Pop-up windows on Android are one of the most annoying problems that every second user faces. Ads, application notifications, system alerts, and even malicious banners can appear at the most inopportune moments: while playing games, watching videos, or working with important documents. According to a study Statista for 2023, 68% of smartphone owners complain about excessive advertising, and 42% note that pop-ups interfere with the daily use of the device. Android complain about excessive advertising, and 42% say that pop-ups interfere with everyday use of the device.

The reasons for the appearance of pop-ups are varied: from aggressive monetization of free applications to infection of the device. adware (adware) or Trojans. Fortunately, most pop-up windows can be blocked using standard system tools or using third-party tools. In this article we will look at 7 proven methodsincluding hidden settings Android 12-14, working with application rights and even radical measures for advanced cases. It is important to understand that some windows (for example, system notifications about low battery) cannot be disabled - this is an architectural limitation. But it’s quite possible to remove 90% of annoying advertising. Android. But it’s quite possible to remove 90% of annoying advertising.

1. Disabling permissions for displaying on top of other windows

Most pop-up windows appear thanks to a special permission SYSTEM_ALERT_WINDOWthat allows applications to appear on top of other apps. This permission is turned off by default, but many applications (especially launchers, cleaners and games) ask for it during installation. To block such pop-ups:

  1. Go to Settings → Applications (on some firmware - Applications and notifications).
  2. Tap on the three dots in the upper right corner and select Special access (or Additional → Special access on MIUI).
  3. Find item Show on top of other applications (on Samsung — Other permissions → Show on top of other windows).
  4. In the application list, disable the sliders for all suspicious apps. Pay attention to applications with names like Clean Master, DU Battery Saver or unknown games.

Exception: some system applications. (for example, Google Play Services or Device services) must have this permission to work correctly. Disabling them may lead to malfunctions of the smartphone.

Disable displays on top for unknowns. applications|Check games for permission|Leave permission for system services|Reboot the phone after changes-->

⚠️ Attention: On firmware ColorOS (smartphone operating system Oppo/Realme), the path to the settings may differ. Look for the section Permissions → Advanced → Show on top of other windows. (for example, Xiaomi) hide system applications in this list - to display them you may need to enable Show system processes.

2. Blocking notifications from specific applications

If pop-ups come in the form of notifications (for example, advertisements from AliExpress or Wildberries), they can be disabled individually. This method works for most applications, except for system ones (for example, Google Play Store or Google Play Services). data-i="80">Google Play Market

  • 📱 Press the notification from the problematic application with your finger and swipe it left/right (depending on the firmware).
  • 🔕 Click on the gear icon that appears or Notification settings.
  • 🚫 Disable the slider Show notifications or select High priority → No sound and no icon.
  • 🔄 For complete blocking, also turn off Sound, Vibration i Icon on the lock screen.

On firmware MIUI (smartphones Xiaomi/Redmi/Poco) the path to the notification settings is different:

  1. Open Settings → Notifications and status bar → Manage notifications.
  2. Select the application from the list and disable it Pop-up notifications and Notification icons.

On smartphones with Android 13+, the “Silent mode for notifications” feature has appeared, which automatically hides little-used notifications. Activated in Settings. → Notifications → Quiet mode.

MIUI (Xiaomi/Redmi/Poco)|One UI (Samsung)|ColorOS (Oppo/Realme)|EMUI (Huawei)|Stock Android (Pixel/Motorola)|Other-->

3. ad blocker (Digital Wellbeing)

Starting with Android 9 Pie, the system has integrated a tool Digital Wellbeing (Digital Wellbeing), which allows you to limit application activity, including advertising. This method is especially effective against annoying banners in games and social networks. How to set up:

  1. Open Settings → Digital Wellbeing and Parental Controls.
  2. Select Panel tools (or Dashboard on older versions).
  3. Tap on the hourglass icon next to the application that shows ads.
  4. Set a time limit for use (for example, 5 minutes per day) or select Pause.

