Xiaomi, Redmi and Poco smartphone owners often encounter intrusive banner ads that appear at the most inopportune moment, especially when pop-ups block the entire lock screen, preventing them from unlocking the device or reading notifications. This is not a system bug, but a feature of the MIUI shell and installed applications that monetize their work by displaying content.
Fortunately, most advertising sources can be easily blocked by standard system tools without installing third-party software. You don't need to be a programming expert to clean the interface. You just need to check security settings, browser and system applications consistently to forget about sudden banners forever.
In this guide, we will look at all the possible causes of adverts on a locked screen and propose specific solutions for each of them.We will look at both built-in MSA (Mi System Ads) tools and methods for combating malware that could enter the system unnoticed by the user.
Disabling MIUI system advertising through security settings
The main source of intrusive banners in the shell of Xiaomi is the system service MSA (Miui System Ads), which is responsible for collecting data about your preferences and showing personalized advertising in standard applications. The first step to a clean screen should be to disable recommendations in the application “Security”.
To start, open the standard Security app, which is preinstalled on each device. In the upper right corner, click on the gear icon to enter the settings menu. Here you are interested in Receive recommendations. Put the slider inactive. This action will turn off pop-up tips and promotional offers that often appear after checking the system for viruses or cleaning up memory.
Next, you need to restrict the MSA service itself from accessing the Internet so that it can not physically download the banner ad. Go to Settings → Applications → All applications. Find msa (Miui System Ads) Go to Traffic Control or Data Use and disable Wi-Fi and mobile access. After that, the service will remain on the phone, but will not work.
⚠️ Attention: When you try to disable a recommendation for the first time, the system may show a countdown timer (usually 10 seconds) and require confirmation of the action.This is an artificial restriction, just wait until the time ends and click "Disable" again.
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If you can’t find the msa app in the list, search for the app names in the settings menu or enable the system processes display.
After these steps are done, the amount of advertising in the system interface will be significantly reduced, however, if banners continue to appear, the problem may lie in other system components, such as Music, Themes, or Explorer.
Set up built-in applications and disable recommendations
Advertising modules are built into almost all standard Xiaomi utilities. To remove ads on the lock screen and in the interface, you need to “walk” through the main applications and disable personalization there. It takes a few minutes, but the result is worth it.
Start with the Themes app. Open it, go to the profile (human icon) and click on the settings icon. Find the Display Ads and turn it off. A similar procedure should be done in the Music app: click on the menu (three bars), select Settings → Advanced Settings and turn off Show Ads.
Pay special attention to the Explorer application. Often, it is through this that the “load completion” or “cleaned files” notifications can come to the lock screen, which are disguised advertising. Go to the Explorer settings and turn off the Recommendation function. It is also worth checking the Downloads application settings, if it is installed separately.
- 📱 Topics: Profile → Settings → Showing ads (off).
- 🎵 Music: Menu → Settings → Advanced settings → Showing ads (off).
- 📂 Conductor: Settings → About the annex → Recommendations (Off).
- 📥 Downloads: Three dots → Settings → Showing advertisements (off).
Remember that after updating the firmware, some settings may reset, periodic checks of these points will help keep the system clean, and if the ads continue to attack you even after blocking all system services, it may be a third-party application.
Search and Remove Malware Applications
Often, the source of pop-up ads on a locked screen is not the system services, but the applications you install, which can be flashlights, memory cleaners, scanners. QR-They're code games, or even games with a dubious reputation, and they're masquerading as useful tools, but their main purpose is to advertise.
To identify the culprit, pay attention to the moment the ad appears: If the banner comes out immediately after opening a particular application, the problem is in it. The more complicated case is when the ad appears randomly. In this case, go to Settings → Apps → All Apps. Carefully review the list. Look for apps without a name and without an icon (empty white field). Usually viruses hide at the end of the list or at the beginning, masquerading as system processes.
☑️ Virus testing
If you find an app without an icon, delete it immediately. If the Delete button is inactive, the app has administrator rights. Go to Settings → Password and Security → Privacy → Special Access → Administrator Apps. Uncheck the suspicious app and then delete it in the standard way.
For a deeper check, you can use the built-in scanner in the Security app or install a reliable antivirus from a well-known vendor, such as Dr.Web or Kaspersky, which will help you find hidden miners and advertising modules that are not visible in the standard list.
