Modern smartphones, especially mid-range models, often come pre-installed with software that contains ad modules. Xiaomi Redmi Note 9 Pro owners are no exception and regularly encounter intrusive banners, pop-ups and recommendation notifications.This is not just annoying, but consumes traffic and reduces the performance of the device.
The main reason for this behavior is the MIUI system, which is essentially a shell on top of Android. The company's developers use advertising integrations to compensate for the low cost of the smartphone itself. However, with the knowledge of hidden settings and system services, you can completely neutralize this flow of data.
In this article, we will go into detail all the steps of cleaning the interface from garbage, we will look at both standard methods of disconnecting through settings, and more advanced methods that require interference with the operation of system applications, your task is to regain control of the device.
Disabling the MSA System Service
At the heart of Xiaomi’s smartphone advertising ecosystem is the MSA (MIUI System Ads) system application, which is responsible for loading and displaying advertising content in standard applications such as a guide, music or gallery, and disabling this service is the first and most important step to a clean interface.
To access the management of this service, you need to go to the Security Settings menu. Find Passwords and Security, then select Access to Personal Data. In the list that opens, find the msa string and put the slider in an inactive position. The system will require you to wait 10 seconds before confirming the action.
It is important to note that the first time you turn off the service may not work. If the timer has expired and the “Disable” button is not active or the system writes an error, just try again. It usually takes 3 to 5 attempts in a row for Xiaomi servers to miss the request to disconnect.
Once successfully shut down, the slider will turn gray and the system will warn that some functions may be disrupted.Don't worry, the phone's standard features will remain fully functional, only the ad substrate will disappear.
⚠️ Note: Do not attempt to remove the application MSA Unprepared root rights or third-party software, forced removal of the system packet can cause a cyclic device bootloop.
After these steps are completed, the background load of the advertising modules will cease, but the changes may not take effect immediately, but after some time or after the device is restarted.
Set up personal recommendations
In addition to the MSA service, the system has a mechanism for obtaining personalized recommendations, which analyzes your actions, search history and running applications to offer relevant content, which is often disguised advertising, and disabling this feature significantly reduces the number of pop-ups.
To access these settings, go to Settings, then select Passwords and Security. At the bottom of the list, find Access to Personal Data or Privacy, where the Receive References switch is located. Turn it off.
It’s also worth checking the settings of the system applications themselves, for example, the Music or Video app often has its own switches for displaying recommendations, and they can be located in the settings menu of a particular application, usually in the About or General settings section.
Not only does disabling personalization take away advertising, it also improves your digital hygiene, and the system stops collecting excessive data about your preferences, which has a positive effect on battery life.
Why can the settings be reset?
Cleaning Notifications in Standard Applications
Even after the basic services are disabled, some applications can continue (push) notifications, most often the source of noise is the standard utilities: Explorer, Downloads, Cleanup and Security, which must be configured manually.
Start with the Safety app. Open it, click on the settings gear in the top right corner. Find the Receive References item and turn it off. There may also be an Advanced Cleanup option, which is also best deactivated if it causes pop-ups.
The situation is similar in the Downloads app: click three dots in the corner of the screen, select Settings. Remove the tick from Get Recommendations. This will remove banner ads that often appear when you view the downloaded files list.
The Explorer app also has hidden ad settings. Go to the menu, select Settings, then About. Quickly click on the app icon several times until the hidden menu appears. You need to turn off the Recommendations option.
Remember that each system component can have its own independent notification channel, and careful inspection of each component ensures comprehensive protection against visual noise.
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If you don’t use standard Xiaomi apps (browser, explorer, music), simply remove their shortcuts or disable them in the application settings, replacing them with analogues from Google.
Blocking Advertising in Mi Browser
Xiaomi’s built-in browser is one of the most aggressive sources of advertising, not only showing banners on websites, but also having its own news feed and push notifications, and setting up this component requires special attention.
Open your browser and click on three menu bars. Go to Settings → Privacy and Security. You need to activate the ad blocker. In some firmware versions, this feature is called "Pop-up Blocking."
Next, go to Settings → Homepage. Turn off News Feed and Recommendations. This will clear the browser’s start screen of information noise and make it look like minimalist Google Chrome.
Also worth checking for browser permissions. In the phone's general settings, find Apps → All Apps → Browser → Notifications. Here you can completely prevent the app from sending any notifications, which is a radical but effective method.
Alternative browsers like Firefox or Brave may be the best solution, with powerful filters built in and not integrated into the MIUI ecosystem, eliminating system conflicts.
☑️ Checking browser settings
Using DNS to block at the network level
The most effective method that works globally for the entire device is to change. DNS-This method allows you to block requests to ad servers even before they reach the screen of your Redmi Note 9 Pro. This is true for all applications, including games.
Modern versions of Android (starting with 9.0) have a built-in “Private” feature. DNS». To activate it, go to Settings. → Connection and Sharing (or “Other Wireless Connections”).Look for Private DNS.
In the menu that opens, select the mode “Host Name of the DNS provider” (or “Manual”). In the field to enter, you must specify the blocker address. The most popular and reliable service is AdGuard DNS.
dns.adguard.comOnce you enter the address, click Save, and now all traffic to known advertising domains will be cut off, which also increases security by blocking access to phishing sites.
| Parameter | Meaning/Action | The effect |
|---|---|---|
| DNS mode | Provider host name | Activation of manual settings |
| Server address | dns.adguard.com | Blocking Advertising and Tracking |
| The alternative | family.adguard-dns.com | Ad Blocking + Content 18+ |
| Reset | Auto (by default) | Return to the standard DNS provider |
It is worth considering that using a third-party DNS can have a slight impact on the speed of opening sites if the server is far away physically, but for ad blockers, this effect is usually invisible.
⚠️ Attention: When in use DNS-Some applications (especially banking or carriers) may not correctly identify the network connection. DNS auto-mode».
Resetting the advertising identifier and additional measures
Advertising companies use a unique GAID (Google Advertising ID) to track your interests, and resetting this ID breaks the link between your current activity and accumulated profile, making ads less accurate and sometimes less frequent.
To reset, go to Settings → Google → Advertising. Press Reset Ad ID. It is also recommended to disable the Ad Personalization option if it is active.
An additional measure is to disable automatic updates for system applications through the Mi Store. Often newer versions of apps carry updated ad modules. Leave auto-update only for critical security components enabled.
If none of the methods worked, you might want to consider installing specialized blocking apps like Blokada or AdGuard (APK-They create a local version. VPN-A traffic filtering tunnel that works even more efficiently than system settings.
The comprehensive application of all the described methods allows you to turn the Xiaomi Redmi Note 9 Pro into a clean device, free from intrusive marketing.
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Changing DNS to dns.adguard.com combined with disabling the MSA service eliminates 99% of all ads on the system without the need for root rights.