Push notifications are useful until apps start treating them like free ad space. On Android, this gets especially annoying because promotional alerts are not always clearly separated from important notifications. Users often have to guess which setting controls ads, and many end up turning off notifications entirely just to stop the spam.
Samsung now appears to be addressing this issue with a new Device Care update that can detect and block apps that send too many promotional notifications.
How will Samsung block ad-heavy apps?
The feature was spotted by X user Kailash (via Sammy Fans), who shared screenshots of a new Device Care update for Samsung phones. The screenshots show Device Care version 13.8.80.7 with a new option called “Block apps with excessive ads.” The update is reportedly rolling out through the Galaxy Store, although availability may vary depending on device and region.
Samsung’s fix targets apps that repeatedly send advertisement alerts. Once an app is flagged, Device Care can move it into deep sleep. This stops the app from running in the background, which should also limit its ability to keep pushing unwanted promotional notifications.
Can users control what Samsung blocks?
The screenshots suggest Samsung will offer two blocking options. Basic Blocking, which identifies apps that frequently send ad notifications, and Intelligent Blocking, which analyzes notifications in real time and decides whether they are ads and if they are getting spammed frequently. The second option could be more useful, but Samsung says it may not always be accurate. Users will also be able to review blocked apps later and unblock them if needed.
Users should be able to check flagged apps by going to Settings, then Device care, opening Care report, and selecting Excessive alerts. For now, the feature appears to be available only on the Galaxy S26 series. Users with older devices may need to manually install the update from third-party sources like APKMirror if they want to try it.