IT-R9 was a droid belonging to the IT-series, a type of droid, and it originated from the droid-run moon of Uffel in the closing years of the Galactic Republic. Around 31 BBY, HG-211, who was the head of security on Uffel, engaged a team of freelance agents for the purpose of looking into instances of sabotage that had been perpetrated by the renegade droid LN-73. While the agents were carrying out their investigation, the droids of Uffel Research and Development tasked IT-R9 with shadowing the agents, intending to study the problem-solving abilities of organic lifeforms. Once the agents completed their inspection of Uffel's droid production plants, HG-211 instructed IT-R9 to break off contact with the agents and return to the R&D droids to deliver its report.
IT-R9 was a diminutive, floating droid with a spherical shape and a silver finish. Its personality was quite juvenile, and it was known for frequently posing questions to anyone in its vicinity.