Wang Ziru’s Clever Trick! Change a Phone Setting and Banish App Ads?

On November 16, ZEALER founder Wang Ziru shared an eye-opening tip during a livestream, aimed at solving the headache of intrusive app ads.

His suggestion: change your phone’s system language to English, especially on iPhones, and then open Chinese apps. You’ll be amazed—the interface suddenly feels clean and uncluttered. For example, a ride-hailing app in Chinese shows countless pop-ups: coupons, carpool promotions, premium services. Switch to English, and the app focuses on its core function: enter your destination and call a car—no ads in sight.

Why does this work? Simple: most Chinese apps are designed with Chinese users in mind. Ads, campaigns, and promotions are in Chinese. If the system is set to English, the app treats you as a non-core or overseas user, automatically reducing ad frequency. In short, the app isn’t “being nice”—its ad system just “recognizes the language.”

Tests by tech commentator Xiao Lei confirmed this: Tencent Video still shows splash ads regardless of language, but Taobao in English bypasses the splash screen and goes straight to the homepage, significantly reducing ad exposure.

The reason Wang Ziru’s tip resonates is that users are fed up with ads. Over the past months, Chinese apps have repeatedly sparked outrage:

• Guangzhou Metro App: commuters scanning tickets during rush hour were bombarded with Taobao and Pinduoduo ads. Only after public pressure were some ads removed.
• BabyBus App: parents reported pop-ups with inappropriate content for preschoolers, even leading to accidental downloads of unknown apps.

Other everyday apps are no better—weather apps show food delivery ads, flashlight apps display pop-ups. Ads are everywhere, making “free app = watch ads” the default expectation.

In short, Wang Ziru’s method works to some extent, but it has limits. Apps relying on location-based services, like food delivery or ride-hailing, will still push nearby ads.

The real need: developers should prioritize user experience, regulate ad behavior, and minimize or eliminate pop-ups.

Finally, what do you think about today’s app ads? Share your thoughts in the comments!