The company's smartphones Xiaomi are deservedly very popular due to their excellent price-performance ratio. However, users often encounter an intrusive feature of the proprietary shell MIUI —an abundance of system notifications, advertising banners and pop-up windows. These elements can significantly reduce the comfort of using the device, distracting you from important tasks and taking up space in the notification shade.
Completely disabling Android system notifications on Xiaomi requires an integrated approach, since the sources of annoying messages are scattered across different sections of the settings. You will have to work not only with standard Android settings, but also with specific MIUI services, such as MSA (MIUI System Ads) and GetApps. In this article, we will analyze in detail each stage of blocking unnecessary information noise.
Basic setup of the Android notification panel
The first step in the fight for a clean interface is the classic setup of application notifications. The Android system allows you to flexibly control which applications have the right to display information in the status bar. First, you need to go to the main settings of the device and find the section responsible for notifications.
In the menu Settings → Notifications and status bar → Notifications you will see a complete list of all installed apps. Here you can specifically turn off annoying notifications from games, stores or social networks. Pay attention to the switch Show notifications —deactivating it will completely prevent the application from bothering you.
However, system services are often hidden from the eyes of the average user or take precedence over user ones settings. Therefore, simply disabling applications may not be enough. You should also check your screen lock settings to prevent message previews from appearing when the phone is in your pocket or on the table.
For deeper cleaning, use the Notification History feature, if available in your firmware version. This will allow you to identify hidden sources of spam that automatically disappear from the curtain, but continue to work in the background.
- 📱 Go to the section
Settingsand select Notifications. - 🚫 Turn off the toggle switches for all unnecessary applications in the list.
- 🔒 Check your settings Lock screen and hide the contents of notifications.
- 👁️ Use “Notification History” to find hidden sources of spam.
Disabling the MSA advertising system
One of the main sources of advertising in the MIUI shell is the system process MSA (MIUI System Ads). It is this service that is responsible for loading and displaying advertising materials in standard applications such as Music, Themes or Explorer. Disabling this feature is a critical step to enhance your privacy.
To deactivate the service, follow the path Settings → Passwords and security → Access to personal data. In the list that opens, find the item msa and move the switch to the inactive position. The system will warn you about the consequences of disabling and ask you to wait 10 seconds before confirming the action.
It is important to note that it is not always possible to disable MSA the first time. The interface may freeze or the Recall button may be grayed out. In this case, it is recommended to repeat the procedure several times in a row. If the attempt is unsuccessful, try turning off the Internet while you revoke your consent.
⚠️ Warning: After you revoke your consent, the MSA service may still have limited functionality for a short period of time to synchronize data. The ad cache will be completely cleared automatically within 24 hours.
After successfully disabling MSA, the number of ad inserts in system utilities should be significantly reduced. However, this process does not affect notifications from third-party apps, so this step should be considered as part of an overall optimization.
If the Revoke button is not clickable, try turning on Airplane mode for 5 seconds, and then try disabling MSA without a network connection.
Blocking recommendations in system apps
Even after disabling the service MSA, selected Xiaomi system apps can continue to show recommendations and news. This is due to the fact that advertising settings are built directly into the interfaces of specific utilities. You'll need to manually go through key apps and turn off Get Recommendations.
Start with the Security app. Open it, click on the settings gear in the upper corner and find Get recommendations. Disable this option. Similar steps must be performed in the Themes, Music, Video, and Explorer applications. In each of them, the settings are usually hidden in the profile menu or in the general settings section.
Pay special attention to the application GetApps (formerly Mi App Store). This is the official Xiaomi app store, which often sends push notifications about promotions and new games. Go to the GetApps settings, find the “Notifications” section and disable all types of notifications, including “Promotions” and “Recommendations”.
Path to disable in "Security":
Security application → Gear (Settings) → Slider "Receive" recommendations"
Do not forget that the interface of different versions of MIUI (Global, China, EEA) may differ slightly. The names of menu items may vary, but the logic remains the same: look for any mention of the words “recommendations”, “promotions” or “promotions”.
☑️ Checking system applications
Managing browser notifications and Push services
Often the source of spam is not system services, but web browsers and push services that the user accidentally activated when visiting sites. Browsers like Chrome or built-in MIUI Browser may have permission to display notifications from specific web resources.
To check, go to the browser settings, select the section Site notifications or “Content Settings”. Here you will see a list of all websites that are allowed to send you messages. It is recommended to remove all suspicious domains or completely block sites from asking for permission to send notifications.
