How to disable ads on the screensaver Xiaomi Redmi 9: the complete guide

Xiaomi smartphones are famous for their functionality and affordable price, but users are often annoyed by built-in advertising integration. Owners of the Redmi 9 model are no exception and regularly encounter intrusive banners that appear in the most unexpected places of the system.

Fortunately, the MIUI operating system that powers the smartphone shell provides the flexible tools to manage this content, so you don't have to be a seasoned programmer or super-user to regain control of the interface, but you just have to go through a few things in the settings menu in a row to get rid of visual noise forever.

In this article, we will discuss in detail all possible methods of blocking advertising materials. We will touch not only on the standard lock screen settings, but also on the system services responsible for (push) notifications. Following the instructions, you can turn your gadget into a convenient tool without unnecessary information debris.

Disabling the MSA service – a system ad blocker

The first and most effective step to clean the system is to deactivate the MSA (MIUI System Ads) service, which is responsible for collecting data about your actions and then demonstrating targeted banners in various system applications and on the lock screen.

To find this option, you need to go to the settings menu and select Password and Security. Next, scroll to the bottom and find System Services or Special Opportunities. In the list of running services, you need to find msa and switch the slider to an inactive state. The system will warn you that a shutdown may affect the operation of certain functions.

It's important to note that you can't turn off the service the first time you try it. MIUI sometimes requires you to wait 10 seconds before you try again, mimicking a delay, so that the user doesn't accidentally turn off an important service, but in the case of advertising, it's more of a company's own defense mechanism.

⚠️ Attention: After the service is disconnected MSA Some widgets of the tape “Wallpaper Carousel” may stop updating or work incorrectly, as they are tied to the same advertising engine.

If you use a device all the time, turning off the service will have little to no effect on the stability of the main applications, but if you (rely) on automatically changing the themes of the carousel, you should be prepared for changes in its behavior.

Setting up the wallpaper carousel and lock screen

The main source of graphic content on the lock screen in Xiaomi smartphones is the “Wallpaper Carousel” function, which replaces the standard static picture with dynamic tape with photos and, unfortunately, advertising inserts.

To control this function, go to Settings → Lock screen. Here you will see the item "Wallpaper Carousel". If you want to completely remove any third-party images and banners, just turn off this switch. After that, only your static image and widgets will remain on the lock screen.

If you like the idea of changing pictures, but you want to remove ads, you can try a more subtle setup: go inside the wallpaper carousel menu, click three dots in the corner and select Settings. Here you can turn off the option "Get content online", which will prevent new images and ad units from downloading from the network.

Keep in mind that completely shutting down the carousel will return the standard, often static, look of the lock screen, which may even be preferable for users who appreciate the minimalism and speed of the device, as the background processes of downloading pictures will no longer consume traffic and battery power.

Managing personalized recommendations

In addition to explicit advertising, MIUI actively uses a recommendation system that analyzes your preferences, which is used to generate news feeds and offers that can be displayed in various sections of the interface, including the lock screen.

To limit data collection, look for “Password and Security” and then “Privacy” in the settings. In the “Advertising Services” or “Advertising Services” section, you need to disable “Personalized Advertising” in this way, which will not remove the ads completely, but will make them less intrusive and tied to your interests.

Also worth looking at is the Security app, which often hides items in the settings that allow you to receive recommendations and news, and disabling these options helps reduce the number of pop-ups and marketing notifications.

Cleaning the ad ID cache is another useful step, and in the same menu of ad services, you can find the Reset Ad ID button, which regularly resets the accumulated user profile, making it difficult to target.

Disabling notifications in system applications

Often, the ads on the locked screen appear not as part of the design, but as push notifications from Xiaomi system applications. Programs such as Music, Video, Cleanup or Explorer have built-in mechanisms for promoting content.

For each application, you need to individually go to the notification settings. The path usually looks like: Settings → Notifications and Status bar → Notification management. Find the system application in the list and turn off notification categories related to Recommendations, Promotions or News.

Pay special attention to the Downloads and Security app, which are the ones that most often send notifications about hot offers or new features that open the browser or app store when clicked, and disabling notification permissions for these services will significantly clear the notification curtain and lock screen.

The table below shows the main system applications and types of notifications that are recommended to be disabled for comfort:

Doing this can seem tedious, as there are many points, but doing it once after you buy or reset your settings will ensure you have a quiet smartphone experience for a long time.

Use of “No Sound” and “Do Not Disturb” modes

While Do Not Disturb and No Sound modes are primarily designed to control audio signals, they also affect the visual display of content on a locked screen. In some versions of MIUI, the Do Not Disturb Strict Mode activation hides the content of notifications, leaving only the application icon.

This can be a temporary solution if you need to focus or give a presentation and you don’t want to see pop-up banners. You can set up automatic activation of this mode on a schedule in the appropriate settings section.

But it's important to understand that this doesn't remove ads from the system, it just masks the display of ads on the lock screen, and the background data collection and campaign preparation processes will continue to work, consuming the resources of the device.

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Use the Do Not Disturb mode with the Repeat Calls setting to avoid missing an emergency call, but to hide the advertising noise from prying eyes.

To constantly combat advertising, it is better to use the methods described in the previous sections, aimed at disabling the sources of content, rather than masking its display.

Advanced methods: DNS and third-party launchers

If the standard settings of Redmi 9 do not give the desired result, you can use more radical but effective methods. DNS-server to the entire system level. DNS Ad-blocking (e.g. AdGuard) DNS) It allows you to filter traffic before it even gets to the apps.

To configure DNS, go to Settings → Connection & Sharing → Private DNS. Enter the address of the server that supports the lock, such as dns.adguard.com. This method often allows you to remove ads even in places where there are no explicit settings, including some system banners.

Another option is to install a third-party launcher. The standard MIUI shell is deeply integrated into the system, but installing an alternative desktop (for example, Nova Launcher or Microsoft Launcher) allows you to completely replace the lock screen and interface.

⚠️ Warning: Installing third-party launchers on Redmi 9 can lead to increased battery consumption and delays in animation, as optimization MIUI native-interface.

Use of the DNS-Filtering is a safer and lighter way that doesn’t require the installation of additional heavy software, especially for mid-segment models where every megabyte of RAM counts.

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The combination of disabling MSA and setting up a private DNS blocks up to 95% of all ads on the system without the need to install additional apps.

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