How to permanently remove ads on Xiaomi Redmi Note 9: from simple settings to deep cleaning MIUI

Xiaomi Redmi Note 9 is one of the most popular smartphones in the budget segment, but many users are annoyed by aggressive advertising in system applications and notifications. the manufacturer has integrated ad units into MIUI at the firmware level, which makes removing them an obvious task. In this article, we will analyze all the working methods, from basic settings to radical methods for experienced users.

It's important to understand that there are three types of ads in Redmi Note 9: built-in system applications (like Security or Themes), push notifications from MSA (Mobile Services Ads), and contextual advertising in the settings menu. Each type requires a different approach. We tested all methods on current versions of MIUI 12-14 and collected only those that give a hundred percent result.

If you're not ready to experiment with firmware, start with the first three sections, which describe safe ways to avoid risking warranty. For advanced users, at the end of the article, there are instructions for removing ads through ADB and custom firmware.

1. disable personalized advertising in MIUI settings

The easiest and safest way to deactivate targeted ads is through the settings menu.This won’t delete all banners, but will significantly reduce their number. The instructions are relevant for the Redmi Note 9 on any version of MIUI (including global and Chinese).

Go to: Settings → Google → Advertising (or Settings → Additional → Privacy → Advertising in some versions).

Turn off the Personalized Ads option and reset the Ads ID (Reset button) here, which will stop collecting your preferences, but will not block the ads completely.

• 🔹 Pros: does not require superuser rights, works on all versions MIUI.
• ⚠️ Cons: Advertising in system applications (Themes, Security) will remain.
• 📌 Note: after resetting advertising ID Some apps (such as Google Play Store) may temporarily display irrelevant ads.

For full effect, further disable advertising notifications in Settings → Notifications → Additional settings → Advertising notifications. There should be a slider Show advertising notifications – move it to the Off position.

2. Removal of Advertising through MIUI Application Settings

Many Xiaomi system applications have built-in ad modules that can be manually disabled, such as the Security app (or Global Firmware Security) displays ads on the home screen and in the Optimization tab to remove them:

1. Open the Security app.
2. Slap the icon. ⚙️ Settings in upper right corner.
3. Choose About Advertising or Advertising Preferences.
4. Turn off the "Show recommendations" option (or "Personalized recommendations" in English).

Similar settings are available in the applications:

• 🎨 Themes – Turn off Advertising Notices in Settings.
• 📱 Mi Video – in the settings, disable Recommended Content.
• 🔍 Search (Search) – Deactivate Showing Ads in Results.

If you're in your version MIUI There are no obvious options to disable ads, try resetting the app to factory settings. → Annexes → Manage applications, find the desired application (for example, Security) and select Warehouse → Clear the data. Attention: this will delete all stored application settings, including scan history.

3. blocking advertising through disabling MSA (Mobile Services Ads) services

MSA (Mobile Services Ads) is Xiaomi’s system service responsible for displaying ads in MIUI. It can be disabled without rooting permission, but the process requires care. Importantly, on some versions of MIUI 14, this method may not work due to changes in security policy.

Instructions:

1. Go to Settings → Applications → Application Management → All applications.
2. In the search bar, enter msa (without quotes).
3. Find the MSA application (or com.miui.systemAdSolution in older versions).
4. Click Disable (or Remove Updates if the Disable button is inactive).
5. Confirm the action by pressing OK in the warning window.

After disabling the MSA, restart the phone. Advertising in system applications should disappear, but banners may remain in Mi Browser and some third-party programs.If the MSA doesn't turn off, try the following method.

⚠️ Note: Some of the Firmware Disconnects MSA It can cause Mi Account or Cloud Storage to crash. If you have problems after you shut down, return your settings back.

4.Using ADB to Deeply Disable Advertising (without Root)

If previous methods didn't work, you can use ADB (Android Debug Bridge), an Android debugging tool that doesn't require root rights, but requires connecting your phone to your computer. Importantly, once you run the commands, the ads disappear forever, but some system updates can bring them back.