Once the limit is exceeded, the application will be blocked, and all its notifications and pop-ups will be hidden. To completely block:

  • 🛡️ Turn on Focus mode in settings Digital Wellbeing.
  • 📵 Add problematic applications to the blocked list.
  • ⏰ Set a schedule (for example, from 20:00 to 8:00) so that advertising does not interfere at night.
⚠️ Attention: On some firmware (for example, Flyme on smartphones Meizu) function Digital Wellbeing may be missing or work incorrectly. In this case, use third-party blockers from the next section.

4. Third-party ad blockers: what to choose in 2026

If built-in tools do not help, come to the rescue specialized applications. It is important to choose proven solutions, since many “blockers” themselves display advertising or collect data. We tested 15 applications and selected the top 3:

Application Blocking type Pros Cons Link
Blokada DNS/VPN blocker Does not require root, blocks ads in games and browser May conflict with banking applications Google Play
AdGuard Local VPN + filters Support for custom filters, low battery consumption Premium features are paid (~300 rubles/year) Official website
NetGuard Firewall Blocks application access to the network, no advertising Complicated setup for beginners F-Droid

To install:

  1. Download the selected application from Google Play or the official website (for example, AdGuard available on adguard.com).
  2. Run the application and follow the setup wizard. Blokada and AdGuard you will need permission to create a VPN connection.
  3. Enable ad blocking in the main settings AdGuard it is recommended to activate filters:
    • 🛡️ AdGuard Base filter
    • 📱 Mobile ads filter
    • 🕷️ EasyList

💡

If push notifications stop working after installing the blocker (for example, from VKontakte or Telegram), add these applications to exceptions in the blocker settings.

5. Checking for viruses and adverts: how to remove them. hidden threats

If pop-up windows appear even after disabling all permissions, there is a high probability of infection Adver (adware virus) or Trojan. Such software is often disguised as system applications (for example, com.android.system or com.google.services) and is not displayed in the standard list of apps. To check:

  1. Install an antivirus with an adware scanning function. We recommend:
    • 🛡️ Malwarebytes (free version)
    • 🔍 Kaspersky Mobile Antivirus
    • 📱 Bitdefender Mobile Security
  • Run Deep scan (not fast!). This may take 10-30 minutes.
  • Remove all threats found. If the antivirus detects Android.Trojan.Agent or AdDisplay, this confirms the infection.
  • Restart your smartphone in Safe Mode (press the power off button → Safe Mode) and check if the pop-up windows have disappeared. If yes, the problem is in third-party software.

    • To remove particularly persistent viruses:

    • 🔧 Use ADB (Android Debug Bridge). Connect the phone to the PC, turn on USB debugging v Settings → For developers and run the command: 
      adb shell pm uninstall -k --user 0 name.package

      You can find out the name of the package through App Inspector (available in Google Play).

    • 🧹 If a virus blocks the installation of antiviruses, try resetting the settings to factory settings (Settings → System → Reset settings). Attention: this will delete all data!
    ⚠️ Attention: Some viruses (for example, Android.Triada) are embedded in system files and cannot be removed using standard methods. In this case, you may need to flash the device. via Fastboot or Recovery. Contact the service center if you are not sure of your actions.

    6. Browser settings: blocking pop-ups in Chrome and other browsers

    If pop-ups appear only when surfing the Internet, the problem lies. in the browser settings. Modern versions Google Chrome, Mozilla Firefox and Samsung Internet have built-in tools for blocking pop-ups, but they are often disabled by default. How to set it up:

    For Google Chrome:

    1. Open the browser and tap on the three dots. → Settings.
    2. Go to Site Settings → Pop-ups and redirects.
    3. Make sure the slider is in position Blocked (blue color).
    4. In the Permissions section, check if there are any suspicious sites there with permission to show pop-ups.

    For Samsung Internet:

    1. Open the menu (three lines) → Settings → Privacy and Security.
    2. Activate Block pop-ups.
    3. Enable Smart Anti-Tracking for additional protection.

    To completely block ads in your browser, install extensions:

    • 🛡️ uBlock Origin (available for Firefox and Kiwi Browser)
    • 🔒 AdBlock Plus (works in Samsung Internet)
    • 🚫 AdGuard Content Blocker (requires Samsung Internet or Yandex Browser)

    How to delete saved permissions for pop-ups in Chrome

    Open chrome://settings/content/popups in the address bar → find the section Allow → remove all sites from the list.

