Owners of budget and mid-budget smartphones often face intrusive marketing, which is built into the shell of MIUI. Model Redmi Note 8 Pro, despite its popularity and excellent characteristics, was no exception to the rule.
Fortunately, the company's engineers have designed the ability to deactivate most of the ad modules without having to get superuser rights or flashing them. You don't have to be an IT expert to do this. You just have to go through a few steps of system tuning to clear the interface of the unnecessary visual noise and speed up the smartphone.
In this article, we will look at not only standard methods of disabling through settings, but also deeper ways to block system services, we will look at which components are responsible for broadcasting content, and how to safely limit their activities, which will allow you to enjoy a clean desktop and a quick response system.
Analysis of advertising sources in the shell of MIUI
Before you take any action, you need to understand the nature of the advertisements. In the Android operating system, which is adapted by Xiaomi, a special system component called MSA (MIUI System Ads) is responsible for this, which collects data about your preferences and generates personalized offers.
But MSA isn't the only culprit. Ad integrations are also built into standard applications like Security, Downloads, Music, and Explorer. Every time you open a folder on your desktop, the system can load recommended applications if the option is activated, and understanding this structure helps to pinpoint the sources of annoyance.
⚠️ Warning: Completely deleting system files through third-party programs can cause your smartphone to run unstable. Use only proven disabling methods through settings or ADB-The commands described in this article.
It is important to note that advertising in MIUI It is divided into two types: system (in the interface) and browser (pop-ups in Chrome or other browsers).In this guide, we focus specifically on the system elements that appear on the Redmi Note 8 Pro desktop. DNS or install content blockers.
Disabling MSA Service and Personalization
The first and most effective step is to disable the MSA service, which interrupts the process of receiving advertising data from the manufacturer’s servers, and without this step, the rest of the settings may not be effective, as the system will continue to request banners in the background.
To start, you need to go to the smartphone settings menu. Find the Password and Security section (in some firmware versions it may simply be called “Security”). Inside this menu, select the Personal Data Access section, and here you can see the list of apps that have the right to use your data for targeting.
☑️ Checking the ad-off
In the list that opens, find the msa app and move the slider to the “Off” position, the system will warn you that some features may stop working correctly, and will prompt you to wait 10 seconds before confirming, a standard MIUI protective measure designed to keep the user from turning off the service.
When the timer expires, click the “Disable” button. If the first time failed and an error message appeared, repeat the procedure 2-3 times. Sometimes Xiaomi servers are overloaded and the command does not pass the first time. It is also recommended to turn off the “Receive recommendations” item in the “Settings” section → Password and security → Authorization.
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If the MSA switch is constantly returning to active state, try first to turn off the Internet, turn off the service, and then turn the network back on.
Setting up the desktop and application folders
Once the main ad module is blocked, you should clean the interface itself, and most often, users notice banners in the application folders on the desktop, and these recommendations can be manually disabled through the launcher settings.
Go to Settings of your Redmi Note 8 Pro and scroll down to Desktop, and here you are interested in a few options that may be active by default. Find the Recommend option (or Get Recommendations) and make sure the slider is off. This will remove the ad icons from the folders.
Next, check the settings of the Google Discover widget, which is to the left of the first screen. Swipe right on your desktop, click three dots in the corner, or pinch an empty space and select Settings. Turn off the News Feed switch if you don't use this feature, as it often contains promotional articles.
| Setup parameter | Location on the menu | Recommended value | Impact on the system |
|---|---|---|---|
| Receive recommendations | Settings → Desktop | Off | Takes ads out of folders |
| News feed | Desktop settings / Swipe to the left | Off | Clears the left screen. |
| Wallpaper carousel | Settings → Always on screen | Off | Removes ads on the lock screen |
| Personal recommendations | Security Appendix → Settings | Off | Reduces the CPU load |
Cleaning system applications from banners
Ad integrations are often hidden inside standard utilities, such as the Security app, which is the control center of the system, shows ads by default in the Cleanup and Acceleration section. To remove them, open the app, click on the gear in the upper right corner, and find Receive recommendations by turning it off.
The same situation is true for the Downloads app. When you open the download list, you can see the promotional offers. To eliminate them, click three dots in the corner of the screen, select Settings, and turn off the option to Show recommended content. This action will instantly clear the bootloader interface.
Don't forget the Themes app. It's the main distribution channel for paid and free content, so it aggressively promotes new wallpapers and ringtones. Go to the user profile (human icon), then to Settings and disable Personal Guidelines and Autoplay videos.
⚠️ Note: In some regions (e.g. India or Indonesia), the number of ads in system applications may be higher. If you don't find the switches described, try changing the region in your phone settings to "USA" or "Germany».
Also check the Explorer app. It often has a hidden option called Get References, which is responsible for pop-ups with news or suggestions when you start a file manager. Disabling this feature makes working with files quick and clean.
Blocking through DNS and third-party solutions
If standard methods are not enough, a more radical but effective way to do this is to block at the network level, using a private DNS that allows you to filter traffic and block requests to ad servers before they reach your Redmi Note 8 Pro.
To do this, go to Settings → Connection and Sharing → Private DNS. Select the “DNS Provider Host Name” option and enter the address: dns.adguard.com. Save settings. This method blocks ads not only in the system, but also in many applications and browsers, without requiring additional software installation.
What if the Internet disappeared after the DNS change?
Another powerful tool is the use of blocker apps like Blokada or AdGuard. They create locally-based applications. VPN-This is a tunnel on the device that allows you to fine-tune filters and block even those ad trackers that are not caught by standard methods. MIUI.
However, it is important to remember that the use of permanent VPN-For the Redmi Note 8 Pro with its capacious battery, this is not a critical problem, but at low charge it is better to temporarily turn off the blocker.
Removing Systemic Garbage Through ADB
For advanced users who want to completely clean the system of excess software, there is a method of removing applications through USB debugging (ADB), this method requires connecting a smartphone to a computer and basic knowledge of the command line, but gives the maximum result.
First, activate Developer Mode. Go to Settings → About Phone and quickly click on MIUI build number 7 times. Then, in advanced settings, enable USB Debugging. Connect your phone to your PC and execute the command to remove the ad package:
adb shell pm uninstall -k --user 0 com.miui.misysThis command will remove the system service that is responsible for some of the advertising mechanics, and you can also remove the applications "Mi Video", "Mi Music" or "Mi Browser" if you do not use them, replacing them with analogues from Google or third-party developers, which will free up space in memory and remove unnecessary processes from autoboot.
⚠️ Be very careful when removing system packets through ADB. Removing critical components (such as com.android.phone) can cause the phone to stop catching the network or even turn on.
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A comprehensive approach, including disabling MSA, configuring DNS and cleaning system applications, ensures complete elimination of advertising on the Redmi Note 8 Pro.