How to Remove Ads from Phone, Browser, and Lock Screen in 2026

If you are searching for how to remove ads from phone, the answer depends on where the ads are showing up.

You can adjust your browser's pop-up settings, turn off ad personalisation in your phone settings, or uninstall the app pushing the ads. The fix depends on the ad type.

The Quickest Ways to Remove Ads from Your Phone

Most people want a fast fix first. Here are three starting points.

Turn Off Personalised Ads in Settings

On Android, go to Settings → Google → Ads → Delete advertising ID. On iPhone, go to Settings → Privacy & Security → Apple Advertising and toggle off Personalised Ads. This limits ad targeting but does not block all ads.

Block Pop-Ups in Your Browser

In Chrome on Android, tap the three-dot menu, go to Settings → Site Settings → Pop-ups and redirects and turn it off. Also disable Site Settings → Ads. On iPhone Safari, go to Settings → Apps → Safari and enable Block Pop-ups.

Remove the App Causing the Ads

If pop-ups appear on your home screen or lock screen, a recently installed app is almost always responsible. Uninstall apps added around the time the ads started and check whether they stop.

Why Are You Getting Ads on Your Phone?

Before applying a fix, it helps to know what type of ad you are dealing with.

Ads from Apps You Downloaded

Free apps commonly display ads to generate revenue. Some push ads more aggressively than others, including on your home screen or lock screen.

In practice, the majority of pop-up complaints trace back to a single recently installed app, often a utility, game, or free tool downloaded outside an official store.

Ads from Your Browser

Websites can ask permission to send notifications, which then appear as alerts on your phone. People often grant this without realising it.

Browser pop-ups and notification ads behave differently but both originate from browser activity.

Ads from Phone Manufacturer Settings (Samsung-Specific)

Samsung devices include a Customisation Service that shows personalised promotions inside Samsung apps when enabled. It is opt-in during device setup, but many users leave it on by default.

To turn it off: Settings → Samsung Account → Privacy → Customisation Service, then toggle it off.

Ads That May Signal Adware or Malware

If ads appear when no apps are open, your browser homepage changes on its own, or you see unsolicited virus warnings, adware may be involved. Adware on Android most commonly enters through apps installed outside Google Play.

Legitimate apps push ads too, but they do not hijack browsers or generate pop-ups across unrelated apps.

Quick Reference: Ad Type and Fix

Ad Type	Where It Appears	Fix
App notification ads	Notification tray	Revoke notification permission for that app
Browser pop-ups	Inside browser	Disable pop-ups in browser site settings
Home/lock screen pop-ups	Over other apps	Find and uninstall the responsible app
Samsung personalised ads	Samsung apps	Turn off Customisation Service
In-app ads	Inside a specific app	Use an ad blocker or upgrade to paid version
Malware-driven ads	Everywhere, persistent	Safe mode removal and Play Protect scan

How to Remove Ads from Phone on Android

Disable Personalised Ads via Google Settings

Go to Settings → Google → Ads and select Delete advertising ID. This removes the identifier advertisers use to target you across apps.

Turn Off Samsung's Customisation Service (Galaxy Phones Only)

Open Settings
Tap Samsung Account
Go to Privacy
Tap Customisation Service
Toggle it off

This is one of the more overlooked fixes for Samsung users. Most users never see this setting during setup and leave it active without knowing.

Block Pop-Up Ads on Android in Google Chrome

Open Chrome and tap the three-dot menu
Go to Settings → Site Settings
Tap Pop-ups and redirects and turn it off
Tap Ads and turn it off

Block Ads in Samsung Internet Browser

Open Samsung Internet and tap the three-line menu
Go to Settings → Sites and Downloads
Toggle on Block pop-ups
Return to the menu, tap Ad Blockers, and activate one

Mute Notification Ads from Apps

Long-press any ad notification and turn off notifications for that app. Or go to Settings → Notifications, find the app, and disable its notification access. Removing notification access is often enough to stop ads without uninstalling the app entirely.

Find and Remove the App Sending Pop-Up Ads

Open Google Play Store
Tap your profile icon
Go to Manage apps and device → Manage
Sort by Last used

Remove apps that were active around the time ads appeared. Uninstall one at a time and restart after each removal to confirm the fix.

How to Remove Ads from Phone on iPhone (iOS)

Turn Off Personalised Ads in Apple Settings

Go to Settings → Privacy & Security → Apple Advertising and toggle off Personalised Ads. This does not eliminate ads but removes behaviour-based targeting.

Block Pop-Ups in Safari

Go to Settings → Apps → Safari and enable Block Pop-ups. Also enable Fraudulent Website Warning in the same screen for extra protection.

