Xiaomi Mi 9 Pro has a powerful hardware and a great screen, but many users are annoyed by the built-in advertising in the MIUI system. It can appear in standard applications, when unlocking the screen or in the form of pop-ups. Fortunately, most advertising modules can be deactivated by regular means without obtaining root rights.
In this article, we’ll take a comprehensive approach to cleaning up the interface from intrusive marketing, learning how to disable the MSA system service, adjust privacy settings, and block ads at the network level, and turning your gadget into a truly clean tool for work and entertainment.
It is worth noting that some changes require careful follow-up of steps. Incorrect settings can cause some functions to stop working correctly, so follow the instructions consistently.
Disabling the MSA system advertising service
The main source of intrusive banners in the MIUI shell is the MSA (MIUI System Ads) process, which is responsible for collecting data about your preferences and showing advertising materials in various corners of the interface, the first step to clean the system will be its forced shutdown and banning auto-start.
To start, you need to go to the smartphone settings menu. Find the Password and Security section and select Access to Personal Data. In the list that opens, find the msa app and put the switch to an inactive state.
⚠️ Warning: After the switch is turned off, the system will ask you to wait 10 seconds and then prompt you to press the "Disable" button. If the first time failed, repeat the procedure again - servers sometimes do not accept the request immediately.
Next, you need to stop this service from running automatically. Go to Settings → Applications → All apps. In the upper right corner, click three dots and select Access to Personal Data. Find the msa list and make sure access is denied. It's also worth checking the autorun settings in the Permissions → Autorun section and removing the tick from msa.
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If the MSA disable button is inactive, try temporarily shutting down the internet (Wi-Fi and mobile data) before performing the action.
After these steps are completed, the background activity of the advertising module will be minimized, but additional adjustments in other parts of the system will be necessary to fully effect.
Configure privacy parameters and recommendations
The MIUI shell has hidden settings that allow you to collect device usage data to generate personalized offers, and disabling these features will not only increase your privacy, but also remove some of the advertising recommendations in the system folders.
Go to Settings → Password & Security → Privacy. Here, find the User Experience Improvement Program and disable data sending. Also, check the Special Features section to see if there are any active services that you haven’t installed yourself.
Pay special attention to the recommendations settings in folders. If you create folders on your desktop, the system often offers "Recommended Applications." To remove this feature:
- 📱 Open any folder on your desktop.
- 📱 Click on the folder name to open the edit menu.
- 📱 Find the “Recommended Apps” or “Receive Recommendations” switch and turn it off.
These simple steps will help to clean the desktop of unnecessary visual noise, the system will stop analyzing your actions for content selection, which will also positively affect the autonomy of the device.
Cleaning Standard Apps from Advertising
Banner ads are often built directly into Xiaomi’s standard utilities, such as Explorer, Music, Security, and Downloads. Each of these apps has its own settings that need to be changed manually.
Start with the Security app. Open it, click on the settings gear in the top right corner, find the "Receive recommendations" item and turn it off, and remove the "Security Notices" box if they come too often.
The File Manager is the same. Go to the menu (three bars), select Settings → About. Here you need to find and disable the Recommendations option. In some versions of MIUI, this item may be called "Receive Content."
☑️ Verification of standard applications
Don't forget to check the Downloads app. Open it, click three dots in the corner, and select Settings. Remove the tick from "Receive recommendations." After that, the downloads folder will no longer show promotional offers.
⚠️ Note: Interface and item names may vary slightly depending on the version MIUI, You can use the Xiaomi Mi 9 Pro. Look for synonymous names associated with “recommendations” or “content".
Blocking Advertising Through DNS and Network
The most effective way to remove ads from all apps at once, including browsers and games, is to use DNS filtering, which does not require additional software installation and works at the network connection level.
Modern versions of Android, which is based on the Xiaomi Mi 9 Pro, have a built-in private DNS feature. Go to Settings → Connection and General Settings → Private DNS (the path can vary, sometimes in Additional Settings → Privacy).
Select the "Use the host name of the DNS provider" (or "Manual") mode and enter the following value in the field:
dns.adguard.comSave the settings. Now all traffic going to known ad servers will be blocked, which will significantly speed up the loading of pages in the browser and clear the interface of most applications from banners.
| Parameter | Meaning | The effect |
|---|---|---|
| Type DNS | Private DNS (Private DNS) | Encryption of requests |
| host | dns.adguard.com | Blocking ads |
| The alternative | dns-family.adguard.com | Blocking + Content 18+ |
| Status | Active. | It works for Wi-Fi and 4G/5G. |
If after activating DNS, some sites or applications (for example, public Wi-Fi with authorization) stop working, temporarily return the setting to the "Auto" or "Off" position.
Removing unnecessary system applications
MIUI firmware often preinstalled applications that you may not need, but that consume resources and show notifications, and although you can't delete them with standard means, you can turn them off.
Go to Settings → Apps → All Apps. Go through the list and find programs like Mi Video, Mi Browser, GetApps, News. If you don't use them, go to each app and click Disable or Remove Updates, and then Disable.
Should I remove system applications through ADB?
Especially worth paying attention to the GetApps app. This is the equivalent of Xiaomi's Google Play, which often sends notifications about discounts and new games. Disabling it will save you from a constant stream of push notifications.
It is also recommended to disable Mi Pay and Mi Credit if you do not use the company’s financial services in your region, which often hang in the background and can initiate network requests.
Configure the browser and notifications
Often, the ads are not sourced from system settings, but from permissions you gave to websites in your browser, and pop-ups and push notifications from news portals can create the illusion of a viral infection.
If you use standard Mi Browser or Chrome, go to their settings. Find the Privacy and Security section or Site Settings. Check the permission list for notifications and block suspicious domains.
In Chrome, the path is: Settings → Site settings → Notifications. Here you can see a list of all sites that are allowed to display notifications. Be bold to delete any addresses you do not know.
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Regularly cleaning the browser cache and checking the notification permission list is the best prevention of pop-up ads on the Internet.
In addition, in the settings of the browser itself, you should include a built-in pop-up blocker. This will prevent the opening of new tabs with ads when accidentally clicking on the banner.