Many smartphone users are faced with an intrusive situation: when dialing a number or sending a message, a window suddenly appears on the screen asking you to check your account or connect to a new service from the telecom operator Tele2. This is a system one, which is built into the SIM card and is activated automatically upon certain actions. For many, this is not just an annoyance, but a real obstacle that confuses older people or interferes with quick work with the phone. balance menu, which is built into the SIM card and is activated automatically upon certain actions. For many, this is not just an annoyance, but a real obstacle that confuses older people or prevents them from quickly working with the phone.
The problem is that the standard Android settings do not always allow you to simply “turn off” this function with one button. USSD requests and service menus of operators are deeply integrated into the operating logic mobile network. However, there are several proven methods that will help you get rid of annoying pop-ups and restore a clean interface. In this article we will analyze both software methods of disabling and working with the settings of the SIM card itself.
First, it is worth understanding the nature of this phenomenon. The pop-up window is the result of the protocol STK (SIM Application Toolkit). The operator sends a command to your phone, and the built-in application of the SIM card executes it, displaying a graphical interface on top of all other windows. To remove the Tele2 balance menu on Android, we will need to either prohibit the execution of these commands at the system level, or change the tariff settings that provoke their appearance.
The nature of the appearance of USSD menus and service windows
Before you start deleting, it is important to realize that you are not trying to disable a virus or a third-party application, but a legitimate operator service. Tele2, like other cellular companies, uses data channels to inform subscribers. When you are balancing on the verge of a negative account or making roaming calls, the network initiates (push) a notification in the form of a USSD menu.
In the operating system Android a system component is responsible for processing these requests, which is often called the “SIM Setup Wizard” or simply “SIM Menu”. It is this component that renders the graphics of the “Check balance”, “Pay” or “Connect Internet” buttons. The problem is aggravated by the fact that different shells (MIUI, OneUI, ColorOS) interpret these commands differently.
⚠️ Attention: Completely disabling STK services may result in you no longer receiving important system notifications from the operator, for example, about changing the tariff plan or exhausting traffic packages. Act consciously.
Sometimes the menu appears due to erroneous triggers. For example, you just unlocked your phone, and the network decided it was time to offer you a new option. In such cases, the fight is not with the very fact of having a SIM card, but with the aggressiveness of the operator’s marketing algorithms.
First try simply rebooting the smartphone after removing and reinserting the SIM card. Sometimes this resets a frozen communication session with the base station, which constantly initiates menu requests.
Disable via SIM card settings in Android
The most civilized and safe way is to try to disable service notifications through the standard settings menu of your smartphone. In modern versions Android (starting from 10 and higher), developers have given users more control over the behavior of SIM cards.
You need to go to the settings section responsible for connecting to the network. The path may differ depending on the phone model, but the logic remains the same. Find the item related to SIM card management and look for the option that allows or denies access to SIM card applications to the interface.
- 📱 Open
Settingsyour device. - 📡 Go to the section
ConnectionsorNetwork and Internet. - 💾 Select
SIM card managerorSIM card settings. - 🚫 Find the switch
Access to SIM applicationsorAllow access to SIM menuand disable it.
If you disable this option, the system will stop displaying graphical windows coming from the operator. However, USSD text messages may still appear as plain text in the notification shade. This is a compromise option that removes visual noise, but maintains information.
☑️ Checking SIM settings
In some shells, for example in MIUI from Xiaomi, this setting may be hidden deeper. Sometimes you need to go into advanced call settings. If you have not found an explicit switch, try disabling data roaming for this SIM card if it is not needed, since some service menus require a data link to load graphics.
Removing or disabling the SIM menu application
A more radical method, which often helps to remove the tele2 balance menu on Android forever, is to work with the system application, responsible for executing SIM card commands. In the list of installed apps it can be called differently: SIM Toolkit, Master SIM, Tele2 Menu or simply Carrier Services.
Go to application settings and find this component. Your task is not to delete it (the system may not allow you to do this without root access), but to force it to stop and revoke all permissions. It is especially important to revoke permission for "Display on top of other applications". It is this permission that allows the menu to overlap your desktop or instant messenger.
| Action | Where to find | Result |
|---|---|---|
| Clear data | Settings → Applications → SIM Toolkit → Memory | Reset cache and temporary menu settings |
| Revoke permissions | Settings → Applications → SIM Toolkit → Permissions | Prohibition of displaying windows on top of others |
| Forced stop | Application card → Stop button | Temporarily disabling the service until reboot |
| Disable notifications | Application card → Notifications | Blocking text pushes from the operator |
After performing these actions, the menu will stop popping up automatically. However, it is worth remembering that the first time the operator tries to send a command, the system may again ask for permission or activate the service. Therefore, this method requires periodic checking.
