Owning a Xiaomi or Redmi smartphone is often overshadowed by intrusive ads that appear in system applications and even on the desktop. Redmi Note 8 Pro users running MIUI shells are particularly exposed to this phenomenon, as the company uses ad integrations to subsidize the cost of the device. However, there are many ways to minimize this digital noise or eliminate it completely.
In this guide, we will take a closer look at how to block ads, from simple menu settings to more advanced technical solutions. You don’t need to be a programmer to do these things, but you need to be careful when switching toggles in system settings.
Before you start taking drastic measures, it’s worth understanding that some system services, such as MSA (MIUI System Ads), are responsible for collecting data and displaying banners, and disabling these components is the first and most important step to a clean interface for your gadget.
Disconnection of MIUI advertising services
The first step in the clean screen battle is to turn off the msa system service. This is the process responsible for (push) advertising notifications and displaying banners in standard applications. To do this, go to Settings → Password and Security → Data Access.
In the list that opens, find msa and put the slider inactive, the system will warn you that after turning off some functions may not work properly, and will start the countdown timer for 10 seconds. You need to wait for the countdown to end and press the Disable button.
⚠️ Note: If the first time you can not turn off the service and the timer reset, repeat the procedure 3-5 It's a well-known feature of the shell that requires persistence.
In parallel with the msa shutdown, it is recommended to limit the MIUI Daemon service, which collects usage statistics, find it in the same data access menu and also prohibit the transfer of information. This will not only remove some of the advertising, but also potentially save battery life for your Redmi Note 8 Pro.
Set up standard Xiaomi applications
After disabling system services, you need to individually go through each standard application where advertising can pop up. In Redmi Note 8 Pro, advertising integrations are built into Explorer, Music, Themes and other utilities.
Start with the Security app. Open it, click on the gear in the top right corner, and find Receive recommendations. Make sure the switch is off. Then go to the Topics app, open the profile (human icon) and in the settings also turn off the recommendations display.
Don't forget to check Explorer and Downloads. These programs often have hidden items in their settings about showing popular content, and disabling these features makes the interface more rigorous and functional.
- 📱 Open the Music app, go to settings and turn off "Show advertisements".
- 📁 In the Explorer application, go to the settings and uncheck the box from the item "Receive recommendations".
- 🔒 In the Cleanup section (within the Security app) there are also settings where you need to remove the tick from "Get recommendations".
💡
After each change in settings in the applications, completely close them through the menu of running tasks so that the changes take effect immediately.
Blocking Advertising through DNS (Private DNS)
One of the most effective and elegant ways to remove ads throughout the system, including browsers and third-party apps, is to use Private. DNS (Private DNS). This method does not require additional software installation and works at the network connection level.
To implement this method on the Redmi Note 8 Pro with Android 9 and higher (which is relevant for this model), go to Settings → Connection and Sharing → Private DNS. By default, there is the Auto mode. You need to select the option "Host Name of the DNS provider"
The input field that appears requires the address of a trusted server that blocks ads, and the most popular and proven solution is AdGuard.
dns.adguard.comOnce you enter the address, click Save. Now all traffic going through your smartphone will be filtered. Advertising queries will simply not receive a response from the server, and banners will stop loading.
| Parameter | Meaning/Action | The result |
|---|---|---|
| DNS mode | Provider host name | Manual activation |
| Server address | dns.adguard.com | Blocking ads |
| Status | Save. | Traffic filtering is active |
| Impact on speed | Minimum | Pages can load faster |
⚠️ Attention: Use of third-party DNS-servers may cause some local applications or services of the operator to work unstable. If the Internet stops working, return the setting to Auto or Disconnected".
Disabling personalized advertising
Xiaomi, like many other tech giants, collects your preferences to create an advertising profile, and even if you turn off banner displays, the system can continue to collect information in the background, and to stop this process, you need to change your privacy settings.
Go to Settings → Password & Security → Privacy. Here you are interested in Advertising Services (or “Advertising IDs”). In this menu, you must turn off Personalized Advertising.
It is also recommended to click the Reset Advertising ID button, which will assign your device a new random ID, breaking the link with the previously accumulated interest profile, and then advertisers will have to collect data about you again, which will significantly reduce the relevance and frequency of impressions.
Why do you need an advertising ID?
Removing unnecessary system applications
The firmware for the Redmi Note 8 Pro often preinstalled apps that the user did not request, such as games, hotel booking services or stores, and removing these programs is another step towards cleanliness.
The standard way to remove a system application is not to "freeze" or remove it via ADB (Android Debug Bridge). For the average user, the safest way is to disable it through settings. Find the unnecessary application in Settings → Apps → All applications.
Select an app and press the Disable button, and if the button is inactive, it means that the application is critical to the system and you shouldn't touch it, otherwise it will disappear from the menu and stop using resources.
- 🗑️ Find in the list of applications with names WPS Office, Facebook, Amazon Shopping (if you don't use them).
- 🚫 Click on them and select Disable or Delete.
- 🧹 Clear the cache of these apps before deleting to free up space in memory.
☑️ Checking system cleanliness
Use of content blockers
If embedded funds MIUI Not enough, but we have specialized blocking apps coming to our aid. DNS-And the way they filter content inside apps is more flexible. One of the most popular solutions is AdGuard, not to be confused with the Android version. DNS).
These applications require special permissions to run, and AdGuard will ask you to create a new one when you first run them. VPN-It's necessary to filter traffic. Don't be afraid of the words. VPN — In this case, the traffic is not transmitted anywhere, but only analyzed locally.
It is also important to set up autostart and work in the background so that the system does not “kill” the blocker to save energy. Go to Settings → Battery and Performance → Application Management, find your blocker and allow Autostart and work in the background without restrictions.
⚠️ Note: Installing third-party blockers may lead to conflicts with (some) banking applications or applications that verify system integrity.
💡
A comprehensive approach combining disabling MSA, setting up DNS and using a local blocker gives a 99% guarantee of no ads.