Owners of budget and mid-budget smartphones often face intrusive advertising that appears in system applications. Especially annoying when banner ads pop up in the Xiaomi Redmi 9 while viewing photos or opening a gallery. It is not just visual noise, but part of a marketing strategy that allows the company to subsidize the cost of the device.
Fortunately, MIUI provides users with tools to control this content. While it is difficult to completely cut out ad modules without root rights, they can be effectively blocked by making gallery use comfortable. In this article, we will discuss proven methods to help you clean up the interface from unnecessary garbage.
It's important to understand that advertising is built deep into system processes, so a single switch may not be enough. You'll need to do a set of actions to turn off analytics and recommendation services, which will take just a few minutes, but will greatly improve the user experience.
Reasons for the appearance of advertising in system applications
The main source of intrusive banners is the service MSAI (MIUI System Ads.This is the component that collects your preferences and displays personalized ads.Redmi Owners 9 It is often noticed that after updating the firmware, the number of ads may increase, as the settings_privacy_ drop off.
Additionally, ads can come from specific applications, such as Explorer, Music, or Gallery itself. MIUI developers add special "Recommended" or "Tape" sections, which are essentially ad units. Disabling these features requires manual intervention in the settings of each application.
⚠️ Warning: Disabling all system ad services may affect the performance of Google Discover widgets if you need them.
Understanding the mechanism of advertising identifiers will help you fight unwanted content more effectively.The system uses the device’s unique code to target, and resetting or restricting it is the first step to a clean interface.
Disabling MSAI and personalized advertising
The first and most important step is to disable the advertising industry’s core service, which without it, other settings may not work as MSAI continues to load content in the background. On Xiaomi Redmi 9, this process is done via the security menu.
You need to find the privacy and advertising identifiers in the settings, and users often skip this step by focusing only on disabling recommendations in apps, which is a mistake, and the global service shutdown is the foundation of a clean system.
☑️ Shutdown algorithm MSAI
Once you do this, the system will stop collecting data about your activities for advertising purposes, but the changes may not be effective immediately, and it is recommended that you restart the device so that all MIUI processes are updated with new parameters.
What is MSAI?
Setting up the parameters of the Xiaomi Gallery
The Gallery app itself in Redmi 9 has its own settings that are often ignored. Even if you turn off global advertising, the "Get recommendations" or "Autoplay video" options can remain active inside the app. These features often load the ad inserts.
To access the settings, open the gallery and click on the menu icon (usually three dots or a gear). In the list that opens, look for the section related to settings or settings, and that's where the switches that display additional content are hidden.
Note the About or Privacy Policy section inside the gallery settings. Sometimes Xiaomi hides additional links to disable personalization. MIUI interface is constantly changing, so the location of items can vary depending on the firmware version.
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If you can’t find the ad-disabled item in the Gallery, try clearing the app’s cache through Settings → Apps → Gallery → Memory → Clear.
It is also important to check the Xiaomi Cloud settings if it is connected.Sync sometimes tightens promotional albums or offers from partners.Switching off the sync of unnecessary folders can reduce the number of pop-ups.
Blocking Advertising through DNS (Private DNS)
One of the most effective and secure methods is using Private DNS. This method does not require the installation of third-party applications and works at the network level, blocking requests to known ad servers.
You need to go to the connection settings and find the “Private” section. DNS» (Private DNS). Enter the address of a trusted server that filters ads. One of the most popular and proven options is dns.adguard.com.
Once you enter the address, save the settings. Now all traffic going through your smartphone will be checked. If the server blocks the ad request, the banner will simply not load, and you will see an empty space or a standard stub.
⚠️ Attention: Use of third-party DNS-servers may slightly increase latency when connecting to the network if the server is far from your region.
If some websites or applications (such as carrier services) stop working after Private DNS is enabled, you can add exceptions to your DNS settings or temporarily disable the function. However, in most cases, dns.adguard.com is stable and does not disrupt the functionality of the system.
Removing updates to system applications
Often, ads appear after automatic updates to system applications such as Gallery, Explorer, or Mi Browser. In new versions, developers can add new ad modules. The solution is to roll back to the factory version of the application.
To do this, go to Settings → Apps → All apps. Find Gallery (or other problematic app) in the list. Click on it and select Remove Updates. The system will return the app to the state it was in when you bought the phone.
Once the version rolls back, be sure to turn off automatic updates to this app in the GetApps store or Google Play. Otherwise, the system will load the new version with ads again.This is a temporary solution, but it is effective if you rarely use the new gallery features.
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Reversing apps to the factory version is a radical but effective way to remove ads that have appeared since the recent MIUI update.
It’s worth noting that older versions of apps may be less stable or have security vulnerabilities, and only use this method if other methods have not worked, and you’re willing to put up with a lack of new features.
Comparison of methods of advertising removal
The choice of method depends on your skills and system requirements. Some people prefer simplicity, and some are willing to sacrifice time for the best result. Below is a table that helps you choose the best path for the Xiaomi Redmi 9.
| Method | Difficulty | Efficiency | Impact on the system |
|---|---|---|---|
| MSAI shutdown | Low. | Medium | Minimum |
| Private DNS | Low. | Tall. | Could slow down the internet |
| Repeal of updates | Medium | Tall. | Loss of new functions |
| ADB team | Tall. | Maximum | Risk of input errors |
As you can see from the table, the combination of methods gives the best result, for example, using a Private DNS along with disabling MSAI blocks most channels of advertising receipt, and rolling back updates should be applied point-by-point if a particular application has become too intrusive.
Keep in mind that completely removing ad modules through ADB (for advanced users) gives 100% results, but requires a computer connection. For most Redmi 9 owners, the first two methods from the table are enough.