Hijacked by a Mobile Ad? Can't Exit? How to Escape

Dealing with ads on your tablet or smart phone are one of the "streetsmart" skills that experienced mobile users have.  And I'm talking about navigation issues here, not one of accepting or hating advertising.  After clicking on an ad (either deliberately or, oh so commonly, accidentally) getting back to the place you came from may be not so easy.  

Many ads will provide a way to exit them and return from whence you came, but you have to know what to look for. Unfortunately, with no common standards for this part of advertising, the exit symbols vary considerably.  And some ads give you know clear way to exit at all!

I'll show some samples here of ads and how to exit them. And then for those bad ads, with no exit symbols at all, how you can escape their clutches.

Typically, to find a way out, look at the very top or bottom of the ad. The exit symbol will most commonly be in the upper left or lower right of the ad, but not always.  

 

Examples of ads and their exit symbols

This iPad car ad uses a Back button in the upper left to Exit

 

This iPhone ad has an X in the upper left for exiting

 

A Facebook ad with an upper left arrow to Exit

 

 We'll see some bad app sample ads below. But this Yahoo app ad has a "Cancel" in the upper left corner to Exit

 

 Next, these ads showcase bottom-positioned Exits.  This Netflix ad has a "Done" in the lower right.

 

This ad uses an X in the lower right corner to Exit

 

This ad uses an X in the lower left corner for exiting

 

Now the Bad Ads.  These guys give you no way out - no exit symbol at all!  Often ads for other apps can  be among the worst offenders in trapping you with no exit.

 

 

This app ad has thrown you into the App Store.  Try to find an Exit.  There is none.

 

Nice "floating ad".  Alas, no way out.  Clicking outside the ad window leaves you in the App Store.

 

Game app ad.  No Exit option.

 

 

Fortunately, you don't need the ad's permission to return whence you came.  Simply double tap the home key and you'll see a list of recently used applications. Look for the app you came from, tap it, and you'll return there.  For more detail, see my prior post on switching between applications.

 

Game ad after double-tapping on the Home key.  Exit by selecting your originating app from the icon list on the bottom.

 

To sum up, first look for the exit symbol at the top or bottom of the ad.  

But don't waste a lot of time looking for it. If you don't see it quickly, switch between applications by double tapping the home key and be on your way!