In practice, iPhone users tend to see fewer aggressive pop-up ads than Android users because iOS enforces stricter app permission rules, though browser-based notification ads are still common on both platforms.

Mute Notification Ads from Apps on iPhone

Go to Settings → Notifications, select the app in question, and either turn off notifications entirely or disable banners and lock screen access. This is the fastest way to stop ad alerts without removing the app.

How to Block Ads Using a Third-Party App or Browser

Native phone settings cannot block ads inside apps. For that, a separate tool is needed.

Ad-Blocking Apps for Android

AdGuard for Android uses a local VPN on your device to filter traffic before it reaches apps. This blocks ads inside games, free apps, and browsers without requiring root access. It is not on Google Play due to platform policy, so it is installed via APK directly from the developer's site.

Blokada works similarly and offers a free tier. Users who rely on these tools report a noticeable reduction in both in-app and browser ads, though some streaming apps detect VPN-based blockers and may limit functionality.

Ad-Blocking Browsers for Android and iPhone

Brave Browser blocks ads and trackers by default on both platforms. No configuration is needed. For most people whose ad problem is primarily in the browser, switching to Brave is the simplest fix available.

Firefox on Android also supports the uBlock Origin extension, which is one of the more capable browser-level ad blockers available.

Content Blockers for Safari on iPhone

iOS supports content blockers installed as extensions through the App Store. Activate them via Settings → Apps → Safari → Extensions.

AdGuard for iOS and 1Blocker are commonly used options. The free tiers of both handle most standard ad blocking in Safari adequately.

What to Do If Ads Keep Appearing After Trying Everything

Restart in Safe Mode and Remove Suspect Apps (Android)

Press and hold the power button, then long-press the power icon on screen to enter Safe Mode. If ads stop in Safe Mode, a third-party app is responsible. Remove recently downloaded apps one at a time, restarting normally after each.

Enable Play Protect on Android

Open Google Play Store
Tap your profile icon
Go to Play Protect → Settings
Turn on Scan apps with Play Protect

Play Protect scans installed apps for harmful behaviour, as reported by TechCrunch, it now conducts real-time code-level analysis on apps that have never been scanned before, including sideloaded ones. It does not catch everything, but it is a reasonable first check.

Reset App Permissions

Go to Settings → Apps, select a suspicious app, tap Permissions, and remove any access it does not need.

The "Display over other apps" permission specifically allows full-screen pop-ups. Most utility apps and games have no legitimate need for it.

When to Suspect Malware

These are practical signs the issue has moved beyond standard advertising:

Ads appear with no apps open
Browser homepage keeps changing without input
Unsolicited virus warnings appear
Phone performance has dropped noticeably

If several of these apply, removing recently sideloaded apps and running a Play Protect scan is the recommended starting point before considering a factory reset.

How to Prevent Ads from Appearing on Your Phone in the Future

Be Selective About App Permissions During Installation

Check what permissions each new app requests. An app asking for notification access or the ability to display over other apps without a clear reason is worth questioning before approving.

Avoid Sideloading Apps from Unknown Sources

Apps installed outside Google Play or the Apple App Store skip the verification layer that official stores provide. This does not mean every sideloaded app is harmful, but the risk of adware is meaningfully higher.

According to TechCrunch, Google's own data shows that apps sideloaded from outside the Play Store carry a substantially greater malware risk than apps installed through official channels.

Teams managing device security in organisations consistently flag sideloading as one of the top sources of adware complaints on Android.

Review App Notification Permissions Regularly

Go through Settings → Notifications every few months. Many people find apps with notification access they never intentionally granted, or apps they no longer use but that are still running quietly in the background.

Conclusion

Start with browser pop-up settings and app notification permissions. For deeper control, use an ad-blocking browser or dedicated app.

If pop-ups persist, check for apps with unusual permissions, especially "display over other apps," and remove anything installed recently.

Frequently Asked Questions

How to Remove Ads from Phone: Why Do They Keep Appearing?

A third-party app is almost always the cause. It runs in the background and pushes ads to your screen. Identifying and removing that app is the most reliable fix.

Can I remove ads from apps without uninstalling them?

You can mute notification access to stop ad alerts. For ads inside the app itself, options are limited to paying for an ad-free version or using a dedicated ad blocker.

Is it safe to use an ad blocker on my phone?

Ad blockers from reputable developers are generally safe. For apps using a local VPN method, verify the developer is known and the app is downloaded from a trusted source.

Why are ads appearing on my lock screen?

A specific app with permission to display over the lock screen is usually responsible. Sort recently installed apps, remove them one at a time, and check after each removal.

Does turning off personalised ads stop all ads?

No. It limits how advertisers target you using your data, but ads still appear. You will just see less targeted ones.