Owners of modern smartphones often encounter intrusive banners and pop-ups that interfere with the comfortable use of the gadget. Brand devices Vivo, despite their performance and high-quality screen, sometimes suffer from the presence of pre-installed advertising content in system shells or third-party utilities. This can happen both in the form of full-screen ads after unlocking, and in the form of annoying notifications in the status bar.
Fortunately, there are many ways to completely clear the interface of excess visual noise. You don't have to be an advanced programmer to solve this problem. It is enough to consistently check the system settings, the parameters of specific applications and use the built-in security tools. In this article we will analyze in detail how to remove ads from an Android vivo phoneusing only standard functions and proven methods.
Ignoring this problem can lead not only to discomfort, but also to increased battery consumption, as well as the risk of accidentally downloading malware through advertising links. Therefore, the issue of cleaning the device is an important step in the initial setup or optimization of an already used smartphone. Let's get started with the step-by-step guide.
Disabling system recommendations and personalized ads
The first step towards a clean interface is to disable the built-in recommendation services that often run by default in the shell Funtouch OS or Origin OS. Smartphone manufacturers often integrate news feeds and application suggestions directly into the home screen or lock screen, considering this a useful functionality, although for many users it is pure advertising.
To get rid of this, you need to go to the main settings of the device. Find the section responsible for the lock screen or desktop. In the menu Settings → Lock screen and password (or a similar item in your firmware version) you should disable the options related to “Recommendations”, “Blocking Services” or “Wallpaper Carousel”. It is these services that load advertising content from the network.
It is also worth paying attention to the section Privacy. Modern versions of Android have the ability to limit data collection for targeted advertising. Go to Settings → Privacy → Advertising and enable the “Opt out ad personalization” or “Reset advertising ID” feature. This will not remove advertising completely, but it will make it less relevant and intrusive, breaking the connection between your interests and the content shown.
⚠️ Attention: The menu interface may differ depending on the shell version Funtouch OS. If you do not find the exact name of the item, look for keywords like “Recommendations”, “Services” or “Personalization” in the settings search.
After making changes, it is recommended to restart the device for the new settings to take effect. Often users skip this step and then wonder why banners keep appearing. A reboot clears the cache of system processes responsible for displaying widgets and notifications.
Before changing system settings, take a screenshot of the current menu state. If something goes wrong, you can easily return all the switches to their original positions.
Managing notifications from installed applications
Often the source of irritation is not system functions, but third-party applications that you installed yourself. Free utilities, games, flashlights, or QR code scanners may use push notifications to display promotional offers. These messages appear in the notification shade and are often disguised as system messages.
To combat this, it is necessary to review the permissions. Go to Settings → Notifications and status bar → Manage notifications. Here you will see a complete list of all apps that have the right to send you messages. Carefully study this list and turn off notifications for those applications that are not critical (for example, instant messengers or banking applications should not be touched).
- 📱 Games: They often send notifications about new promotions, lives or events that are essentially advertising.
- 🛒 Marketplaces: Product stores can spam you with discount offers, even if you didn't plan to buy anything.
- 🔦 Utilities: Simple tools like a calculator or compass should not have access to sending notifications.
Pay special attention to applications that you installed recently, before advertising started appearing. If you find a suspicious app that does not have a clear name or icon, it is better to remove it immediately. To delete, go to Settings → Applications, find the desired element and click the button Delete.
Setting up the browser to block web advertising
A significant part of advertising traffic comes through web browsers, which you use to surf the Internet. Even if system advertising is disabled, the sites themselves contain many banners, video inserts and pop-ups. A standard browser Vivo Browser or a popular one Google Chrome allows you to configure protection against such content.
In Google Chrome you need to go to settings and find the section Settings → Site settings → Pop-ups and redirects. Make sure this item is locked. It is also worth going to the Advertising section (if it is available in your version) and disabling the display of intrusive advertising. This will prevent new tabs from opening without your consent when visiting dubious resources.
If you are using the built-in browser from Vivo, go to its menu (three dots or lines) and select Settings → Ad blocking. Activate this filter. This simple action will significantly speed up page loading and make reading articles more comfortable by removing blinking banners on the sides of the text.
For more advanced users, it is recommended to install specialized browsers such as Brave or DuckDuckGothat have built-in powerful mechanisms for blocking trackers and advertising at the engine level. Such solutions often work more efficiently than manual configuration of standard tools.
☑️ Check browser security
Search and remove malware (Adware)
Sometimes advertisements appear due to the presence of hidden malware on the system, known as Adware. Such apps can masquerade as harmless weather widgets, wallpapers, or memory optimizers. Their main goal is to display advertising, often right on the desktop, on top of other windows.
The first sign of the presence of such a virus is the appearance of advertising in unexpected places, for example, immediately after unlocking the screen, when you are on the main screen and not in the browser. Also a sign may be rapid battery drain and heating of the case during idle mode. In this case, it is necessary to conduct a deep scan of the device.
