete files, but makes them inactive for the system.
Use ADB requires caution. Disabling critical system components can cause the device to run in an unstable manner. Always check packet names before typing commands to ensure that the main applications do not compromise functionality.
Alternative solutions and third-party galleries
If the built-in Gallery continues to be annoying even after all the settings, the logical step is to install an alternative photo viewing app. There are many great analogues in the Google Play store that are completely free of advertising and work faster.
Popular options include Google Photos, Simple Gallery or A+ Gallery.These apps don't have built-in banner display mechanisms and often offer a more user-friendly interface for sorting and editing snapshots.Setting a third-party gallery by default will fix the problem forever.
⚠️ Note: When installing a new gallery, the system may periodically suggest returning a standard application. Be careful when choosing the default application to open image files so as not to reset your preferences.
In addition, third-party galleries often have better support for RAW formats and more powerful built-in editors, making switching to them not only a way to combat advertising, but also a step towards improving the functionality of the device as a whole.
- 📥 Download an alternative gallery from a reliable source.
- 🖼️ Open any photo and select "Open with».
- ✅ Set the “Always” box for a new app.
- 🗑️ If you wish, hide or remove the standard gallery.
The choice of third-party software is especially relevant for older smartphone models, where a heavy standard gallery can run slowly. Lightweight counterparts will breathe new life into the device and remove the unnecessary load on the processor.
Prevention and additional advice
To prevent future ads from returning, it is important to follow certain smartphone usage guidelines: Check system app updates periodically through the GetApps store or Play Market, as new versions may contain changed privacy policies.
It is also recommended to limit background activity for advertising services. In the Battery and Performance setting, find msa and set a background activity limit, which will prevent the launch of advertising modules, even if you accidentally turn them on in the access settings.
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Use an ad-blocking DNS (like AdGuard DNS) in your private DNS settings on Android, which will block ads not only in the Gallery, but also in your browser and other applications without installing additional software.
Remember that full cleaning of the Gallery app data can bring back the settings to factory settings. If you decide to reset the app, be ready to re-examine the recommendation disabling procedure. Regular monitoring of privacy settings is the key to comfortable use of Xiaomi.
Compliance with these simple rules will help you maintain a clean interface throughout the life of the device.The smartphone should be your tool, not an advertising platform, and you have every right to customize it for yourself.
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A comprehensive disabling of ads through MSA, personalization, and app settings is the best result, and one action is often not enough because of the multi-layered content display system in MIUI.