Owning a branded smartphone Xiaomi is often overshadowed by intrusive advertising banners that appear in system applications and interface. Many users are faced with a situation where, after installing an application or clearing memory, an advertising window pops up and covers the desktop. This is not a virus, but a standard function of the shell MIUI or new HyperOS, designed to monetize inexpensive devices.
Fortunately, the developers left the option to disable most of these notifications manually, although they hid the settings quite deeply. You don't need superuser rights root or complex scripts for basic interface cleaning. It is enough to sequentially go through several settings menus and change the operating parameters of system services.
In this article we will analyze all the known methods of blocking advertising content, including hidden switches and DNS filtering. You will learn to distinguish system advertisements and pop-ups from malicious applications. This will return the device to a clean look and increase operating speed by removing the extra load on the processor from background advertising modules.
Disabling MSA system advertising
The main source of intrusive offers in the system is the service MSA (MIUI System Ads). It is this process that is responsible for collecting data about your preferences and displaying banners in standard utilities. Disabling this service is the first and most important step in the fight for a clean interface.
First, you need to go to your phone’s settings and find the section responsible for passwords and security. In some firmware versions, the path may differ slightly, but the logic remains the same. You need to find an item related to account authorization Mi and system services.
Find the service in the list of applications msa and turn off the “Receive recommendations” switch. The system will require you to wait 10 seconds, after which it will ask you to confirm the action. If the shutdown did not happen the first time and the timer was reset, repeat the procedure 2-3 more times - this is a well-known feature of the service’s protection.
⚠️ Attention: After disabling the MSA service, advertising in standard applications may not disappear instantly, but within 24 hours. Do not rush to reset the settings if the effect is not immediately visible.
In parallel with MSA, it is worth checking the personalization settings. In the “Passwords and Security” menu there is a “Data Access” section, where you need to find the process getApps and also deny it access to the network or disable recommendations. This will block another channel for advertising traffic.
☑️ Checking system services
Setting up standard Xiaomi applications
Even after disabling the main advertising module, individual system snails may continue to show offers. This applies to Explorer, Music, Themes and other built-in applications. Each of them has its own recommendations switch, which must be deactivated separately.
In the “Security” application (green icon with a shield), you need to go to settings (three dots in the corner) and find the “Receive recommendations” item. Disable it, and also uncheck the “Notify about popularity” checkbox. This will remove pop-up windows when clearing memory and scanning viruses.
In Explorer, the algorithm of actions is similar: open the menu, select “Settings” and find the “About the service” section. There you need to turn off the “Receive recommendations” toggle switch. In the “Themes” application (Mi Themes), the settings are located in the user profile: click on the person icon, then on the gear and disable “Show ads” and “Personal recommendations”.
If you cannot find the settings in a specific application, try updating it through the GetApps or Google Play store - in new versions, menu items sometimes change location.
Don’t forget about the application "Downloads". This is where advertising notifications about “new promotions” often accumulate. Go to downloads, click the three dots and select “Settings”, then uncheck the “Show recommended content” item.
Removing advertising in browsers
The built-in browser Mi Browser is known for its aggressive policy of displaying news and advertising on the start page. If you use this browser, you need to carefully configure it or replace it with a more private analogue, for example Firefox or Brave.
To minimize advertising in a standard browser, open the settings (three bars in the bottom menu), select “Settings” and go to the “Privacy and Security” section. Here you need to activate your ad blocker and disable “Receive notifications” from sites. Also in the “Home” section you should disable the display of the news feed.
If you use Google Chrome, the situation is better, but requires manual configuration. Go to your browser settings, select "Site Settings" and block pop-ups and redirects. It is also useful to enable the “Data Saver” mode, which often filters advertising scripts on the fly.
The most effective way to combat advertising in any browser is to use DNS filtering. We will talk about this method in detail in the following sections, since it allows you to block advertising domains at the level of the entire system, and not just one application.
Using Private DNS for blocking
The most powerful tool for removing advertising on Android is setting up a private DNS. This method allows you to redirect all requests from your phone to a server that automatically filters out known advertising domains. This works globally for all applications and browsers.
To configure, go to your phone's Settings, then to the Connections and Sharing section (or simply Wi-Fi and Internet). Find the "Private DNS" item. By default, it is set to “Auto” or “Disabled”. You need to select “DNS Provider Hostname.”
