How to Block Ads on Android: Phone, Apps and Browser

Note (September 2026): This 2016 guide has been updated. Its Unknown Sources and Framaroot rooting steps are outdated for current Android versions, and no-root methods such as Private DNS now block ads more simply and safely.

To block ads on Android without root, open Settings, tap Network & internet, then Private DNS, choose Private DNS provider hostname and enter an ad-blocking DNS service such as dns.adguard-dns.com (Android 9 or later). For web pages, keep Chrome’s intrusive-ads blocking on or use Adblock Browser or Firefox with uBlock Origin.

Key Takeaways

• Private DNS with an ad-blocking DNS service is the simplest system-wide way to block ads on Android 9 and later, with no root needed.
• Chrome for Android blocks intrusive ads on sites with poor ad experiences, but not all ads.
• Adblock Browser and Firefox with uBlock Origin block ads inside those browsers only.
• Google removed ad-blocking apps from the Play Store in March 2013, which is why older guides told readers to sideload them.
• Rooting to block ads can void warranties on some brands and break banking apps; it is rarely worth it.

This guide explains How to stop ads in android on Android phones and tablets: which methods still work, which older methods no longer apply, and what each one can and cannot block. Intrusive ads, pop-ups and autoplaying video ads are the usual reasons people look for an ad blocker.

How to Block Ads In Android App / Browser / Phone

The original version of this article cited a survey (source not identified, so not independently confirmed) claiming that 80% of people dislike ads on their android phone. Some apps sell an ad-free premium version through the Google Play Store, which is the one method that removes in-app ads with the developer’s approval. For everything else, the options below range from a simple Chrome setting to system-wide DNS filtering, and the older root-based methods are explained with their risks.

Ad Block Plus (ABP)

Adblock Plus (ABP) is one of the best-known ad blockers and is developed by the German company eyeo GmbH. On Android today, Adblock Plus is offered mainly as Adblock Browser, a free browser with ad blocking built in (version 1.0 was released on September 7, 2015). The original system-wide Android app was described as follows: it blocks all the Ads shown on any app, game or web browser, but full blocking in that old app needed root access. As of September 2026, Adblock Browser for Android is free on the Google Play Store.

Using Ad Block Plus

The steps below describe how the original Adblock Plus Android app was installed when this article was first written in 2016. They are kept for reference, but most of them no longer apply to current Android versions; the no-root methods later on this page are simpler and safer.

On March 3, 2013, Google removed the Adblock Plus app and similar ad-blocking apps from the Play Store, so at that time the app had to be downloaded from the Adblock Plus website, which offered it here.

On Android 7 and older, installing an app from outside the Play Store required turning on the Unknown Sources option in the settings menu, as shown below. Since Android 8.0 Oreo (released August 21, 2017) there is no single global switch: installing unknown apps is a permission granted to an individual app, such as your browser or file manager. Only grant it for software from a source you trust.

• Open settings on your android device.
• Click on Security, scroll down and you will see an option of Unknown Sources (Android 7 and older; on Android 8 and later, Android asks you to allow the app that opened the file instead).
• Single click on unknown Sources and you’re done.
• Now open the downloads and click on it for installation process.

Configuring Ad Block Plus

The original Adblock Plus app needed root access to block ads inside every app. Rooting is not a small step: on some brands, including Samsung and Motorola, it voids the warranty; it trips Google’s Play Integrity check, so some banking and payment apps stop working; and a rooting method made for a different device variant can brick the phone. The 2016 rooting steps are kept below for reference only. None of the no-root methods later on this page need them.

• First of all, the 2016 method used Framaroot APK, a one-click rooting tool that worked only on certain Android devices. It is an old tool and this article no longer recommends it.
• Once installed, open it and select Install SuperUser Su and click OK.
• Now your phone will restart at least two times and will show an message that your phone has been successfully rooted.
• Once the successfully rooted message comes open SuperUser Su, close it and restart your phone.
• Now, your phone has been rooted successfully.

Once, you have a rooted device. Open Ad Block Plus and allow SuperUser permission to start blocking Ads on your android device.

Ad Block Plus Browser Extension

Adblock Plus has also offered an extension for the Samsung Internet browser (version 1.2.0 was released on March 5, 2019) alongside its standalone Adblock Browser. Browser-based blockers work only inside that browser; they do not block ads in games or other apps on your Android phone. Adblock Plus products are available from the Adblock Plus website.

Block Ads On Android Phone Using Hosts File.

A hosts file maps domain names to IP addresses. Entries that point known ad and malware domains to a harmless address, such as the device itself, stop those domains from loading anywhere on the phone. On Android the hosts file lives at /system/etc/hosts (/etc/hosts links to it), which cannot normally be edited without root, so this method requires a rooted device. Private DNS, explained below, gives a similar system-wide result without root.

• To get started, the original guide used a ready-made hosts file (that source may no longer be maintained), downloadable from here.
• Once you have downloaded this file on your computer, you need to transfer it in your phone.
• Now, download any root android file manager.
• Once you have installed a root file manager, back up the existing hosts file, then copy the new hosts file into the /system/etc folder on your Android phone.
• Finally, restart the phone. Ads from domains listed in the file will be blocked; ads from domains that are not in the list will still appear, so the file needs updating over time.

Conclusion

This article has covered How To Block Ads (Advertisement) On Your Android Devices. For most people, the simplest starting point is Chrome’s built-in intrusive-ads setting plus Private DNS with an ad-blocking DNS service; rooting is rarely worth the risk just to block ads. If you have questions about any of these methods, leave a comment below.

