Owners of Xiaomi smartphones often encounter intrusive advertising and system notifications that block the interface and interfere with work. This is a consequence of the aggressive monetization of the shell MIUI i HyperOS, which offers many services by default. Fortunately, most of these features can be deactivated manually, returning the device to the cleanliness and performance of stock Android.
The disabling process does not require superuser rights or complex programming, but it will require care when going through the settings menu. We will analyze both system recommendations and personalized advertising from specific applications. It is important to understand that the settings paths may vary slightly depending on the firmware version.
If you are tired of the screen suddenly going dark due to a pop-up window or the prompt to install a game blocking important content, this article will be your guide. We'll go through all the hidden corners of security and privacy settings to block sources of digital noise.
Disable MSA system advertising
The central element of Xiaomi's advertising system is the service MSA (MIUI System Ads). It is he who is responsible for displaying banners in system applications such as Explorer, Music or Downloads. Disabling this component is the first and most important step in the fight for a clean interface.
First you need to find the service in the authorization settings. Go to menu Settings → Passwords and security → Access to personal data. In the list that opens, find the item msa and turn the switch to inactive. The system will try to dissuade you by showing a countdown timer.
You will have to wait 10 seconds, after which the button Revokewill appear. Click it. If the shutdown did not happen the first time (the system generated an error), repeat the procedure 3-4 times in a row. This is a common shell protection that often requires several attempts to complete the command successfully.
⚠️ Attention: After revoking access to the MSA, the advertisement may not disappear immediately, but may take up to 24 hours. Do not rush to reset the settings or reinstall the firmware if the banners remain immediately after shutdown.
In addition to the main service, it is worth checking the related components. Sometimes advertising modules are disguised as system updates or recommendations. Make sure that there are no suspicious processes in the list of applications with names containing the words Ad or Recommendation, and limit their background activity.
Configuring notifications in system applications
Even after disabling MSA, individual system utilities can continue to send notifications about “memory cleaning”, “viruses” or new functions. These messages often look like important warnings, but in reality they are marketing hooks to keep the user's attention.
To remove them, you need to go to the settings of each specific application. Go to Settings → Applications → All applications. Find "Security", "Cleaning", "Music", "Videos" and "Themes" in the list. For each of them, follow these steps:
- 📂 Click on the item Notifications inside the application card.
- 🚫 Disable the toggle switch
Allow notificationscompletely or select a targeted disabling of categories. - 🧹 Pay special attention to the items “Recommendations”, “Marketing notifications” and “Night mode”.
In the “Security” application (Security) additional sources of spam are often hidden. Go inside the application, click on the gear in the upper corner and find the section Receive recommendations. Disable this option to stop receiving optimization tips, which are essentially advertising for partners.
☑️ Checklist for clearing system noise
Don't forget about the standard browser Mi Browser. It is known for its activity in terms of notifications. Go to your browser settings, find the section Notifications and block sites from sending push notifications, and also disable the internal news feed if you don’t need it.
Blocking personalized ads
Xiaomi collects data about your behavior to create an advertising profile. Even if you have disabled banners, the system can continue to analyze your actions. For complete privacy, you must disable data collection for ad personalization.
Go to section Settings → Passwords and security → Privacy → Advertising services. Here you will see two important switches. The first one is Personalized advertising. It must be turned off so that the system stops selecting content based on your interests.
The second important element is the button Reset advertising ID. Click on it. This action will delete the accumulated profile of your preferences and assign a new random ID to the device, breaking the connection with the previous browsing history.
| Option | Default value | Recommended value | Impact on the system |
|---|---|---|---|
| Personalization | Enabled | Disabled | Advertising becomes less relevant |
| Advertising ID | Active | Reset | Reset user interest profile |
| Improvement app | Enabled | Disabled | Stop sending telemetry |
Also in this section participation in User Experience Improvement appis often hidden. Disabling this item will prevent technical data and usage statistics from being sent to the manufacturer's servers, which will also have a positive effect on energy consumption.
Reset the advertising identifier periodically (every 3-6 months) to prevent the accumulation of a detailed digital portrait of your behavior.
Management push notifications from sites
A frequent cause of pop-up windows is not system services, but permissions that the user himself has given to sites in the browser. Accidentally clicking the “Allow” button on a dubious resource leads to constant spam even when the browser is closed.
