How do I stop TotalAV pop-ups that block actions on an Android phone?
Answer
On the Android phone, open Settings > Apps, then Appear on top / Display over other apps, and turn that permission off for TotalAV and other suspicious overlay apps. That usually stops pop-ups from covering the screen so you can uninstall or open settings normally.
Before you start: stop right away if…
- Do not grant remote-control access or pay an unexpected caller who claims your phone is locked by TotalAV.
Follow these steps
Open the Apps settings list
On the Android phone, open Settings > Apps (or Applications). If a pop-up is in the way, press Home or Recents and reopen Settings, or reboot the phone once and go straight to Settings.
You should see: You can see the list of installed apps.
Open Display over other apps
Open the special app access / special access menu and choose Appear on top or Display over other apps (wording varies by Samsung and Android version).
You should see: You see a list of apps allowed to draw over other apps.
Turn overlays off for TotalAV and lookalikes
Turn off Appear on top / Display over other apps for TotalAV and for other suspicious overlay apps such as unknown cleaners, battery savers, file managers, barcode scanners, or browsers you do not use.
You should see: Those apps can no longer cover the screen with pop-up layers.
Uninstall or disable TotalAV if you do not need it
Return to Settings > Apps, open TotalAV, and choose Uninstall or Disable. Confirm any prompts, then reboot the phone and check that the blocking pop-ups are gone.
You should see: TotalAV is removed or disabled and normal phone actions work again.
Not sure this is the right page? Check here
0 of 5 checked
Extra tips
What to look for: Repeated TotalAV or security pop-ups on a Samsung Android phone, plus an Appear on top / Display over other apps permission still enabled.
Before you change anything: Confirm you are changing settings on the phone, not a PC. Note whether you still want TotalAV installed after the pop-ups stop. Prefer disabling overlay permission before a factory reset. Never share passwords or codes with unexpected callers.