How to block unwanted ads on your Android phone or tablet

Most websites and Android apps rely on ads to generate sustainable revenue. However, some ads can be annoying or harmful. Also, frequent ad pop-ups over other apps, lock screen, and home screen can spoil the experience on the top Android phones. If you often face the same problems, read on to learn how to block ads on your Android phone and tablet.

Ads appearing out of nowhere on your Android phone or tablet is never a desirable experience. You can stop pop-ups in the default Chrome browser, block unknown apps from showing full banner ads on top of other apps, disable background services on the lock screen, and purchase premium app subscription to remove ads.

Block pop-ups, redirects and ads in Google Chrome

Google Chrome has a built-in pop-up and ad blocker to disable intrusive or misleading ads. Follow the steps below to enable it on your phone.

1. Open Google Chrome on your Android phone.
2. Tap and open the three-dot menu in the top-right corner settings.
3. Scroll to page settings.

4. Open Pop-ups and Redirects and enable the toggle from the following menu.

5. go back to page settings and select To sue.
6. Do that… on To sue Switch.

If you want to remove ads while browsing the web, use one of the third-party web browsers on Android as Chrome doesn’t support an ad blocker extension on mobile. Samsung Internet and Firefox are two popular Chrome alternatives that offer ad blocking extensions for Android.

Samsung Internet offers built-in extension storage for downloading ad blockers. Brave is another ad blocker browser for Android that offers an ad-free browsing experience.

Check Google Chrome website notifications

Allowing any website to send real-time notifications to your Android phone or tablet is not a good idea. Besides sending useful alerts, some websites can spam your device’s notification center with irrelevant affiliate content.

To disable notifications for unnecessary websites:

1. Long press the Google Chrome app icon and tap I Button.
2. Open notifications.

3. Scroll to All Sites Notifications.
4. Check the list of allowed websites and the number of notifications each website sends per week.

5. Disable notification permission for unknown websites from the list.

Block ads on the home screen

Ads that appear on the home screen are worse than ads in a web browser or notification center. These full banner ads appear above every app on your phone or tablet. Android system allows app developers to request “Show over other apps” permission to work normally.

Apps like Messenger and Truecaller need such permissions to display bubble chat heads and identify incoming callers. However, some sketchy apps trick users into giving permission and keep sending ads on the home screen. If you receive such ads, look for the app name that sent them on the home screen. Once you’ve identified these apps, follow the steps below to disable permission.

1. Long tap on the app icon and open the app info menu.
2. Scroll to Display above other apps.

3. Switch off Allow display over other apps Switch.

If you no longer need the app, uninstall it from the same app info menu.

Disable background services on the lock screen

To enhance your device’s lock screen experience, background services like Glance display app recommendations, messages, and partner content on the lock screen. It is available on low-end and mid-range Samsung and Xiaomi devices. Follow the steps below to turn off background services on your Android tablet or phone.

In the following screenshots we use a Samsung Galaxy A52 with One UI 4.1.

1. Swipe up from the home screen to open the app drawer menu.
2. Choose settings Gear.
3. Scroll to lock screen.
4. Open wallpaper services.

5. Tap the radio button next to it none.

Buy premium app subscriptions

Developers rely on ads to support app development. Some app developers offer a one-time purchase, while others offer monthly or yearly subscriptions to remove ads and unlock new features. For example, you will continue to get non-skippable ads on streaming platforms like YouTube and Spotify until you purchase the premium subscription.

What about Android tablets?

Since your kids often stream videos and play games on a big screen, you should be just as careful when dealing with ads on an Android tablet. A simple misstep can mess up your tablet with fake files and unnecessary app installs. Although we used screenshots from an Android phone throughout the post, you can follow the same steps to block ads on your Android tablet.

Be careful with app installation

It’s best not to fill your Android phone or tablet with unnecessary flashlight apps, third-party app launchers, or apps with one or two star ratings. Your Android device also does not need an antivirus app. Before installing an app, read the app reviews. If others are complaining about the number of ads, stay away from these apps or look for better alternatives.

Google offers Google Play Protect but prevents malicious apps from appearing in the Play Store. The company has no control over ads that appear on other apps.

You can also root your Android phone and install a system-wide ad blocker to block ads. However, be careful when rooting your phone. One misstep during the process can leave you with a bricked device and void the manufacturer’s warranty.

Get rid of ads on your Android phone

The growing advertising situation is a reason for users to switch from Android to iOS. Before you settle for a subpar experience, use the above tricks to remove ads on your Android phone.