Back in September, Xiaomi introduced a disable ad feature in the last beta version of MIUI 10.
As the name suggests, the tool reportedly (we couldn’t test it since it was on the MIUI China ROM) enabled users to remove the MIUI ads with a one-click button.
It goes without saying that the move was much-appreciated among the Xiaomi fans who are annoyed by the obnoxious and intrusive system ads on their Redmi and Mi devices.
A few days ago, Xiaomi unveiled the MIUI 11 Global ROM, and unfortunately, we couldn’t find the ad-blocking feature while looking at new changes in MIUI 11. However, it wasn’t something unhoped-for since the Chinese tech giant strongly believes that serving ads is not an unfair practice.
Well, good for them! We believe that there is no need to harass users with obnoxious ads if you are already the number one smartphone seller in India and running a profitable company.
How To Disable Ads in Xiaomi Devices Running MIUI –
While Xiaomi does not offer a standardized procedure to disable ads, there are a bunch of steps that users can follow to get rid of Xiaomi’s ad “recommendations.”
Note that the below steps do not require using the Mi Unlock tool or rooting the device that is relatively more tedious and could bring along a bunch of problems.
So without any further ado, here is how you can remove ads in MIUI devices without rooting your Xiaomi device –
1. Revoke authorization to the “msa” app
Revoking authorization to the MSA (MIUI system ads) is the building block for our journey in disabling ads in MIUI devices. Since it’s a system app, you won’t find it on the home screen.
- Go to Settings > Password and Security > Authorization and Revocation
- Scroll down and toggle off the button adjacent to the “msa” option. Xiaomi won’t let you at first attempt, so keep revoking the authorization until it finally lets you do it.
By disabling msa, Xiaomi won’t have permission to display MIUI system ads on the default apps such as Browser, security, etc. Mi fans have reported that the step alone isn’t enough to get rid of ads in MIUI devices.
2. Avoid ads from “GetApps”
Now that you are in the “Authorization and Revocation” section make sure you disable the GetApps toggle button as well. This will stop all the ads and annoying notifications from the MIUI app store.
If you are fond of GetApps, although highly unlikely given the circumstances, note that you would still be able to use the app.
3. Stop targeted ads
This next step won’t remove the Xiaomi ads, but at least the ads won’t be based on your personal information.
In order to remove ad personalization in MIUI –
- Go to Settings > Password and Security > Privacy > Ad Services
- Toggle off Personalized ad recommendations.
4. Disable ads in Xiaomi Default apps
For whatever reason, disabling the “msa” in in the Xiaomi system settings isn’t enough to remove ads in several Mi apps. Hence, here is how you can remove ads in Mi apps manually –
Mi Security Scan
Mi devices perform a security check of apps before allowing users to run Google Play Store Apps. During the scan, tap on the cogwheel on the top-right corner and toggle off recommendations.
Mi Security App
Open the app > Tap on the cogwheel on the top-right corner > Disable ad recommendations. Before leaving the app, also turn off the same toggle in Cleaner and Boost Speed settings.
Mi File Manager
Go to the file manager settings, tap on About and toggle off the MIUI ad recommendations.
Mi Browser
Go to the browser settings > Privacy & security > Disable the personalized services.
Mi Downloads
If the downloads app is getting on your nerves, simply go to settings and disable “Show Recommended content” to turn off ads in the Mi Downloads app.
Mi Themes
Simply go to the themes app > Tap on the profile in the bottom right corner > Go to Settings > Disable recommendations.
Mi Video and Mi Music
To disable ads in the MIUI music app: Open the app > Tap on the menu icon on the top left corner > Settings > Advanced Settings > Toggle off recommendations.
AND
To disable ads in the Mi Video app: Open the app > Tap on Profile > Settings > Toggle of Online Recommendations.
Following all the steps would hopefully stop all the MIUI systems ads on your Xiaomi device.
If you can’t find a particular Mi app here, just try to find a setting encompassing the word “Recommendations” or something related to ads and disable it.
Delete MIUI System Apps (Remove Bloatware)
Here is another way to remove ads from your Xiaomi device; however, the catch is this step would disable the app entirely.
If the steps for disabling ads in Xiaomi devices are too much to ask for, you can get rid of MIUI system apps by following steps mentioned in our article — How To Remove Bloatware from Xaiomi Devices.
Before you become doubting Thomas, the process does not require rooting your device or unlocking the bootloader; however, know that it is a little technical.
