WhatsApp for Infinix Smart 9

Most ads on the Smart 9 come from XOS system apps, not from WhatsApp or the apps you installed. Open Settings > Apps > App management, find Palm Store, Phone Master/Security and Folax, open each one and turn off any 'Receive recommendations'/'Personalized content' toggle inside it. Then go to Settings > Google > Ads and tap 'Delete advertising ID'. Finally, revoke notification permission for those system apps under Settings > Notifications (or Settings > Apps > Notifications). Disabling Palm Store this way removes the bulk of the intrusive pop-ups. See how others solved this on Reddit

This is XOS aggressive battery management killing WhatsApp in the background. Go to Settings > Apps > App management > WhatsApp > Battery (or 'Battery usage') and set it to 'No restrictions'/'Allow background activity'. If your XOS build has a power-saving/auto-launch protected list (often under Settings > Battery or Phone Master), add WhatsApp to it. Then confirm notifications are fully enabled under Settings > Notifications > WhatsApp, including the 'Calls' channel and pop-up/floating notifications. See how others solved this on Reddit

Floating call windows and chat heads need the overlay permission, which XOS often leaves off by default. Go to Settings > Apps > Special app access > Display over other apps (or Settings > Apps > App management > WhatsApp > Permissions) and turn on 'Display over other apps' for WhatsApp. After granting it, restart WhatsApp so the floating window can appear when you switch apps during a call. See how others solved this on Reddit

Yes, the stock XOS launcher can be swapped for something lighter like Smart Launcher or Nova. Install it from the Play Store, then go to Settings > Apps > Default apps > Home app and pick the new launcher; press the home button once to set it active. To hide the leftover XOS feed and shortcuts, the new launcher's own home settings let you remove them, and you can clear the old launcher's defaults under Settings > Apps > App management. See how others solved this on Reddit

First force a restart by holding the Power button for about 15-20 seconds until it reboots. If it keeps looping, power off and boot into recovery by holding Power + Volume Up, choose 'Wipe cache partition' and reboot, which fixes most soft bricks without erasing data. If it still won't boot, a 'Wipe data/factory reset' from recovery usually revives it (this erases your data). A true hard brick stuck in download/flash mode needs the official XOS firmware reflashed via Infinix's service tool, so back up to your Google account beforehand. See how others solved this on Reddit

As a budget XOS phone the Smart 9 handles WhatsApp, browsing and light apps fine; slowdowns usually come from preinstalled bloatware and limited RAM rather than failing hardware. Keep it smooth by disabling promo apps (Settings > Apps > App management), reducing animations in Developer options, and enabling 'Memory extension'/RAM expansion in Settings. Clearing a heavy app's cache via Settings > Apps > App management > [app] > Storage also helps if it starts feeling sluggish. See how others solved this on Reddit