A full-screen ad appears suddenly
It covers the screen while you chat, watch a video, or return home, with no clue which app opened it.
Android pop-up source finder
Find the app behind intrusive pop-ups
A full-screen ad suddenly covers your phone, blocks taps, or has no close button? PopTrace checks who owns the visible window and which apps were active just before it appeared.
- Processed locally
- No account needed
- You confirm the result
- Open source
Solve it first, learn the details later
Is the pop-up still visible? Scan it now
Prepare a data-capable USB cable, an Android phone, and desktop Chrome or Edge. PopTrace checks the connection, guides you through linking the phone, and shows clear actions instead of terminal commands.
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Android phone Keep the abnormal page in front
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USB data cable Must support data transfer
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Chrome or Edge Use the desktop browser
Loading the local diagnostic tool…
Why this is difficult
Closing one ad is easy. Finding who keeps opening it is not.
Intrusive pop-ups often hide the app name and do not appear in recent apps. The real source may be a cleaner, wallpaper app, flashlight, browser add-on, or an unknown APK.
The page cannot be tapped or closed
A transparent overlay blocks controls, the close button is tiny or delayed, or tapping it opens another page.
Unlocking the phone triggers a redirect
The phone opens a website, app store, or download page after wake or unlock, while recent apps show nothing suspicious.
The wrong app gets uninstalled
The ad may appear in a browser or app store, but those can be destinations rather than the app that initiated it.
How it works
Capture the pop-up, then follow Android's activity trail
PopTrace does not inspect the ad or decide whether it is malicious. Start the scan while the abnormal page is visible, and it turns Android's window ownership into an understandable app result.
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Keep the pop-up in front
Do not return home or open another app first. A complete scene makes the current owner easier to identify.
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Inspect the window and recent activity
PopTrace reads who owns the current page and organizes third-party apps that may be related to the transition.
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Confirm and handle the source
Go back or force stop the app and see whether the pop-up disappears. Uninstall only after you confirm the source.
Two ways to use PopTrace
Scan now on the web; keep history later with Android
Available now
PopTrace Web
Best when the pop-up is currently visible. Use desktop Chrome or Edge and connect an Android phone by cable—no desktop installation needed.
Use the online scanIn development
PopTrace Android
For intermittent pop-ups that are hard to reproduce. After the user explicitly enables accessibility, the Android app will keep a short local history of window changes.
Reading the result
Check the current owner, then review previous apps
Current page owner shows which app owns the frontmost window. If it is a browser, app store, or system screen, review the previous candidates because another app may have sent you there.
A package name is Android's unique app identifier. It may be less familiar than the icon label, but it helps you verify the exact target in Android's uninstall screen.
What PopTrace can and cannot prove
Reliable clues, without automatically accusing an app
- What PopTrace can do
- Identify the current window owner, organize recent candidate apps, and help you go back, force stop, or open Android's uninstall confirmation.
- What PopTrace does not decide
- It does not classify ad content, claim that an app is definitely malicious, or uninstall anything without your confirmation.
- When the source may be missing
- Results may be incomplete if the pop-up has disappeared, several pages were opened before the scan, or the phone vendor keeps too little window history.
Privacy and control
Device data stays local, and every action starts with you
The page connects directly to the phone you select and parses diagnostics in the browser. PopTrace requires no account and does not upload app lists, window records, device identifiers, or results.
- USB access is requested only after you press the connect button
- Phone actions run only after you press their buttons; force stop also asks for confirmation on the page
- Uninstalling must be confirmed again in Android's system screen
Frequently asked questions
What you may want to know before using PopTrace
My phone keeps showing ads. How can I find the responsible app?
When the ad appears, do not return home or close it. Connect the phone with desktop Chrome or Edge. PopTrace captures the current page, identifies its window owner, and lists apps that may have been active just before it appeared.
Can PopTrace automatically decide whether a page is an ad?
No, and it does not need to. You decide whether the page is an intrusive ad; PopTrace focuses on the harder question: which app opened it.
Why does the web version need an Android phone connection?
A normal web page cannot read another device's window ownership. PopTrace can read only the required local system records after you explicitly authorize USB access.
Do I need to install PopTrace on the phone?
Not for the web version. Enable USB debugging in Android developer options and approve this computer when the phone asks.
Why does the result sometimes show a browser or app store?
Some apps hand an ad link to a browser or app store. That app owns the current page but may not have initiated the pop-up, so review the previous candidates too.
Does pressing uninstall delete the app immediately?
No. PopTrace only opens Android's uninstall confirmation. You decide on the phone, which helps prevent mistakes.
What is the difference between force stop and uninstall?
Force stop exits the app without deleting it or its data; it can run again when opened. Try this first to see whether the pop-up disappears.
Does it support iPhone or mobile browsers?
PopTrace currently targets Android. The online connection requires desktop Chrome or Edge; Safari, Firefox, and mobile browsers do not expose the required USB capability.