What it does
Many Android phones sold in China come with ads, trending-search lists, news feeds and promotional notifications built into the system. This project switches those off using the phone's own settings. It does not need root (deep system access), unlocking or reflashing, and the README says system updates are not affected.
You can use it four ways: a desktop app for Mac or Windows where you plug in your phone and click a few buttons; an AI agent (an AI tool that can run commands on your computer) that follows the project's instructions; a chat AI like ChatGPT or DeepSeek that guides you step by step on your phone; or written checklists you follow by hand.
It turns off marketing notifications per channel, so order, delivery and update alerts from the same app stay on. It takes a backup first, and the README says changes can be undone. It has been tested on certain Honor, OnePlus, OPPO, Xiaomi and vivo models; native HarmonyOS phones are not supported.
Who it's for
Owners of Chinese-brand Android phones who are tired of system ads and promotional notifications and want to remove them without hacking their phone.
Can I use it without coding?
Yes. There is a desktop app for Mac and Windows that needs no Python or AI tools; you only need to turn on USB debugging on your phone. New to this? Start here.
Can I run it?
- Cost
- FreeNothing to pay or sign up for.
- Runs on
- Mac, Windows, Phone
- Computer
- An ordinary computer is fine
- Privacy
- Your choice: run it on your device or use an online service
- API key
- Not needed
Try it
- Turn on developer mode and USB debugging on your phone, following the project's picture guide.
- Download the desktop app for your Mac or Windows computer from the project's releases page.
- Plug your phone into the computer with a cable, then follow the app's steps to check, choose and turn off ads.
Before you download
Plain-AyI is an independent guide: we link to each project's official pages, but we don't host, review or endorse the software, and we can't accept responsibility for how it works on your device. Please download and install at your own discretion.
Using Claude Code, Cursor or another AI coding assistant? Paste the prompt and it will walk you through the setup.New to this?
Before you install
- Only download from the official GitHub page or the official download page above. Copies with similar names exist for many popular projects.
- Plain-AyI is an independent guide and doesn't host or review the software it lists. Please check each project's official page before installing.
- License (MIT): Very permissive: free to use, change and share, including for business.
- More on staying safe