Removing Advertising on Xiaomi Redmi Note 9: Full Guide

Owners of Xiaomi Redmi Note 9 smartphones often encounter intrusive banner ads that suddenly appear on top of the desktop or while using applications. This problem is caused by the built-in MIUI promotion system, which is activated by default to monetize budget devices. Users notice that ads can pop up even in system folders or when you unlock the screen, which significantly reduces the comfort of using the gadget.

Fortunately, the MIUI-based Android operating system allows you to customize privacy settings in detail and disable most ad modules without having to obtain superuser rights. In this article, we’ll detail how to find hidden switches, disable the MSA system service, and block personalized offers, turning your Redmi Note 9 into a pure tool for work and entertainment.

Consider not only standard methods of disabling through settings, but also more advanced methods, including blocking through DNS and managing application permissions. Understanding which component is responsible for pop-ups will help you spot the problem without disrupting the basic functions of the smartphone.

Disabling the MSA system advertising service

The main source of intrusive advertising in the MIUI interface is the system application under the acronym MSA (MIUI System Ads), which collects data about your preferences and displays advertisements in various parts of the system. To effectively combat spam, you must first restrict the rights of this component.

The shutdown process requires care, because the system can try to convince the user to leave the ad on. When you try to deactivate the service, you will see a countdown timer that you need to wait out. This is the standard behavior of the system's protection, and you can only bypass it by waiting for the countdown to be completed in 10 seconds.

⚠️ Attention: After the service is disconnected MSA Full interface updates and cleaning of the cache of advertising modules can take up to 24 hours of active operation of the device.

To perform the procedure, go to the Settings menu, select Password and Security, and find Access to Personal Data. In the list that opens, find msa and put the switch to the inactive position. If the system requests confirmation, click "Disable" and wait for the timer to end.

In parallel with the main service, check your personalization settings. In the same security menu, find Advertising Services and turn off the Receive Recommendations option, which will prevent the system from using your data for targeted advertising, although it will not completely remove standard banners.

Configuring the built-in MIUI applications

Advertising integrations are deeply embedded in Xiaomi’s standard utilities like Explorer, Music, Video and Cleanup, each with its own recommendation settings that are activated by default when the Redmi Note 9 is first launched.

Start cleaning with the Security and Cleanup app. Open the utility, click on the gear icon in the top right corner, and find Receive recommendations. Unchecking the tick from this item will remove the news feed and banner ads from the main window of the program.

In Music and Video media players, the algorithm is similar: go to the app settings (usually through the menu or profile icon), find the “Additional” or “About” section, and turn off recommendations, which will make the application interface minimal and speed up their launch.

Special attention should be paid to the Themes app, which is often the source of pop-ups when you unlock the screen. Go to the user profile within the theme app, select settings and disable all options related to personalization and recommendations. It is also recommended to disable the Wallpaper Carousel feature if it is not used, as it often contains advertising integrations.

Blocking Advertising in Mi Browser

Xiaomi’s standard browser is known for its aggressive policy of displaying news and ad units. If you use this app, setting it up is critical for comfortable surfing, but many users prefer to turn it off completely or use alternatives.

To minimize in-browser advertising, open the app, go to settings (profile icon or three bars) and select Privacy and Security. You need to activate the ad blocker if it is available in your version of the software, and disable notifications from sites.

A more radical but effective solution is to abandon the use of Mi Browser in favor of more private counterparts such as Firefox, Brave or standard Chrome. Installing an alternative browser and assigning it to the default application will completely eliminate the appearance of advertising tapes from the smartphone manufacturer.

If you can’t delete your browser due to system limitations, you can use the “Double Apps” feature or simply stop running it using the shortcuts of other browsers to open links. It’s also important to check the permissions of the application and prevent it from sending notifications so that advertising fluffs do not bother you in the status bar.

Using a private DNS to block

One of the most effective methods of combating pop-up advertising at the system level is the use of private advertising. DNS-This method does not require the installation of additional software and works globally for all applications, including system applications.

The idea is to redirect requests to ad servers through a filter that blocks them at the connection stage. For Android versions 9 and above, which are installed on the Redmi Note 9, this feature is built into the system. You don't need root rights or complex utilities.

Go to Settings. → Connection and sharing → Private DNS. Select the mode "Host Name provider" DNS» and type in the address dns.adguard.com. After saving the settings, the smartphone will redirect everything. DNS-Requests via AdGuard servers that filter out known ads.

⚠️ Note: When using a third party DNS-In rare cases, some local sites or bank applications may not open correctly if they use specific methods of network verification. DNS auto-mode».

The advantage of this method is that it also increases page load speed by caching and blocks trackers that track your activity, a complete solution that works immediately after use and does not require a device to restart, although it is recommended to do this to apply changes to all running processes.

Management of notifications and authorizations

Often the source of irritation is not the system banners, but notifications from installed applications that disguise themselves as system messages. On the Xiaomi Redmi Note 9, permission management is implemented quite flexibly, allowing you to customize the access of each application in detail.

Go to Settings → Notifications and Status bar → Notification management. Go through the list of installed programs, especially those you rarely use (games, stores, utilities). For suspicious applications, it is recommended to completely disable the display of notifications.

Also worth checking is the Application Manager section. Find apps with names like System Update, Services, Analytics, or obscure acronyms. If you don't use them, limit their background activity. Go to Battery and performance, select the app, and set a background activity limit.

• 🔍 Check out the list of newly installed apps – often ads appear immediately after installing the free utility.
• 🚫 Disable location access for applications that don’t need it to work (calculator, voice recorder, simple games).
• 📉 Limit background work for social networking apps unless you want to receive constant notifications of likes and comments.

Pay special attention to flashlight applications, scanners QR-These are the ones that most often contain ad modules that generate pop-ups on top of other applications, ideally replacing them with built-in counterparts or proven open-source versions.

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To identify an application that shows ads, install a program that tracks running processes, or simply watch the name of the application that appears in the list of launched at the time of the banner pop.

Resetting the advertising ID and data cleanup

Even after the main services are disabled, the system may still have accumulated data about your preferences, which are used for targeting, resetting the advertising ID allows you to “reset” the user profile, making the advertising less relevant or completely stopping its display in some cases.

To perform this operation, go to Settings → Password and Security → Privacy. Find the Advertising Services section and click Reset Advertising ID. Confirm the action in the pop-up window.

Additionally, it is recommended to clear the cache of Google Play system services. Go to Settings → Apps → All apps, find the Google Play Store and Google Play Services. Select “Clear” → “Clear Cache.” This will not delete your applications, but will reset temporary data that may contain advertising tokens.

⚠️ Warning: Don't confuse cache cleaning with data cleaning (storage) for Google system applications.Data cleaning can result in resetting account settings and temporary app store inoperability.

Regularly cleaning the browser cache and system applications helps keep the device clean. On the Redmi Note 9 with its memory capacity, this will also positively affect the speed of the interface. Use the built-in Cleanup utility, but pre-disable it from receiving recommendations, as described in the previous sections.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

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A comprehensive approach, including disabling MSA, configuring DNS and managing permissions, allows you to eliminate 99% of ads on the Xiaomi Redmi Note 9 without losing warranty and functionality.