Use the built-in antivirus iManager, which is preinstalled on all smartphones Vivo. Launch the application, select Security check and wait until scanning is completed. If threats are found, the system will offer to neutralize them. However, built-in tools do not always see complex types of adware.
| Symptom of problem | Possible cause | Action |
|---|---|---|
| Advertising on the desktop table | Miner virus or Adware | Removing suspicious applications |
| Sudden opening of websites | Malicious browser extension | Reset settings browser |
| Unremovable icons | Application with administrator rights | Revocation of rights in security settings |
| High traffic consumption | Background loading of adware content | Checking data usage statistics |
If the built-in scanner did not help, try to remember which applications you installed shortly before the problem appeared. Go to Settings → Applications and sort the list by installation date. Remove any apps you don't understand, especially those that don't have a name or icon (they may appear as an empty white box in the list).
⚠️ Attention: Some malicious apps receive device administrator rights, which does not allow them to be removed in the usual way. Before deleting, go to
Settings → Security → Device administrator applicationsand uncheck the suspicious application.
What to do if the virus is not removed?
If the application is not uninstalled even after revoking administrator rights, try booting the phone in safe mode. To do this, hold down the power button, and then long press on the “Shut down” item on the screen until you are prompted to switch to safe mode. In this mode, only system applications work, which will allow you to safely remove malicious software.
Using DNS for global ad blocking
One of the most effective and modern methods of combating advertising is setting up a private DNS (Domain Name System). This method allows you to block advertising requests at the network connection level, without requiring the installation of additional applications or receiving root access. This works for all applications and browsers at the same time.
Starting with Android version 9, the system has a built-in “Private DNS” function. To activate it on your smartphone Vivo, go to Settings → Connections and general settings → Private DNS (the path may vary slightly in different firmware versions). By default, the mode is “Auto” or “Disabled.”
You need to select the “DNS Provider Hostname” (or “Manual”) mode and enter the address of a special server that filters advertising traffic. One of the most popular and reliable services is AdGuard DNS. In the hostname input field, enter the following line:
dns.adguard.comAfter entering the address, save the settings. Now all requests to known ad servers will be blocked at the network level. You will notice that advertising has disappeared not only in the browser, but also in many free games and applications that were previously annoying with banners. This method also increases security by blocking access to phishing sites.
Setting up a private DNS is a “silver bullet” against advertising that works systemically and does not load the phone’s processor with additional blocking applications.
It is important to understand that this method can sometimes block useful content if the site uses the same servers for advertising and for work. If any application stops working correctly, you can always temporarily return the DNS settings to “Auto” or “Disabled” mode.
Resetting the settings as a last resort
If none of the above methods helped, and advertising continues to poison your life, perhaps the system was deeply damaged, or you are faced with a very cunning virus. In this case, a radical but effective method remains - a complete reset to factory settings.
This procedure will return the phone to the state it was in when purchased. All user data, photos, contacts and installed applications will be deleted. Therefore, before starting the operation critically create a backup copy of all important information on a cloud drive or computer.
To perform a reset, go to Settings → System → Reset settings → Delete all data (reset to factory settings). The system will warn you about the consequences and ask you to enter an unlock password. Confirm the action and wait for the process to complete. The phone will reboot and you will get a clean system without traces of viruses and advertising junk.
⚠️ Attention: After resetting, do not restore applications from a backup copy immediately. Install only the essentials manually. If you restore everything en masse, you can return along with the data the very malicious application that was causing the problems.
Use this method only when other methods have been exhausted. For most users, setting up DNS and removing a couple of unnecessary apps is enough to forget about advertising forever. Complete cleaning is required only in advanced cases.
Frequently asked questions (FAQ)
Why do ads appear even after installing a blocker?
Some types of system advertising are built deep into the manufacturer’s shell and are not blocked by regular applications. In this case, the only thing that helps is disabling system recommendations in the settings or changing DNS, as described in the article.
Is it safe to use third-party DNS servers?
Yes, using public DNS from well-known providers such as AdGuard or Google is completely safe. They only redirect requests without having access to your personal data, passwords or correspondence.
Can advertising be a sign of phone hacking?
Advertising itself more often indicates the presence of Adware (advertising virus), rather than a targeted hacking by hackers. However, by clicking on such advertisements, you risk downloading more serious viruses, so the problem must be resolved quickly.
Are root access needed to completely remove advertising?
For most of the methods described in this article (setting up DNS, disabling notifications, deleting applications), root access is not required. They are needed only for deep modification of system files, which is not recommended for the average user.
How to distinguish system advertising from viral advertising?
System advertising usually appears in certain places (lock screen, folders) and looks neat. Viral advertising often appears chaotically, full screen, on top of other applications and may be accompanied by sound signals.