Will Google Stop the Full Screen Pop Up Ads!?

[Android Central Question]

I have full screen pop up ads that seemingly appear at random between jumping to new apps or when I pick up my phone and turn it on. I did not bargain for this! It is like a jab in my back every time I am confronted with it. May seem like a small thing, but not to me. I hate the unwarranted intrusion. It rubs me terribly the wrong way. It is one thing to expect ads within the apps I agreed to download or otherwise have on my phone. It is wholly another to have them pop up on me at any time without doing anything to have permitted such. Before you try to tell me how to get rid of them, I have opted out of personal ads. I have opted out from all sponsors which, brings me to another gripe. Some of those sponsors allow opt out but then change the setting unbeknownst to you at a later time. So, I have to continuously go back to the google ads to opt out of all once again. And before you say I should reset my device; I did that. I reset back to factory settings, went through the pain of adding back my accounts and needed apps and still have the problem. I only included those apps I truly needed, which were few, to help ensure I would not have the problem again. Now I admit that I went to download some ringtones recently but stopped and uninstalled while in progress remembering that I don't want to take the chance of getting the full screen pop ups again. And they did seem to start happening more after that. But if I have to worry about downloading simple apps, what the heck is the point of having this phone? I paid good money for this phone; I pay much money for service; and now I have this unwanted, unwarranted intrusion that really pisses me off. This is my first android phone and my last. I am going to try and sell it to get some of my money back and will then get a dumb phone now. This nonstop, advertising in your face world that we live in is bad enough without this forced, unseemly intrusion. I have saved this post and will post it on other forums because others should know about this. Maybe it does not matter to some, but it will matter to others when they make their choice.

 

[macdaddy31]

You likely have an app that is serving these ads.

It just occurred again. Only apps running in background were mail and text. Phone was idle for a time and went to use it and there was a damn pop up. I don't care if it is the OS or an app that is doing it. Something is doing it and it bugs me. I am done with Android.

 

[Ry]

It just occurred again. Only apps running in background were mail and text. Phone was idle for a time and went to use it and there was a damn pop up. I don't care if it is the OS or an app that is doing it. Something is doing it and it bugs me. I am done with Android.

Someone could help if you listed out all of your installed apps or post a screen shot of the apps in the drawer.

Again, this is likely and probably a (rogue) app. This is not an OS issue

 

[ChiefDog]

At the end of the filename for my upload, it said 'volume booster'.
Going to uninstall that next.

 

[chanchan05]

It just occurred again. Only apps running in background were mail and text. Phone was idle for a time and went to use it and there was a damn pop up. I don't care if it is the OS or an app that is doing it. Something is doing it and it bugs me. I am done with Android.

Because refusing the listen, and help us help you by listing the apps you have and telling you which ones are the culprit helps. Also, good luck going back to feature phones then, because iOS has had fullscreen ads called the interstitial ad service since 2014. Some even replace your lockscreen.
You aren't getting away from fullscreen ads these days without removing the app that puts them there.

 

[ChiefDog]

Zedge specifically says they force ads on the phone.

 

[chanchan05]

Zedge specifically says they force ads on the phone.

I think I missed where the OP said Zedge. Did he? I hwve Zedge and I have no full screen ads taking over.

 

[ChiefDog]

Reinstall it and you will see what I'm talking about

 

[B. Diddy]

It just occurred again. Only apps running in background were mail and text. Phone was idle for a time and went to use it and there was a damn pop up. I don't care if it is the OS or an app that is doing it. Something is doing it and it bugs me. I am done with Android.

I think what you mean is that you're done with not paying for apps. This is, after all, why apps serve up ads -- that's how developers make money, since no one ever wants to pay for apps any more. There are very very very very very very very few developers who publish apps for free and completely ad-free out of the goodness of their hearts. So good luck with that!

 

[macdaddy31]

I think what you mean is that you're done with not paying for apps. This is, after all, why apps serve up ads -- that's how developers make money, since no one ever wants to pay for apps any more. There are very very very very very very very few developers who publish apps for free and completely ad-free out of the goodness of their hearts. So good luck with that!

No. You can try to cut it anyway you like but Android or an Android app is causing me to get apparently random full screen, in my face, pop up ads. I did not bargain for that. I knew I would get ads within apps I agreed to receive, but not apart from any particular app if an app at all. I consider this a major flaw.

 

[ChiefDog]

I uninstalled Volume Booster and haven't seen ads so far.

 

[Javier P]

I uninstalled Volume Booster and haven't seen ads so far.

Excellent! Thanks for the follow up. I've just checked that app on the Play Store and many reviews complain about the full screen ads.

Funny that the screenshot filename showed the name of the app, nice way to find, and kill, the culprit.

 

[Javier P]

No. You can try to cut it anyway you like but Android or an Android app is causing me to get apparently random full screen, in my face, pop up ads. I did not bargain for that. I knew I would get ads within apps I agreed to receive, but not apart from any particular app if an app at all. I consider this a major flaw.

In some way you did bargain for that, the same all of us do any time we download an app, specially free ones. We have offered you different ways to try to find the culprit and so far you have ignored all of them.

Those full screen ads are very annoying, but there are ways to get rid of them. You decide if you want to find the culprit or just complain about having them.

 

[macdaddy31]

In some way you did bargain for that, the same all of us do any time we download an app, specially free ones. We have offered you different ways to try to find the culprit and so far you have ignored all of them.

Those full screen ads are very annoying, but there are ways to get rid of them. You decide if you want to find the culprit or just complain about having them.