    7. Radical measures: disabling system applications and firmware

    If all the previous methods did not help, radical solutions remain. They are suitable for experienced users and require caution, as they can lead to unstable operation of the smartphone. Options:

    • 🔧 Disable system applications without root: Some firmware. (for example, MIUI or EMUI) allow you to disable pre-installed applications via Settings → Applications → Show system ones. Find suspicious apps (for example, BrowserProviderProxy or Android System WebView old version) and click Disable.
    • 📱 Getting root access: Using Magisk or KingRoot you can delete system applications that block changes. Risk: Loss of warranty and the possibility of "bricking" the device.
    • 🔄 Flashing: Installing custom firmware (for example, LineageOS or Pixel Experience) will remove all pre-installed viruses and adware. Requires unlocking the bootloader.

    To disable system applications via ADB (without root):

    1. Connect your phone to the PC and enable USB debugging.
    2. Run the command to view the list of packages: 
      adb shell pm list packages -f
    3. Find a suspicious package (for example, com.sec.android.app.launcher for Samsung) and disable it: 
      adb shell pm disable-user --user 0 package name

    💡

    Before disabling system applications, create a backup via adb backup or Titanium Backup (requires root). This will help restore the functionality of the smartphone in case of an error.

    ⚠️ Attention: On smartphones with Android 10+ disabling critical system applications (for example, Google Play Services) can lead to a cyclic reboot (bootloopBefore experiments, check the compatibility of your model). on the forums XDA Developers or 4PDA.

    FAQ: Frequently asked questions about pop-ups on Android

    Why do pop-up windows remain after deleting an application?

    Most likely, the application left behind residual files or service in the backgroundCheck:

    1. Folder /sdcard/Android/obb/ for the presence of deleted application files.
    2. Section Settings → Applications → Show system ones — sometimes applications are disguised as system ones (for example, com.android.system.update).
    3. Startup: Settings → Battery → Autostart (on MIUI).

    If all else fails, use SD Maid (a junk cleaning app) or perform a factory reset.

    Can pop-up windows be dangerous for your phone?

    Yes, some types of pop-ups pose a real threat:

    • 🕵️ Phishing windows they imitate system notifications (for example, “Your phone is infected! Click here to clean”) and steal data.
    • 💳 Advertising of fraudulent services (for example, fake Google Play or banking sites).
    • 📱 Adware can load additional viruses or mine cryptocurrency in the background.

    Never click on suspicious banners, especially if they offer to “speed up your phone”, “win a prize” or “update” firmware."

    How to block pop-ups in games (for example, Genshin Impact or Free Fire)?

    In games, pop-ups are usually shown through:

    1. Built-in advertising (for example, Unity Ads or AppLovin). Blocked via AdGuard or Blokada.
    2. Push notifications. Disable them in the game settings: Settings → Notifications → Disable advertising alerts.
    3. Updates via Launcher. Some games (for example, Genshin Impact) show pop-ups through their launcher. Remove the launcher and launch the game through the shortcut.

    For Free Fire and similar games are also helped by turning off the Internet for 5-10 seconds after launch (advertising does not have time to load).

    Why do pop-up windows appear on Xiaomi/Redmi even after resetting the settings?

    Smartphones Xiaomi are known for pre-installed adware, which is restored after a reset. To remove it permanently:

    1. Disable MIUI Optimizations (requires unlocking the bootloader and root).
    2. Remove via ADB packages: 
      com.miui.analytics

      com.xiaomi.midrop
      

      com.miui.systemAdSolution

    3. Install custom firmware without MIUI (for example, Pixel Experience).

    On new models (for example, Redmi Note 12), advertising can be built into system services. In this case, only the firmware will help.

    How to block pop-up windows from Google (for example, "Rate application")?

    System notifications from Google Play are partially disabled:

    • 📱 Go to Settings → Google → Notifications applications and disable Surveys and recommendations.
    • 🔕 In Google Play Store open the menu → Settings → Notifications and deactivate all options.
    • 🚫 To completely block it, you will need to disable Google Play Services, but this will disrupt the operation of many applications.

    Alternative: use alternative application stores, for example, Aurora Store (does not require Google Services).