Owners of brand smartphones Xiaomi, Redmi i Poco often notice a mysterious process with the name MSAin the list of running applications or in the battery settings section. When you try to find out the details, the system reports that this is a system application that cannot be easily removed using standard means. This raises natural questions about data security and the reasons for increased battery consumption.
MSA stands for MIUI System Ads. As the name suggests, this component is responsible for collecting device usage statistics and displaying advertisements in system shell interfaces MIUI. It analyzes your actions to suggest relevant ads in application folders, music player and even system explorer. Many users perceive this service as malware, although technically it is a legal part of the firmware.
Disabling or removing this module does not affect the basic functionality of the smartphone: calls, messages and main applications will continue to function correctly. However, it is worth understanding that completely getting rid of system advertising requires not just disabling the service, but also changing a number of settings in the privacy menu. In this article, we will analyze in detail the functions of the component and how to manage it.
Purpose and functions of the MSA module
The main task of the service MIUI System Ads is to monetize the manufacturer's budget and mid-budget devices. Since the margin on the sale of hardware itself in this segment is minimal, the company compensates for costs by showing advertising content to users. The service's algorithms collect data about what applications you install, how often you use your browser, and what themes you prefer.
Information collection occurs in the background. The received data is sent to the company’s servers to form your digital profile. Based on this profile, you see targeted offers. For example, if you frequently search for information about tours, a travel agency banner might appear in your Tools folder. This is not a virus, but a built-in earning mechanism for the ecosystem.
In addition to advertising, the module is sometimes used for (push) notifications about new shell functions or promotions in the theme store. GetApps. Users often confuse these notifications with spam from third-party sites. It is important to distinguish between advertising inside system applications, which is generated MSA, and pop-ups in the browser, which are the result of visiting dubious resources.
Remember that disabling MSA does not block advertising inside third-party applications (for example, in free games), since they use their own advertising networks.
It is worth noting that in global versions firmware (Global ROM), the influence of this service is less aggressive than in the Chinese versions (China ROM). However, even in the European market, the component continues to work unless the user has explicitly disabled ad personalization in the privacy settings.
The impact of the service on autonomy and performance
One of the main concerns of users is battery consumption. The service MSA operates continuously, periodically accessing the network to download new advertising creatives and send usage reports. This creates additional load on the processor and communication module, which is especially noticeable on devices with a small amount of RAM.
If you notice that your smartphone is discharging faster than usual even in standby mode, you should check the energy consumption statistics. Often MIUI System Ads ends up in the top 5 consumers. This occurs because the service tries to access the Internet when the connection is unstable, or freezes when trying to synchronize data.
- 📉 Increased discharge: Background activity of the service prevents the processor from going into deep sleep.
- 📶 Data traffic: Constantly loading advertising banners uses up mobile data.
- 🐌 Interface slowdowns: On weak devices, the rendering of advertisements can cause micro-freezes when opening folders.
However, on modern flagship models with powerful processors and capacious batteries, the impact MSA can be almost invisible. The difference in battery life between the service being turned on and off can be only 15-30 minutes per day, which for many users is not a critical indicator.
However, if your goal is to maximize system optimization and extend battery life, disabling unnecessary background processes is a smart step. This frees up resources RAM for really important applications, such as instant messengers or navigators.
Instructions for disabling advertising and MSA services
Completely removing a system application without root-rights or using a computer is difficult, but possible effectively disable its functionality through the settings. The first and most important step is to prohibit the collection of personal data. This will force the service to stop analyzing your actions, although the process itself may remain in the list of running ones.
To do this, go to the menu Settings, then select the section Passwords and security. Find the item Privacy and further Advertising service. Here you need to switch the toggle switch Personalized advertising to the inactive position. The system may require you to wait 10 seconds before confirming the action - this is standard protection against accidental clicks.
☑️ Disabling advertising in MIUI
Next you need to revoke consent to the operation of the module itself msa. Return to the menu Passwords and security and select Access to personal data. Find the application in the list msa and disable the switch. A countdown timer will appear (usually 10 seconds), after which you need to press Revoke. If it doesn’t work the first time, repeat the procedure 2-3 times, as the servers may be overloaded.
It is also recommended to disable receiving recommendations in specific system applications. Go to the application Security, click on the settings gear and disable the item Receive recommendations. Similar actions need to be done in the application Themes, Music and Video in their individual settings.
