Getting pop-up ads on tablet (not on browser), seem to be coming from the Search app. What should I do?

[AC Question]

Getting pop-up ads on tablet (not on browser), seem to be coming from the Search app

Hey everyone,

I've been getting these really annoying pop-up ads whenever I have an internet connection, whatever app I'm using. These aren't ads in websites I browse, really full-on pop-ups when I'm using messenger or another ap.

I can usually get out of them by pressing the back-arrow button, but they are really annoying and slow down my device. I have previously solved the problem by doing a factory reset, but it's back and I don't want to have to do it every time.

All the apps I installed came from the google play store, and are messenger, duolingo, quora, youtube, khan academy, and a metronome app. I have also tried Avast, AVG and more than one purported pop-up and ad detector, and from what I understand, it's my 'search' app that's causing the problems through an AirPush addon (which is the most frequent pop-up, asking whether I want to customize the ads I receive blah blah blah). [apologies if I'm not using the correct terminology, I'm only semi-technical]

This creates a problem because Search is a built-in system app - it came with the device. I can't remove it as-is, and I am aware that it would be possible to do it through a workaround, but then I'm afraid it would mess up other apps' functioning. Would it?

What should I do?

Thank you in advance!

 

[B. Diddy]

Re: Getting pop-up ads on tablet (not on browser), seem to be coming from the Search app

Welcome to Android Central! Which tablet do you have? Is it the actual Google Search app, or some other search app?

Try booting into Safe Mode, which temporarily disables all 3rd party apps. On most Android devices, while powered on, press and hold Power until the Power Off menu appears. Press and hold the Power Off selection until the Safe Mode prompt appears. Tap OK.

If the problem disappears in Safe Mode, then something you installed is causing the problem. You may have to uninstall apps one by one until the problem disappears.

 

[arunverma198]

Re: Getting pop-up ads on tablet (not on browser), seem to be coming from the Search app

Hard reset doesb't works in this conditions. You may have installed some app that is the cause for it. For Example: Launchers or free antivirus, themes etc...

Which tablet you are using. Try to do a full format with pc and also scan your memory card....

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[B. Diddy]

Re: Getting pop-up ads on tablet (not on browser), seem to be coming from the Search app

Try to do a full format with pc and also scan your memory card....

Can you explain in more detail what you mean by a full format? It's risky to use the Format command when a device is connected to the PC, because it might actually wipe the device's internal storage, including important system files. If a factory reset doesn't help, then the other option is probably to re-flash the firmware, but this isn't always easy, depending on the device.

 

[arunverma198]

Re: Getting pop-up ads on tablet (not on browser), seem to be coming from the Search app

Can you explain in more detail what you mean by a full format? It's risky to use the Format command when a device is connected to the PC, because it might actually wipe the device's internal storage, including important system files. If a factory reset doesn't help, then the other option is probably to re-flash the firmware, but this isn't always easy, depending on the device.

You are actually right what you are thinking about full format. Sorry for being unexplained. Full format is just the same as re flash the FW. In reflashing the firmware without formating the device internal storage the firmware is updated over the older firmware. And patch the missing files from the system. While in full format mode the full data is erased and the new firmware is downloaded instead of copying the missing files.

And yes.... the both conditions vary from handset to handset.

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[Alberto Oliveira]

Re: Getting pop-up ads on tablet (not on browser), seem to be coming from the Search app

Hi, I'm the OP.

Tried booting in Safe Mode, and I still got the ads. The search app I am referring to is just called "Search" and came installed in the device (including after factory reset). I have included it in the screenshots below, and took one of the "about tablet" version of the Settings. (I didn't buy the tablet myself, so I don't know the model)

The app Addons Detector only marks Search as problematic, which sucks because it's not one I can remove. As I said before, all of the few apps I got were from the google store, and not exactly obscure (messenger, youtube, vlc, etc).

Do you need more information to help? Should I reset, or is it not really gonna solve my problem?

Thank you!

 

[B. Diddy]

It looks like you have some kind of off-brand or no-name tablet, so it's very difficult to determine if that "Search" app was preinstalled by the manufacturer or inadvertently installed by you as a piece of malware. If the latter is the case, then the app was installed to the system's root, which is going to be virtually impossible to get rid of unless you can re-flash the firmware. If the former is the case, then you're still stuck with it, even if you re-flash the stock firmware.

Does the tablet come with the Google Search app preinstalled? Look through Settings>Apps>All for "Google app." If there's no Google Search app, then it's more plausible that this Search app was preinstalled by the manufacturer--it may be that the tablet isn't certified for Google Play, and therefore isn't compatible with most Google apps.

 

[arunverma198]

Re: Getting pop-up ads on tablet (not on browser), seem to be coming from the Search app

Hi, I'm the OP.

Tried booting in Safe Mode, and I still got the ads. The search app I am referring to is just called "Search" and came installed in the device (including after factory reset). I have included it in the screenshots below, and took one of the "about tablet" version of the Settings. (I didn't buy the tablet myself, so I don't know the model)

The app Addons Detector only marks Search as problematic, which sucks because it's not one I can remove. As I said before, all of the few apps I got were from the google store, and not exactly obscure (messenger, youtube, vlc, etc).

Do you need more information to help? Should I reset, or is it not really gonna solve my problem?

Thank you!

After viewing the images, it seems to be a OCU model 759 rockchip tablet. Can u pls turn over the tablet and check out for the model. If it's same as i m thinking kindly let me know.

And can u tell that the advrtismnt problem on the tablet is from the date u have purchased it or it is a issue after some days.

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[Alberto Oliveira]

Re: Getting pop-up ads on tablet (not on browser), seem to be coming from the Search app

Hey, sorry for the great delay. It is indeed marked 759 in the back. Does that help?

It starts a week or two after every reset I do - the Search app I referred is automatically installed.

 

[arunverma198]

Re: Getting pop-up ads on tablet (not on browser), seem to be coming from the Search app

Hey, sorry for the great delay. It is indeed marked 759 in the back. Does that help?

It starts a week or two after every reset I do - the Search app I referred is automatically installed.

Hope this link helps. If u knw how to upgrade or downgrade firmware. First of all u have to find which rockchip tablet it is. http://www.rockchip.nl/downloads/