Removing Advertising on Xiaomi Redmi Note 9 Pro: Full Guide

Ownership of the popular Xiaomi Redmi Note 9 Pro is often overshadowed by intrusive ads that can appear in the most unexpected places of the MIUI interface. These can be pop-ups in system utilities, banners in application folders or even full-screen advertising after unlocking the screen. Users rightly wonder how to make using the gadget comfortable and safe, because constant notifications are distracting from work.

Fortunately, the Android operating system in the MIUI shell provides enough tools to minimize this digital noise without the need to obtain superuser rights. The process of deaxing marketing modules does not require deep programming knowledge, but requires carefulness when switching toggles in settings. In this article, we will discuss all known ways of blocking, from simple switches to advanced methods through DNS.

It is worth noting that the complete removal of advertising modules may affect the operation of some built-in Xiaomi services, but for most users this will be a release from unnecessary garbage. MSA, Disabling personalization in standard applications and using private applications DNS-Follow the instructions consistently to maximize the impact.

Disabling the MSA system service

At the heart of the advertising ecosystem in Xiaomi devices is a system service called MSA (MIUI System Ads), which collects data about your preferences and is responsible for showing targeted ads in the interface, the first and most important step is to disable this component, which will significantly reduce the number of pop-ups.

First, you need to go to the advanced settings menu, which is hidden from the average user. Go to Settings, select Password and Security, and then go to Data Access, and here you will see a long list of all the applications that have access to the Internet, and you will need to find among them system services.

Find the msa app in the list and click on it. In the window that opens, you'll see the network access switch that needs to be turned off. The system will alert you that this may affect the operation of the device, and will start the countdown timer for 10 seconds. After the time has expired, press the Disconnect button and confirm the action in the pop-up window.

⚠️ Note: If you failed to disable the service from the first time and there was an error, just repeat the procedure 3-5 Xiaomi servers sometimes do not respond to the first request to disconnect, but when repeated attempts, the restriction is removed.

After successful MSA disabling, ads in system folders and menus should stop appearing, but this is not the only source of marketing content, so it is also recommended to disable network access for Mi Credit and Mi Video if you do not use them, this will prevent advertising notifications from these services.

Customization of personalization in system applications

Even after the main service is disabled, many of the Redmi Note 9 Pro’s built-in apps continue to show recommendations and news, unless the personalization feature is disabled, an option that allows apps to collect data about your behavior and show relevant content, which is often disguised advertising.

So let's look at the process of cleaning up the most popular system utilities, and you'll have to go into the settings of each application separately, find the About section or the gear within the application itself, and disable the personalization or recommendation items, which will take a few minutes, but it's worth it.

Here is a list of the main applications where you need to remove the extra:

• 📂 Explorer: Go to the settings, turn off “Receive recommendations” and “Show advertisements».
• 🎵 Music: in the settings, find the section “Additional” and remove the boxes from the items “Receive recommendations” and “Show ads».
• 🧹 Security: Go to the scanner settings, disable “Get recommendations».
• 🌤️ Weather: in the menu settings of the application, remove the tick "Receive recommendations».

Special attention should be paid to the download application, which often displays ads in the form of banners at the bottom of the screen. Go to the download settings (three dots in the corner), select Settings, and turn off Show Recommended Content. This action will hide the ad block on the main screen of the bootloader.

Also, be sure to check the theme settings. In the Themes app, click on your profile avatar, select Settings, and disable "Show Ads" and "Personal Recommendations" to clear the theme store from intrusive banners.

Using a private DNS to block

One of the most effective and elegant ways to remove ads on the Redmi Note 9 Pro is to use the “Private” feature. DNS» (Private DNS), This method allows you to block advertising requests at the network level without installing third-party applications and without loading the processor.

The essence of the method is that your phone sends requests to the addresses of advertising servers through a special DNS-A server that returns a blank response instead of a banner, and as a result, the ads simply don't load, and the content of the sites and applications is displayed correctly. DNS.

