If you have an Android, you've likely been the victim of those annoying pop-up ads before. You were just scrolling innocently on your phone, perhaps looking to buy something, when suddenly your whole screen is taken up by a random ad. And when you try to close out of it, you accidentally click on the ad that takes you to a different page altogether. It's annoying, it wastes your time, and in some cases, it could be potentially dangerous for your device and your private information.
Pop-up ads are common on desktops, laptops and Android devices (not typical for iOS mobile devices) and don't always lead to something harmful. Many companies use them to push sales for their products.
However, if you find that you're constantly getting ads or being randomly redirected to other sketchy sites without your consent, then it is likely that some sort of malware has been installed or that your browser configuration has been changed without you knowing. The good news is there is a way to stop that from happening, and the steps are pretty simple.
If you're just casually browsing on your Android device and an ad pops up, you can easily stop that from happening by adjusting a few settings in your web browser:
There are cases when a pop-up ad will appear on your Android, and you accidentally click on it. If your phone starts opening a ton of tabs after that happens, there's a good chance that your device has been infected with adware. However, don't worry. This issue can still be fixed.
Please note settings may vary depending on your Android phone's manufacturer.
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While the above steps are helpful, you should still consider antivirus protection. Having an antivirus program on your Android will give you real-time protection and intercept you from clicking a malicious link that may lead to malware being installed on your devices.
See my expert review of the best antivirus protection for your Windows, Mac, Android & iOS devices by searching "Best Antivirus" at CyberGuy.com by clicking the magnifying glass icon at the top of my website.
Related: Free antivirus: should you use it?
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