Advertising banners on Android smartphones have become a real scourge of modern users. They pop up in the most unexpected places: in the notification shade, on the desktop, in system applications, and even in the device settings. Manufacturers of smartphones (especially budget models) often integrate advertising into the firmware to compensate for the low cost of the device. But constant pop-up windows are not only annoying - they slow down the system, waste traffic can collect data about your activity.

In this article we will analyze all possible sources of advertising on Android and We will suggest 7 proven methods their disabling - from standard settings to radical methods for experienced users. It is important to understand that some methods may require root access or disabling system applications, which can lead to unstable operation of the device. We will describe in detail the risks and alternatives for each case.

If you use a smartphone from Xiaomi, Huawei, OPPO or Realme —pay special attention to the sections about proprietary firmware (MIUI, EMUI, ColorOS). These manufacturers are especially active in introducing advertising into the interface, but they also have specific ways to disable it.

1. Disabling advertising in system notifications

The most common type of advertising on Android is pop-up banners in the notification shade. They can appear even without third-party applications installed, since some manufacturers (for example Xiaomi or Samsung) build advertising modules directly into the firmware.

To disable them:

  • 📱 Go to Settings → Applications → Manage applications
  • 🔍 In the search, enter "Msa" (for Xiaomi) or "System Ads" (for other brands)
  • ⚙️ Select an application (for example, com.miui.systemAdSolution for MIUI) and turn off notifications
  • 🚫 If there is an option "Show notifications" - deactivate it

On some devices (Huawei, Honor), advertising notifications may be hidden under the name HwPush or com.huawei.android.hsf. They can also be disabled through the notification settings, but complete removal will require ADB (more on this below).

⚠️ Attention: After disabling advertising notifications, the " Xiaomi After disabling advertising notifications, the function may stop working "MIUI Recommendations" function in search may stop working. This is not critical, but keep this point in mind.
Manufacturer Name of advertising service Can I disable it without root
Xiaomi (MIUI) com.miui.systemAdSolution Yes (via settings)
Huawei (EMUI) com.huawei.hwid or HwPush Partially (ADB required)
OPPO/Realme (ColorOS) com.heytap.browser or com.nearme.browser Yes (disable notifications)
Samsung (One UI) com.samsung.android.app.spage Yes (disable Samsung Free)
📊 What is your brand smartphone?
Xiaomi
Samsung
Huawei
OPPO/Realme
Other

2. Removing advertising from branded shells (MIUI, EMUI, ColorOS)

Manufacturers of budget and mid-budget smartphones often embed advertising directly into system applications: browser, theme store, security center and even in settings. data-i="84">banners can appear in the menu " MIUI banners may appear in the menu "Themes", "Security" or "Cleaning".

For Xiaomi (MIUI 12 and later):

  1. Open Settings → About phone and tap 7 times on "MIUI version" to activate "Advanced settings".
  2. Go back to the main settings and select "Advanced → Accessibility".
  3. Find "Get recommendations" and turn off the slider.
  4. To completely remove advertising from themes, go to Themes → Settings (⚙️) → Topic recommendations and deactivate all options.

On Huawei i Honor (EMUI):

  • 🛡️ Open "Security" → "Settings" → "Advertising and recommendations" and turn off all sliders.
  • 🌐 browser Huawei Browser go to settings and deactivate "Personalized advertising".
  • 📦 Delete or freeze the application com.huawei.hwid (required ADB).

For OPPO i Realme (ColorOS):

  • 🎨 In "Themes" disable "Recommendations" in the settings.
  • 🔧 In "Settings → Advanced → Personalization" deactivate "Desktop recommendations".
  • 🚫 Uninstall applications com.heytap.browser and com.nearme.browser via ADB:
adb shell pm uninstall --user 0 com.heytap.browser

adb shell pm uninstall --user 0 com.nearme.browser

⚠️ Attention: On some firmware ColorOS removing the browser may lead to malfunctions of "Smart assistant. In this case, it is better to just disable it. notifications.

Enable USB debugging in the developer settings|Install ADB on your PC (platform-tools)|Connect your phone and confirm trust in the computer|Back up important data-->

3. applications

Many users encounter advertising not only in the system, but also in browsers (Chrome, Yandex Browser, UC Browser) or popular applications (Facebook, Instagram, free games). A combination of ad blockers and the correct settings will help here.

Blocking methods:

  • 🛡️ Install a blocker at the DNS level:
    • Use 1.1.1.3 (Cloudflare Family) or 94.140.14.14 (AdGuard DNS) in the Wi-Fi or mobile network settings.
    • For permanent blocking, install the application DNS Changer (does not require root).
  • 🌐 In the browser, activate the built-in blocking:
    • V Chrome: Settings → Privacy → Advertising → disable "Personalized advertising".
    • Q Yandex Browser: enable "Protection" in the settings and add the extension AdBlock.
  • 📱 For applications use Blokada or AdGuard (work without root, but require VPN setup).