What to do if the “Disable” button is grayed out?
If the system does not allow you to disable the SIM Toolkit application, then it is a critical system component for your version of Android. In this case, only using ADB commands to freeze the application via a computer will help, but this requires administration skills.
Also pay attention to applications from the operator itself. Often the “My Tele2” application is preinstalled on the phone. Check its notification settings. Perhaps it is this, and not the system menu, that sends you advertising banners that you mistake for the balance menu.
Using USSD commands to disable services
Sometimes the problem lies not in the phone, but in the connected services on the number. There are special services that, when the balance changes or the end of the service package, automatically initiate a menu call. To remove the tele2 balance menu on Android, you can try to disable these services through a set of codes.
Enter the code in the dialer *155*00# and press call. This is a universal code for managing core services, although it may vary by region. It is also effective to disable the “Balance on Screen” service or similar information options if they are active on your tariff.
⚠️ Attention: Operator commands may change. If the code doesn't work, don't panic. Go to your personal account or the My Tele2 application to see a list of active paid and free options.
Try sending a command to disable all information services. Often the balance menu is tied to the “Beep” or “Antispam” service, which, when triggered, displays a confirmation window. Disabling unnecessary functions simplifies the SIM card profile and reduces the number of network requests.
If you use data services, check your access point (APN) settings. Sometimes incorrect APN settings cause the phone to incorrectly process WAP push messages from the operator, interpreting them as full-fledged menus. Resetting the access point to factory settings often solves this problem.
Radical methods: Resetting and flashing network settings
If software methods do not help, and the menu continues to appear with enviable regularity, it is worth considering the option of resetting the network settings. This action will not delete your photos or contacts, but will return all mobile network connection settings to their original state.
To do this, go to Settings → System → Reset settings → Reset Wi-Fi, mobile data and Bluetooth. Confirm the action. After the reboot, the phone will re-register in the Tele2 network and download the current settings profile, which may not contain triggers for the old menu.
In extreme cases, users resort to replacing the SIM card. Old SIM cards of Mini-SIM format or outdated versions of Micro-SIM may have a menu stored in memory that cannot be updated remotely. Visit a Tele2 communication store with your passport and ask to replace the SIM card with a new USIM. The new card will come with a clean profile and a modern set of applications, where an aggressive balance menu may be absent by default.
Replacing a physical SIM card with a new one in the operator's salon is the most reliable way to get rid of outdated service applications recorded in the chip's memory.
Features of the menu in roaming and abroad
The situation when the balance menu appears while traveling deserves special attention. In roaming, the rules of the game change. Partner operators may interpret your home network requests in their own way. The menu that you see may not be generated by Tele2, but by the local operator of the host country.
In this case, it is almost impossible to remove the menu through the phone settings, since it comes as part of the registration protocol in a foreign network. The only way out is to disable the “Voice roaming” or “Data roaming” option in the SIM card settings before departure.
It is also worth remembering the financial risks. In roaming, each opening of such a menu can be charged as an incoming call or communication session. Therefore, if you see a pop-up window abroad, it is better to immediately dismiss it and not click any buttons inside.
Why does the menu appear even after disabling all permissions?
This may occur because the operator is using the SMS channel to deliver the menu launch command. The Android system processes a specially formatted SMS (Class 0 or Flash SMS) and automatically opens its contents. In this case, only blocking the operator’s service numbers through third-party antispam applications will help.
Does deleting the menu affect the ability to top up your account?
No, it does not. You will still be able to top up your balance through banking applications, terminals or the operator’s website. The menu on the screen is only one of the payment methods, but far from the only one and not mandatory.
Is it possible to delete the Tele2 application completely?
The SIM Toolkit system application cannot be deleted without root access, since it is part of the GSM communication standard. The “My Tele2” application can be removed as a regular app if you installed it, but not if it is built into the phone’s firmware by the manufacturer.
Is it safe to disable access to the SIM card?
For an ordinary user it is safe. You will not lose connection, the ability to call and write SMS will remain. The only inconvenience is that you will not be able to use some operator services that require confirmation through a pop-up window, but such services are becoming increasingly rare.
What to do if the menu returns after resetting the settings?
This means that the command comes directly from the operator’s server for every event (call, sms). In this case, the method is to write to Tele2 technical support with a request to disable the Navigator service or similar push notification services on the network side.