You must enter the server address in the input field. The most popular and reliable solution is the service AdGuard DNS. Enter the following line:
dns.adguard.comSave the settings. Now all traffic passing through Wi-Fi and mobile networks will be filtered. You will notice that banners in applications and games have stopped loading, and website pages have become cleaner. This method does not require the installation of additional applications and has virtually no effect on Internet speed.
⚠️ Attention: If, after enabling Private DNS, some sites or applications (for example, banking) stop opening, temporarily return the setting to “Auto” or “Disabled” mode. Some corporate networks may block third-party DNS.
Setting up Private DNS is a “silver bullet” that removes 90% of advertising on the entire system without installing additional software.
Blocking pop-ups from applications
Sometimes advertisements suddenly appear on the desktop, even when you are not using browser. This is a sign that your phone has a malicious app or a legitimate app with aggressive monetization. Such apps are often disguised as “Flashlight”, “Calculator” or “Memory Cleaner”.
To find the culprit, pay attention to the behavior of the phone. When an ad appears, click the "Recent Apps" button (square or swipe up). In the list of running processes you will see the icon of the application that caused the pop-up window. Often such apps do not have a name or icon, or they look like a system process.
After identifying a suspicious application:
- 📱 Go to “Settings” → “Applications” → “All applications”.
- 🔍 Find an application without a name or with a suspicious name.
- 🗑️ Click on it and select "Delete".
- 🚫 If the delete button is grayed out, first click "Stop" and then delete.
It is also worth checking the application permissions. In your privacy settings, look at which apps have the "Show on top of other applications" permission. Disable this right for all suspicious utilities, leaving it only for instant messengers and navigators.
Comparison of blocking methods
There are many ways to combat advertising junk, but they have different effectiveness and complexity of implementation. Below is a table that will help you choose the best method for your situation.
| Method | Efficiency | Complexity | Impact on the system |
|---|---|---|---|
| Disabling MSA | Medium | Low | Removes system banners |
| Private DNS | High | Low | Blocks advertising in applications |
| Browser blockers | High | Medium | Only for web surfing |
| root access + AdAway | Maximum | High | Full control, guarantee risk |
For most users, the optimal combination is to disable the MSA service in combination with setting up Private DNS. This gives a balance between system cleanliness and operational stability. Using root access is recommended only for experienced users, as this may break banking applications.
Additional security measures
In addition to technical blocking, it is important to maintain digital hygiene. Do not install applications from unknown sources. In the security settings Xiaomi there is a “Device Protection” function that checks APK files before installation. Do not ignore her warnings.
Regularly check the list of installed applications. If you see a app that you don’t remember, or that appeared recently along with more frequent advertisements, delete it immediately. Often such apps are hidden in folders with system utilities in order to remain unnoticed.
It is also worth limiting access rights for rarely used applications. In the "Permissions" menu, deny unnecessary apps access to your location, microphone, and contacts list. This will not only remove advertising, but will also increase the overall security of your personal data.
What to do if advertising is not removed?
If none of the methods helped, it is possible that a deep system virus or modified firmware is installed on the phone. In this case, it is recommended to do a full reset to factory settings (Wipe Data), after saving important photos and contacts. Before resetting, make sure you remember your Mi and Google account password.
Frequently asked questions (FAQ)
Is it safe to disable the MSA service? Will this break the phone?
Yes, it is absolutely safe. The MSA service is only responsible for advertising. Disabling it does not affect calls, messages or basic smartphone functions. The phone will work even more stable, as some of the RAM will be freed up.
Why did it appear again after advertising was turned off?
Often this happens after a major system update MIUI or HyperOS. The update may reset your privacy settings. Just repeat the procedure of disabling MSA and checking the settings of each application again.
Can DNS filtering slow down the Internet?
In rare cases, if the selected DNS server is located geographically far away, the speed of opening pages may decrease slightly. However, the servers dns.adguard.com are optimized and usually work faster than standard DNS provider providers, since they are not loaded with advertising.
Do I need to pay to disable advertising?
No, all the methods described are free. On the Internet you can find advice to buy a “Premium account” in system applications to disable advertising - this is true, but this is only one of the ways. The manual configuration described in the article does not require any financial investment.
Do these methods work on new models of 2026-2026?
Yes, the principles of operation of the shell remain similar. Even in versions HyperOS the logic for setting up services msa and getapps is preserved, although the menu names may differ slightly. The search algorithm (“Passwords and security” -> “Special features”) remains working.