How to easily detect and remove the app that's filling your phone with ads
You turn on your phone and see an ad on the lock screen. You unlock it, try to open WhatsApp, and another ad pops up, completely freezing your phone and preventing you from doing anything but waiting for the ad to finish. You've undoubtedly encountered this situation before after installing an app whose sole purpose seems to be to profit from advertising—programs that bombard your device with ads.
So, if you suddenly find your phone filled with ads, it could be due to just one reason: you've installed an app that caused this mess. But don't worry, because fortunately, there are several ways to identify the culprit app responsible for all this.
To solve the problem, you should use the AppWatch app. This app uses your Android activity log to locate the offending apps. Of course, it's not automatic; you have to start the scan manually and also go to the activity log to find the source of the ads. What AppWatch does is make the process much easier for you, so that the offensive ads disappear from your mobile phone.
Once App Watch is installed, perform the following process:
- Open AppWatch and allow permission to access app usage.
- Go back to AppWatch and tap the "Start Monitoring" button. From that moment on, the app will record app activity and display a persistent notification.
- Use your mobile phone in the normal way until an ad not intended for the application in use appears.
- Open AppWatch immediately (from the notification) and look at the last app in the list. This will be the cause of the ads being displayed.
- Remove the application in question, and you will have solved the problem.
It's possible you have several installed apps displaying ads. If this is the case, you'll need to repeat the AppWatch steps until you've completely cleaned your phone. Remember, the app doesn't remove ads; it only provides information to help you identify the culprit apps. Once you're finished, you can deactivate and remove AppWatch from your phone.
- Link: AppWatch