Xiaomi Redmi Note 8 owners often face intrusive ads in system apps, notifications, and even on the lock screen. The manufacturer has integrated ad modules into the MIUI shell to monetize budget devices, but users can legally disable most impressions. In this article, topical ways to remove ads without losing warranty and with minimal technical skills.
It's important to understand that Redmi Note 8 (codenamed ginkgo) runs on MIUI 12-14 depending on the firmware version. Advertising disabling methods differ for global (MIUI Global), Chinese (MIUI China) and European (MIUI EU) builds. We'll look at the universal solutions, as well as the specific settings for each version.
Before you start, check the MIUI version: go to Settings β About Phone β MIUI version. If you have Chinese firmware without Google services, some methods may not work β you will need additional configuration through ADB.
1. disable personalized advertising in MIUI settings
The safest way to reduce impressions is to deactivate personalization of ads in system settings, a method that does not require superuser rights and works on all versions of the Redmi Note 8:
- Open Settings β Google β Advertising (if you use Google services).
- Click Disable Ad Personalization and confirm the selection.
- Return to the main settings menu and go to Settings β Additional β Special Options β Notifications and Status bar.
- Turn off the Receive References option (if available).
On Chinese firmware, the path may be different:
- π± Settings β Memory. β Cleanup β turn off the recommendations MIUI.
- π Settings β Annexes β Application management β Three dots (menu) β Special access β Optimizing the battery β Find Msa (Mobile Services Ads) and turn off auto-run.
- π« Settings β Notifications β Additionally. β uncheck the box from the Advertising Notices.
β οΈ Note: After disabling personalization, ads will not disappear completely, but will become less targeted. Some system applications (for example, Mi Video or Mi Music) may ignore these settings.
2. Manual disabling of advertising in system applications
Many of Xiaomiβs standard apps have built-in ad modules that can be deactivated separately.
| Annex | The path to settings | What to turn off |
|---|---|---|
| Mi Browser | Browser settings β Additional β Advertising | Disable Personalized Advertising and Show News on Main |
| Mi Video | Profile β Settings β Additional | Remove the Recommended Content |
| Topics | Profile β Settings β Notifications | Disable Advertising push notifications |
| Security (Security) | Settings β Cleaning β Three points β Settings | Turn off the Cleaning Recommendations |
For Downloads (Downloads) applications:
- Open the app and tap the icon. βοΈ top-right.
- Select Notification Settings.
- Turn off Recommends and Notifications about popular files.
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If there is no Ads item in the app list, try clearing the app's cache through Settings β Apps β App Management β [App Name] β Clear the cache. Sometimes this resets the ad settings to default values (including hidden flags).
3.Using ADB to Deeply Disable Advertising
For users who are ready to use Android Debug Bridge (ADB), It's possible to turn off the system-level advertising services, and this method requires a computer and USB-cable, but does not violate the warranty.
Steps to disconnect via ADB:
- Turn on USB Debugging on your phone: Settings β About Phone β MIUI version (tap 7 times to become a developer), then Settings β Additional β Developers β Debugging over USB.
- Connect the Redmi Note 8 to your PC and confirm your trust in the device.
- Download ADB Tools and unpack it into a folder.
- Open the command line in this folder and type:
adb shell pm disable-user --user 0 com.miui.systemAdSolution
adb shell pm disable-user --user 0 com.xiaomi.midrop
adb shell pm disable-user --user 0 com.android.browser
adb shell pm disable-user --user 0 com.miui.player
adb shell settings put global captive_portal_detection_enabled 0These commands are off:
- π§ The main advertising module MIUI (systemAdSolution)
- π€ Mi Drop (often shows ads when transferring files)
- π Built-in browser with advertising banners
- π΅ Music player with promo content
- πΆ Portal check (reduces background requests)
β οΈ Note: Disabling system applications through ADB For example, after deactivation of com.android.browser, you may lose fast links to web pages in the application menu. To return everything back, use the command: adb shell pm enable]
Install Xiaomi drivers on PC| Enable debugging over USB on your phone | Download ADB Tools from the official website | Connect the phone with the original cable | Open the command line on behalf of the administrator-->
4. Removal of advertising through superuser rights (root)
If you are ready to get root rights, you can completely remove advertising modules from the system. For Redmi Note 8, the method of unlocking the bootloader and installing Magisk is suitable.
Step-by-step:
- Unlock the bootloader through the official Xiaomi tool (you will need a Mi Account and wait 7-30 days).
- Install custom recovery (TWRP) for ginkgo.
- Squeeze Magisk through recovery.
- Install Disabler for MIUI or Xiaomi ADB/Fastboot Tools from Magisk repository.
After obtaining root rights:
- ποΈ Delete the folder. /system/priv-app/SystemAdSolution (Responsible for System Advertising).
- π Edit the file. /system/build.prop, line: ro.miui.has_real_blur=1 (This disables blurring and some of the banner ads).
- π‘οΈ Install AdAway or Blokada to block ad domains at the level DNS.
List of safe packet removal
Recovery of remote system applications requires reflashing the phone via Fastboot. Nandroid backup via TWRP is a must!
5. Alternative methods: custom firmware and DNS-filtering
If the standard methods didnβt help, consider installing custom firmware without ads. Redmi Note 8 is popular:
- π± Xiaomi.eu β European build MIUI Advertising free and with extended settings.
- π€ LineageOS β βcleanβ Android without branded services Xiaomi.
- π¨ Pixel Experience β firmware with Google Pixel interface.
- π§ Havoc-OS - customizable firmware with the ginkgo core.
For custom firmware installation:
- Unlock the bootloader (see the section on root).
- Install TWRP for ginkgo (version 3.5.2+).
- Make a full backup through recovery.
- Sweep through firmware and GApps (if you need Google services).
If the firmware is not an option, try it. DNS-filtering:
- Install Blokada or AdGuard from F-Droid.
- Activate filtering by listings: https://adaway.org/hosts.txt https://raw.githubusercontent.com/StevenBlack/hosts/master/hosts
- Reboot the phone.
β οΈ Note: Using custom firmware voids the warranty and can lead to problems with the OTA-On Redmi Note 8 with Android 10 firmware+ Some modules (e.g. Widevine) L1 for Netflix HD) They may stop working.
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Custom firmware like Xiaomi.eu removes ads completely, but requires unlocking the bootloader. This irreversibly resets the phone and erases all data!
6. Frequent mistakes and how to avoid them
When trying to remove ads, users often face typical problems, and here's how to solve them:
| Problem. | Reason. | Decision |
|---|---|---|
| Advertising returns after MIUI update | System applications restore settings | Repeat steps from ADB or use Magisk to permanently disable |
| It's not working. ADB-team | No USB debugging or outdated drivers | Reinstall Xiaomi drivers and check the connection (adb devices) |
| Phone freezes after system packages are turned off | Critical services have been deactivated | Restore the package via ADB or reset to factory settings |
| I can't get root. | bootloader not unlocked or MIUI version too new | Update Magisk to the latest version or use Patched Boot |
If after manipulation of the system the phone began to brake:
- π Restart the device in Safe Mode (press the power button) β "Restarting in Safe Mode").
- π§Ή Clean the cache with recovery: Wipe β Advanced Wipe β Dalvik/ART Cache + Cache.
- π Check the CPU loading in Settings β Battery β Battery utilization.
To diagnose problems with advertising, use the following logs:
adb logcat | grep -iE "ad|msa|miuiad"This team will show the activity of the advertising modules in real time.