It is also worth checking your Google Play Services settings. Sometimes advertising networks use system notification channels to promote content. In the section Settings → Applications → All applications → Google Play Services → Notifications you can limit the categories of messages, leaving only critical ones, for example, security updates.
If you use third-party launchers or themes from unverified sources, they may also cause the pop-up advertising. In this case, the best solution would be to return to the standard MIUI launcher and remove dubious themes.
| Notification source | Content type | Blocking method | Difficulty |
|---|---|---|---|
| Service MSA | System advertising | Revocation of consent in privacy settings | Average |
| GetApps application | Promotions and games | Disable in application settings | Low |
| Web browsers | Push from sites | Clearing the list of allowed sites | Low |
| System utilities | Recommendations | Manual shutdown in each application | High |
⚠️ Attention: The settings interface may change after updating the MIUI firmware. If you do not find the specified menu item, use the search in settings by entering the keyword “advertising” or “recommendations.”
Using Do Not Disturb mode and Scheduler
Sometimes it is impossible to completely turn off notifications because you are expecting important calls or messages from loved ones. In such situations, the Do Not Disturb (Do Not Disturb) mode comes to the rescue. This tool allows you to flexibly configure exceptions, skipping only selected contacts or repeated calls.
You can activate the mode through the notification shade or in the sound settings. In the advanced settings, you can set the mode to turn on automatically according to a schedule, for example, at night or during meetings. This will save you from having to manually switch settings every day.
The scheduler feature in MIUI also allows you to create automation scripts. You can set up a rule so that when you launch a certain application (for example, a game or video player), all notifications will be automatically hidden and the sound will be switched to silent mode.
It is important to distinguish between Do Not Disturb mode and complete blocking of notifications. In the first case, notifications arrive on the device, but do not make sounds or light up the screen. In the second case, they are not delivered at all. For critical system messages, it is better to use filtering rather than complete blocking.
How to set up exceptions for important contacts?
In the Do Not Disturb mode menu, select "Exceptions". Add contacts from your phone book to the allowed list. Now, even with Do Not Disturb mode active, calls from these people will go through, and their messages may appear on the lock screen depending on your privacy settings.
Advanced methods: ADB and hidden settings
For advanced users who want to achieve maximum system cleanliness, there are methods to disable system components through the computer using a tool ADB (Android Debug Bridge). This method allows you to remove or freeze system applications that cannot be disabled through the standard interface.
Before you begin, you must activate developer mode. To do this, go to Settings → About phone and quickly click on the MIUI build number seven times. Then in the menu Advanced → For developers enable USB debugging.
Connect your smartphone to your computer and run the command to disable a specific package. For example, to disable the system ad analyzer, you can use the following instructions:
adb shell pm disable-user --user 0 com.miui.misysUsing ADB requires caution. Disabling critical system processes may result in device instability or cyclic reboots. Always check the name of the package before entering the command and make sure you understand its purpose.
There are also hidden testing menus accessible through a set of special codes on the phone. However, in modern versions of MIUI, access to them is often limited, and the use of such methods is not guaranteed by the developers.
⚠️ Attention: Using ADB commands to disable system components is at your own risk. Incorrect actions may lead to loss of warranty or the need to reflash the device. Create a backup copy of your data before starting procedures.
Using ADB gives maximum control over the system, but requires technical knowledge. For most users, standard privacy settings and disabling MSA are sufficient.
Frequently asked questions (FAQ)
Why do ads still appear after disabling MSA?
Ads may remain in the application cache or come from third-party apps that are not associated with the MSA system service. Try clearing the cache of system applications (Themes, Security, Explorer) through the memory settings and check notification permissions for each installed application separately.
Is it possible to completely remove the GetApps application?
GetApps cannot be removed using standard system tools, since it is a system application. However, you can revoke all permissions from it, turn off notifications and hide its icon from your desktop. For complete removal, you will need superuser rights (Root) or use of ADB.
Does disabling notifications affect the operation of instant messengers?
No, if you disable only system advertising and MIUI recommendations. Notifications from WhatsApp, Telegram and other instant messengers are regulated separately in the list of applications. Make sure that you have not disabled the notification toggle switch for the instant messengers themselves in the “Notifications” section.
Is it safe to disable the Analytics service?
Yes, disabling the Analytics service is safe for the operation of the phone. This service collects device usage data to improve Xiaomi products. Disabling it will increase privacy and slightly reduce the load on the processor and battery.
What to do if the settings are reset after an update?
Major MIUI firmware updates can sometimes return advertising settings to default values. After updating the system, it is recommended to re-check the "Access to personal data" section and system application settings to ensure that all restrictions are still active.