Pop-up notifications from instant messengers often become a source of irritation, especially when they block content on the screen or appear at the wrong time. Users of Androidsmartphones often encounter a situation where Viber demonstrates excessive activity by displaying banners, advertisements or message previews on top of other applications. This is not only distracting, but can also seriously complicate the use of the device in games or when watching videos.
The problem lies not in the virus, but in the standard settings of the system and the application itself, which by default are set to maximum information content. Fortunately, the operating system Android provides flexible tools for controlling how exactly notifications appears on the lock screen and in active mode. In this article, we will look in detail at how to isolate the messenger from intrusive behavior, while maintaining the ability to receive important calls.
Before taking radical measures, it is worth understanding the nature of the appearance of windows. Often these are so-called Heads-up notifications (pop-up at the top), which can be disabled point-by-point without losing contact with your interlocutors. Problems may also arise from third-party widgets or privacy settings that allow you to view the text of a message without unlocking your phone.
Setting up system notifications in Android
The first and most reliable way to solve the problem is to go to the system settings of your smartphone. Modern versions Android (starting from 8.0 and higher) allow you to control the behavior of each application individually. You need to find the section responsible for notifications and adjust the rights Viber to display information on top of other windows.
Go to the menu Settings → Applications → Viber → Notifications. Here you will see a list of all types of notifications that the messenger can send. The system groups them into categories: messages, calls, advertising, statuses. This is where you can prevent the application from creating pop-up windows, leaving only the icon in the status bar.
Pay attention to the switch "Pop-up notifications" or Pop-up notifications. If it is active, deactivate it. This action will prevent the messenger from displaying banners on top of the current screen. The text of the message will still arrive, but you will see it only after unlocking the device or swiping on the curtain.
⚠️ Attention: Disabling pop-ups may cause you to miss an urgent message if the phone is face down and the vibration mode is off. Be aware of this risk when setting up.
It's also worth checking your lock screen settings. In the same notification menu, find the item On the lock screen and select the option "Hide sensitive content". This will remove the message text from the preview, leaving only the name of the application, which will increase your privacy and remove visual noise.
If you have a Samsung or Xiaomi smartphone, the names of the menu items may differ slightly, but the logic remains the same: look for the "Notifications" section in the properties specific application.
Disabling advertising banners within the application
Sometimes users confuse system notifications with internal advertising of the messenger itself. In the free version Viber promotional materials may be displayed in the “News” section or in the “More” tab. Although they rarely cover the entire screen, they may appear as pop-up teasers under certain conditions, for example, when receiving bonuses from partners.
To minimize the impact of marketing tools, open the application itself and go to More → Settings → Privacy. There's no direct "Remove all ads" button, but you can limit the data collection used to target ads. Disable options related to content personalization.
Pay special attention to the section «Viber Out» and promotions. Often it is offers for cheap calls that appear in the form of annoying windows. Regularly clearing the application cache helps clear temporary advertising scripts that may have stuck in memory.
- 📱 Go to your phone settings and find the Viber application.
- 🗑️ Select "Storage" and click "Clear cache."
- 🚫 In the settings of Viber itself, disable receiving newsletters.
- 🔒 Check the “Privacy” section and limit the visibility of your profile.
If advertisements continue to appear in the form of full-fledged windows on top of other apps, this may indicate the presence of malware on the device, masquerading as legitimate services. In this case, it is recommended to conduct a full scan of your smartphone with an antivirus.
Managing permissions to display on top of other applications
One of the technical reasons for the appearance of unwanted windows is permission "On top of other applications". This feature allows apps to draw an interface on top of whatever is currently open. For instant messengers, this is necessary to display an incoming call when you are using another app, but sometimes less useful modules also use this.
To check and change these settings, go to Settings → Applications → Special access → On top of other applications (the path may differ depending on the firmware). Find it in the list Viber and evaluate the need for this permission.
Completely disabling this right may result in the incoming call not being displayed in full screen if you are in a game or browser. However, if your goal is to remove advertising or information pop-ups rather than calls, then you can try to limit this right, although the system may not allow this for critical communication functions.
| Permission type | Function | Recommendation |
|---|---|---|
| Notifications | Output text and icons | Leave on |
| On top of other applications | Display calls over games | Enabled (for calls) |
| Access to media | Sending photos and videos | Must be turned on |
| Microphone | Voice messages | Must be turned on |
Be careful when changing system permissions. An incorrect configuration may result in you not seeing who is calling you until you finish the current activity on your phone.
What if the “On top of other applications” option is missing?
On some older versions of Android, this feature is hidden in deep developer menus or is managed automatically by the system. If you do not find this item, most likely your firmware does not allow you to manually adjust this for system applications.
Hide chats and set up message previews
Often, by “pop-up window”, users mean a preview of a message that appears on the lock screen or at the top of the screen. This is not an advertising banner, but a quick view feature. If you are annoyed that the text of the message is visible to everyone around, this function can be easily deactivated.
