How to Block Ads on Android without Root

block ads android

block ads android

This guide will list the steps to block ads on an Android device without using root. Ads are touted as the necessary evil. One on hand they are the major [and for some, the only] source of income for numerous websites. However, on the flip side, the publishers tend to abuse the usage of these ads on their sites. Unwanted pop-ups, ads covering the content, or being placed just above and below an interactive element are just some of the tactics being used by the publishers that end up ruining the entire usage experience.

To overcome this, users generally opt for a third-party blocker app, software, or extension. However, you’ll be surprised to know that you don’t even need any of these apps as you could block ads on an Android device simply by using a custom DNS. But what exactly is this DNS and how will it come in handy in this situation? Let’s find out.

What is a DNS?

Each website has a unique IP address associated with itself. While the humans read the URL in the form of abc.com, for the web browsers, this is of no use, instead, they would require the IP Address associated with that URL to carry out the communication process. So you could also call these DNS Servers the database having the IP addresses of all the websites on the internet. Moreover, your Internet Service Provider would already have assigned you a DNS, but it might be the most basic one with just the barebones features.

This is the reason why many prefer to opt for third-party servers, including the likes of Cloudflare, Google, and OpenDNS. Each of these DNS has its own USPs, while some pride themselves on being the fastest one others claim to offer the most secure communication channel. Likewise, there also exists a DNS that will help you block each and every type of ad on your Android device. So without further ado, let’s check out this DNS and put it to the test right away.

How to Block Ads on Android via DNS

  1. To begin with, head over to Settings > Network and Internet > Private DNS.
  2. Choose Private DNS Provider Hostname, type in the below URL, and hit Save.
    dns.adguard.com
  3. Now head over to the desired website and you should no longer see any ads.custom dns android

While it will block all the ads across all the websites, however, the place where those ads were present will now be shown with a grey box [something that you get when an ad is unable to load]. The contents will not be able to auto-adjust itself based on the available location, that empty ad spaces will remain there. This might spell out an infuriating usage experience for some of you out there, but still, the benefits associated with this tweak definitely outweigh the slight drawback.

Disable Ads in Android using Adaway Host Files

If you are willing to take the help of a third-party app, then Adaway might be the perfect choice for you. It is an open-source app, which comes built-in with a few hosts file that has already blacklisted most of the ad sources. Apart from that, it also gives you the option to add your own host files [which we will be doing] to get the best possible ad-free experience. So on that note, let’s test out this app right away.

  1. To begin with, download and install Adaway from GitHub.
  2. Then launch the app and select VPN-based ad blocking.
  3. Now tap OK in the connection request pop-up that appears.
  4. Proceed with the on-screen instructions to complete the setup.vpn ad block android
  5. The app is now active and is blocking around 146,000 ad sources. Let’s add more ads to this list.
  6. So tap on 3 up-to-date sources and then tap on the plus icon situated at the bottom right.
  7. Now give it a name [Label], input the below UR, and hit the checkmark
    https://raw.githubusercontent.com/jerryn70/GoodbyeAds/master/Hosts/GoodbyeAds.txt
  8. Once that is done, tap Apply. Now go to the below URL via the browser and download the Host file.
    https://hosts.ubuntu101.co.za/hosts
  9. Then come back to the app and tap on the plus icon situated at the bottom right.
  10. Give it a name [Label] and select File under File Type.
  11. Now navigate to the downloaded host file and select it.
  12. Now hit the checkmark situated at the top right and tap on Apply. That’s it.
  13. The ad sources will now be increased from around 146,000 to close to 770,000!
  14. So these were the steps to block or remove ads from your Android device using Adaway and Hosts files.

VPN vs Root: Which Ad Blocking to Choose?

In the second step, we have selected the VPN-based method, if you want to go ahead with the rooted one, then simply select Root-based and hit Grant in the Magisk SuperUser Request. The benefits of Root-based ad blocking are two-fold: it is a faster method than the VPN-based one and doesn’t run in the background either when compared to its counterpart.

root ad block android

So it translates to less battery drainage when compared with the VPN approach. On the flip side, the obvious drawback of this method is the fact that it requires root, which will end up failing the SafetyNet and Play Integrity Tests, which is not the case with VPN as it works well and good without root. So make your decision accordingly, weighing both the benefits and risks involved.

That’s it. These were the steps to block ads on an Android device without using root. Still, have any doubts? The comments section is all yours, make your voices heard there and we’ll chalk out the best fix for you.


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