How to remove ads on the phone Xiaomi Redmi Note 8 Pro

Xiaomi smartphone owners often encounter intrusive ads that appear in system applications and even on the desktop.This is a feature of the MIUI shell, which is set up by default to collect data and show promotional content. However, for a Redmi Note 8 Pro user, this can be a serious irritant, reducing the comfort of the device.

Fortunately, the company's engineers have left the ability to manually disable most of the ad modules, so you don't have to have super-user rights or reflash your phone, you just need to go through a few menu items in sequence and deactivate the services you need, and we'll go through each step of the setup in detail below.

It is worth noting that removing ads completely requires a comprehensive approach: simply closing one window is not enough, since MSA (MIUI System Ads) advertising modules are integrated into various system components, and ignoring even one step can lead to banners returning after a while.

⚠️ Note: Before making changes to your system settings, make sure your device is connected to a stable Wi-Fi network, as some settings require synchronization with the server.

Disabling the MSA service, the main source of advertising

The main generator of advertising traffic in the system is the system application msa, which is responsible for analyzing your actions and selecting the appropriate banners, and disabling this service is the first and most important step in cleaning the system.

To start, you need to go to your phone settings. 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 consequences by offering to wait 10 seconds.

After the timer has expired, press the Stop button. It is important to do this step carefully, since the service may not turn off the first time. If the slider returns to its original position, repeat the procedure 2-3 times. Usually, on the third attempt, the restriction is removed permanently.

After successful disabling of msa, the number of pop-ups should be significantly reduced, but this service is not responsible for all advertising, so we move on to the following settings.

Setup of Xiaomi system applications

Many built-in utilities, such as Explorer, Cleanup, and Music, have their own recommendation settings, which are often hidden in the depths of the menu and are not disabled by the global slider.

Let's take an example of the Security app. Open it, click on the gear in the top right corner, and find Receive recommendations. Turn the switch to off. Similar steps should be taken for Explorer: click the menu (three bars), select Settings, and turn off Recommendations.

The Topic app is a little different: Go to the user profile (human icon), select Settings and uncheck the Display Ads and Personal Recommendations boxes, which will remove banners from the theme and widget catalog.

Remember that every system application is updated regardless of the firmware, so after a major MIUI update, it’s worth checking these settings again, as they may reset.

Removing Advertising in Mi Browser

Xiaomi’s standard browser is known for its aggressive advertising policy, which can show news feeds and promotional materials even on the homepage, and to turn it into a minimalist surfing tool, you need to change several parameters.

Open your browser and go to the settings menu. Find the Privacy and Security section. Here you are interested in Use Safe Search - it is better to leave it on, but below find the option to Receive news and notifications and turn it off. Also in the basic settings, you should remove the tick from Show on the start page.

For a deeper cleanup, go to Additional and select Site Settings, where you can prevent sites from sending notifications and opening pop-up windows, which will significantly reduce the amount of junk content when you visit various resources.

If you don’t use a standard browser, you can simply remove or disable it by installing an alternative like Chrome or Firefox with built-in blockers.

Cleaning the desktop and widget tape

Owners of the Redmi Note 8 Pro often complain about ads on the left-hand desktop slide (Google Discover or Yandex.Zen), which consume traffic and distract from the main use of the smartphone.

To remove the extra tape, you need to pinch the empty space on your desktop with your finger. In the menu that appears, select Settings (or More). Find the Widget Ribbon or Google Discover section and turn off the switch. Now, when you swipe to the left, nothing happens.

It's also worth checking the app folders. Sometimes inside the folders, Xiaomi automatically creates a Recommended section where the suggestions for installing games are located. Go to any folder, click on the folder name on the top to open the settings, and remove the tick from the Advertising or Recommendations item.

After this manipulation, your desktop will be cleaner and swipes will be faster and more predictable, and the system will stop loading heavy news images in the background.

Disabling notifications from system services

Even after the main sources are disabled, some apps may continue to send push notifications of an advertising nature, most often for Mi Video, Mi Music and the GetApps app store.

Go to Settings → Notifications and Status bar → Notification management. Go through the system app list. Find GetApps and turn off all notification categories except perhaps critical security updates. Do the same with media players.

The GetApps store itself also has internal settings: Open your profile, go to Settings, and find Notifications. Uncheck Promotions and Recommendations, and this will prevent intrusive banners from appearing in the notification curtain.

⚠️ Warning: Do not disable notifications completely for system processes such as Google Play Services or Security to ensure that your phone’s critical functions are not disrupted.

Using DNS to block advertising at the network level

There is a more advanced way to combat ad traffic that doesn't require you to configure each app separately. DNS-Wi-Fi servers and mobile connections, which block requests to known ad servers.

Go to Settings → Connection and Sharing → Private DNS. Select DNS Host Name and enter the address: dns.adguard.com. Save settings. Now all traffic going through that DNS will be filtered.

This method is effective not only for system applications, but also for browsers and some games. IP-Address, the lock may stop working until the database update DNS-provider.

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If after changing the DNS, some sites or images in applications stopped loading, return the DNS settings to the position "Auto" or "Disabled".

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

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The complex setup takes about 15 minutes, but provides comfortable use of the smartphone throughout its life without unnecessary visual noise.