In the settings itself Viber go to the section Notifications. Find the switch "Show message text" and turn it off. Now, when a new letter arrives, you will only see the inscription “New message” without indicating the sender and content.
For additional privacy, use the function "Hidden chats". By placing important conversations in this section, you will completely remove any notifications from them until you enter a special PIN code. This is a radical but effective way of silence.
⚠️ Attention: The settings interface may change with application updates. If you don't find the switch you're looking for, check the developer's official help center as the location may have changed.
Also check your notification style settings. In some shells (for example, MIUI or OneUI), you can select the display style: “Detailed” or “Brief”. Choosing a short style will remove unnecessary details from the pop-up window.
Disabling message text previews is the best way to maintain privacy and remove visual noise without missing the fact that the message was received.
Specific settings for different smartphone manufacturers
Android smartphone manufacturers often modify the system notifications by adding your own add-ons. What works on “pure” Androidmay look different on Samsung, Xiaomi or Huaweidevices. Understanding these differences will help you find the right button faster.
On smartphones Xiaomi (MIUI) there is a separate notification manager. Log in Settings → Notifications and status bar → Notification Center. Here you can customize the display style for each application separately by selecting the option without a pop-up banner. MIUI also has a “Floating Notifications” feature, which needs to be disabled for Viber.
Owners Samsung (One UI) should pay attention to the categories of notifications. In the Viber app settings, click on the “Notification Categories” text rather than the switch. Within each category (for example, Messages), you can separately configure sound, vibration, and pop-up. Devices use their own battery management system, which can aggressively close background processes, but also allows you to fine-tune notifications. In the menu popup window.
Devices Huawei And Honor use their own battery management system, which can aggressively shut down background processes, but also allows for fine-tuned notifications. On the menu Applications → Viber → Notifications make sure that the checkbox is only on “Icon in the status bar”, and the “Pop-up notifications” option is unchecked.
- 🔍 Xiaomi: Look for the “Floating notifications” item in the advanced settings.
- 🇰🇷 Samsung: Click on the name of the notification category for detailed settings.
- 🌸 Huawei: Check the autorun and background settings.
- 🤖 Pure Android: Use the standard notification manager in the system settings.
Don't be afraid to experiment with the settings, as you can always change them back if the result doesn't suit you. The main thing is to find a balance between information content and the absence of irritations.
☑️ Checking the settings for a specific brand
Solving problems with frozen windows and bugs
Sometimes the pop-up window does not disappear on its own or appears again without a new message. This is a clear sign of a software glitch or version conflict. In such cases, a simple reconfiguration may not help, and deeper measures will be required to restore the functionality of the application.
First of all, try to force stop the application. Go to Settings → Applications → Viber and press the button "Stop". After that, open the messenger again. This resets running processes that might be stuck in RAM.
If the problem persists, reset your notification settings. In the same application menu, find the three dots in the corner of the screen (or the “Advanced” item) and select Reset application settings or Reset notification settings. This will return all notifications to the factory appearance, and you will have to configure them again, but without unnecessary banners.
⚠️ Attention: Resetting application settings will not delete your conversations and contacts, but will reset all your personal preferences for sounds, vibration and types of notifications for all apps on the phone.
As a last resort, if none of the methods helped, delete the application and install it again from the official store Google Play. Before doing this, be sure to create a backup of your chats in Viber settings so as not to lose important chat history.
Why does the window not disappear after swiping?
This may be a sign that the application process is not ending correctly. Try rebooting your phone completely instead of just turning off the screen. If the problem persists, update the application to the latest version.
Frequently asked questions (FAQ)
Why do I still see the Viber icon on the screen after turning off notifications?
Disabling pop-up windows (banners) does not remove the application icon in the status bar (curtain). These are different types of alerts. To remove the icon, you need to completely disable notifications for the application, but then you will not know about new messages until you go into the app.
Is it possible to disable advertising in Viber completely without root access?
It is difficult to completely remove internal advertising (banners in the news feed) without root access, since it is built into the interface. However, you can turn off ad personalization in your privacy settings and not open the News tab, which will keep your exposure to ads to a minimum.
Does turning off pop-ups affect the number of calls you receive?
No, incoming voice and video calls are usually prioritized and displayed in full screen regardless of your text notification settings. However, if you disable the “On top of other applications” permission, the call may not interrupt the running game or video.
What to do if a pop-up window appears on behalf of Viber, but it is spam?
Most likely, this is not the messenger itself, but a virus or another application masquerading as it. Check the list of installed apps for suspicious names and remove them. Also scan your phone with an antivirus.
How to remove message previews on the lock screen?
Go to your phone settings, section “Notifications” → “On the lock screen” and select the option “Hide sensitive content” or “Do not show notifications”. This will hide the text of messages from prying eyes.