How to Turn Off Ads on My Phone: Step-by-Step for Android and iPhone (2026)

If you are asking how to turn off ads on my phone, the answer depends on what kind of ad you are seeing. Pop-ups, notification alerts, lock screen banners, and in-app ads each have a different source and a different fix. No single setting removes everything, but the steps below cover every common type.

Types of Ads on Your Phone and Where They Come From

Not all phone ads work the same way. Before changing any settings, it helps to know what kind of ad you are dealing with, because the fix for a pop-up is completely different from the fix for a targeted ad inside an app.

Ad Type	Where It Shows Up	Main Cause	Can It Be Fully Stopped?
Personalised / targeted	Inside apps	Google or Apple ad system	Partially — targeting reduces, not ad volume
Pop-up	Browser or home screen	Third-party app running in background	Yes — uninstall the source app
Notification ad	Notification tray	App or website with permission granted	Yes — revoke notification access
Lock screen ad	Lock screen or system UI	Manufacturer setting enabled	Yes — via manufacturer settings
In-app ad	Inside a specific free app	App's own revenue model	No — only by paying or uninstalling

What's often overlooked is that in-app ads inside free apps cannot be blocked through settings. They are built into the app itself. The only real options are upgrading to a paid version or uninstalling the app entirely.

How to Turn Off Ads on Android

Android phones have multiple layers where ads can originate: Google's own ad system, your browser, individual apps, and notification permissions. Working through these one at a time is the most reliable approach.

Step 1: How to Turn Off Ads on My Phone Using Google's Ad Privacy Settings

This is where to start on any Android device. Google's Ad Privacy panel controls what data apps can use to target you.

Open Settings
Tap Google, then All Services
Under Privacy and Security, tap Ads Privacy
Turn off Ad Topics, App-Suggested Ads, and Ad Measurement

Turning these off does not remove ads from apps. It tells Google not to use your usage data to personalise them. In practice, most users find that ad volume stays similar but the ads become less specific to their recent activity.

Step 2: Block Pop-Up Ads and Disable Notifications in Google Chrome

Browser-based pop-ups are one of the most common complaints. Chrome has a built-in setting for this.

Open Chrome
Tap the three-dot menu in the top right
Go to Settings, then scroll to Site Settings
Tap Pop-ups and Redirects and toggle it off
Go back to Site Settings, tap Notifications, and toggle it off
To clear permissions already granted by websites: go to Settings, tap Apps, select Chrome, then Storage and Cache, and tap Clear Cache

Clearing the cache removes saved notification permissions from websites you may have accidentally allowed in the past.

Step 3: Stop Notification Ads from Apps

Notification ads often look like genuine alerts. They arrive in your notification tray from apps that have been granted notification access.

Quick method: Long-press the notification when it arrives. A toggle will appear to turn off notifications for that app.

Manual method:

Open Settings
Tap Notifications
Find the app under Recently Sent or scroll to locate it
Toggle notifications off for that app

Step 4: Find and Uninstall the App Causing Pop-Ups

Pop-up ads that appear on your home screen or over other apps are almost always caused by a specific app running in the background.

According to BBC News, security researchers have repeatedly found large numbers of Android users affected by adware-laced apps that passed through Google Play's checks, with some apps deliberately waiting days after installation before triggering pop-ups to make the source harder to identify. Removing the culprit app is the most direct fix.

Open the Google Play Store
Tap your profile icon in the top right
Go to Manage Apps and Device
Sort by Last Used

Look for any app you do not recognise or have not actively opened. Uninstall one at a time, restarting your phone after each removal. When the pop-ups stop, you have found the source.

Step 5: Remove Apps That Refuse to Uninstall

Some ad-pushing apps use device administrator access to block their own removal. This is more common than most users expect.

Open Settings
Tap Security, then scroll to Device Admin Apps (on some phones this is under More Security Settings)
Find the app causing problems and disable its admin access
Go back to Settings, then Apps, and uninstall it normally

If the Uninstall button is greyed out, device admin access is almost certainly the reason. Revoking it first always clears the path.

