Redmi Note 8 Pro owners often face intrusive ads that appear in system applications, desktop folders, and even settings menus, a phenomenon that has become a hallmark of MIUI’s shell, allowing the company to keep device costs low by monetizing the user experience. However, there are many effective ways to minimize or eliminate this digital noise.
In this article, we will discuss in detail how to remove advertising in the Xiaomi Note 8 Pro, using built-in settings and additional system tools. We will not resort to complex flashing methods, since most functions can be disabled by regular means. The correct configuration will take no more than 15 minutes, but will significantly increase the comfort of using the gadget.
You have to understand that the ad modules are built deep into the system, so simply removing the applications is not going to help. The key is to disable the MSA (MIUI System Ads), which is responsible for downloading and displaying advertising content, and without deactivating this component, the rest of the actions may not be effective.
Disabling MSA Service is the Major Step
The first and most important step is to deactivate the MSA system service, which is the process that collects user data and displays banner ads in the interface, and it is important to perform actions consistently, as the system may try to return default settings.
Go to the Settings menu, then go to Password and Security, and you'll find Data Access or Permissions, and in the app list that opens, find msa, and switch the slider to Off, and the system will alert you that the app will stop working, and start a countdown of 10 seconds.
⚠️ Warning: If you accidentally hit OK instead of Cancel after the timer expires, you will have to start the process again. Often, the service cannot be turned off the first time because of the interface logic. MIUI.
After a successful shutdown, it is recommended to restart the device, this is necessary to ensure that all background processes associated with advertising are completely stopped. If the slider returns to the active position, repeat the procedure 2-3 times.
For users who prefer deep cleaning, there is a possibility of using the ADB-commands to completely remove system components, but this requires a connection to a computer.In most cases, a standard shutdown through security settings is enough for the Redmi Note 8 Pro.
What if the MSA doesn’t shut down?
Setup of Xiaomi system applications
Once the MSA service is blocked, you need to go through each system application, as each of them has its own personalization settings and recommendations. Advertising in Xiaomi is often masqueraded as “recommended content”.
Start with the Security app. Open it, click on the settings gear in the top right corner. Find Receive recommendations and turn it off. Also, go to Clean up inside the app settings and remove the tick from Receive recommendations.
- 📁 Explorer: Click on three menu bars, select Settings → About the application, then Settings and disable "Get recommendations".
- 🎵 Music: In the menu, click Settings → Advanced settings and remove the tick from the item "Show advertising".
- 📄 Downloads: From the menu, select Settings and turn off Show Recommended Content.
Don't forget to check the Topic app, too. Go to profile (human icon), then to Settings, where you need to disable Personal Recommendations and Show Ads, and this will remove banners from the theme and widget store.
Pay special attention to the MIUI Browser app or standard browser if it is used as a primary browser, and its settings often hide the notification points and news feed, which can be a source of annoying pop-ups.
☑️ Verification of system applications
Removing Advertising from Folders and Desktop
One of the most annoying features of the shell is the appearance of banner ads inside folders on the desktop. When you open the folder with applications, the "Recommended Apps" block can appear at the bottom.
To get rid of this, open any folder on your desktop. Click on the folder name (or three dots/settings depending on the version of MIUI). In the menu that appears, find the Recommended Apps or Ads switch and deactivate it. Now the folders will only contain your shortcuts.
⚠️ Attention: The path may be different on different versions of the firmware. If the folder itself does not have settings, try (long press) on an empty desktop space. → Settings → Look for items related to cards or recommendations.
It’s also worth checking the settings of the Mi Video widget or news feed if it’s displayed on the home screen, and it’s often these elements that broadcast advertising content in the background.
If you use a third-party launcher, the problem can be solved automatically, but with standard tools, the Redmi Note 8 Pro also allows you to completely clear the desktop of unnecessary visual noise when set up correctly.
Disabling Google’s Personalized Advertising
Advertising on Android smartphones comes not only from the shell manufacturer, but also from the operating system itself. Google services also collect data to target ads, which can be limited through account settings.
Go to Settings → Google (or Google Services). Select Advertising. You need to turn on the option to turn off ad personalization. This action will not remove the ads completely, but will make it less intrusive and unrelated to your search queries.
Also available on this menu is the Reset Ad ID button, which is recommended to click after you have completed all the settings, which will create a new digital profile for ad networks, breaking the link to your previous history of activity.
Additionally, check your settings in the Chrome browser itself. Go to Settings → Privacy & Security → Safe browsing and make sure that protection against dangerous sites is enabled, which will help block some malicious ad scripts.
Using Private DNS to block
A modern and effective way to remove ads in Xiaomi Note 8 Pro is to use the DNS-This method does not require the installation of third-party applications and works at the network level, blocking requests to known ad servers.
Go to Settings. → Connection and Sharing (or Additional Settings) Find Private DNS (Private DNS). Select the hostname of the provider DNS and enter the address in the field: dns.adguard.com.
dns.adguard.comAfter saving the settings, the phone can lose the Internet connection for a few seconds, and then restore it. From now on, most of the ads in browsers and applications will stop loading, as requests for advertising domains will be blocked at the level of the Internet. DNS-server.
| Parameter | Meaning | Description |
|---|---|---|
| DNS mode | Host name | Manual server configuration |
| Server address | dns.adguard.com | Ad-blocking service |
| Impact on speed | Minimum | The delay is almost imperceptible. |
| Compatibility | Android 9+ | It works on the Note 8 Pro. |
Importantly, this method may conflict with some applications or public Wi-Fi that require browser authorization, in which case DNS can be temporarily switched to Auto or Off mode.
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Use Private DNS only if you have stable internet. If the DNS provider is not available, the phone will not be able to use the Internet. If you have problems, just return the setting to Auto mode.
Additional methods and blockers
If there is not enough regular funds, you can use specialized blocking apps. One of the most popular Android solutions is AdGuard. Although the full version is paid, it offers a trial period and deep integration into the system.
Install. APK-file from the official website of the developer, as in Google Play versions are limited. VPN-This is a tunnel that filters all traffic, and it allows you to cut ads even inside some games and applications where other methods are powerless.
An alternative might be to install a browser with a built-in blocker, such as Brave or DuckDuckGo, for everyday surfing, which would reduce the amount of advertising junk that gets into the system's cache through web pages.
⚠️ Note: Install applications from unknown sources (APK-- file risks. download blockers only from official developer sites to avoid viruses.
For advanced users, there is a method of removing system applications via ADB. By connecting the phone to a PC, you can command adb shell pm uninstall -k --user 0 com.miui.misys to remove additional service modules, but this requires caution.
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The combination of MSA disabling, Private DNS setup and manual application cleaning ensures almost no advertising.