Owners of branded smartphones Xiaomi often encounter intrusive advertising banners that appear in the most unexpected places: when unlocking the screen, in system utilities, or right on top of open applications. This problem is not a sign of a virus infection in the classical sense, but rather a consequence of aggressive monetization of the proprietary shell MIUI or HyperOS. However, the situation is aggravated if the user inadvertently installed a third-party application with malicious code.
Complete removal of advertising requires a comprehensive approach, since the sources of its appearance can be completely different. You will have to check your system settings, analyze the list of installed apps, and possibly change network configurations. In this article, we will analyze all the legal and safe methods of dealing with annoying banners that will help restore the comfort of using your gadget.
You should not ignore the sudden appearance of pop-up windows, especially if they block the work of other apps. Timely identification of the source of the problem will save you time and nerves in the future, and will also prevent possible leakage of personal data through advertising trackers.
Diagnostics of the source of pop-up windows
The first step before any active actions should be to determine the nature of the advertising. If banners appear only in the browser when visiting certain sites, the problem can be solved by configuring the web browser. A much more serious situation is when windows crash on the desktop or on top of other applications - this is a sure sign of a background process running.
Device owners Redmi and Poco should pay attention to the installation history of apps. Advertising is often introduced through free utilities: flashlights, QR code scanners, simple games or memory “optimizers”. Such applications can masquerade as system processes, but they can be identified by indirect signs.
For accurate diagnosis, use the built-in task manager or third-party monitoring tools. Pay attention to applications that do not have an icon in the menu or have a transparent icon. It is these hidden apps that are most often responsible for displaying advertising content at inopportune times.
- 🔍 Check the list of recently installed applications over the last week.
- 📱 Pay attention to apps with low ratings in the store Google Play.
- ⚡ Track applications that are actively using up the battery in the background.
- 🚫 Look for apps without a name or with an icon in the form of a standard Android robot.
Removing malicious applications and add-ons
If diagnostics reveal suspicious software, it must be removed immediately. Go to the section Settings → Applications → All applications and carefully scroll through the list. Look for names that you don't remember, or apps that were installed around the time the problem started.
Browser extensions that the user may have accidentally agreed to install when visiting sites are especially dangerous. Even if you use Chrome or Firefox, check the list of add-ons. Often it is push notifications from sites that imitate system advertising.
In some cases, the “Delete” button may be inactive. This means that the malicious application has gained device administrator rights. To bypass this restriction, you must first revoke the rights in the menu Settings → Passwords and security → Privacy → Special access rights → Device administrators.
☑️ Checklist for removing viruses
After removing questionable software, it is recommended to restart your smartphone in safe mode to check. If the advertisement disappears, then the problem has been resolved. If not, there may be a hidden component left in the system that requires deeper cleaning through a computer or special utilities.
⚠️ Attention: If the application is not uninstalled in the standard way and requires root access, do not try to get them yourself without experience. This may lead to loss of warranty and bootloader blocking.
Disabling MIUI and MSA system advertising
A significant part of advertising on smartphones Xiaomi is a legal part of the firmware and is controlled by the system service MSA (MIUI System Ads). Disabling this service is the most effective way to remove banners from standard applications, such as "Explorer", "Music" or "Themes".
To deactivate advertising, go to the menu Settings → Passwords and security → Access to personal data. In the list, find the item msa and switch the toggle switch to the inactive state. The system will try to dissuade you by showing a countdown timer - you will have to wait 10 seconds and click “Revoke” again.
Repeat the procedure several times, since the company’s servers may temporarily reject the request to revoke rights. If it doesn't work the first time, just wait a few hours and try again. Successful deactivation is confirmed by the disappearance of the checkmark next to the msa item.
What to do if the msa service is not disabled?
If the system constantly gives an error when revoking rights, try turning off the Internet (Wi-Fi and mobile network) before clicking the "Revoke" button. Sometimes this helps to bypass the server check.
In addition to the main service, it is worth checking the settings for personal recommendations. Go to the settings of each system application separately (for example, the "Themes" or "Music" application) and find the "Get recommendations" section. Disabling this feature will remove ad blocks from the interface of these apps.
