Xiaomi smartphone owners often face intrusive marketing built right into the operating system interface. Banner ads can appear in standard apps, when unlocking the screen, or even in folders with utilities. For the Redmi 8 Pro, this problem is especially relevant, since the device operates on the basis of the MIUI shell, which is set by default to demonstrate content from partners.
Fortunately, the company's engineers left users with the option to manage these settings themselves, disabling ads without requiring super-user rights (root) or complex flashing of the gadget, just go through several menu items consistently and disable specific services responsible for push notifications and displaying banners.
In this article, we will take a closer look at each step of cleaning up your system, how to stop the msa system service, which is the main source of spam, and how to remove ads in standard applications like Music, Conductor and Security. Follow the instructions carefully to make the Redmi 8 Pro as comfortable as possible.
Disabling the MSA System Service
The main source of intrusive notifications and pop-ups in the system is MIUI System Ads, also known as msa. This process collects data about your preferences and broadcasts advertising content. To block it, you first need to disable the ability to automatically renew subscriptions to the company's services.
Go to your smartphone settings and find the Password and Security section. Inside this menu, select Access to Personal Data (or Authorization and Security) and list all system processes that have access to your information. Search in the msa list and switch to an inactive state.
⚠️ Warning: The system may warn you several times that a shutdown of this service will affect some functions, and a 10 second countdown timer will prevent the window from closing quickly. This is standard random action protection, just wait until the countdown is over and confirm the action. Once the msa is turned off, it is recommended to restart the device, which is necessary to ensure that all background processes completely stop and the cache is cleared. If you see an ad again after the reboot, repeat the disabling procedure again, as the service may not deactivate from the first time due to synchronization errors. ☑️ Checking the shutdown MSAGo to Password and Security Find access to personal data Disable msaReboot smartphone Completed: 0 / 4 Customize personalized advertising In addition to the system service, in Redmi 8 Pro works with ad personalization mechanism, which analyzes your actions, search history, and location to show more relevant ads, and even if you turn off msa, it can still collect data for statistics. To stop this process, go back to the Password and Security menu and select Access to Personal Data. In the list, find the ad service and turn it off, which will prevent the system from using your data for targeted advertising. You also need to check the settings in the System Applications section, and sometimes you have a Receive Recommendations item. This will remove the promotional offers in the desktop folders and application launch interface. What to do if msa is missing?If you do not find msa service in the list, it may be hidden or renamed in your version of MIUI. Try to search for items with names containing the words "recommend", "ads" or "marketing".> Disabling these services does not affect the stability of the operating system. You will still be able to use all standard smartphone functions, but the amount of visual noise will decrease significantly. Your data privacy will also increase, as less information will be sent to the servers of developers. To completely clean your smartphone, you need to go through each of them. Start with the Security app. Open it, click on the three dots in the top right corner and select Settings. Find Receive recommendations and turn it off. This will remove banners with news and game suggestions that usually hang at the bottom of the scanner screen. Next, go to the Explorer app. Click on the menu (three bars) and select Settings. → About the app. You'll need to find the Recommendation switch and deactivate it. Similar actions are required for Music, Video and Theme applications. Each of them, in the settings or in the About section, should search for the phrases "Show ads," "Recommendations" or "Get tips». 📱 Topics: Profile → Settings → Showing ads (off). 🎵 Music: Menu → Settings → Advanced settings → Showing ads (off). 📁 Conductor: Menu → Settings → About the annex → Recommendations (off). 🛡️ Security: Settings → Get recommendations (off). Don't forget to also check the settings of the folders on the desktop. If you've created application folders, the Recommended Apps block can be displayed inside them. Click on the folder name, then the folder settings, and disable the Recommended Apps. Browser Ad Blocking and notifications Even after setting up the system, banner ads can come via a browser or third-party apps.The standard Mi Browser browser is often a source of pop-ups. To minimize the number of these, open your browser, go to settings and find the Privacy and Security section. Activate the Ad Blocker function. It is also recommended to clear the browsing data and disable personalized recommendations in the browser news feed. If you use Google Chrome, make sure that pop-up lock is enabled in the site settings. ⚠️ Attention: Some sites may only work properly with the blocker disabled. If the page is not displayed correctly, try temporarily disabling protection for a specific domain. Pay special attention to notifications from sites. Often, users will let sites send notifications, which then turn into advertising spam. → Notifications → Manage notifications and find your browser.Inside, turn off notifications for suspicious sites or ban them altogether.Comparison of blocking techniques There are several approaches to combating ads on Redmi 8 Pro. You can use built-in settings, install third-party blockers or change DNS-Each method has its own advantages and disadvantages that are worth considering. Built-in settings are the safest method, requiring no additional software installed, but they don’t always block ads inside third-party apps; third-party blockers (such as AdGuard) are more efficient, but they can consume more battery life. Method Efficiency Complexity Impact on the battery MSA High Low No Application Setup Average No DNS Filtering Very High Low Minimum Third-Party Blockers Maximum High Noticeable For most users, the best solution is a combination of disabling system services and using the system. DNS-Filtering: This balances cleanliness and autonomy of the device. Frequent problems and solutions During the setup process, users may encounter a situation where ads return after a system update or reboot. This is because some processes can automatically reactivate. If you notice banners returning, check the status of the msa service again. Sometimes the ads appear because of newly installed applications. If you see unknown utilities or apps with suspicious names (such as "Cleaner", "Battery Saver" from unknown developers), delete them immediately. → Annexes → All applications. Go through the list and see which apps have permission to display on top of other windows. Turn off that right for all programs that don't need it for basic functionality (calculator, voice recorder, gallery). If nothing helps, you can reset your advertising settings. To do this, in the Settings menu, find the Password and Security section. → Accessing personal data and resetting all system services, then turning them off again. Additional security measures Advertising protection is closely linked to the overall cybersecurity of the device. Advertising modules are often used not only to display banners, but also to collect telemetry. Regularly update security through the Security app. Avoid installing applications from unknown sources. The default settings of Redmi 8 Pro prohibit installation of any security system. APK-Files not from the GetApps store or Google Play. Do not ignore these warnings, as it is through modified applications that aggressive spam most often penetrates. MIUI. It allows applications to be given blank data instead of real data, which prevents ad trackers from building your profile. This is especially true for applications that require access to contacts or location, but should not use them. Is it safe to turn off the msa service? Yes, disabling the msa service is completely safe for the smartphone to work. It is solely responsible for displaying advertising and collecting marketing data. System functions such as calls, messages and the Internet will continue to work normally. Why did it reappear after disabling the advertance? Adverts can return after a major update to MIUI, which resets some privacy settings. Also, it can be responsible for the new installed status of active applications. Without root rights, you can't remove system applications (Themes, Music, Video) and you can only turn off ads. Third-party apps are removed in the standard way through the application management menu. Does disabling ads affect speed? Disabling background ad processes can even speed up Redmi 8 Pro a little and save battery life, since the system does not need to download heavy media banners and send telemetry reports.