Popup Ads

Popup ads are regular ads that are displayed outside the app, on top of your homescreen, or other apps. It is hard to detect, but with the following guide you should be able to find the causing app.

Basically, all apps with popup ads use the android.permission.SYSTEM_ALERT_WINDOW permission, that allows apps to draw on top of other apps or the homescreen. Not all apps that use this permission are malicious. For example, Facebook Messenger uses it to display the chatheads on top of the homescreen. Therefor, it's not just as easy as deleting all apps with this permission. You will need to look carefully for apps that are not from big and trustworthy companies. Most of the time we see apps like MP3 downloaders or flashlight apps to be the cause.
  1. Press the scan button.
  2. When the scan has finished, press the Permission Explorer button.
  3. Select the android.permission.SYSTEM_ALERT_WINDOW permission or search for it in with the search button
  4. Look at the apps with the permission.
  5. Ignore the apps from companies like Facebook and other trustworthy companies
  6. Focus on apps like MP3 downloaders and other less known apps.
  7. Ask yourself, why would the app use this permission. Is there a legit reason?
  8. Click the most suspicious app(s) and delete them through the Manage app button
It's a bit of work unfortunately, but hopefully you will now be able to clean your phone. We will be building a wizard in the future, to ease the process.

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