Question Problems using Android for Navigation - Popups

[carusoswi]

Hope I don't violate any rules in posting this. I try to use my Android mobile phone for turn by turn navigation for cycling, but my screen keeps being interrupted (and covered by) popups that make navigation virtually impossible, Of course, it's tough to dismiss those irritations while riding. Can anyone suggest a possible solution? I want my navigation screen to be the one and only screen that appears on my phone while riding. Any suggestions would be most appreciated.

BTW, I am happy to have found this forum, and plan to become a regular user.

Carusoswi

 

[IsHacker]

What kind of pop-ups? Are those ads? Do you have a screenshot?

 

[carusoswi]

They are just wired things-messages that I am low on storage (I am not), messages to get this or that "junk" app, all sorts of annoying items that popup on my screen and block my view of what I need to see. Thanks for the quick reply. These popups appear regularly on my mobile phone, not just when I am cycling. I have Malwarebytes installed, and scans with that app do not show any problem apps/files.

I am reaching my wit's end. If they were not so expensive, I would invest in a dedicated cycling navigation app, but really cannot justify the expense at my advanced age.

I do a lot of cycling, 20-40 miles daily, 7-days a week.

So glad I found this forum, and thanks again for your reply.

Carusoswi

 

[B. Diddy]

It's clearly adware, likely associated with some app you installed. Malwarebytes won't always detect this kind of thing.

When you see a popup, go to your App Overview and see if it identifies which app is responsible. If you're unable to identify it that way, you may have to uninstall apps one by one until the issue goes away.

Also, which phone do you have? Does it happen to be one of those government-assistance "Obamaphones"? Those typically come preloaded with annoying adware that is difficult to remove.

 

[carusoswi]

It is a phone by TMobile. I've had the phone for years. This problem is more recent. How do I go to App Overview? If the phone had some sort of "safe mode" I would use it. Searched for same, advice was to hold power button down during start up, but that did nothing for me.
Lastly, thank you for your reply. Any further advice appreciated (from you or anyone else).

Carusoswi

 

[B. Diddy]

The App Overview is also known as Recent Apps -- if you're using button navigation, it's the square button. If you're using gesture navigation, swipe up from the bottom of the screen about a quarter of the way until you see the smaller screenshots of all the recent apps.

Virtually all Android phones have Safe Mode (the exception being certain Chinese devices). What's the manufacturer and model of yours?

 

[IsHacker]

They are just wired things-messages that I am low on storage (I am not), messages to get this or that "junk" app, all sorts of annoying items that popup on my screen and block my view of what I need to see. Thanks for the quick reply. These popups appear regularly on my mobile phone, not just when I am cycling. I have Malwarebytes installed, and scans with that app do not show any problem apps/files.

I am reaching my wit's end. If they were not so expensive, I would invest in a dedicated cycling navigation app, but really cannot justify the expense at my advanced age.

I do a lot of cycling, 20-40 miles daily, 7-days a week.

So glad I found this forum, and thanks again for your reply.

Carusoswi

Yes, those are definitely ads, and they are caused by adware (malware which displays unwanted pop-up ads) like @B.Diddy said. Adware usually can't be detected by antivirus, except for some famous adware like Mobidash.
If you have any "Cleaner" app(s) installed, remove them to get rid of these ads and pop-ups.
Just so you know, these "cleaner" apps do nothing at all (except for pushing adware and spyware onto users). They do NOT "clean" anything. They only display a cute animation and say that it has cleaned x GB of "trash".
In case you can't remove it because it's installed as bloat (i.e as a system app), just disable it.