How to Stop Ads on a Samsung Galaxy by Location

Ads on a Samsung Galaxy phone can pop up in many different places: in apps, in the notification shade, on the lock screen, or even in the system settings. The fix depends entirely on where the ad appears, because each location has a different source and a different setting to disable it. This guide walks through each ad location on current Samsung Galaxy models running One UI and shows exactly which menu to open to stop it.

What You’ll Need

• Your Samsung Galaxy phone with the screen unlocked
• About 10–15 minutes, depending on how many ad sources are active
• Your Samsung account password (needed only if you want to opt out of personalized ads)

Step-by-Step

Work through these sections in order. Each one targets ads in a specific place on your phone. Skip any section that doesn’t match where you see ads.

1. Ads in the Notification Shade (pull-down bar)

These appear as regular notifications, often labeled with the app name or a generic title like “Special Offer.” They come from apps you installed, not from Samsung itself.

1. Pull down the notification shade twice to see the full notification list.
2. Find the ad notification. Long-press it until a menu appears.
3. Tap App info or the gear icon that appears.
4. On the app’s settings page, tap Notifications.
5. Toggle off All notifications (or uncheck the specific categories like “Promotions” or “Offers”).
6. If the app is one you rarely use, tap Force stop or Uninstall instead. That kills the ad source completely.

If you see a notification that says “Samsung Push Service” or “Samsung Free,” the steps are slightly different:

1. Open Settings > Apps.
2. Tap the three-dot menu (top right) and select Show system apps.
3. Find Samsung Push Service (or Samsung Free).
4. Tap Notifications and turn off all categories.

2. Ads on the Lock Screen

Lock screen ads usually come from Samsung’s own services or from a third-party app that has lock screen permission.

1. Open Settings > Lock screen.
2. Look for Lock screen service or Dynamic lock screen. If it says “Samsung Free” or “Glance,” tap it.
3. Select None or Off to disable it.
4. Go back to Settings > Apps and scroll through your installed apps.
5. Uninstall any app you don’t recognize that might have lock screen permission, especially ones named “Glance,” “Lock Screen,” or “Daily Wallpaper.”

3. Ads Inside Samsung Apps (Samsung Internet, Samsung Health, Galaxy Store)

1. Open Samsung Internet (the default browser). Tap the three-line menu (bottom right).
2. Select Settings > Privacy and security.
3. Toggle on Block pop-ups and Smart anti-tracking.
4. Go back to the browser’s main settings and tap Sites and downloads. Toggle on Block unwanted content if available.
5. For Samsung Health: open the app, tap the three-dot menu (top right), select Settings, then toggle off Marketing information.
6. For Galaxy Store: open the app, tap the three-line menu (top left), select Settings, then toggle off Marketing notifications and Personalized recommendations.

4. Ads in the System Settings or “Recommendations”

These appear as cards or banners inside the Settings app, often under your Samsung account profile.

1. Open Settings and tap your name/Samsung account at the top.
2. Tap Privacy.
3. Select Personalization service.
4. Toggle off Personalization service (this disables personalized ads across Samsung apps).
5. Go back to Settings > Accounts and backup > Manage accounts > Samsung account.
6. Tap Privacy and toggle off Marketing communications.

5. Ads in the App Drawer or Home Screen (as Icons or Widgets)

1. Long-press the ad icon or widget on the home screen.
2. Tap Remove or Uninstall.
3. If the icon reappears after a few days, the app that created it is still installed. Open Settings > Apps, find that app, and tap Uninstall.

6. Full-Screen Ads That Appear Randomly

These are usually from a single aggressive app. The fastest fix is to find that app.

1. When an ad appears, do not tap it. Instead, press the Recent Apps button (the square at the bottom).
2. Look at the app preview behind the ad. That’s the culprit.
3. Open Settings > Apps, find that app, and tap Uninstall.
4. If you can’t identify it, open Settings > Battery > Battery usage. Apps that show ads often use high battery in the background. Uninstall the top suspect.

Common Mistakes

• Only disabling notifications instead of uninstalling: Some apps still show ads inside the app or in full-screen overlays even with notifications off. If ads persist, uninstall the app.
• Ignoring the “Show system apps” toggle: Samsung’s own push services are hidden by default. Without enabling this toggle in Settings > Apps, you can’t find them to disable their notifications.
• Tapping the ad to “close” it: Tapping often opens the Play Store or a browser, which can install more adware. Always close ads via the Recent Apps button or the X icon, never by tapping the ad body.
• Disabling all Samsung services: Turning off every Samsung app can break features like Find My Phone or cloud backup. Only disable the specific services mentioned above.

Tips

• Use Private DNS to block ad servers at the network level. Go to Settings > Connections > More connection settings > Private DNS and enter dns.adguard.com. This blocks many in-app and browser ads without rooting.
• Install apps only from the Play Store or Galaxy Store. Sideloaded APKs are the most common source of persistent adware.
• Check app permissions before installing. If a flashlight app asks for notification access, that’s a red flag.
• After uninstalling an ad-heavy app, restart your phone. Some adware runs a background service that reinstalls it.
• Keep your phone’s software updated. Samsung regularly patches ad-related exploits in One UI updates.

Troubleshooting

Ads still appear after following all steps: Open Settings > Apps, tap the three-dot menu, and select Show system apps. Look for any app with “Ad”, “Push”, or “Offer” in the name. Disable its notifications. If you find an app you don’t recognize, uninstall it.

You can’t find the “Personalization service” toggle: On some older One UI versions, this is under Settings > Biometrics and security > Other security settings > Personalization service. If it’s missing entirely, your phone’s firmware may have it disabled already.

Ads appear only in Chrome, not other apps: Open Chrome, tap the three-dot menu, select Settings > Site settings > Pop-ups and redirects, and block them. Also go to Settings > Privacy and security and enable Safe Browsing.

Your phone is noticeably slower or hotter: This suggests adware running in the background. Boot into Safe Mode (press and hold the power button, then long-press “Power off” until the Safe Mode prompt appears). In Safe Mode, third-party apps are disabled. If ads stop, uninstall recently installed apps one by one until the culprit is gone.

Ads return after a factory reset: If you restored from a backup, the adware came back with it. After resetting, set up as a new device and reinstall apps manually. Avoid restoring app data from cloud backups for apps you don’t fully trust.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: Are Samsung Galaxy phones sold with ads pre-installed?
A: No. Samsung does not pre-install third-party adware. However, some carrier-branded phones include trial apps that show promotions. These can be uninstalled or disabled using the steps above.

Q: Will disabling the Personalization service affect other features?
A: It only disables personalized ads and recommendations. Your phone’s core functions, updates, and Samsung account features continue to work normally.

Q: Do I need to root my phone to block ads?
A: No. All the fixes in this guide work on unrooted phones. Rooting voids your warranty and can break Samsung Pay, Secure Folder, and banking apps.

Q: Why do ads appear even in apps I paid for?
A: Paid apps can still show ads if the developer uses a separate ad SDK. Check the app’s settings for an “Remove ads” in-app purchase, or contact the developer. If the ads are aggressive, request a refund and uninstall.

Q: What is the difference between blocking ads and disabling notifications?
A: Disabling notifications stops ads from appearing in the notification shade. Blocking ads (via Private DNS or browser settings) stops the ad content from loading in the first place. For full coverage, do both.

Q: Will these steps work on a Samsung Galaxy A series or older models?
A: Yes. The menu names are the same across One UI versions 4 through 6. On very old models (Android 9 or earlier), some menus may be under “Connections” instead of “More connection settings,” but the overall process is identical.

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