Important: Some applications (for example, Facebook or TikTok) block access when AdBlock is detected. In this case, you will have to choose between advertising and access to content.

Blocking method Root required? Cons
DNS blocking (AdGuard DNS) No Does not block ads in applications
Blokada (VPN mode) No May conflict with other VPN
AdAway (with host file) Yes Requires updating the rule base
Browser with blocking (Brave) No Does not help in other applications
💡

If, after blocking ads, some sites no longer open, add them to the white list in the AdGuard settings or temporarily disable the blocker.

4. Removing ads from the desktop (widgets and icons)

Some firmware (especially on Xiaomi, OPPO i Realme) add advertising widgets or application icons from partners to the desktop. They can be removed, but the methods differ depending on the shell.

For MIUI (Xiaomi):

  • 📱 Hold your finger on the advertising widget (for example, "Recommended applications") and drag it to the trash.
  • 🔧 If the widget is not removed, disable it through Settings → Desktop → Desktop settings → Widgets.
  • 🚫 To completely remove partner icons (for example, AliExpress or Booking) use ADB:
adb shell pm uninstall --user 0 com.miui.weather2 # Weather with ads

adb shell pm uninstall --user 0 com.xiaomi.mipicks # Recommended applications

For ColorOS (OPPO/Realme):

  • 🎨 Go to Settings → Desktop and wallpaper → Desktop settings.
  • 🔘 Disable "Recommended applications" and "Partner widgets".
  • 🗑️ Delete the folder "Hot Apps" (if any) by holding and dragging to cart.

For EMUI (Huawei):

  • 📲 In the desktop settings, disable "Application recommendations".
  • 🔄 If advertising returns after a reboot, freeze the application com.huawei.android.launcher (required ADB or App Freezer).
⚠️ Attention: On some devices Huawei disabling ads on the desktop may be reset after updating the firmware. Check the settings after updates.
What what to do if advertising returns after resetting the settings?

If you did a factory reset, and advertising appeared again, this means that it is built into the firmware. In this case, the only thing that will help is:

1) Installing custom firmware (for example, LineageOS), but this requires unlocking the bootloader and can make you unavailable. guarantees.

2) Using ADB to remove system applications (see section 5).

3) Switching to a smartphone with “pure” Android (for example, Pixel or Motorola).

5. Radical methods: ADB and root access

If the standard methods do not help, you will have to resort to more serious measures. ADB (Android Debug Bridge) allows you to remove system applications without root, and root access give full control over the device. Both methods have risks, so before using them be sure to make a backup copy.

Removing advertising applications via ADB:

  1. Activate "Developer mode" (7 taps on the build number in "About the phone").
  2. Enable "USB debugging" in the developer settings.
  3. Connect the phone to the PC, install and run the following commands: adb devices # Check connection for Xiaomi platform-tools and run the commands:
adb devices # Check connection

adb shell pm list packages | grep 'ad' # Search for ad packages


adb shell pm uninstall --user 0 com.xiaomi.msa.global # Example for Xiaomi


adb shell pm uninstall --user 0 com.miui.systemAdSolution

List of common advertising packages:

  • 📦 Xiaomi: com.miui.systemAdSolution, com.xiaomi.msa.global, com.miui.weather2
  • 📦 Huawei: com.huawei.hwid, com.huawei.android.hsf, com.huawei.appmarket
  • 📦 OPPO/Realme: com.heytap.browser, com.nearme.browser, com.coloros.oshare
  • 📦 Samsung: com.samsung.android.app.spage (Samsung Free)

Using root to block ads:

  • 🛡️ Install AdAway —it blocks ads at level hosts-file.
  • 🔧 The application App Systemizer will allow you to convert user applications (for example, Blokada) into system ones so that they work without a VPN.
  • 🗑️ Using Titanium Backup or Root Explorer you can completely remove system advertising modules.
⚠️ Attention: Obtaining root access will void the warranty and may lead to device brick (complete inoperability) if performed incorrectly on some devices. (for example, Samsung with Knox) root also disables the ability to use Samsung Pay and other protected functions.
💡

ADB is the safest way to remove system applications without root, but it only works until the next resetting the settings. For a permanent effect, you will need to repeat the procedure after each firmware update.

6. Alternative firmware: last resort

If none of the methods helped, and the advertising is so annoying that it interferes with using the phone, the last option remains: installation custom firmware. will replace the system software with pure Android or a modified version without unnecessary water.

Popular firmware without unnecessary water:

  • 📱 LineageOS —the most stable and closest to “pure” Android.
  • 🛡️ GrapheneOS —privacy-oriented (supports only Pixel).
  • 🔧 Havoc-OS or Pixel Experience —with settings for Google Pixel.
  • 🌐 CalyxOS —blocks tracking and advertising at the system level.