Step 6: Use Private DNS to Block Ads at the Network Level

This is a free method that most guides tend to skip. A private DNS filters ad requests before they even reach your apps or browser.

Open Settings
Tap Network and Internet, then Private DNS
Select Private DNS Provider Hostname
Enter: dns.adguard.com
Save and exit

This blocks ad-serving domains across your entire phone, including inside browsers and many apps. It does not block all ads — some apps serve ads from their own servers. It may also occasionally affect connections on restricted networks such as corporate Wi-Fi.

How to Turn Off Ads on Samsung Galaxy Phones

Samsung phones have their own ad layer on top of Android's Google settings. Removing ads from Samsung phones means addressing both layers.

Turn Off Samsung Customisation Service

Samsung's personalisation system feeds ads into Galaxy apps including the Galaxy Store, Samsung Free, and the notification panel.

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

This reduces personalised promotions across Samsung's own apps. It does not affect Google-served ads.

Disable Lock Screen Ads on Samsung

Lock screen ads on Samsung phones come from the Wallpaper Services feature, which is enabled by default on many Galaxy devices.

Open Settings
Tap Lock Screen
Tap Wallpaper Services
Change the setting to None

After this change, your lock screen will display a static wallpaper without rotating ad content or sponsored images.

Block Ads in Samsung Internet Browser

Samsung Internet has its own pop-up blocking and supports third-party ad blockers.

Open Samsung Internet
Tap the three-line menu in the bottom right
Go to Settings, then Sites and Downloads
Toggle Block Pop-Ups on
Return to the main menu, tap Ad Blockers, and install a listed blocker

Mute Ad Notifications from Samsung Apps

Samsung apps like Samsung Free and the Galaxy Store can push promotional notifications.

Open Settings
Tap Notifications
Under Recently Sent, locate the Samsung app sending the ad
Toggle notifications off

How to Turn Off Ads on OPPO and ColorOS Phones

OPPO phones running ColorOS have ads built into several system apps. Each app has its own toggle rather than one central off switch.

Disable App Content Ads System-Wide

Open Settings
Tap Security and Privacy
Tap More Security and Privacy
Turn off App Content

Turn Off Personalised Ads in Each System App

App	Path to Setting	Toggle Name
Phone Manager	Three dots, top right, Settings, Privacy	Personalised Recommendations
App Market	My Account, Gear icon, Privacy Settings, Ads	Personalised Advertising
My Files	Three dots, Settings, Privacy	Personalised Services
Weather	Gear icon, About Weather	Personalised Services
Calendar	Three dots, Calendar Settings, Displayed Items	Personalised Services

Known Limitation: Music and Videos Apps

As of 2026, OPPO's Music and Videos system apps do not have a toggle to disable ads. The only available workaround is to disable automatic updates for both apps in the Play Store and App Market, which prevents newer ad-heavy versions from installing.

How to Turn Off Ads on iPhone

iPhones have fewer ad entry points than Android, but they still carry two distinct ad systems: Apple's own and third-party apps with notification access.

Step 1: Disable Apple Personalised Ads

Open Settings
Tap Privacy and Security
Tap Apple Advertising
Toggle Personalised Ads off

This stops Apple from using your app activity to target ads in the App Store, Apple News, and Stocks.

Step 2: Block App Tracking Across All Apps

This is the more impactful setting for stopping ads on iPhone. Apple's App Tracking Transparency framework, as reported by TechCrunch, requires apps to request explicit permission before tracking your activity across other companies' apps and websites. Turning off this global toggle automatically declines all future requests.

Open Settings
Tap Privacy and Security
Tap Tracking
Toggle off Allow Apps to Request to Track

When this is off, all future tracking requests from apps are automatically declined. In practice, many iPhone users find this reduces the relevance of ads they see across social media and other apps fairly quickly.

