How to turn off ads on Xiaomi Redmi Note 9

Xiaomi smartphone users often encounter intrusive banner ads that appear in system applications.The Redmi Note 9 model, despite its popularity and availability, was no exception to the company's policy of introducing advertising modules into the MIUI shell. This is annoying, especially when pop-ups overlap the desktop or occur while using standard utilities.

Fortunately, there is a proven way to get rid of this problem completely without having to obtain Root rights or flash the device to the global version. In this article, we will discuss in detail all the steps of disabling advertising trackers, from system services to setting up individual applications.

Doing this will not only make the interface cleaner, but it will potentially speed up the smartphone, freeing up CPU resources from the background load of ad content. Let's start cleaning up your Redmi Note 9 from digital noise.

Disabling the MSA System Service

The centerpiece of the advertising ecosystem in the MIUI shell is the MSA (MIUI System Ads) service, which is responsible for collecting user data and displaying targeted ads in various parts of the system, and to block it, you need to find the appropriate item in the application menu.

Go to the Settings menu, then select Passwords and Security. In the list that opens, look for Access to Personal Data (or Authorization and Privacy depending on the firmware version), and you will need to find a process called msa and disable the switchboard in front of it.

The system will try to dissuade you from this step by claiming that some features will stop working correctly. Ignore this and press the Stop button. Note that the first time you turn off the service, you may not be able to turn off the service, you will see a countdown timer for 10 seconds.

⚠️ Warning: If the Stop button is inactive after the timer is turned off, repeat the procedure 2-3 once in a row. MIUI This process is particularly difficult, requiring persistence from the user.

After successfully disabling MSA, ads in system folders and on the desktop should disappear, but to ensure results, it is also recommended to disable related services such as Mi Video and Mi Music if you do not actively use them, as they can also broadcast advertising content.

Customization of personalized advertising in MIUI

In addition to the MSA service, the system has a separate data collection mechanism to generate an advertising profile, and even if you turn off banner displays, the phone can continue to collect information about your preferences, and to stop this process, you need to change your privacy settings.

In the same password and security menu, look for Advertising Services (or Advertising) and the Personalized Advertising switch is located here, and turn it to “Off” – this action prevents the system from using your data to select ads.

Also on this menu is often a button called Reset Ad ID, which generates a new random ID, which breaks the link between the previously accumulated statistics and your device, a useful measure to increase anonymity.

This step should not be ignored, as it directly affects what data about you is transferred to the company’s servers, and while it won’t remove all banners instantly, it’s a critical step to protect your privacy.

Removing Advertising in Standard Apps

Xiaomi system applications like Explorer, Music, Video and Themes often contain built-in ad modules. Even after MSA is turned off, some of them may still have recommendations.

To start, open the Explorer app. Click on the menu (three bars) and select Settings. Find Receive recommendations and turn it off. This will remove banner ads that are usually located at the bottom of the file manager screen.

Next, we'll take Security, which is one of the most intrusive sources of notifications, and click on the settings gear in the top right corner, and you need to find and turn off the following options:

• 📉 Receiving recommendations – the main source of junk notifications.
• 📢 Advertising – Direct Ads within the App.
• 🔍 Auto-start – to prevent background activity.

The Topic app is similar, go to the user profile (human icon), then to Settings. Uncheck the boxes for Show Ads and Personal Recommendations, which will make the catalog cleaner and remove banners on the store's home screen.

⚠️ Note: Application interface may vary slightly depending on the version MIUI. If you don’t find the exact title of the item, look for synonyms with the word “Recommendations” or “Ads».

Cleaning the browser and notifications from sites

Users often confuse system advertising with push notifications from sites they accidentally subscribed to in the browser. If the lock screen or notification curtain constantly pops up messages about “wins” or news, the problem lies in the browser settings.

Open the standard Mi Browser browser (or any other browser you use). Click on the menu and go to Settings. Find Notifications or Site Settings. Here will be a list of all resources that have permission to (push) notifications.

Carefully review the list and remove any suspicious sites, which usually have strange names or domains, and it is also recommended to include a built-in ad blocker if it is available in the browser settings.

For a deeper cleaning, you can use the following path in the settings of Android itself: Settings → Apps → All apps → Select your browser → Notifications. Here you can completely prevent the browser from displaying any alerts if you are not using it for important tasks.

Remember that adware viruses or aggressive apps can also generate similar traffic. If cleaning the browser did not help, check the list of installed programs for utilities unknown to you.

Blocking Advertising in Yandex.Browser and Chrome

Because standard browsers aren’t always effective, many Redmi Note 9 users prefer Yandex.Browser or Google Chrome, and they also have their own settings that will help minimize the amount of advertising debris when surfing.

On Google Chrome, go to the menu (three dots) → Settings → Privacy & Security → Site Settings. Scroll down to the Ads section and make sure the switch is in the Block Intrusive Ads position.

In Yandex.Browser, protection is built in by default thanks to Protect technology. However, it is worth checking the settings: menu → Settings → Adblocker. Make sure the function is active. The browser also allows you to install extensions, such as AdGuard, if you use it on tablets or desktop.

It’s important to understand the difference: phone settings remove ads inside the MIUI system, and browser settings only protect you while browsing the web. Both layers of protection are important for the Redmi Note 9 to be comfortable.

Comparison of blocking methods

There are several approaches to solving the problem of intrusive banners, each method has its own advantages and disadvantages, which should be considered before making changes to the system.

For most Redmi Note 9 users, the best option is to combine disabling the MSA service and setting up a private DNS. This does not require deep technical knowledge and retains a warranty on the device.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)