Step-by-step:

1. Download and install ADB Tools on your computer.
2. Turn on USB Debugging on your phone: Settings → About Phone → MIUI version (tap 7 times to activate Developer Mode), then go back to Settings → Additional → For Developers and turn on USB Debugging.
3. Connect the Redmi Note 9 to your computer and confirm the debugging permission.
4. Open the command prompt (or Terminal on Mac/Linux) and type:

adb devices

(Your device should be displayed)

adb shell pm uninstall --user 0 com.miui.systemAdSolution

(Remove the MSA for the current user)

adb shell pm hide com.android.browser

(Hides a standard browser with ads)

After you execute the commands, restart your phone. Advertisements in system apps and notifications should disappear. If you need additional commands for other services, use the list from the table in the previous section (replace pm uninstall with pm hide for temporary hiding).

⚠️ Note: Pm hide and pm uninstall commands --user 0 They only work on the current user, and once you reset the phone to the factory settings, all the changes will be lost.

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If, after the execution, ADB-commands some applications stopped working, return them with the command adb shell pm install-existing com.name.packet. For example, for the browser: adb shell pm install-existing com.android.browser

5. Installation of custom firmware (for experienced users)

If you’re willing to take drastic measures, installing custom firmware (like LineageOS or Pixel Experience) will completely remove all Xiaomi ad modules, a method that requires unlocking the bootloader and installing TWRP, which voids the warranty and carries the risk of “bricking” the device.

Advantages of custom firmware:

• 🚀 Complete absence of advertising and bloatware (pre-installed applications).
• 🆕 Regular security updates from the community.
• ⚡ Ability to fine-tune the interface and performance.

Disadvantages:

• ⚠️ Loss of warranty (if the bootloader is unlocked).
• 🔧 Risk of errors in installation (backup required).
• 📱 Certain functions (e.g, IR-blaster NFC) They may not work properly.

Instructions for installing LineageOS on Redmi Note 9 (merlin):

1. Unlock the bootloader through the Mi Unlock Tool (requires a Mi Account binding and wait 7 days).
2. Install TWRP for Redmi Note 9 (download the current version from the official website).
3. Download LineageOS firmware for merlin and GApps (if you need Google services).
4. Go to TWRP, back up the current firmware and stitch the downloaded files.

Alternative methods: blockers and DNS

If you don't want to interfere with system files, you can use third-party tools to block ads, such as apps like Blokada or AdGuard intercept ads at the DNS or VPN level.

How to set up Blokada:

1. Download Blokada from the official website (not from Google Play!).
2. Launch the application and activate the lock.
3. Select DNS or VPN mode (DNS is faster but less reliable).
4. Add custom rules for blocking Xiaomi domains:

||ad.mi.com^


||tracker.ai.xiaomi.com^




||data.mistat.xiaomi.com^




||sdkconfig.ad.xiaomi.com^

For AdGuard, you can add similar rules to the User Filters section, which blocks ads at the network level, but does not remove them from system applications completely.

Another option is to use an alternative DNS, such as 1.1.1.3 (Cloudflare with malicious sites blocked) or 94.140.14.14 (AdGuard DNS). To do this, go to Settings → Wi-Fi → Additional → IP → Static Settings and specify the selected DNS in the DNS 1 field.

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Adblockers like Blokada or AdGuard do not remove system banners in MIUI, but effectively combat ads in the browser and third-party applications. To completely remove ads, combine them with the methods from the previous sections.

7. Frequent mistakes and how to avoid them

When trying to remove ads on the Redmi Note 9, users often make mistakes that lead to the opposite effect or malfunction of the phone.

• 🔧 Disabling important system services, for example, some try to delete com.xiaomi.xmsf (Mi Push Service), which leads to problems with notifications from applications.
• 🔄 Reset the phone without backup. After resetting to factory settings, all changes (including services disabled) will return to their original state.
• 📱 Use of informal “patches” from MIUI. These files often contain viruses or disrupt the phone.
• 🔒 Unlocking the bootloader without linking the Mi Account. This can lead to the device being blocked.

To avoid problems, follow these rules:

• 📝 Always back up through Settings → Additionally. → Backup and reset.
• 🔍 Before disabling the system application, check its purpose (for example, through a search in Google).
• 🛠️ For firmware experiments, use only verified sources (e.g, XDA Developers).

If the phone starts to brake or overheat after the manipulation, return all settings to the original state and try another method. For example, instead of turning off the MSA through ADB, try an ad blocker.

FAQ: Answers to Frequent Questions