Sudden appearance of advertising banners on the locked screen or in the form “both” on the desktop is a common problem faced by users of budget and mid-budget smartphones. Often this feature is introduced by manufacturers to monetize the device, but sometimes it is a consequence of installing a malicious application. Intrusive images are not only annoying, but also noticeably reduce performance the system and consume battery power.
The solution to this problem depends on the specific model of your gadget and the version of the operating system. In this article, we will analyze in detail the algorithms for disabling advertising for popular shells such as MIUI, One UI and ColorOS, and also teach how to identify hidden viruses. You don't have to be a programming expert to get back a clean interface.
We'll look at both standard settings and advanced blocking methods via DNS or ADB. By following the steps sequentially, you can completely clear your Android smartphone of visual debris. Let's start with diagnosing the sources of banners.
Diagnostics of the source of advertising banners
Before blindly disabling the settings, you need to understand the nature of the appearance of advertising. It can be systemic (a legitimate shell function) or malicious (the result of a virus). If banners appear chaotically, block the interface of other applications or lead to dubious sites, most likely your phone has an adware virus. adware (advertising virus).
System advertising usually looks neat, matches the style of the wallpaper and appears strictly at the moment the screen is turned on or unlocked. Manufacturers often call this "Wallpaper Carousel" or "Lock Screen Recommendations." Unlike viruses, such items can be legally disabled in the settings menu if you know where to look for the switch.
For a quick check, launch the application manager and sort the list by installation time. Pay attention to recently installed apps, especially if you don't remember the installation process. Viruses are often disguised as useful utilities: flashlights, QR code scanners or memory cleaners.
⚠️ Attention: If an advertising banner appears on top of an open application (for example, while playing or reading), this is 99% a sign of malware. System advertising doesn't work like that. In this case, disabling the settings will not help - you need to remove the virus.
Disable advertising in the MIUI shell (Xiaomi, Redmi, POCO)
The company's smartphones Xiaomi are notorious for their aggressive advertising policy. In MIUI firmware (and the new HyperOS), advertising modules are built deep into the system. To remove them from the screensaver, you need to disable the msa (MIUI System Ads) service. This is a system process responsible for distributing advertising in all standard applications.
Go to your phone settings and find the “Password and Security” item. Here you will need to log in to your Mi account. After logging in, find the “Access to personal data” section. Find the application in the list msa and turn off the access slider. The system will persistently try to convince you to leave the ad, asking you to wait 10 seconds - be patient and click "Recall" several times if necessary.
In addition to the msa service, lock screen ads are often controlled by a separate Wallpaper Carousel application. To disable it, go to Settings → Lock screen. Find the “Wallpaper Carousel” item and uncheck the “Enable Wallpaper Carousel” option. It is also recommended to go into the settings of the “Wallpaper Carousel” application itself through the app menu and clear its data.
☑️ Checklist for cleaning MIUI
Don't forget to also disable personalized advertising in the "Privacy" section. Find the “Advertising Services” item and activate the “Disable Ad Personalization” option. This will not remove banners completely, but will make them less intrusive and irrelevant to your profile.
Setting the lock screen in Samsung One UI
In smartphones Samsung the situation is a little different. Here, advertisements are often served under the guise of the “Dynamic Wallpaper” feature or through the “Galaxy Themes” application. If you see changing images with brand logos or news headlines on the locked screen, this is the work of the service Glance or a similar Samsung partner.
To disable, go to Settings → Lock screen. Please review the available options carefully. If you have Lock Screen Style enabled, tap it and select Classic. This action will instantly remove all news widgets and promotional slides, returning a strict interface with a clock and notifications.
It is also worth checking the settings of the Wallpaper and Style application. In some regions, Samsung pre-installs a service that automatically changes the wallpaper to advertising. Go to this application, click on the three dots in the corner of the screen, select “Settings” and disable the “Change wallpaper” or “Daily updates” function.
What is Samsung Glance?
This is a service that broadcasts news and advertising to the lock screen. It is often pre-installed on new A and M series models. It cannot be completely removed without root access, but can be disabled in the lock screen settings by selecting the "Classic" or "Contact Info" style.
If ads continue to appear, check your installed widgets on your home screen. A long press on a suspicious widget will remove it. Often, users accidentally add news aggregator widgets, which are essentially advertising platforms.
Removing advertising in OPPO, Realme and Vivo (ColorOS and Funtouch)
Shells from the BBK Electronics concern (ColorOS, Realme UI, Funtouch OS) also suffer from the presence of advertising slideshows on the lock screen. This feature is commonly called "Carousel Screen Lock" or "Lock Screen Magazine". It downloads beautiful pictures from the Internet, but along with them it also loads advertising integrations.
To stop this process, open the settings and go to the Screen and brightness → Screen locksection. Here you'll find a toggle for "Wallpaper Carousel" (or "Lock Screen History"). Move it to the inactive position. The system may ask for confirmation - agree.
