Xiaomi and Redmi smartphone owners often face intrusive marketing that is embedded deep in the shell of MIUI. The Redmi Note 9 Pro, being a popular mid-range model, is no exception and can display banner ads in standard applications such as “Conductor”, “Music” or “Security” This annoys users who are used to pure Android or more restrained interfaces of competitors. Fortunately, the system allows you to completely get rid of this visual noise without losing warranty or functionality.
The process of clearing the system of advertising modules does not require root rights or complex flashing of the device. Most of the settings are available in the standard settings menu, but some steps require care, as developers sometimes hide the right switches. In this article, we will discuss in detail all the steps necessary to turn your Redmi Note 9 Pro into a clean workspace, free of unsolicited offers.
It should be understood that the MIUI advertising engine is responsible not only for banners, but also for collecting usage statistics. By disabling it, you not only improve the visual experience, but also increase the level of privacy of your data. Below are proven methods that are relevant to the latest versions of MIUI firmware 12, 13 and 14, which are installed on this model.
Disabling system advertising through MSA settings
The centerpiece of Xiaomi’s advertising system is MSA (MIUI System Ads), which is the process that loads and displays most banners in the interface, and to block it, you need to find the appropriate item in the authorization menu and accounts, the path to which may vary slightly depending on the shell version, but the logic remains the same for all devices of the brand.
Go to Settings, then select Passwords and Security. In the list that opens, look for Access to Personal Data or Authorization and Privacy. This lists all system services that have access to your data. Find the msa string in the list and put the switch inactive. The system will alert you to the consequences by suggesting that you wait 10 seconds before the final shutdown.
⚠️ Note: After disabling msa, some personalization features may stop working correctly, but the basic functionality of the Redmi Note 9 Pro smartphone will not suffer.
It's important to note that you can't turn off the service the first time you do it. Xiaomi has specifically implemented a mechanism that sometimes ignores the first click of the "Revoke" button. If the switch is back in its original position, just repeat the procedure 2-3 times in a row, usually the third time the system still confirms the withdrawal of permissions.
- 🛑 Find access to personal data in the security menu.
- 🔍 Turn off the switchboard opposite the msa service.
- ⏳ Wait for the countdown to end in 10 seconds.
- ✅ Click the “Cancel” button again if the first attempt failed.
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MSA is the main source of advertising, and disabling it eliminates up to 80% of all banners in the system.
Setup of built-in Xiaomi applications
Even after the main MSA engine is disabled, individual system applications can continue to show ad integrations. Each standard Redmi application has its own settings that need to be configured separately.
Start with the Security app, which often shows suggestions when scanning the system. Open the app, click on the settings gear in the top right corner. Find the General Settings section and turn off the "Get recommendations" option. Similar actions are required for the Explorer app: go to settings, select About app, and uncheck the "Get recommendations" box.
Hidden theme settings
Don't forget the bootloader and Music. In the bootloader, you press three dots in the corner, select the settings, and turn off "Show Content." In the music app, the path is through the profile menu to the settings, where you also find the recommendation item and deactivate it, steps that are critical to fully clean the Redmi Note 9 Pro.
- 🎵 In the Music app, disable personal recommendations in the profile settings.
- 📂 In the “Conductor” remove the tick “Receive recommendations».
- 🛡️ In “Security” disable receiving recommendations in general settings.
- 📥 In the “loader” prohibit the display of advertising content.
Once you do this, the interface will be much cleaner, but it's worth remembering that system updates can reset some of these parameters, so it makes sense to periodically check their status.
Notification and personalization management
Ads on Xiaomi often come in the form of push notifications from system services like Mi Video or Mi Music, even if you don't use them. To prevent these pop-ups, you need to manage notification permissions for each application separately, which also helps save battery life.
Go to Settings → Notifications and Control Center → Application Notifications. Go through the list of MIUI system applications. If you see applications you don’t use (e.g. Mi Video, Mi Community, GetApps), just stop them from showing notifications. For important system processes, leave only critical notifications by disabling marketing categories.
You should also check your ad personalization settings. From the Settings menu → Passwords and Security → Privacy, find the Advertising Services section. You can turn off ad personalization here. This won't take away the ads completely, but it will make them less intrusive and unrelated to your search queries.
- 🔕 Disallow notifications for unused system applications.
- 🎯 Turn off personalization of ads in privacy settings.
- 📵 Clear the list of apps that are eligible to be displayed over other windows.
⚠️ Warning: Do not disable notifications for mission-critical system processes such as Google Play Services or System Launcher to ensure that the Redmi Note 9 Pro is stable.
Disabling recommendations on the desktop
One of the most annoying features of the MIUI shell is the presence of a Google or Yandex advertising tape to the left of the first desktop, as well as folders with recommended applications. On the Redmi Note 9 Pro, these elements take up useful screen space and consume Internet traffic.
To remove the news feed, swipe right on your desktop to open it. Click on the gear icon or the three dots at the top of the screen. In the menu that opens, find the Ribbon (or Google Discover, Yandex) switch and turn it off. Now, when you swipe left, nothing happens.
To remove recommendations from folders, open any folder on your desktop. If there is a Recommended section inside, click on it and select Delete or simply drag all the extra icons off the screen. Also, in the launcher settings (Settings → Desktop), you can turn off the Recommended in folders option, if available in your firmware version.
☑️ Desktop cleaning
These changes will make navigation on your smartphone faster and more enjoyable, and you will stop accidentally opening advertising pages, trying to find the right icon.
Comparison of Ad Blocking Methods
There are several approaches to combating advertising on Xiaomi. You can use standard settings, apply them. DNS-filtering or installing specialized blockers, each method has its own advantages and disadvantages, which are worth considering before choosing a strategy.
Below is a table comparing the effectiveness of different ways to disable ads on the Redmi Note 9 Pro. It will help you choose the best option depending on your skills and system requirements.
| Method | Difficulty | Efficiency | Impact on the system |
|---|---|---|---|
| MSA shutdown | Low. | High (80%) | Minimum |
| Set-up of applications | Medium | Average (15%) | Absent. |
| Private DNS | Low. | High (90%) | Possible failure in some applications |
| Third-party blockers | Tall. | Maximum (99%) | Requires battery resources |
As you can see from the table, the combination of disabling MSA and setting up apps is great without having to install additional software, but for those who want to achieve 100% of the result, you can consider using DNS.
Using DNS to Block Advertising
Modern versions of Android, including those on the Redmi Note 9 Pro, allow the use of Private DNS (Private DNS), which blocks ads at the network connection level without requiring the installation of additional applications, one of the most elegant ways to clean up traffic.
To activate, go to Settings → Connection and Sharing (or simply “Wi-Fi and the Internet”). Find Private DNS. Select “DNS Provider Host Name” and enter the address: dns.adguard.com. Save settings. Now all traffic passing through your device will be filtered, and the ad servers will simply not be able to download the banner.
dns.adguard.comThis method is effective not only in the system, but also in browsers and some games, but be careful: if the DNS server is not available, some sites or applications may stop downloading content, in which case it is enough to return the DNS setting to Auto mode.
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Use flight mode when changing DNS to reset the connection cache and apply the new settings instantly.
⚠️ Note: When using a third party DNS Your data may be passed through third party servers, and make sure you trust the provider you choose. DNS, For example, AdGuard.