To correct the situation, you need to manage access rights for each site individually or revoke them all at once. In the standard Xiaomi browser, this is done through the menu Settings → Notifications → Sites. Here you will see a list of all resources that have the right to send push notifications.
Please study the list carefully. If you see unfamiliar domains or sites with questionable content, immediately disable the switch next to them. It is best to press the button Clear data or Block allif you do not use notifications from news portals.
⚠️ Attention: Some sites use tricky interfaces where the “Close” button is actually an agreement to subscribe. Always use the "Back" button on your smartphone if you are in doubt about the purpose of the elements on the page.
A similar procedure should be done in third-party browsers, such as Chrome or Firefoxif they are installed on your device. The paths may differ, but the logic remains the same: look for the “Site Settings” or “Notifications” section in the browser settings menu.
Disable recommendations in folders and on the desktop
Shell MIUI likes to offer “useful” applications directly on the desktop. This could be a folder called “Recommended”, where there are icons of games and services that you did not install, or advertising banners in the left screen feed (Google Discover or Yandex).
To remove recommendations from folders, press and hold your finger on the application folder. In the folder settings menu that appears, find the item Recommended content or Show recommendations and disable it. After this, the folder will become a regular directory for your icons.
To turn off the news feed, swipe right on the Home screen to open it. Click on the settings gear (usually at the top or bottom) and turn off the switch News Feed or Google Discover. Now, when you swipe to the right, you will only see a blank screen or widgets that you added yourself.
What to do if folder settings are not saved?
Sometimes after a reboot, folder settings are reset. Try deleting the problematic folder completely and creating a new one, immediately disabling recommendations in it before adding icons.
It is also worth checking the settings of the desktop itself. Go to Settings → Desktop. Here you can disable features such as Wallpaper carouselwhich often replaces your wallpaper with advertising images with news reports. Replace it with static wallpaper from the gallery.
Specific settings for different versions of MIUI
The interface and location of settings may vary significantly depending on the firmware version. Owners of devices on MIUI 12/13 can find some items in other places compared to users of the new HyperOS. Always focus on the meaning of the function, and not just on the exact name of the menu.
In new versions of the shell, Xiaomi has begun to group privacy settings into a single security center. If you do not find the “Advertising services” item in the main settings, look for it inside the application Security in the "Privacy" tab.
For devices with global firmware (Global ROM), the amount of advertising is usually less than on Chinese versions (CN ROM). However, even on global sites, there are pop-up windows when installing applications from unknown sources. This is system protection that can be minimized, but completely disabling it is ADB difficult.
⚠️ Attention: Interfaces are updated regularly by manufacturers. If you do not find the exact name of the item, use the search in the settings by entering the keywords: “advertising”, “recommendations”, “msa” or “personalization”.
On devices with Android 13/14 and above, a function has appeared to automatically suppress pop-up windows from sites, but it does not always work correctly. Therefore, manually checking permissions for each application remains the most reliable method of fighting spam.
The main secret of pure Xiaomi is a comprehensive approach: disabling MSA, blocking notifications for system utilities and clearing browser rights.
Frequently asked questions (FAQ)
Why did advertising appear after disabling MSA? again?
This can happen after a major system update that resets some permissions, or if you log into your Mi Account again. Repeat the procedure for revoking access to msa. Also check to see if the Get Recommendations feature in the Music or Video apps has accidentally turned on.
Is it safe to disable system apps via ADB?
Disabling ads via ADB is safe if you only remove ad-related packages (for example com.miui.msa.global). Do not disable critical system components such as Phone, Contacts or Google Play services, otherwise the phone may stop loading.
How to remove pop-up ads in free games?
This cannot be removed using Xiaomi system settings, since advertising is built into the code of the application itself by the developer. The only way is to buy a premium version of the game or use third-party ad blockers (DNS or VPN settings are required), which filter advertising requests at the network level.
Is it possible to completely remove the Security application?
It is impossible to completely remove it without root access, since it is a system one. However, you can revoke all permissions from it, disable auto-start and disable notifications, which will actually neutralize its activity and stop annoying cleaning tips.
Does turning off advertising affect the speed of your smartphone?
Yes, it has a positive effect. The processes of collecting data and loading advertising banners consume RAM and CPU time. After disabling MSA and background advertising services, the device may run a little smoother, and the battery life may increase slightly.