Step 3: Block Pop-Ups in Safari

Open Settings
Tap Apps, then Safari
Toggle Block Pop-ups on

Step 4: Stop Notification Ads from Apps

Open Settings
Tap Notifications
Select the app sending ad notifications
Toggle Allow Notifications off

Step 5: Remove Apps Sending Unwanted Ads

If an app is sending persistent ad notifications or pop-ups and you no longer need it:

Long-press the app icon on your home screen
Tap Remove App
Confirm by tapping Delete App

Will Turning Off Ad Settings Actually Stop All Ads?

Honest answer: no. Each fix targets a specific source, not all ads on your phone.

Fix Applied	What It Actually Does
Google/Apple ad privacy off	Reduces targeting accuracy, does not reduce ad frequency
Pop-up blocker in browser	Stops browser pop-ups only, not in-app ads
Notification permission revoked	Stops that specific app from sending alerts
Source app uninstalled	Fully removes that ad source
Private DNS enabled	Blocks ad-serving domains network-wide, with exceptions

The only fix that fully removes a specific ad source is uninstalling the app responsible. Everything else reduces, filters, or adjusts what you see without eliminating it completely.

Android vs. iPhone: Ad Controls Side by Side

Control Type	Android Path	iPhone Path
System ad personalisation	Settings, Google, Ads Privacy	Settings, Privacy and Security, Apple Advertising
App tracking opt-out	Google Ads Privacy settings	Settings, Privacy, Tracking
Browser pop-up block	Chrome, Site Settings, Pop-ups	Settings, Safari, Block Pop-ups
Notification ads	Settings, Notifications, per app	Settings, Notifications, per app
Manufacturer ad settings	Samsung or OPPO settings (varies)	Not applicable
Network-level ad block	Settings, Network, Private DNS	Wi-Fi settings, Manual DNS

What to Do If Ads Keep Coming Back

Getting ads under control once is one thing. Keeping them away is another.

Check for Auto-Reinstalled Apps

Some apps reinstall automatically if auto-update is enabled. Open the Play Store or App Store, go to your installed apps list, and check whether a removed app has returned. Disabling auto-updates for recently removed apps prevents this.

Check If a Website Re-Requested Notification Permission

Visiting the same website again after clearing Chrome permissions can trigger a new notification request. Decline it, or use Chrome's Site Settings to permanently block notifications from that domain.

Check for Apps with Renewed Admin Privileges

Occasionally, an app update restores device admin access. Repeat the Device Admin Apps check in Security Settings after any major update cycle.

When Persistent Ads May Signal Adware

If pop-up ads appear even in Safe Mode (hold the power button on Android and select Safe Mode), a system-level infection is possible. At that point, a factory reset or professional support is worth considering. Samsung's support documentation flags this scenario specifically for Galaxy users.

Conclusion

Match the fix to the type of ad. Google and Apple privacy settings reduce targeting. Notification settings stop alert-style ads. Uninstalling the source app is the only complete fix for pop-ups. No single setting covers everything, but working through these steps removes the most common sources.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does turning off personalised ads mean I will see fewer ads?

No. Turning off personalisation reduces how accurately ads are targeted to you, but the number of ads you see stays roughly the same. The only way to see fewer ads is to uninstall ad-supported apps or use a private DNS.

How do I find out which app is causing pop-up ads on my Android?

Open Google Play Store, tap your profile icon, go to Manage Apps and Device, and sort by Last Used. Apps that ran recently without you opening them are the likely source.

Can I block ads on my phone without installing a third-party app?

Yes. Google's Ads Privacy settings, Apple's Tracking settings, browser pop-up blockers, and private DNS are all built-in or free options that do not require downloading anything extra.

Why won't some apps uninstall on Android?

Some apps grant themselves device administrator access, which blocks normal uninstallation. Go to Settings, Security, Device Admin Apps, disable the app's admin access, and then try uninstalling again.

Do ads come back after a factory reset?

A factory reset removes all installed apps and their permissions, so most ad sources are cleared. If you restore from a backup that includes the problematic app, ads will return with it.