No, Sir. If random, full-screen pop-ups are part of the deal, I am out. I do not accept. Also, if you read my post, I have attempted all the things suggested to remove. I removed recently downloaded apps. That did not work. I removed all Google apps. That did not work. So, I removed everything by doing a factory reset. I had to go through the somewhat painstaking procedure of re-initiating all my accounts and necessary apps. I kept it minimal. I had a forgetful moment and started to download a cat ringtone app. Remembered I did not want to take a chance during download so I interrupted the download. The pop ups seemed to start happening after that. However, I had this one on the phone before and did not have the problem then and it only started happening the first time many weeks/months after that download. So, if it was an app, it was likely a different app that caused it the first time and maybe not that app, which was not downloaded, causing it this second time. So, you can try to justify this, but it is happening and even if there is finally a way to rid myself of it, I should not have to struggle to do so. It should not be a problem. If an app is causing it, the OS should be able to prevent the app from allowing random, full-screen pop ups or Alphabet should ensure developers cannot implement such a thing.

 

[ChiefDog]

The reviews for both Volume Booster and Zedge mention full page pop up ads.

 

[Javier P]

No, Sir. If random, full-screen pop-ups are part of the deal, I am out. I do not accept. Also, if you read my post, I have attempted all the things suggested to remove. I removed recently downloaded apps. That did not work. I removed all Google apps. That did not work. So, I removed everything by doing a factory reset. I had to go through the somewhat painstaking procedure of re-initiating all my accounts and necessary apps. I kept it minimal. I had a forgetful moment and started to download a cat ringtone app. Remembered I did not want to take a chance during download so I interrupted the download. The pop ups seemed to start happening after that. However, I had this one on the phone before and did not have the problem then and it only started happening the first time many weeks/months after that download. So, if it was an app, it was likely a different app that caused it the first time and maybe not that app, which was not downloaded, causing it this second time. So, you can try to justify this, but it is happening and even if there is finally a way to rid myself of it, I should not have to struggle to do so. It should not be a problem. If an app is causing it, the OS should be able to prevent the app from allowing random, full-screen pop ups or Alphabet should ensure developers cannot implement such a thing.

A factory reset is usually unnecessary to solve this kind of problem and, depending on your settings, your old apps would be restored after the initial setup. Also, deleting only recently downloaded apps won't necessarily fix the issue because it's possible that an old app got an update which included these popups.

Let's try again.

- What phone do you have and where did you buy it (unlocked/Amazon/carrier contract/second hand)?

- Take a screenshot of that full screen ad. This guide will show you how to post it here.

https://forums.androidcentral.com/showthread.php?t=737130

- What do you see in your recent apps after you get this ad? Sometimes you can find the origin of those popups in the little icon top left on the last card.

- Post screenshots of your app drawer and we'll try to find a possible suspect.

- What apps do you have enabled in settings - security - device administrator?

- What apps have the 'draw over other apps' permission enabled?

- Do you get the same ads after booting in safe mode? The right steps will vary depending on your model.

- Which 'cat ringtones' app are you referring to? Plenty of them on the Play Store, most of them with reviews reporting full screen ads.

Let's focus on troubleshooting this problem, please.

 

[macdaddy31]

A factory reset is usually unnecessary to solve this kind of problem and, depending on your settings, your old apps would be restored after the initial setup. Also, deleting only recently downloaded apps won't necessarily fix the issue because it's possible that an old app got an update which included these popups.

Let's try again.

- What phone do you have and where did you buy it (unlocked/Amazon/carrier contract/second hand)? [Samsung Note 5 purchased new via e-bay]

- Take a screenshot of that full screen ad. This guide will show you how to post it here. [Attached]

https://forums.androidcentral.com/showthread.php?t=737130

- What do you see in your recent apps after you get this ad? Sometimes you can find the origin of those popups in the little icon top left on the last card. [Not certain what you mean by "last card", but do not see anything unusual in any of the screens]

- Post screenshots of your app drawer and we'll try to find a possible suspect. [O.K.]

- What apps do you have enabled in settings - security - device administrator? [If went to right location, only "find my device"]

- What apps have the 'draw over other apps' permission enabled? ["I don't see that type of permission. There is "body sensors", "calendar", "camera", "contacts", "location", "microphone", "phone", "sms", and "storage". There are a few more, but no application listed.]

- Do you get the same ads after booting in safe mode? The right steps will vary depending on your model. [Never tried booting in safe mode. Do not know how to do that.]

- Which 'cat ringtones' app are you referring to? Plenty of them on the Play Store, most of them with reviews reporting full screen ads. [Pretty certain it was Cat Ringtones Vol3 Entertainers Entertainment]

Let's focus on troubleshooting this problem, please.

 

[chanchan05]

The reviews for both Volume Booster and Zedge mention full page pop up ads.

So far I'm still not getting Zedge full screen ads except INSIDE the app, which is fine for me. Let's see how this reinstallation goes for now.

 

[hallux]

I have Zedge on my devices. Granted, I don't open it often (actually, maybe not at all since I set them up) but I don't have any ads coming up.

 

[chanchan05]

Don't zip the photos. Upload them individually. Some people are leary of downloading stuff. Uploading them individually will allow us to see them in the forum itself without downloading.

 

[beemann]

I am also having similar problem.
So, I just got a phone and have been installing a lot of apps lately (from Play Store). I noticed this unusual happening: Play Store now pos up ad on my phone. I just unlock my phone and there am I in Play Store asking me to install an app that is in development and be the first to try and provide feedback. One time, a Google add also showed up. I also remember downloading a random ringtone from the internet.

For sure, this just started happening recently. I am using OnePlus 3T and Android 8.0.0. Can someone tell me how to get rid of this issue?