How to permanently remove pop-up ads on Xiaomi Redmi 9: from system banners to viral notifications

Pop-up ads on Xiaomi Redmi 9 are one of the most common problems of MIUI users. Even after buying a new smartphone, many people encounter intrusive banners in the notification curtain, browser or directly on the desktop, the reasons can be different from built-in MIUI functions to malicious applications that have penetrated the system unnoticed.

Most often, ads are caused by Xiaomi system services (such as msa or Mi Push Service), which are turned on by default to show personalized offers, but equally dangerous is the infection with advear, software that replaces ads in legitimate applications or creates its own pop-ups. In this article, we will examine all possible sources of advertising on Redmi 9 and how to turn them off, from simple settings to radical measures like reset to factory settings.

If you notice that advertising began to appear after installing a new application or updating MIUI, the problem is most likely to lie in third-party software. If banners haunt you from the moment of the first setting of the phone – to blame Xiaomi system services, which can be disabled without root rights.

Before you start settings, check to see if your Redmi 9 has suspicious programs installed. Go to Settings → Applications → Application Management and sort the list by installation date. Unknown applications with names like com.system.ad or FastCleaner are a sure sign of an advear.

1. Disabling system advertising in MIUI

MIUI defaults to display ads in its services, from the weather widget to the standard browser, and to remove it, you need to deactivate personalized recommendations and disable push notifications from Xiaomi.

First, go to Settings → Xiaomi Account → Mi Cloud and disable the “Personalized Recommendations” option. This will stop ads based on your data from showing. Then go to Settings → Notifications → Additional and deactivate “Recommended Content” – this option is responsible for the banners in the curtain.

Another source of system advertising is msa (Mobile Services Analytics) to disable it:

1. Go to Settings → Applications → Application Management.
2. Click on the three dots in the upper right corner and select "Show all processes".
3. Find msa (or Mi Push Service) and open its settings.
4. Click "Disable" and confirm the action.

After this manipulation, the system banners should disappear, but if the ads continue to appear, the problem lies deeper — perhaps an advear or a virus is installed in the phone.

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If important notifications (for example, from banking applications) have stopped coming after the msa has been turned off, turn the service back on and try other ways.

2. Blocking advertising through browser settings

If pop-ups only appear when surfing the web, the problem is in the browser. Xiaomi Redmi 9 defaults on Mi Browser, which is known for integrated advertising. The best way to get rid of it is to install a third-party browser (like Google Chrome or Mozilla Firefox) and make it the default browser.

If you want to use Mi Browser, turn off the ads as follows:

Also check if the browser has suspicious extensions installed. Go to Settings → Add-ons and delete anything you didn’t knowingly install.

If the ads appear even in other browsers, the problem may be in the DNS-Try changing it to 1.1.1.1 (Cloudflare) or 8.8.8.8 (Google):

1. Go to Settings → Connections → Mobile Network → Access Point Name (APN).
2. Choose yours. SIM-map and field "DNS" enter 1.1.1.1.
3. Save the changes and restart the phone.

Delete the cache and data of Mi Browser

Disable personalized advertising

Install a blocker (e.g. AdGuard)

Replace the DNS with 1.1.1.1

Check the extensions-->

3. Removal of malicious applications

If the ads appear outside the browser — on the desktop, in games or on top of other applications — your Redmi 9 is likely infected with an advear, often masquerading as useful utilities (optimizers, cleaners, launchers) and showing ads even on a locked screen.

To find and remove malware:

• 🔍 Go to Settings. → Annexes → Application management.
• 📅 Sort the list by installation date and check for unknown applications, especially with names like: com.android.fastcleaner system.update.service com.duapps.ad
• 🗑️ Click on the suspicious app and select “Delete” (if the button is inactive, first click “Disable").
• 🛡️ Install an antivirus (such as Malwarebytes or Dr.Web Light) and scan the system.

Some viruses block removal through standard settings, in which case the safe mode will help:

1. Press the power button before the off menu appears.
2. Hold your finger on "Switch off" until you are prompted to switch to safe mode.
3. In Safe Mode, remove malware (they will not be able to start).
4. Reboot the phone.

4. Disabling notifications from suspicious services

Sometimes ads are disguised as legitimate notifications from apps or system services, such as games or stores like AliExpress or Wildberries, which can send promo messages that look like pop-ups.

To check and disable such notifications:

• 📲 Go to Settings. → Notifications → Management of notifications.
• 🔎 View the list of applications and disable notifications for: 🎮 Games, for example, PUBG Mobile, Free Fire). 🛒 Shops (AliExpress, Ozon, Yandex Market). 📱 Unknown services (e.g., com.miui.systemAdSolution).
• 🚫 In the "Additional" section, disable "Advertising Notices" and "Notices from MIUI".

Pay special attention to applications with resolution "Showing over other windows" (SYSTEM_ALERT_WINDOW). To check out this list:

1. Go to Settings → Applications → Special Access → Show on top of other applications.
2. Remove access to any suspicious programs.

If you see an app called com.android.systemui.ad or the like in the "Show Over Other Windows" list, it's 100% advear. Delete it immediately, even if the system warns of "possible crashes."

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Disabling notifications from unknown services is the fastest way to reduce the amount of pop-up ads if they come through a curtain.

5. Resetting settings to factory

If none of the previous methods worked, the last resort is to reset your phone to factory settings, which will remove all installed applications, data and settings, returning Redmi 9 to its original state.

Resetting instructions:

• 📱 Go to Settings. → The phone. → Resetting settings.
• 🔄 Select "Reset All Settings" (not to be confused with "Reset Network Settings").
• 🔐 Enter the password from your Mi Account if your phone is tied.
• ✅ Confirm the action and wait for the reboot (it will take 5-10 minutes).

After discharge:

1. Do not restore data from a backup copy – it may contain viruses.
2. Do not install apps from unverified sources (outside of Google Play).
3. Turn off personalized ads in your Mi Account (see Section 1).

⚠️ Warning: If the ad reappears after the reset, the problem may be the firmware. MIUI They have built-in advear, and in this case, only the flashing to the official global version will help.

Additional measures: ad blockers and root access

If you're willing to take drastic measures, consider installing a system-level ad blocker or getting root rights. These techniques require technical skills, but are guaranteed to remove all ads, including system-based ones.

The most effective ways to:

To install AdGuard or Blokada:

1. Download the app from Google Play.
2. Run and activate the protection (Blokada may require VPN permission).
3. In the settings, select "Ad Blocking" and "Tracer Protection".

If you choose root access, remember:

⚠️ Note: Getting a root right on Xiaomi Redmi 9 voids warranty and may result in inability to update MIUI through OTA. The risk of infection with viruses also increases as malware accesses system files.

For rooting:

1. Unlock the bootloader through the official Xiaomi website (requires a Mi Account and wait 7-30 days).
2. Install TWRP Recovery and run Magisk to manage root rights.
3. Install AdAway and update your lock lists.

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If you don’t want to risk root rights, try Blokada in VPN mode. It blocks ad domains at the network level without requiring changes to the system.

FAQ: Frequent questions about advertising on Xiaomi Redmi 9