Thanks For Giving Us Your Precious Time. 😀

Which Ad-Blocking Methods Still Work on Android?

Android ad-blocking methods differ in where they work and whether they need root. The table compares the main options as of September 2026.

How Do You Block Ads on Android Without Root?

Private DNS is the easiest system-wide way to block ads on Android without root. Android 9 Pie, released publicly on August 6, 2018, added support for DNS over TLS under the name “Private DNS”. Pointing Private DNS at a DNS service that filters ad and tracker domains blocks those domains across most apps and browsers.

Steps to set up Private DNS

1. Open the Settings app on your Android phone.
2. Tap Network & internet, then Private DNS. (This is the path in Google’s Android help; some phone makers place the setting in a different menu.)
3. Choose Private DNS provider hostname.
4. Enter the hostname of an ad-blocking DNS service. AdGuard’s free public ad-blocking server, for example, is dns.adguard-dns.com.
5. Tap Save, then open a few websites and apps to check that everything loads.

If a website or app stops working properly, go back to the same screen and choose Automatic to return to normal DNS. Google’s Android help recommends keeping Private DNS turned on, so Automatic is the usual fallback rather than Off.

What to know before using a filtering DNS service

• The DNS provider can see which domain names your phone looks up, so choose a service whose privacy policy you are comfortable with.
• DNS filtering blocks whole domains. Ads served from the same domain as the content cannot be separated this way.
• Some links in search results and emails go through ad-tracking domains and may fail to open while filtering is on.

How Do You Stop Intrusive Ads in Chrome on Android?

Google Chrome on Android includes an intrusive-ads blocker. According to Google’s Chrome help, Chrome removes ads from sites with poor ad experiences under the Better Ads Standards, such as too many ads, ads with flashing graphics or autoplaying audio, and ad walls before the content.

1. Open Chrome on your Android device.
2. Tap More (top right), then Settings, then Site settings.
3. Under Content, tap Intrusive ads.
4. Make sure the setting is not switched on. Turning Intrusive ads on means allowing them, which switches Chrome’s ad blocking off.

This setting does not block every ad. It only acts on sites with poor ad experiences, so it works best combined with Private DNS.

How Do You Block Ads in a Browser on Android?

A browser with a built-in or add-on ad blocker removes ads and pop-ups inside that browser. Two free options are widely used:

• Adblock Browser: made by the team behind Adblock Plus. The Adblock Plus website describes it as a free Android browser that blocks ads, pop-ups and trackers.
• Firefox for Android with uBlock Origin: uBlock Origin is a free, open-source content blocker listed on Mozilla’s add-ons site for Firefox for Android, where it carries Firefox’s “Recommended” badge.

Adblock Plus has run the Acceptable Ads program since 2011, which lets some non-intrusive ads display by default; large advertising companies pay a fee to take part. Users who want to block those ads as well can change this in the ad blocker’s settings.

Should You Root Your Phone to Block Ads?

Rooting an Android phone just to block ads is usually not worth it, because no-root methods now cover most needs. The risks of rooting include:

• Warranty: on some brands, including Samsung and Motorola, rooting voids the warranty.
• App compatibility: rooting trips Google’s Play Integrity API, so some apps, including banking and payment apps, refuse to run or do not appear in the Play Store.
• Security: if malware exploits a rooted phone, the attacker gets privileged access to the system.
• Bricking: a rooting method meant for a different device variant can leave the phone unusable.

If you already know the risks and want to learn how rooting works, see our guide on rooting an Android phone without a PC, and read about rootkit scans to understand how privileged malware behaves.

Common Mistakes When Blocking Ads on Android

• Installing ad-blocker APKs from unknown websites: stick to the Play Store or the developer’s official site, and only grant the install-unknown-apps permission to an app you trust.
• Leaving the install-unknown-apps permission switched on: after installing a trusted APK, remove the permission from the app that installed it.
• Expecting one tool to block everything: browser blockers work only in their own browser, and DNS filtering cannot remove ads served from the same domain as the content.
• Confusing a VPN with an ad blocker: a VPN changes how traffic is routed; it only blocks ads if the provider adds filtering. Our guide to the pros and cons of using a VPN explains what a VPN does.

For broader privacy steps beyond ads, see how safe your data is online and our comparison of Smart DNS proxies and free VPNs.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can you block ads on Android without rooting?

Yes. On Android 9 and later, setting Private DNS to an ad-blocking DNS service such as AdGuard DNS blocks ad domains across most apps without root. Chrome’s intrusive-ads setting, Adblock Browser and Firefox with uBlock Origin also work without root.

Does Android have a built-in ad blocker?

Android has no built-in tool that removes all ads. Chrome blocks intrusive ads on sites with poor ad experiences, and the Private DNS setting added in Android 9 lets you use a DNS service that filters ad domains.

Why is there no system-wide Adblock Plus app on the Play Store?

Google removed the Adblock Plus app and similar ad-blocking apps from the Play Store on March 3, 2013. Adblock Plus now offers Adblock Browser for Android, which blocks ads only inside that browser.

How do you turn off Private DNS filtering if a website breaks?

Open Settings, tap Network & internet, then Private DNS, and choose Automatic. The phone stops using the filtering service and returns to standard DNS handling.

Does Adblock Plus block every ad?

No. Under the Acceptable Ads program that Adblock Plus has run since 2011, some non-intrusive ads are shown by default. You can switch this off in the ad blocker’s settings.

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