Additionally, it is recommended to disable recommendation services. Go to Settings → Password and Security → Privacy → Advertising Services. Turn off personalization. In some firmware versions, you need to go to the “Theme Store” application, click on the profile and disable “Personal Recommendations” and “Popular Themes” in the settings.
| Brand / Skin | Name of advertising function | Where to disable | Reset risk |
|---|---|---|---|
| Xiaomi (MIUI) | Wallpaper carousel / msa | Settings → Lock screen | Low |
| Samsung (One UI) | Dynamic wallpaper / Glance | Settings → Lock screen | Low |
| OPPO / Realme | Lock with carousel | Screen and brightness → Lock | Low |
| Vivo (Funtouch) | Lock screen history | Settings → Lock screen | Medium |
After disabling the wallpaper carousel, the standard wallpaper may be reset to default. Download and install the desired static image from the gallery in advance so that the screen does not look empty.
Search and remove virus miners and adware
If you have tried all the settings, but the advertising has not gone away, it means that a malicious application has settled in the system. Such apps often do not have an icon in the menu or are disguised as system processes with names like “System Update”, “Wi-Fi Service” or just an empty name.
The first step is to enter safe mode. To do this, hold down the power button, and when the reboot menu appears, press and hold the “Shut down” item (on some models, “Reboot”) until you are prompted to enter safe mode. If the advertising disappeared in this mode, the culprit is definitely among the installed applications.
Exit safe mode and go to Settings → Applications → All applications. Review the list carefully. Look for applications without an icon (white square), with suspicious names, or ones that you did not install. Pay special attention to applications with rights “On top of other windows”.
⚠️ Attention: Viruses often block access to the “Delete” button. If the button is grayed out, first go to Accessibility and revoke the permissions of the suspicious application. Only after this can it be deleted.
If you cannot find the culprit manually, use an antivirus. However, many free antivirus apps themselves are a source of advertising. It is better to use the built-in Google Play Protect. Go to the Play Market store, click on the profile icon and select “Play Protect Protection”. Run a full system scan.
The surest sign of an advertising virus is the absence of an icon in the application menu or the presence of device administrator rights that the user did not grant.
Ad blocking via private DNS (universal method)
For those who want to block not only system advertising, but also banners In the browser and free applications, there is a powerful tool - Private DNS. This method does not require the installation of third-party apps and works at the network connection level.
Go to Settings → Connections → Other connection settings → Private DNS (the path may vary slightly depending on the model). By default it is set to "Auto". Select the “ISP Hostname” (or “Manual”) mode and enter the address of a trusted blocker.
dns.adguard.comSave the settings. Now all DNS requests on your phone will go through AdGuard servers, which will cut off known advertising domains. This effectively removes advertising from screensavers that load content from the Internet, and also cleans up browsing in the browser.
However, this method has a caveat: if you use public Wi-Fi networks with authorization through the browser (captive portal), the connection may not be established, since the DNS filter will block the login page. In such cases, you need to temporarily return the setting to “Auto” or “Disabled”.
Why does this work?
Advertising banners are loaded from separate servers. By blocking access to these domains at the DNS level, the phone simply cannot receive a picture or advertising script, leaving empty space or a standard background.
Advanced cleaning via ADB (for experienced users)
If the standard settings do not allow you to disable the system advertising application (it is hidden or the shutdown button is inactive), you can use the tool ADB (Android Debug Bridge). This method allows you to remove or freeze system packages without obtaining root access.
First, enable “Developer Mode” in the phone settings (tap “Build Number” 7 times). Then enable USB Debugging. Connect your phone to your computer and install ADB drivers. Open a command prompt on your PC.
Enter the command to search for packages containing the word "ads" or "glance":
adb shell pm list packages | grep -i adsOnce you have found the package name (for example com.miui.misys or similar), you can disable it for the current user with the command:
adb shell pm disable-user --user 0 package name⚠️ Warning: Be extremely careful with ADB commands. Disabling critical system services (not related to advertising) may cause the phone to stop booting (bootloop). Disable only those packages whose purpose you are 100% sure of.
This method is the most radical and effective. It allows you to cut out advertising modules from the firmware, making them inactive. However, when you reset the phone to factory settings, all changes will be canceled and the ads will have to be turned off again.
Frequently asked questions (FAQ)
Why do ads appear again after rebooting the phone?
Most likely, you only turned off the temporary display, but not the service itself. In the settings of Xiaomi and OPPO, you need to revoke access to personal data from the msa service or carousel, and not just turn off the toggle switch. Also check if you have an automatic theme update that returns advertising wallpapers.
Is it possible to remove advertising permanently without voiding the warranty?
Yes, using privacy settings, disabling services through the menu and setting up Private DNS do not violate the warranty. The guarantee is lost only when you obtain root access (superuser rights) or unlock the bootloader.
Is it safe to use DNS blockers?
Using proven services such as AdGuard DNS is safe. They only filter requests to ad servers. However, remember that this may slow down the loading of some sites if their advertising scripts are intertwined with the main content.
What to do if the “Delete” button of a virus is inactive?
Go to Settings → Security → Device Administrators. Uncheck the suspicious application. After that, it will lose privileges, and you can delete it in the usual way through the app menu.
Does disabling advertising affect the phone's operation?
On the contrary, disabling advertising services (especially msa on Xiaomi) often has a positive effect on battery life and the speed of the interface, since the system stops wasting resources on loading and displaying banners in the background.