Xiaomi is one of the largest smartphone manufacturers in the world and dominates the smartphone industry in India mainly due to its low cost phones with good specs.
But hardware is not the only source of its income; targeted advertising also contributes a considerable portion to its overall revenue. The obnoxious and intrusive system ads on MIUI attest to this.
Previously, the Chinese tech giant has said it strongly believes that serving ads is not an unfair practice. Since Xiaomi ignored the issue, in this article we will tell you how to remove ads from your Mi phone.
How to Disable Ads on Xiaomi Devices [MIUI 11/ MIUI 12] -
Although Xiaomi does not offer a standardized procedure for opting out of ads, there are a number of steps that users can take to get rid of Xiaomi ad "recommendations".
Note that the steps below do not require the use of the Mi Unlock tool or the rooting of the device. This is one way of doing things, but it is relatively more time consuming and can lead to a lot of problems.
So without further ado, here is how to remove ads from MIUI devices without rooting your Xiaomi device -
1. Revoke the authorization for the "msa" application
The revocation of authorization for MSA (MIUI System Ads) is the cornerstone of our ad opt-out journey on MIUI devices. Since this is a system app, you won't find it on the Home screen.
- Go to Settings> Password & security> Authorization and revocation
- Scroll down and turn off the button adjacent to the "msa" option. Xiaomi won't let you on the first try, so keep revoking the permission until it finally lets you.
By disabling msa, Xiaomi will not have permission to show ads from MIUI system on default apps like browser, security, etc. Mi fans have reported that the step alone is not enough to get rid of ads in MIUI devices.
2. Avoid "GetApps" advertisements
Now that you're in the "Authorization and Revocation" section, make sure to also disable the GetApps toggle button. It will stop all annoying ads and notifications from MIUI App Store.
If you like GetApps, know that you will still be able to use the app.
3. Stop targeted ads
This next step will not remove the Xiaomi ads, but at least the ads will not be based on your personal information.
In order to remove ad personalization in MIUI -
- Go to Settings> Password & security> Privacy> Advertising services
- Turn off personalized ad recommendations.
4. Disable ads in Xiaomi Default apps
For some reason, disabling "msa" in Xiaomi system settings is not enough to remove ads from multiple Mi apps. Therefore, here is how you can manually remove ads from Mi apps -
Mi Security Analysis
Mi devices perform an app security check before allowing users to run Google Play Store apps. During the analysis, press the cogwheel in the upper right corner and turn off recommendations.
Mi security app
Open the app> Tap the cogwheel in the top right corner> Turn off ad recommendations. Before exiting the app, also turn off the same toggle in the Cleaner and Boost Speed settings.
Mi File Manager
Go to File Manager settings, tap About, and turn off MIUI ad recommendations.
Mi browser
Go to browser settings> Privacy and security> Disable personalized services.
Mi Downloads
If the download app gets you on your nerves, just go to settings and turn off "Show recommended content" to turn off ads in the Mi Downloads app.
Mi Themes
Just go to the Themes app> Tap the profile in the bottom right corner> Go to Settings> Turn off recommendations.
Mi Video and Mi Music
To turn off ads in the MIUI music app: Open the app> Tap the menu icon in the upper left corner> Settings> Advanced settings> Turn off recommendations.
AND
To turn off ads in the Mi Video app: Open the app> Tap Profile> Settings> Toggle Online Recommendations.
We hope that following all the steps would stop all advertisements from MIUI systems on your Xiaomi device.
If the Mi app you're looking for isn't here, here's what you can do - Try to find a setting that includes the word 'Recommendations' or something related to ads and turn it off.
Remove MIUI System Apps (Remove Bloatware)
Here is another way to remove ads from your phone. however, the catch is that this step would disable the app completely.
Also Read: How To Get MIUI 12 Saturn Super Wallaper On Any Xiaomi/Android Device?
If the steps to disable ads on Xiaomi devices are too difficult to ask, you can get rid of MIUI system apps by following the steps mentioned in our article - How to remove Bloatware from Xiaomi devices.
Before doubting Thomas, the process doesn't require you to root your device or unlock the bootloader; however, be aware that it is a bit technical.