Setting up ad blocking via DNS
One of the most elegant and secure methods of blocking ads is using a private DNS server. This method does not require the installation of additional applications and works at the level of the entire operating system Androidfiltering traffic before it reaches the device.
You do not need root access to implement this method. Just go to the section Settings → Connection and sharing → Private DNS. Select the "DNS Provider Hostname" mode and enter the address of a trusted blocker, for example dns.adguard.com.
After saving the settings, the phone will begin to redirect all DNS requests through AdGuard servers, which automatically filter out domains known as advertising sources. This effectively removes banners in browsers and many free applications without slowing down the Internet.
| DNS type | Server address | Efficiency | Impact on speed |
|---|---|---|---|
| AdGuard DNS | dns.adguard.com |
High | Minimum |
| Cloudflare | 1dot1dot1dot1.cloudflare-dns.com |
Average | Absent |
| Google DNS | dns.google |
Low | Absent |
| NextDNS | your-id.nextdns.io |
Maximum | Depends on settings |
Using a private DNS also increases security by blocking access to known phishing sites and tracking trackers without installing antivirus software.
It is worth noting that this method may conflict with some corporate networks or specific applications that require direct DNS resolution. If, after turning it on, you notice problems connecting to Wi-Fi in the office, temporarily return the setting to Auto mode.
Blocking notifications from sites in the browser
Often users confuse advertising notifications from sites with system advertising. This happens when, while visiting a web page, you accidentally click "Allow" when prompted to show notifications. As a result, the site gets the right to send you push notifications even when the browser is closed.
To fix this in the browser Chrome, open the menu (three dots) and go to Settings → Notifications. Here you will see a list of sites that are allowed to send messages. Carefully study the list and disable all suspicious or unfamiliar resources.
A similar procedure is carried out in other browsers, such as Opera or Firefox. There is always a section for managing site permissions in your privacy settings. Regularly cleaning this list will help keep your device clean from information noise.
⚠️ Attention: Never click “Allow” on pop-up windows for sites that promise winnings, virus checking, or viewing adult content. This is almost always a trap for spam subscriptions.
For complete protection, it is recommended to enable the built-in Safe Browsing feature in your browser settings. This will add an additional layer of filtering and warn you before visiting a potentially dangerous resource that distributes adware.
Resetting settings and extreme measures
If none of the above methods helped get rid of pop-up ads, the system may be more damaged than expected. In such cases, the last radical but effective option remains - a complete data reset to factory settings.
Before performing this procedure, it is critical to save all important data: photos, contacts and documents. A reset will delete absolutely all information from the phone’s internal memory, returning it to its “out of the box” state. This can be done through the menu Settings → About phone → Reset settings.
After resetting, do not restore the application backup immediately. It's better to set up your phone like new and install apps manually, checking their security. Often, viruses penetrate the system through backup archives, infecting the device again.
A full reset is a guarantee of removing any software virus, but it takes time to re-set up the smartphone and install applications.
In rare cases, the problem may lie in the firmware itself if you are using an unofficial version of the software. Then the only solution is to flash the device to the official stable version via a computer using the Mi Flash Tool utility.
Why do advertisements appear again after uninstalling the application?
Some malware create their own shortcuts or services that are restored upon reboot. It is also possible that you deleted only the “client”, and the server part remained in the system under a different name. In this case, only a complete reset or manual removal via ADB helps.
Is it safe to use ad blocking applications?
Applications like AdGuard work legally, but require setting up a local VPN tunnel. This is safe for your data, but may slightly increase battery consumption. Avoid unknown "cleaners" from unverified sources, as they themselves can be a source of advertising.
Does disabling MSA affect the operation of system applications?
Disabling the MSA service removes only advertising blocks and recommendations. The main functions of applications (listening to music, managing files, installing themes) continue to work as normal without any restrictions.
Can advertising be a sign of hardware failure?
No, pop-up windows are purely a software problem. Hardware faults appear in the form of artifacts on the screen, spontaneous clicks or problems with charging, but not in the form of graphic banners.
What to do if the "Recall" button for MSA is not pressed?
Try turning off the Internet before clicking. If this doesn't help, update the Security app and Google Play services through the GetApps or Google Play store. Sometimes the problem is solved by updating system components.