Pop-up banners and notifications on Huawei smartphones are a common problem that users encounter after updating the firmware or installing dubious applications. Advertising may appear on the desktop, in the notification shade, or block the interface of other apps, significantly reducing performance and irritating the device owner.
The main reason lies in the system service MSA (Mobile Service Ads), which is preinstalled on many models, as well as in the aggressive policy of some free utilities. To restore the comfort of use, you need to consistently disable advertising modules in the settings and check the list of installed apps for malware.
In this guide, we will examine not only standard methods of disabling through the settings menu, but also more in-depth methods of cleaning the system, including working with application permissions and resetting the advertising identifier. You can make your Huawei P40, Nova 9 or any other model cleaner and faster.
Disabling system advertising through MSA settings
The MSA service is the main source of intrusive offers in the EMUI and HarmonyOS shell. It collects data about your interests for targeted display of banners. Completely disabling this component is the first and most important step in the fight for a clean screen.
First you need to find the corresponding section in the menu. Go to Settings → System and updates → Advertising and privacy. Here you will see a toggle for Personalized Ads. Move it to the inactive position. This action will prevent the system from analyzing your actions to select advertising content.
However, simply switching the toggle switch does not delete the service itself. You need to find the application MSA in the general list of apps. Go to Settings → Applications → Applications, find “MSA” in the list and click on it. In the menu that opens, select “Disable” or “Uninstall updates” if the uninstall button is inactive.
⚠️ Attention: When you try to disable MSA, the system may ask you to confirm the action several times with a wait timer. This is a protective mechanism that requires your patience - just wait until the countdown ends and confirm disabling again.
If the "Disable" button is grayed out, first click "Uninstall updates" in the MSA application menu, restart the phone, and then try disabling the service again.
After completing these steps, background adware activity will stop.
Finding and removing the culprit of pop-ups
If advertisements suddenly appear on top of other applications or on the desktop, most often the culprit is a third-party application that you installed recently. These could be “memory cleaners”, flashlights, QR code scanners or cheap games.
To identify the offender, pay attention to the moment the advertisement appears. Often, an icon of the application that caused the pop-up window appears in the corner of the screen for a split second. If you managed to notice the logo, immediately proceed to uninstalling this app.
If you could not notice the icon, use the function of viewing recently used applications. Press the “Menu” button (square or swipe up from bottom and hold) immediately after closing the ad. The first in the list of running processes will be exactly the application that displayed the banner.
- 🔍 Check the “Special access” section in the settings to find applications with the “On top of other windows” right.
- 🗑️ Remove all utilities for “phone speedup” downloaded from unreliable sources.
- 📁 Pay attention to applications without an icon or with a transparent name in the list of installed apps.
apps that request permission to display on top of other applicationsare especially dangerous. Go to Settings → Applications → Special access → Display on top of other applications. Carefully study the list: if you see a calculator, voice recorder or simple game there, immediately disable this permission for them or delete them.
Setting up browser notifications and blocking trackers
Users often confuse system advertising with spam notifications from sites they accidentally subscribed to in the browser. When visiting various resources, we often click “Allow” on the request to display notifications, without even reading the text.
To solve this problem in the browser Google Chrome or the standard Huawei browser, you need to go to the content settings. The path is usually as follows: Browser settings → Notifications → Sites. Here you will see a list of all resources that have the right to send you messages.
Ruthlessly delete or block all unfamiliar domains. If you don't use the site daily, it's best to prevent it from sending notifications. This will save you from fake messages about winnings, viruses or news that look like Android system warnings.
| Notification type | Source | Action |
|---|---|---|
| Advertising banners | MSA application / System services | Disable in privacy settings |
| Push messages | Websites in the browser | Clear the list of allowed sites |
| Pop-up windows | Third-party applications (Cleaner, Flashlight) | Delete the application or deny access "On top of windows" |
| Targeted advertising | Advertising identifier (OAID) | Reset identifier in settings |
It is also recommended to enable built-in protection against trackers. In your browser settings, enable Safe Browsing or install an ad blocker extension if your browser version supports add-ons. This will prevent loading of advertising scripts during the site visit.
Resetting the advertising identifier and limiting tracking
The Android ecosystem, including Huawei devices, uses a special identifier for advertising. Unlike older versions of Android, which used GAID, modern HarmonyOS and EMUI firmware use an identifier OAID.