Blocking ads in the browser and site notifications
Sometimes what a user thinks is a virus or a Xiaomi system ad is actually permissioned notifications from sites.You could accidentally click "Allow" on a news or video site, and now they send push notifications that appear on the lock screen.
To solve a problem in Chrome (or the standard Mi Browser), clear the permissions. In Chrome, click three dots in the corner, select Settings → Site Settings → Notifications. Here you will see a list of all sites that have the right to send you messages. Ruthlessly delete or block all unfamiliar addresses.
The standard Mi Browser browser has a similar procedure: click on three menu bars, go to Settings → Privacy & Security → Ad Block. Make sure the feature is activated. It’s also worth checking the Notifications section in the browser’s settings and disabling push notifications from news feeds.
| source of advertising | Symptoms | Method of decision |
|---|---|---|
| MIUI System | Advertising in menus, folders, during cleaning | Disabling MSAs and Recommendations |
| Malignant application | Banners on the desktop, in any games | Search for an application without an icon and remove |
| Browser notifications | Messages in the curtain, links to sites | Clearing permissions in browser settings |
| Cleaning applications | Pop-up windows after launch | Deletion of the application, use of built-in tools |
Why does the ad appear again after the app is removed?
Remember that modern browsers allow you to flexibly customize content. Using Incognito modes to visit questionable resources will also reduce the risk of advertising tokens hitting your device.
Using DNS to block advertising at the network level
The most effective way to remove ads from all apps and browsers is to use a private DNS with filtering function, which does not require the installation of additional applications and works at the network connection level, cutting off requests to ad servers.
To set up, go to Settings → Connection and Sharing (or “Additional Features”) → Private DNS. The default is “Auto.” Select the DNS Host Name (or “Manual”). In the box that appears, type in the address: dns.adguard.com. Save settings.
dns.adguard.comOnce you set the settings, the phone can lose the Internet for a second, and then reconnect, and now all requests to known ad networks will be blocked, and you will notice that banners in games and applications have stopped loading, and pages in the browser have become cleaner.
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Using AdGuard DNS is a “silver bullet” to block ads that do not require root rights and run on top of any operating system.
It is important to note that this method may conflict with some corporate Wi-Fi networks or child control if they use their own devices. DNS-In this case, you'll have to temporarily shut down the setup. DNS-Servers may sometimes run slower than standard ISPs, but for most users, the difference is not noticeable.
Radical measures: resetting settings and flashing
If none of the above methods worked, and the ads on the lock screen Xiaomi continues to bother you, perhaps the system has entered a deep virus or there was a critical failure of shell files, in this case there are two ways: a complete reset or flashing.
Resetting to factory settings will remove all data from your phone, including contacts, photos and apps. Before you start, be sure to back up to the Mi Cloud or your computer. Go to Settings → About Phone → Reset → Erase all data. After reset, don’t rush to restore all applications at once – put them one at a time and check the behavior of the system.
⚠️ Warning: Do not restore app backup immediately after reset if there is a suspicion of a virus. You can return the infected app back to the system.
A more complicated but effective method is to flash the device, installing a global firmware version (Global ROM) instead of the Chinese one (China ROM) or switching from MIUI to Android One (for some models) is guaranteed to remove all built-in advertising, since global versions often lack advertising services or are easily disabled, but this process requires skills and carries risks, so it is recommended for experienced users.
Preventing Advertising: How to Avoid Advertising in the Future
To ensure that the problem of “how to remove pop-up ads” never arises again, you need to observe digital hygiene. MIUI shell is safe on its own, but the user often opens the doors for advertising modules by installing dubious software.
Avoid installing applications from unknown sources (APK-Try not to use processor accelerators and coolers — 99% of the time, they're just ad shells that only harm the system by constantly running in the background. Xiaomi's standard tools are great at optimizing.
- 🛡️ Download apps only from Google Play and Mi GetApps.
- 🚫 Do not follow suspicious links to SMS messenger.
- 👀 Read the permissions: if the flashlight asks for access to contacts and geolocation is a warning sign.
- 🔄 Update the system: new versions MIUI Often contain security patches that close vulnerabilities.
Compliance with these simple rules will allow you to enjoy the powerful hardware of your smartphone without being distracted by digital noise.