To activate this function, follow the following steps:

1. Open the smartphone settings.
2. Go to Connection and Sharing (or “Other Connections”).
3. Find the Private DNS (Private DNS) option.
4. Select the option “DNS provider hostname” (in some firmwares “Manual”).
5. Enter the address: dns.adguard.com
6. Save the settings.

Once you turn on this feature, you'll notice that ads have disappeared not only in system applications, but also in many browsers and games. It's a universal solution that works globally for the entire device. However, it's worth considering that using a third-party DNS can have a slight impact on network response speed in rare cases if the server is overloaded.

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If after turning on a private DNS, some applications or Wi-Fi in public places (where authorization is required via a browser) stop working, temporarily switch the DNS setting to Auto or Off.

Managing Notifications and Application Access

Often users confuse system advertising with intrusive notifications from installed applications. Many programs, especially free utilities, flashlights or "cleaners", can show banner ads on the desktop or in the notification curtain. It is important to learn to distinguish between MIUI system elements and third-party software.

To combat this, you need to audit your installed applications. Go to Settings → Notifications and Status bar → Notification Manager. Here you will see a list of all programs that have the right to send you notifications. Go through the list and turn off notifications for suspicious or unnecessary applications, especially those that you rarely use.

There is also a hidden but very useful feature in MIUI that allows you to determine which app is showing a pop-up ad.

• 🔍 Don’t close the ad immediately, but turn it down or go to the multitasking menu.
• 📱 Open the task manager (menu button or swipe).
• 👀 See which app is the first in the list of active or has an app icon without a name – most likely, this is the source of the problem.

Once the culprit is identified, it is best to remove it. If it is a system application that cannot be removed, limit its rights in the Apps → All Apps → Select the App → Permissions. Revoke all unnecessary rights, especially access to location and background.

⚠️ Warning: Be careful of the Play Market’s accelerator and antivirus apps that are not official, often the source of aggressive advertising, masquerading as useful system utilities.

Disconnection of MIUI Recommendation Service

Newer versions of the MIUI shell have a separate content recommendation service that works independently of the MSA, which can feed news and suggestions into widgets, lock screens and menus, and disabling the service is a major step in the battle for a clean Redmi Note 9 Pro interface.

To find this setting, go to Settings → Password and Security. In this menu, look for Special Opportunities (or Accessibility). Inside, you'll see the Recommendation Service (or Get Recommendations) switch. Make sure it's off.

Also, check the lock screen settings. Go to Settings → Lock screen. If you have Glance on, it can show advertising images. Turn off this feature or set it to show only your photos, without the news feed.

Also in the system settings is the About Phone. Click multiple times on the MIUI logo to see the hidden menu, where sometimes (depending on version) you can turn off system updates or ads in the update interface. Although there are no direct ads there, disabling automatic updates can reduce the frequency of marketing offers.

Remember that after any changes to the system, it is recommended to restart the device, which will allow you to reset the cache of advertising modules and apply new network access settings. For the Redmi Note 9 Pro, rebooting is also useful for optimizing RAM.

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A comprehensive approach: the combination of MSA disabling, Private DNS settings and manual notification cleaning gives 99% of the result in eliminating ads on Xiaomi.

Additional Methods and Frequently Asked Questions

If standard methods haven't cleaned the device completely, you can resort to more radical but effective measures, such as alternative launchers like Nova Launcher or Lawnchair, which completely replace the standard MIUI desktop, where the sources of advertising widgets often lie.

Another option is to use browsers with built-in ad blocking, such as Brave or DuckDuckGo, to surf the Internet, which will not remove advertising from the system, but will make your stay online comfortable. DNS-filters such as Blokada (requires localization) VPN-Connections that allow more flexible traffic control.

It’s important to understand that Xiaomi is constantly updating its services, and the paths to customization can change a little. If you do not find a item, try searching for settings (the magnifier at the top of the settings screen) and enter “advertisements” or “recommendations”.