What you need:

  1. Unlocked bootloader (bootloader).
  2. Custom recovery (TWRP or OrangeFox).
  3. Suitable firmware for your model (check at XDA Developers or 4PDA).
  4. Data backup (installing the firmware erases everything from the device).

Risks:

  • ❌ Loss of warranty (on most devices).
  • ❌ Possible bugs (non-working camera module, problems with sensors).
  • ❌ Lack of security updates (if the firmware is not supported).
  • ❌ Incompatibility with some banking applications (Sberbank, Tinkoff may block access).
⚠️ Attention: Installing custom firmware on devices with Exynos (some Samsung) or Mediatek (many Xiaomi) is fraught with problems with the modem (the network may disappear before installation).
💡

If you are a beginner, start with. firmware LineageOS - it is the documentation and community. For experiments, use an old or backup phone, not the main device.

7. How to avoid advertising when buying a new smartphone

If you are tired of fighting advertising and are planning to buy a new phone, pay attention to models that do not have it by default:

Manufacturers with minimal advertising:

  • 📱 Google Pixel —pure Android without unnecessary add-ons.
  • 📱 Motorola (series Moto G, Moto E)—almost stock Android.
  • 📱 Nokia (running Android One) - without unnecessary water and unnecessary services.
  • 📱 OnePlus (on OxygenOS) - minimalistic shell.

Manufacturers with aggressive advertising (beware):

  • 🚫 Xiaomi (especially series Redmi and Poco).
  • 🚫 OPPO, Realme, Vivo — advertising in ColorOS and Funtouch OS.
  • 🚫 Huawei and Honor — advertising in EMUI, even in flagships.
  • 🚫 Samsung — less advertising, but there are Samsung Free and banners in system applications.

What to check before purchasing:

  • 🔍 Read reviews on 4PDA or XDA about a specific model - users usually write about hidden advertising.
  • 📋 Check if there are in the firmware there is an option to disable personalized advertising (for example, "Advertising ID" in settings Google).
  • 🛡️ Check whether it is possible to disable system applications without root (via ADB).

If you have chosen a smartphone with advertising, but it suits you in other respects - use the methods from this article immediately after purchase. The sooner you disable advertising modules, the less data they will have time to collect about your activity.

FAQ: Frequently asked questions about advertising on Android

❓ Why, after disabling advertising via ADB, does it return after updating?

Manufacturers often restore it. deleted system applications when updating the firmware. To avoid this:

  1. Disable automatic system updates in the settings.
  2. Use App Freezer (for example, Shelter or Island) for "freezing" advertising applications instead of deleting them.
  3. Install custom recovery (TWRP) and disable firmware signature verification.

On Xiaomi you can also disable updates for specific applications through Settings → Applications → System update → Disable auto-update.

❓ Is it possible to remove ads without root and ADB?

Yes, but the efficiency will be lower. Here's what you can do:

  • Disable personalized advertising in settings Google (Settings → Google → Advertising).
  • Use a browser with ad blocking (Brave or Firefox with extension uBlock Origin).
  • Install Blokada or DNS66 (work via VPN).
  • Disable notifications from suspicious applications manually.

However, system advertising (for example, in MIUI or EMUI) without ADB or root cannot be removed completely It will work out.

❓ Why did some functions stop working after removing advertising applications?

Some system applications are interconnected. For example, on Xiaomi removing com.miui.weather2 can break the weather widget, and on Huawei disable HwPush —disturb the operation of notifications from system services.

Solutions:

  • Restore the deleted application via ADB:
    • adb shell cmd package install-existing com.miui.weather2
  • Use alternative applications (for example, AccuWeather instead of the system weather).
  • Reset the settings to factory settings and repeat the removal, excluding critical packages.
❓ Is it legal to remove system advertising?

From a legal point of view, you have the right to modify your device if it belongs to you. However:

  • The manufacturer may void the warranty if changes are detected (for example, an unlocked bootloader or root).
  • Some applications (banking, government services) may block access on devices with root or custom firmware.
  • In the EU and US, there are consumer protection laws that prohibit forced advertising without the ability to turn off. If the manufacturer does not provide such an option, this may be a violation (for example, Xiaomi has already faced lawsuits in this regard).

In Russia and the CIS there is no legal practice on this issue, but the manufacturer has the right not to fulfill warranty obligations if unauthorized changes are detected.

❓ Which applications definitely do not contain advertising?

If you are looking for alternatives to popular apps without unnecessary water, pay attention to:

  • 📱 Browsers: Brave, Firefox (with blocker), DuckDuckGo Browser.
  • 📱 Launchers: Nova Launcher, Lawnchair, Rootless Launcher.
  • 📱 File managers: Solid Explorer, FX File Explorer.
  • 📱 Keyboards: AnySoftKeyboard, FlorisBoard (open source).
  • 📱 Galleries: Simple Gallery, Aves.

Also pay attention to applications marked "No Ads" in Google Play or look for them on F-Droid (open source software store).