Redmi’s line of smartphones have long established themselves as leaders in terms of price-performance, but users often face intrusive marketing content. Owners of the Redmi Note 8 model are no exception: the MIUI system shell, even in older versions, contains many built-in mechanisms for displaying ads. This can be annoying, distracting and traffic if you do not turn off the corresponding functions immediately after buying the device.
Removing ad units is not just a matter of aesthetics, but also a way to improve the performance of a gadget. Advertising services consume CPU and RAM resources, which is especially noticeable on devices that have been in use for several years. In this article, we will examine all available methods of blocking, from standard privacy settings to deeper manipulation of system components.
It is important to understand that the process of deactivating marketing functions is safe for your device.You will not lose personal data, photos or contacts by following the steps described below. However, be careful when disabling system services, so as not to accidentally disrupt key applications such as Music or Explorer, which can also broadcast content.
MSA service shutdown: the main source of banners
The main engine of advertising in the Xiaomi ecosystem is the system application msa (MIUI System Ads), which collects data about your preferences and generates personalized offers that pop up in different corners of the interface, the first and most important step is the forced stop and removal of rights from this service.
To start, you need to go to the phone's settings menu. Find the Password and Security section and select Access to Personal Data. From the app list that opens, find msa and switch the slider to "Off," and the system will alert you that some features may stop working correctly, and start a countdown of 10 seconds.
⚠️ Attention: After the msa service is disabled for 10 seconds, press the "Cancel" button. If the timer has expired, the procedure will have to be repeated. Sometimes the system may "resist" and show connection errors, requiring several attempts.
After a successful withdrawal, it is also recommended to disable recommendation receipt. To do this, go back to the main settings menu, go on the path Password and Security → Privacy → Advertising Services. Here you need to deactivate the option “Get recommendations.” This applies the relationship between your device ID and the ad servers.
Configuring standard MIUI applications
Even after the main service is disabled, individual system utilities can continue to show content. Redmi Note 8 preinstalled a set of applications that require customization. Most often, advertising blocks are found in Explorer, Music, Downloads and Cleanup.
Start with the Security app. Open it, click on the settings gear in the top right corner, and find the "Receive recommendations" item. The switch should be inactive. Similar steps should be repeated for the Downloads app: three dots in the menu corner → Settings → disable "Show recommended content."
The situation is similar in the Explorer app. Click on the menu (three bars), select Settings → About app (or just "Settings" depending on the version of MIUI) and find the "Get recommendations" switch. It needs to be turned off. This will save you unnecessary banners when viewing files.
☑️ Verification of system applications
Special attention should be paid to the Theme app. This is where pop-ups often appear when you unlock the screen or open the menu. Go to profile (human icon), then to the settings (cogs), and disable "Show ads" and "Personal recommendations" that will significantly clean the interface of the design store.
Blocking Advertising in Browser and Notifications
A significant portion of the annoying banners are not coming from the system, but through web browsers and notifications from sites. The standard Mi Browser or Chrome browser can be configured to display news and promotional materials. To remove ads from the Xiaomi Redmi Note 8 phone in this context, you need to change the content settings.
In the standard Mi browser, go to settings, look for the Privacy & Security section, and activate the ad blocker. Also, go to Home Page Settings and turn off the display of the news feed, which is often oversaturated with clickbait headings. For Chrome, the path looks like: Settings → Privacy & Security → Safe browsing.
Intrusive notifications from sites are often the user accidentally allows the site to send push notifications, which are actually disguised ads, to correct this:
- 📱 Go to your phone settings.
- 🔍 Select Notifications and Status bar.
- 🌐 Find your browser (Chrome, Mi Browser, etc.) in the list.).
- 🚫 Disable notifications for suspicious sites or ban them completely in the browser settings.
If you use third-party browsers like Opera or Firefox, make sure that their settings activate built-in tracker blockers, which not only removes visual noise, but also speeds up page loading by blocking ad scripts.
Removal of advertising software and suspicious applications
Sometimes the problem is not system settings, but third-party apps that you installed yourself. Free programs, “optimizers”, flashlights and simple games often contain aggressive advertising modules that show banners even on your desktop or on top of other windows.
If you see programs that you don't use or have been loaded onto other files, you'd better delete them, and pay special attention to apps that are called Clear Master, Battery Saver, or unknown utilities.
⚠️ Note: If the ad appears suddenly on top of all windows (even when you are not in the browser), most likely, the phone got an ad virus. In this case, the usual removal of the application may not help – you need to search for malicious APK-file via secure mode or antivirus.
To remove, go to Settings → Apps → All apps. Go through the list and remove suspicious positions. If the Remove button is inactive, then the application has administrator rights or is system. For system applications that you did not install but are suspicious, you should use a third-party antivirus.
What to do if the application is not removed?
Using DNS to block at the network level
The most effective and elegant way to remove ads from a Xiaomi Redmi Note 8 phone is to use a private DNS. This method blocks requests to known ad servers before they reach your device. This works in all applications and browsers without the need to install additional software.
To set up, go to Settings → Connection and Sharing (or Advanced Settings in older versions of MIUI). Find Private DNS. The default is Auto or Disabled. Select the DNS Host Name option (Manual) and enter the address: dns.adguard.com.
After saving the settings, you need to reboot your smartphone, which not only removes banners, but also increases page load speeds by blocking heavy ad scripts from loading, but it’s worth remembering that some sites may ask to disable the blocker for proper display.
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If the Internet stopped working in some applications after changing the DNS, try temporarily returning the DNS settings to the Auto position or using an alternative address dns.adguard-family.com, which also filters adult content.
Comparison of methods of cleaning from advertising
Different methods of dealing with marketing content have different degrees of effectiveness and complexity of implementation. Some methods require only a couple of clicks, others require a deeper dive into the settings. Below is a table that helps you choose the best strategy for your situation.
| Method | Efficiency | Difficulty | Impact on the system |
|---|---|---|---|
| MSA shutdown | Tall. | Low. | Minimum |
| Set-up of applications | Medium | Medium | Absent. |
| Private DNS | Very high. | Low. | Locks down trackers. |
| Deletion of applications | Depends on the case. | Low. | Frees up memory. |
An integrated approach combining disabling the msa service and using DNS-Redmi Note 8 after such procedures becomes much more pleasant to use, and the battery begins to be spent more economically due to the lack of background download of advertising content.
Regularly checking installed applications is not a bad thing. Periodic software revision helps to keep the system clean. If you notice that after installing a particular program, advertising has become more frequent, feel free to remove it - the benefits of such software are usually less than harm.
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The combination of disabling the MSA system service and activating a private DNS (dns.adguard.com) eliminates up to 95% of all ads on the device without the need for root rights.