How to Get Rid of Adware on Android? [4 Easy Ways]

While all smartphones are open to security issues, Android devices are more vulnerable. Statistics show that Android phones are attacked by 97% of mobile malware. 

One of these online threats is adware. It’s a type of malware that displays unwanted ads and damages your Android phone if left unattended.

With around 60,000 unique apps having adware, learning how to get rid of adware on Android is crucial. Keep reading to know how. 

🔑 Key Takeaways

• Android devices are highly vulnerable to adware–-with 97% of mobile malware targeting them, posing potential harm to performance and security.
• Adware significantly slows down devices due to intrusive ads.
• You can remove it using your phone’s safe mode, turning off admin permissions, removing harmful apps, and using removal tools.
• Infected Android devices exhibit numerous pop-up ads, sluggish OS performance, excessive battery drain, higher data consumption, and browser crashes.
• Beyond device slowdowns, adware can lead to frequent app and system crashes, risk of data and identity theft, and vulnerabilities in browser security.

4 Ways to Remove Adware From Your Android Phone

Adware is a software program that displays harmful or harmless ads on your device. It usually shows misleading commercials, pop-ups, and ad banners. 

This malicious software can affect your phone’s speed and performance due to the numerous ads that it shows. 

Adware can cause severe damage to your Android device. Thus, you need to know the following methods to remove it:

Method 1: Remove Adware Manually

Android devices have a safe mode that can work as a manual adware removal technique.

Safe mode is a feature that allows you to detect what causes issues on your device. It lets you run an Android device with only factory-installed apps and services.

Doing so lets you check if the issue comes from your OS or a third-party app.

Here’s how to restart your phone with Safe Mode:

Step 1: Long-press the power button.

Step 2: Press and hold the Power Off icon until the option to reboot in safe mode shows.

Step 3: Tap Safe Mode to restart your device. This will disable all third-party apps.

Step 4: After restarting, proceed to Settings > Apps. It will bring up a list of all the apps on your device. 

Step 5: Click on the app you want to remove. 

Step 6: Select Uninstall. 

Method 2: Turn Off Admin Permissions from Suspicious Apps

If you notice an app you don’t remember installing, it’s probably adware. Make sure to remove admin permissions from that app right away. 

To do so, follow the steps below:

Step 1: Go to Settings. Choose Biometrics and Security.

Step 2: Look for Other Security Settings.

Step 3: Tap Device admin apps.

Step 5: Check the list and turn off admin permission for suspicious apps by tapping the toggle button. 

Method 3: Uninstall Adware Apps

Adware installs unnecessary apps on your device without consent. While most apps only display ads, some collect your data and cause other security issues. 

To secure your device and data, you must find and uninstall all those suspicious apps. Here are the steps to remove them:

Step 1: Go to Settings.

Step 2: Tap Apps. 

Step 3: Scroll through the list and check any apps that you do not remember installing.

Step 4: Click on the suspicious apps. 

Step 5: Select Uninstall to remove them. 

Deleting adware apps from your device consequently removes the risks that come with it. 

Method 4: Use Adware Removal Tools

Using a cybersecurity tool against adware on Android devices is always helpful. You must install one on your Android device, which must work in the background. 

When choosing an adware removal app, ensure that it has the following traits:

• Detects and removes all types of malware including adware
• Runs in the background without compromising other apps
• Warns the user about suspicious apps 
• Tracks URLs and gives alerts against suspicious sites
• Avoids false positives 

Signs Your Phone is Infected by Adware

Android has been the world’s leading mobile OS since the latter half of 2012. However, it is also the most common adware target. 

Earlier this year, Android Headlines reported that tens of thousands of Android apps have adware:

Bitdefender spotted a ton of adware-infected Android apps…https://t.co/KsfzT9Wcro #Android #apps #security #malware

— Android Headlines (@Androidheadline) June 7, 2023

Though not as risky as spyware or ransomware, adware is still annoying and dangerous. That is why it is important to be on the lookout for it. 

Here are possible signs of adware infecting your Android phone:

Appearance of several pop-up ads

The primary purpose of adware is to produce unwanted ads. Thus, expect to see more annoying ads when your device has adware.

Slow OS performance

Since adware is treated by your device as an app or a file, it will take up storage space. This affects the performance and speed of your phone.

Significant battery drain

More active apps mean more energy consumption. Adware always runs in the background to show as many ads as it can, draining your battery in the process.

Increased data usage

Ads brought by adware require an internet connection, which means it consume data. You’ll notice a significant increase in your data consumption when your device has adware.

Frequent browser crashes

With more ads taking your data and affecting your device’s performance, your browser will slow down and experience frequent crashes.

Dangers of Android Adware

Adware is not the most harmful type of malware. Nonetheless, it can cause inconvenience and trouble to your device once infected.

Here are some dangers that adware can cause if you don’t get rid of it:

Frequent App and System Crashes

The adware creates several background activities without your consent. If left unresolved, it will generate more ads that will cause frequent crashes.

Data and Identity Theft

Cybercriminals who run the adware on your device can collect your data and sell it. 

While selling data is common for targeted ads, it can also lead to identity theft once pieces of your Personally Identifiable Information fall into the wrong hands.

Browser Breaches

While most adware only collects data, some can hack browsers and change settings. Thus, always check your browsers and your entire device for anything unusual.

Conclusion

Since Android is an open ecosystem, it’s more prone to adware than other operating systems. However, it’s also easy to protect Android devices.

With the methods above, you can remove adware from Android devices to secure your phone and improve its performance. Save your data from getting hijacked by unauthorized users.

FAQs

By Maxym Chekalov

With a master's degree in telecommunications and over 15 years of working experience in telecommunications, networking, and online security, he deeply understands cybersecurity's value and importance. Max leverages his vast experience and knowledge to research the latest cyber threats, scams, malware, and viruses in-depth.