Xiaomi’s current smartphones, including the popular Redmi Note 8 Pro, are known for their excellent price-performance ratio. However, the company’s aggressive marketing policies often lead to the interface of the MIUI operating system being oversaturated with banner ads. This can irritate users who are used to a pure Android without unnecessary pop-ups. Complete removal of intrusive content requires a comprehensive approach and consistent execution of actions.
In this article, we will take a look at all the ways you can combat ads on your device, not only standard system settings, but also deeper methods such as disabling system services. Following these instructions will allow you to turn the Redmi Note 8 Pro into a convenient tool for work and entertainment.
Before making changes, it is important to understand that some system components may try to restore default settings. Therefore, it is recommended to go through all the stages of configuration described below to ensure maximum efficiency.
MSA Disconnection: The Main Source of Advertising
The centerpiece of the advertising ecosystem in the MIUI shell is the MSA (MIUI System Ads) process, which is responsible for collecting data on user behavior and displaying ads in standard applications. Without disabling this service, complete interface cleaning is impossible. The process of disabling has its own nuances that must be taken into account.
To start, go to the settings menu of your Redmi Note 8 Pro. Find the Password and Security section and select Access to Personal Data. From the app list that opens, find msa and put the switch to an inactive state, the system will warn you of the consequences, and also start a countdown of 10 seconds.
⚠️ Attention: Often the first time you can not turn off the service - the button may become inactive or an error will appear.In this case, you need to repeat the procedure 3 to 5 times in a row until the system accepts your request.
After successfully disabling msa, advertising in most system applications should disappear, but this process also affects the operation of some built-in features, such as personalized recommendations in the theme of the design. If you notice a failure in the standard widgets, you may need to selectively activate the service, but for most users this will not be a problem.
Periodically check the status of the msa service after major firmware updates. This will ensure stable operation of the device without sudden appearance of banners.
Setup of system applications: Security and Explorer
Even after the main service is disabled, some applications may retain remnants of ad integrations. In particular, standard Explorer and Security often contain sections with recommendations, which must be manually disabled through the internal settings of each application.
Start with the Security app. Open it and tap the gear in the top right corner of the screen. In the settings menu, find Receive recommendations and deactivate it. It's also worth checking the OCleaner section, which may also be hiding the ad notification switch, which will clear the interface of unnecessary visual noise.
Then we go to Explorer. Launch the app and call the side menu. In Settings, find the Recommendation option and turn it off. This action will remove banners that often appear on the file manager's home page. Now the navigation through the files will be fast and clean.
- 🔒 Turn off receiving recommendations in the Security for a clean interface app.
- 📁 In Explorer, remove the tick from the item Show advertising in the settings.
- 🛡️ Check the bootloader app for similar options in the settings menu.
☑️ Verification of system applications
Don’t ignore these steps, as built-in advertising in system utilities is one of the most annoying factors for Xiaomi users.A clean interface increases speed and reduces the chance of a random click on a fraudulent banner.
Cleaning up ads in the Mi browser and the Music app
The standard Mi Browser browser and the Music app are also channels for distribution of advertising content, and by default, they are set to actively interact with the company's servers to display news and promotional materials, and changing these settings is critical for the comfortable use of multimedia features.
In the Music app, you need to open the menu, go to the settings, and find the Advanced Settings section, and you should turn off the Receive Recommendations option, which will remove banners with album covers and subscription offers that often overlap the player interface on the Redmi Note 8 Pro.
As for the browser, the situation is similar: Open a three-bar menu, select Settings, then Privacy and Security. Find the Receive recommendations switch and turn it off. It is also recommended to clear the browser cache to remove saved advertising scripts.
| Annex | The path to adjustment | What to turn off | The effect |
|---|---|---|---|
| Security | Settings (cogs) | Receive recommendations | Removing banners in the scanner |
| Conductor | Menu → Settings | Recommendations | Clean homepage |
| Music. | Settings → Advanced | Receive recommendations | Lack of advertising in the player |
| Mi Browser. | Settings → Confidentiality | Receive recommendations | No news feeds or banners |
After doing this, you will notice that the system is running faster, and fewer background processes that load ads have a positive effect on the battery life of your smartphone.
Advertising Personalization and MIUI Daemon
Xiaomi collects your preferences for advertising targeting, and to stop this process, you need to disable personalization in your global account settings, which will not only increase privacy, but also reduce the frequency of relevant but still unwanted ads.
Go to Settings → Password and Security → Privacy. This is the Advertising Services section. Inside you will see the Advertising Personalization switch that you need to deactivate. It is also recommended to click Reset Advertising ID to reset your profile.
⚠️ Attention: Process MIUI Daemon is responsible for transmitting device usage statistics to the developer's servers, and disabling it in the User Experience section will significantly improve your digital hygiene.
In the User Experience section (often in the About Phone menu or in advanced settings), disable all items related to sending usage and diagnostic data.This will prevent background transmission of information about which apps you run and how often.
Regularly resetting your ID and turning off your diagnosis is a good habit for any Android smartphone owner, which minimizes the digital footprint and makes using the Redmi Note 8 Pro more fun.
Removing Pre-Installed Garbage and Bloatware
Redmi smartphones often come with a lot of pre-installed apps that not only take up space, but can also contain advertising modules, and removing or disabling such software is an important step in optimizing applications like GetApps, Mi Video, Mi Community and various games.
Removing system applications that are not removed in the standard way may require the use of ADB (Android Debug Bridge) or specialized slits on PCs such as Xiaomi ADB/Fastboot Tools. However, for most users, it is enough to simply disable them in the application management menu.
Go to Settings → Applications → All apps. Find unnecessary system programs. If the Remove button is inactive, click Disable. This will hide the application from the menu and prevent it from running in the background.
- 🗑️ GetApps – Xiaomi app store, the main source of push notifications with advertising.
- 🎮 Mi Games is a gaming center that often sends notifications about new games.
- 📺 Mi Video and Mi Music – can be replaced with third-party analogues without advertising.
Be careful when disabling system components: Do not remove applications related to the operation of the phone, SMS or system interface if you are not sure of their purpose. This can lead to unstable MIUI operation.
Using DNS to block advertising at the network level
One of the most effective methods that works not only in the browser, but also in the applications is to use a private DNS filtered, which does not require root rights and allows you to block advertising requests before they reach your device.
Modern versions of Android, including those on the Redmi Note 8 Pro, have built-in DNS-over-TLS support. Go to Settings → Connection and Sharing (or Wi-Fi) → Private DNS. Select DNS Host Name Mode and enter a trusted filter address, such as dns.adguard.com.
dns.adguard.comOnce you save your settings, all your device traffic will start going through the filter server, which will remove ads from most free apps and games, and also prevent you from visiting phishing sites. If the Internet stops working, just return the setting to Auto mode.
⚠️ Attention: Use of third-party DNS It may slightly increase the response time of the network in some cases, and some carriers may block the operation of public networks. DNS, requiring the use of its servers.
This method is the most versatile solution for blocking ads across the system at once, without requiring deep modifications to each application separately.It is especially effective when combined with disabling the msa service.