Xiaomi smartphone owners often encounter intrusive banner ads that appear in system applications. Especially annoying when advertising recommendations pop up right in the Gallery when viewing photos. This not only distracts, but also consumes traffic, and can slow down the device. In the Redmi Note 9 Pro model, this problem is solved by disabling system services responsible for marketing.
The ad engine is built deep into the MIUI shell and works through special system processes. To get rid of banners forever, you need to perform a series of sequential actions in security settings and applications. It is important to understand that simply removing shortcuts will not help, since we are talking about background services. Below we will detail each step that will allow you to clean the interface of unnecessary visual noise.
Before you start manipulating, make sure you have access to your main Mi Account, although in most cases this is not required. All actions are done using the regular tools of the Android operating system with the shell MIUI. You do not need third-party programs or root rights, which makes the process safe for beginners.
MSA Disconnection: The Main Source of Advertising
The main source of intrusive offers in the system is the MSA (MIUI System Ads) service, which collects data about your preferences and translates advertising blocks into various applications, including the Gallery. Disabling this service is the first and most important step in the struggle for a clean interface. Without this action, other settings may not be effective.
To start, you need to go to the smartphone settings menu. Find the Password and Security section and select Access to Personal Data. From the app list that opens, find msa and put the slider inactive. The system will warn you of the possible consequences and suggest waiting 10 seconds before confirming.
⚠️ Warning: If the slider returned to its original position after a few seconds, don't panic. This is standard system behavior. 2-3 once in a row until the system accepts your request.
Once the msa is successfully disabled, it is also recommended that other system components such as GetApps and MIUI Daemon be restricted, which will create an additional barrier to telemetry collection, but MSA is responsible for the visual part of advertising integration, and without this component, most banners will stop loading.
Clearing the data and cache of the Gallery application
Even after the system ad is turned off, the old ad modules can remain in the Gallery app cache. To make the changes effective immediately, you need to perform a forced data cleanup, which will not delete your photos, since they are stored separately, but reset the display settings of the interface.
Go to Settings, then select Apps and click All Apps. Search Gallery in the list. click Clean (or Storage) and then select Clear Everything. Don't worry, your media files will stay in place, but the app will go back to factory display settings.
After this procedure, when you first run the Gallery, the interface may look a little different. It's normal for the system to re-form the preview and folder structure without considering advertising recommendations. If you've used Favorites or hidden albums, you may need to re-configure their visibility.
What to do if hidden albums are missing?
If you don't see previously hidden albums after cleaning up the data, check the concealment settings. Sometimes you need to re-enter the privacy protection password if it was installed. Your files are still there, they're just hidden from quick viewing. Go to the Gallery settings and find the hidden album management point. Set up recommendations in the "Discover" section In the MIUI shell, there is a special recommendation section that is often integrated into various system applications. In the Gallery, it can be displayed as a news feed or a "Recommendations" block. This content is loaded via the Internet and is also a form of advertising material. Set up from the app and turn on the page and turn off the page from the app's page. The name may vary depending on the firmware version, but the essence remains the same - the ban on downloading external content. → Mi Account. → Advertising services: You can turn off personalized ads, which will reduce the relevance of the content offered, even if it is displayed. However, completely disabling the application itself is more effective. DNS (If standard methods do not give 100% result or you want to guarantee a lock at the network level, use the method. DNS. This method redirects requests to ad servers to nowhere. It works globally for all applications, including Gallery, browsers and games. Modern versions of Android (starting with version 9) have a built-in Private Feature. DNS. Go to Settings. → Connection and Sharing (or Wi-Fi and Internet). Find a private item DNS (Private DNS) and select the mode "Host Name of the provider" DNS". Type in the box: dns.adguard.com. Save settings. Now all requests to known ad domains will be blocked before they reach your device. Parameter Value/Action Result Mode DNS Host Name Provider Activation of manual input Server address dns.adguard.com Advertising Impact on battery Minimum Minor consumption growth Internet speed Without changes Pages can load faster 📊 Which Ad Blocking Method Did You Like More? MSA Hand-cleaning of the cache Gallery Setup Private DNSIntegrated Approach Not yet tried anything Disabling Personalization and Analytics System MIUI It's constantly collecting data about which photos you're watching more often to suggest relevant content. It's part of the Personalization function. Disabling this option not only increases privacy, but also removes "You may like" blocks in the interface. Go to Settings. → Password and security → Privacy. Find the Improvement Program or Analytics section and turn off all switches. Also on this menu can be Advertising IDs — reset them or disable usage. The Gallery app itself also has its own analytics settings. Open the gallery settings and find Service Improvement or similar. Disabling here will prevent reports about the use of photo viewing functions from being sent to the developer’s servers. ⚠️ Note: Once all analytics services are turned off, some smart features, such as automatic face or location sorting, may work less accurately or take longer to process. Sometimes the ads in the Gallery appear not because of the system, but because of the third-party application you installed. Viruses or aggressive "optimizers" can embed their banners on top of the system windows. If you have adverts after all the settings, do an audit of installed apps. Pay attention to the applications you have recently installed: flashlights, scanners. QR, "Memory accelerators. Often, they're the source of the problem. Delete suspicious programs and check your phone with the built-in Security antivirus. Run a full scan through the Security app. It will check the system for known threats and malicious scripts. If a virus is found, follow the instructions for its removal. In rare cases, it may be necessary to reset before factory settings. 💡Advertising can be a sign of malware. If standard settings don't help, look for newly installed apps with suspicious permissions. Frequently asked questions (FAQ) Will the shutdown remove? MSA my pictures? No, shutdown service. MSA Or cleaning the Gallery cache, it doesn't affect your personal files in any way. Photos and videos are stored in a separate memory partition and will remain intact. Only temporary files and interface display settings are deleted. Why the slider MSA Does it not turn off the first time? It's the protective mechanism of the shell. MIUI. The system tries to keep the service active, and you have to be patient and press "Disable" several times in a row (usually). 3-5 once) until the countdown timer expires and the switch locks. Does the ad blocking affect the performance of other applications? Most of the time it doesn't. However, some free applications may ask to include ads to keep going. DNS It may disrupt some sites or applications linked to ad networks, but the system gallery will work consistently. Do you need to reflash your phone to remove ads altogether? No, flashing it to a global version or custom firmware (like the Pixel Experience) is a radical method. The Redmi Note 9 Pro has enough of the settings described above within the standard MIUI to make it comfortable to use without unnecessary visual noise.