Android pop-up troubleshooting

How to Reduce Ads on Xiaomi, Redmi and POCO with HyperOS

For ads on a Xiaomi, Redmi or POCO phone running HyperOS, start with the feature showing the content. Ad personalization, lock-screen stories, recommendations inside a built-in app and an unrelated app opening a full-screen window need different checks. Turning off one setting should not be treated as a phone-wide ad blocker.

By the PopTrace project · Updated

Check the HyperOS feature that matches the ad
How to Reduce Ads on Xiaomi, Redmi and POCO with HyperOS

Separate HyperOS recommendations from unexpected app windows

Xiaomi's official manuals document Wallpaper Carousel and Game Turbo content recommendations, while its privacy policy describes controls for personalized advertising. These are separate features. Their presence and menu names can vary by model, region and software version. Use the instructions for your phone when a path differs; an older MIUI menu is not guaranteed to match every HyperOS release.

Recommendations inside a built-in app or on the lock screen

Identify the named feature before changing anything. Stories integrated into the lock screen may belong to Wallpaper Carousel. Gaming recommendations inside Game Turbo have their own control. Ads visible only while you use one app should be checked in that app's settings. These observations do not establish that a third-party package is malware.

Ads cover the home screen or open Chrome by themselves

Record the trigger and check the visible window while the ad is present. If a browser or Google Play opens, it may be the link destination rather than the app that started it. Check preceding activity and recent installations. An update happening shortly before the problem is a lead to review, not proof that HyperOS caused the ad.

Check the HyperOS feature that matches the ad

  1. 1

    Review ad personalization without expecting all ads to disappear

    Search Settings for Ad services or ad personalization. Xiaomi's privacy policy gives Settings > Passwords & security > Privacy > Ad services, or Passwords & security > System security > Ad services, as control examples. These are policy examples, not a verified path for every HyperOS version. Read the switch on your phone and disable personalization if you do not want it. This controls personalization; it does not establish that all ad placements or third-party ads are disabled.

  2. 2

    Check Wallpaper Carousel for lock-screen stories

    The HyperOS 3 manual, printed page 28, lists Settings > Lock screen > Wallpaper Carousel. The HyperOS and HyperOS 2 manuals also describe this feature. If the content you want to stop belongs to it and your phone offers its switch, turn that feature off and test the lock screen again. If the menu is absent, check your model and region's manual. A lock-screen notification still needs its sender's permission checked separately.

  3. 3

    Review recommendations inside Game Turbo or the affected app

    The HyperOS 2 manual describes Security > Game Turbo > its settings icon > General Settings and a Content recommendations control, across printed pages 117–118. Where that control exists, turn off the recommendations you do not want. For other apps, use their own settings and read what each option changes. Do not apply a Game Turbo adjustment to an unrelated full-screen pop-up and assume it has been fixed.

    How to Find Which App Is Causing Pop-up Ads on Android
  4. 4

    Handle browser notifications and pop-ups through the browser

    Touch and hold an ad notification to identify the sender. If Chrome sends it for a site, open Chrome > Settings > Site settings > Notifications and block the unwanted site's permission. For pages opening inside Chrome, separately check Pop-ups and redirects. If Mi Browser is the sender, review its own site and notification controls. You do not need PopTrace or a computer for these manual checks.

  5. 5

    Investigate an unexplained third-party window with PopTrace

    Connect the phone to a trusted computer using desktop Chrome or Edge and a USB data cable, enable USB debugging, and authorize the computer on the phone. Inspect while the ad is visible, comparing the current-window app with earlier candidates. In App investigation, select a third-party package and open App settings or Overlay permission; Android may show a general list. Review the app before using the system uninstall confirmation. Test the same trigger after each change, and keep any local data you need before uninstalling.

When the setting is missing or the ad returns

Record the model, region, HyperOS version, app or feature name and trigger. Use Xiaomi's user-guide directory or support for the exact phone. Closing a window does not revoke its source's permission. Likewise, changing personalization does not identify who opened a separate window. Avoid disabling unfamiliar system packages or following bulk removal commands just to test an ad theory.

PopTrace is a local source-investigation tool, not a Xiaomi system ad remover or antivirus. It lists third-party packages returned by the connected phone, not a guaranteed inventory of all system apps and user profiles. Earlier candidates do not prove causation, and the original redirect sender may be absent. Standard mode uses still screenshots; live control is optional. Disconnect and turn off USB debugging when finished. These steps are documented guidance, not physical verification across all Xiaomi devices.

Privacy

HyperOS, Redmi and POCO ad questions

Why are there still ads after turning off personalized ad recommendations?

Personalization is about how content is selected. Its control is not a promise to remove every ad placement, notification or app window. Identify the remaining symptom and review the corresponding app, website or lock-screen feature instead of repeatedly changing an unrelated switch.

How do I stop Wallpaper Carousel content on HyperOS?

Where available, open Settings > Lock screen > Wallpaper Carousel and use its switch to stop that feature's content. The official HyperOS manuals document this menu. Availability and names vary; if the content is a notification or a window that opens after unlocking, investigate that source separately.

Does PopTrace remove all ads from Xiaomi, Redmi and POCO?

No. It helps identify window ownership and earlier activity and can open a selected third-party app's system controls. It does not automatically change Xiaomi recommendation settings, revoke website permissions or remove system packages. Built-in recommendations should be handled through the feature you identified.

Sources and further help

The feature examples below come from Xiaomi's official HyperOS 3 and HyperOS 2 manuals linked by its UK user-guide directory. Advertising personalization controls are described in Xiaomi's privacy policy. Google provides the Chrome checks; menus and availability vary by phone.