⚠️ Attention: When you try to revoke access, you may see the error “Failed to revoke access.” This is a common problem with Xiaomi servers. Try switching from Wi-Fi to mobile data or vice versa, and try again at another time of day.
Advanced removal via ADB and special utilities
If standard settings do not give the desired result and you want to physically remove the package com.android.msa from system, you will need to use USB debugging. This method is safer than obtaining root access, since it does not violate the integrity of the system partition and does not void the device’s warranty programmatically.
First, you need to activate developer mode. Go to Settings → About phone and quickly click 7 times on the item MIUI version. After the message “You have become a developer” appears, return to the main settings menu, find the section Advanced → For developers and enable the item USB debugging.
adb shell pm uninstall -k --user 0 com.android.msaThis command will remove the application for the current user. It will disappear from the list of installed apps and will no longer start. It is important to understand that when you reset the phone to factory settings, the service MSA will return to its place, and the procedure will have to be repeated. For convenience, you can use graphical utilities on your PC, such as Xiaomi ADB/Fastboot Tools, where removing ads is placed in a separate button.
Risks of using ADB
Incorrect removal of system components (for example, the update service or system launcher) can lead to an endless reboot of the phone (bootloop). Remove only those packages whose purpose you are 100% sure of.
There is also a method of installing modified hosts files or using applications like Blokada, which block the service’s connection to ad servers at the network level. This allows you to leave the application file on the disk, but makes it useless, since it cannot load content.
Comparison of methods for combating system advertising
The choice of method depends on your technical background and goals. Simply disabling it in the settings suits most users who want to reduce the number of banners. Using ADB is advisable for enthusiasts seeking maximum “cleanliness” of the system and saving every megabyte of traffic.
The table below shows a comparison of the main approaches to solving the problem:
| Method | Complexity | Efficiency | Reversibility |
|---|---|---|---|
| Disable in settings | Low | Medium (advertising remains, but is not personalized) | Easy to enable back |
| Revoke access (msa) | Medium | High (the service stops working) | You can restore access to the menu |
| Delete via ADB | High | Maximum (full deletion) | Factory reset only |
| Blocking via DNS | Medium | High (server blocking) | Changing DNS server |
Each method has its advantages. For example, using a private DNS (for example dns.adguard.com) blocks advertising not only in the system, but also in the browser and most applications, without requiring complex phone settings.
A combined approach (disabling in settings + private DNS) gives the best balance between system security and the absence of advertising.
Possible problems after disabling the service
Users rarely encounter critical errors after disabling MSA, but some nuances exist. In rare cases, the application Themes may not work correctly or stop downloading new wallpapers from the online catalog, since these functions are partially tied to the same services as advertising.
Sometimes after revoking rights from the service msa may stop receive system notifications about important security updates if their delivery mechanism uses the same communication channel. However, in modern versions MIUI and HyperOS these channels are separated, and updates continue to arrive regularly through the app Software update.
⚠️ Attention: The settings interface and menu item names may differ depending on the firmware version (MIUI 12, 13, 14 or HyperOS). If you do not find the specified item, use the search in the settings by entering the word “advertising” or “msa”.
If you notice strange system behavior, for example, spontaneous reboots or disappearing shortcuts, try temporarily returning the rights to the application MSA. This will help diagnose whether the problem was related to a service outage or has another nature.
Frequently asked questions (FAQ)
Is the MSA service a virus or spyware?
No, MSA is not a virus in the classical sense. This is a legal system component pre-installed by the smartphone manufacturer. Although it collects user data, this is described in the user agreement that you accept when you turn on the device for the first time.
Can you remove MSA without a computer?
You cannot completely remove the application file without a PC and root access. However, you can completely neutralize its operation by revoking access to the menu Passwords and security and disabling ad personalization. For an average user, this is quite enough.
Will the service return after a system update?
If you disabled the service through the settings, it will remain disabled. If you deleted it via ADB, then when updating the firmware over the air (OTA), the system can restore the integrity of all system packages, and MSA will appear again.
Does disabling MSA affect the warranty?
Disabling the service through settings or revoking rights does not affect the warranty. Using ADB to remove system packages is also formally not a violation of the warranty terms if it did not lead to physical damage or the need for flashing in a service center due to user errors.
Why is the “Recall” button inactive or gives an error?
This is a temporary problem with Xiaomi servers. Try turning off Wi-Fi and using mobile data, or vice versa. It also helps to clear the cache of the “Services and Feedback” application before trying to revoke rights again.