This code allows advertising networks to track your actions across different applications and build a user profile. Although you cannot completely remove this ID, you can reset it or limit its use.
Go to Settings → Privacy → Advertising and privacy. Here you will find the Reset Advertising ID option. Pressing this button generates a new random number, breaking the connection with the previously accumulated history of your interests.
Why do you need to reset OAID?
Resetting the identifier does not remove advertising completely, but makes it less relevant. Ad networks begin to treat you as a new user, which temporarily reduces the frequency of aggressive targeting.
Additionally, enable the “Limit Ad Tracking” switch. This will send a signal to advertising networks that you do not want your data used for personalization. Some networks ignore this request, but many large platforms comply with this requirement.
⚠️ Note: Resetting the ID will not immediately make the ad disappear. The algorithms will take some time (usually 24 to 48 hours) to update the databases and stop using the old profile.
Checking permissions and accessibility
Some malware disguises itself as system processes and gains deep access to the system through the Accessibility menu. This allows them to imitate button clicks and open ads without your knowledge.
Go to Settings → Accessibility. Carefully review the list of installed services. If you see an application there that should not have such rights (for example, a simple flashlight, a game or an incomprehensible service with hieroglyphs), immediately disable it.
Also check the device administrator rights. Go to Settings → Security → Device administrator applications. Only system services should be active here, such as Find My Device or corporate profiles if you use the phone for work. Third-party apps should not have these rights.
- 🛡️ Revoke administrator rights from all suspicious applications.
- 🚫 Deny access to “Accessibility” for all apps except those that you consciously use (for example, password managers).
- 📲 Check the list of applications with the “Change system settings” right.
Often, virus miners or adware are hidden in these sections, since ordinary users rarely look into in-depth security settings. Regularly reviewing these menus helps keep the system clean.
☑️ Phone security audit
Radical measures: resetting settings and safe mode
If none of the above methods helped and advertisements continue to pop up with alarming regularity, your device may be infected with a deep system virus or you have installed a modified firmware with built-in advertising.
In this case, you should try to start the phone in Safe Mode. To do this, hold down the power button, and then press and hold the “Power off” option on the screen until you are prompted to enter safe mode. In this state, only system applications are loaded.
If advertising disappears in safe mode, then the problem is guaranteed to be in third-party software. You will have to use elimination to remove recently installed apps until the culprit is found. If banners continue to appear even in safe mode, the situation is critical.
Settings → System and updates → Reset → Reset all settingsFull reset to factory settings (Factory Reset) is an extreme measure that is guaranteed to remove all viruses and adware modules, but will also erase all your data. Be sure to back up your contacts and photos before this procedure.
A full reset is the only 100% way to remove hidden system viruses if manual cleaning does not produce results.
⚠️ Attention: The menu interface and item names may vary slightly depending on the version of EMUI or HarmonyOS. If you do not find the specified item, use the settings search by entering a keyword (for example, “advertising” or “access”).
Frequently asked questions (FAQ)
Why do advertisements appear even after removing all suspicious applications?
Perhaps the advertisement comes from an MSA system service that was not disabled, or from a desktop widget (such as a weather app or news feed) that has its own settings for displaying content. Check your widget settings and disable MSA.
Is it safe to disable the MSA app on Huawei?
Yes, disabling MSA is safe for the phone to function. This is a service solely for displaying advertising. Disabling it will not affect the operation of calls, the Internet or the main functions of the system, but will only remove intrusive offers.
Can advertising be a sign of a serious virus?
Yes, if advertising covers the entire screen, does not close, or the phone starts to slow down and heat up, this may be a sign of malware. In this case, it is recommended to check the device with an antivirus or perform a factory reset.
How to remove ads in standard Huawei applications (Weather, Calendar)?
Open a specific application, go to its settings (usually the gear icon or three dots) and find the item “Recommendations”, “Receive recommendations” or “Personalized advertising”. Disable this switch within the application itself.
Will installing an ad blocker help remove pop-ups?
Ad blockers (like AdGuard) work effectively in the browser and can filter traffic in some applications, but they cannot always remove system pop-ups caused by “on top of other windows” permissions. An integrated approach with disabling MSA is more effective.