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how to remove ads?

macrem

macrem

macrumors 65816
Original poster
Mar 11, 2008
1,438
104
I recently started seeing ads that pop up anywhere on my Nexus 7 (including home screen). It's a small rectangular box with revolving ads, "opt out" text and an X to close. It keeps reopening itself after closing. Does anyone know where it might come from / how to remove it permanently? I could not find any app in particular that I suspect.
 
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Root and install Adaway. It will remove ads in apps and in anything else you do on the phone. I started getting those kind of ads like you are getting and they stopped when I installed Adaway. I would also get a huge ad in the notification pane from State Farm.
 
You should not be getting ads on your home screen regardless and it sounds as though you have something nasty installed. Installing ad blocker is redundant as it won't remove whatever is hijacking your home screen.



You need to factory reset and restore your device and re-install your apps.

Advice :- Make sure you do not install outside of the play store. Leave unknown sources disabled. Do not side load apps from 3rd party sites or stores. Sites offering 'free' modded APK's in order to circumvent the play store and get free apps are a total gateway to android malware.
 
macrem said:
I recently started seeing ads that pop up anywhere on my Nexus 7 (including home screen). It's a small rectangular box with revolving ads, "opt out" text and an X to close. It keeps reopening itself after closing. Does anyone know where it might come from / how to remove it permanently? I could not find in particular that I suspect.
Click to expand...
Just do a factory reset....
 
As suggested ... factory reset ... and don't install things outside the Play Store.
 
JackieInCo said:
The ads I got were from apps installed from the Play Store. There are a lot of free apps that do this.
Click to expand...
Then, by experience, you'll know which apps to avoid. Which apps do this, if I may ask?


Also, suggesting someone just "root" their phone isn't really a suggestion. Not only do they risk bricking their phone, you have no idea what their comfort level is for tweaking their phone at that level. It's not really a practical response.
 
\-V-/ said:
Then, by experience, you'll know which apps to avoid. Which apps do this, if I may ask?


Also, suggesting someone just "root" their phone isn't really a suggestion. Not only do they risk bricking their phone, you have no idea what their comfort level is for tweaking their phone at that level.
Click to expand...
I never did find out what app was causing this so this is why I installed Adaway and the ads stopped. Never worried about free apps again after that.
 
You said all kinds of free apps do that when they don't. And now you don't remember which one did. I've never had any free app inject malware-like crap into my system. It's also important to run an anti-virus like Avast (free) to scan each app you download.

You're only putting a band-aid on the real issue. If you root your phone, your phone is now infinitely more vulnerable. If your only solution to the malware apps on your phone is to install adaway, you are only blocking the ads from these supposed apps ... and not addressing the actual malware on your phone, which is the primary issue.
 
\-V-/ said:
You said all kinds of free apps do that when they don't. And now you don't remember which one did. I've never had any free app inject malware-like crap into my system. It's also important to run an anti-virus like Avast (free) to scan each app you download.
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I didn't say all kinds of free apps. I just meant that this is a COMMON problem with free apps on the play store. People have been complaining about this problem for years on the Android Central forums.
 
Yes, which is why it's important to take the appropriate measures to protect yourself.
 
JackieInCo said:
The ads I got were from apps installed from the Play Store. There are a lot of free apps that do this.
Click to expand...
Down to popping up ads even on the home screen when you are not using an app? That seems rather odd.
 
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Just to query also, are you using a third party launcher ? Many of the new free launchers are constantly pushing adverts and or developer ware (myriad of plugins supposed to enhance the launcher but just bloat ware). Such as hola, cm launcher, cheetah, yandex, Nano, 360 launcher, solo, line launcher and more ........
 
Thanks all for advice! I went for the factory reset and also set it up as a new device to avoid getting the same issue back from a backup. In my case I still have no idea which app included the ads but for me it's easy to stick to trusted applications so will avoid anything unless trusted / lots of positive comments from users. I only get apps from the Playstore. I used to mod a lot but no longer root myself probably mostly from laziness although I get why it's popular. I picked Nexus intending to stick to stock Android experience including the default launcher and to get the latest Android updates at release time.
 
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macrem said:
Thanks all for advice! I went for the factory reset and also set it up as a new device to avoid getting the same issue back from a backup. In my case I still have no idea which app included the ads but for me it's easy to stick to trusted applications so will avoid anything unless trusted / lots of positive comments from users. I only get apps from the Playstore. I used to mod a lot but no longer root myself probably mostly from laziness although I get why it's popular. I picked Nexus intending to stick to stock Android experience including the default launcher and to get the latest Android updates at release time.
Click to expand...
Yeah well if using stock launcher you definitely shouldn't have had ads on it. Hope it works as it should from here on out :)
 
MRU said:
Yeah well if using stock launcher you definitely shouldn't have had ads on it. Hope it works as it should from here on out :)
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What about if you allow install from other sources :)
 
bbrks said:
What about if you allow install from other sources :)
Click to expand...

Well yeah then it still means you have installed something else rouge, the point is on a stock launcher at no point should there ever be a pop up advert, if there is - something has gone very array :)
 
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