How to permanently remove ads from the lock screen on Xiaomi Redmi Note 9

The lock screen of the Xiaomi Redmi Note 9 is the first thing you see when you turn on your smartphone. But instead of beautiful wallpaper or useful information, users often encounter intrusive advertising from MIUI. Banners not only spoil the appearance, but also slow down the unlock of the device, and sometimes even lead to random clicks. In this article, we will discuss all the working ways of removing ads, from standard settings to advanced methods using ADB.

The problem with advertising on the Redmi Note 9 is related to Xiaomi’s policy of integrating ad modules into system applications. Depending on the region and version of MIUI (Global, China, EEU), the ways to turn off may vary. It is important to understand that some methods require developer rights or even unlock the bootloader, which can affect the warranty. We will start with the safest options and gradually move to more radical ones.

Why is there an ad on the lock screen Redmi Note 9

Advertising on the lock screen is part of the monetization of MIUI. Xiaomi embeds advertising SDKs into system applications such as:

• 📱 Mi Browser – Even if you don’t use it, it can display banners;
• 🔒 Lockscreen – a separate module responsible for the contents of the lock screen;
• 📊 Security – sometimes loads ads through widgets;
• 🎵 Mi Music and Mi Video – can affect background processes.

In MIUI 12-14 versions for Redmi Note 9, ads are activated by default in regions with "free" firmware (Global, EEU), it may not be in the Chinese version (China ROM), but there are no Google services, and ads are more likely to appear if:

• 📶 You are using mobile internet (not Wi-Fi);
• 🔄 Unlock your phone frequently (the system considers you an "active user");
• 📱 Xiaomi apps installed (e.g. Mi Community or Themes).

⚠️ Note: Some “tips” on the Internet offer to disable updates to system applications through Settings → It’s dangerous: without security updates, your Redmi Note 9 will become vulnerable to viruses.

Method 1: Disabling Advertising through MIUI Settings (without root)

The easiest method is to use the built-in MIUI options, which is suitable for most users and does not require technical skills.

1. Open the Settings → Lock screen.
2. Switch to Lock Screen Settings (or additionally, depending on version).
3. Find Advertising Recommendations (or Show Recommendations) and turn off the slider.
4. Go back to the basic settings and go to Settings → Applications → Application Management.
5. In the search, type msa (this is the MIUI System Ads application).
6. Choose Stop and Disable (if available).

If there is no Advertising Recommendation, try an alternative way:

1. Go to Settings. → The phone.
2. Slip the MIUI version 7 times to activate the developer mode.
3. Back to Settings → Additionally. → For developers.
4. Find USB Debugging and Allow OEM Unlock – Enable both.

Disable "Advertising Recommendations" in the lock screen settings|

Stop the msa application via "Application Management" |

Activate Developer Mode (7 taps according to MIUI) |

Enable debugging on USB unlock OEM-->

This works on 60 to 70 percent of devices, but it doesn't guarantee a 100 percent result. If you still have ads, move on to the next method.

Method 2: Using ADB to Deeply Disable Advertising

If you don't have the standard settings, you'll have to connect to your phone via ADB, which is Google's official tool for managing system settings, and the advantage is that you don't need root rights, but you need to connect to a PC.

First, prepare everything you need:

• 💻 Computer with Windows/Linux/macOS;
• 📱 Redmi Note 9 with Debugging enabled USB;
• 🔌 USB-cable (preferably original);
• 📦 Installed Xiaomi and ADB-tools drivers.

Now, execute the commands in order:

adb devices

(Your device should show up. If not, check the drivers and the cable.)

adb shell pm hide com.miui.systemAdSolution

This command hides the system application responsible for advertising.

adb shell pm hide com.xiaomi.midrop

Disables the Mi Drop background service, which sometimes loads banners.

adb shell settings put global captive_portal_detection_enabled 0

Prohibits checking of the Internet connection that can show ads.

💡

If after executing commands, the ad returns after the reboot, add these applications to the list of Disabled through Settings → Applications.

Important: After the MIUI update, all changes through ADB are reset. Repeat the procedure after each major update.

Method 3: Install an alternative launcher (without root)

If the ads are not only on the lock screen, but also in the app menu, you can install a third-party launcher, which will replace the standard MIUI interface and block the system banners.

After the launcher is installed:

1. Run it and select Set as default launcher.
2. Go to the launcher settings and disable all options related to MIUI (e.g. Show system widgets).
3. Install a third-party weather widget (like Weather Timeline) to replace the system widget.

⚠️ Note: Launchers do not remove ads from system notifications (for example, in the curtain). ADB root.

Standard MIUI|

Nova Launcher|

Lawnchair|

Microsoft Launcher|

Other-->

Method 4: Disabling Advertising through Hosts Editing (for Advanced)

This method blocks Xiaomi's ad servers at the network level, and you need to edit the hosts file on Android, minus: you need root rights or use ADB with the right to write to the system partition.

List of domains to block (add them to the end of the hosts file):

127.0.0.1 ad.mi.com


127.0.0.1 data.mistat.xiaomi.com




127.0.0.1 sdkconfig.ad.intl.xiaomi.com




127.0.0.1 globalapi.ad.xiaomi.com




127.0.0.1 tracking.miui.com

How to edit hosts without root:

1. Connect your phone to your PC and activate ADB.
2. Execute the command: adb pull /system/etc/hosts.
3. Open the file in Notepad and add lines from the list above.
4. Save the file and download it back: adb push hosts /system/etc/hosts
5. Reboot the phone.

If a Read-only file system error occurs, your Redmi Note 9 does not allow you to edit system files without root, in which case only unlocking the bootloader and installing custom recovery (for example, TWRP) will help.

Method 5: Install custom firmware (radical method)

If all the previous methods didn't work, the last option is to install custom firmware, which will completely remove all MIUI advertising modules, but require:

• 🔓 Unlock the bootloader (reset all data!);
• 📥 Installations TWRP or other recovery;
• 🛠️ Ability to work with fastboot and ADB.

Best Firmware for Redmi Note 9 (codename: merlin):

Step-by-step:

1. Unlock the bootloader through Mi Unlock Tool (you need a Xiaomi account and wait 7-14 days).
2. Install TWRP via fastboot: fastboot flash recovery twrp.img fastboot boot twrp.img
3. In TWRP, make a backup of the current firmware (Backup → System + Data).
4. Sweep the custom firmware through Install.
5. Clean Dalvik/Cache and reboot.

⚠️ Warning: Wrong firmware can turn the Redmi Note 9 into a brick. Before you start, check the firmware compatibility with your model (codename: merlin) on the XDA-Developers forum.

💡

Custom firmware removes not only ads, but all Xiaomi system applications, which can lead to the loss of features like the IR remote or Game Turbo mode.

What to do if the ad returns after the MIUI update

Xiaomi regularly releases updates that can restore ad modules. If banners reappear after the update, try:

1. Repeat steps from Method 1 and 2 (Settings + ADB).
2. Reverse to the previous version of MIUI via fastboot (if there is a backup).
3. Use the App Inspector app (from Google Play) to find a new advertising app and disable it manually.
4. Install Blokada – an ad blocker at the DNS level (works without root).

If the update is automatic and you can’t return the old version, check:

• 🔍 Availability of new advertising packages in Settings → Apps (search by keywords: ad, msa, recommendation);
• 📡 Work. VPN or DNS-Blocker (e.g. AdGuard) DNS);
• 🔄 Logs of system applications through ADB logcat (for experienced users).

FAQ: Frequent questions about ads on Redmi Note 9