How to block ads on all devices and platforms

Ads are everywhere online. You may encounter them while browsing websites, using mobile apps, playing games, or even using some desktop software. While advertising helps keep many websites and apps free, constant ads can be distracting, consume data, slow page load times, and enable tracking technologies to monitor your activity.

There are several ways to block ads, including browser-based ad blocking and DNS-level filtering. Some VPNs use DNS-level filtering as part of their built-in ad-blocking features, allowing them to block ad and tracking domains across supported devices and applications. The right option depends on where you want to block ads and how much of your device or network you want to cover.

What is an ad blocker and how does it work?

An ad blocker is a tool that prevents advertisements from being displayed or loaded on your device. Depending on how it works, it can block ads inside a specific browser, across multiple applications, or throughout an entire network.

There are two main approaches you'll encounter: browser-based ad blocking and DNS-level filtering.

Browser-based ad blockers

Browser-based ad blockers work inside your web browser. They can identify advertising elements, scripts, and requests associated with known advertising networks and prevent them from loading or displaying on a webpage.

For example, a browser extension can block an advertisement before it appears on a website. Some content blockers can also hide advertising elements that have already been loaded.

The main advantage is precision: browser-based blockers can target individual page elements rather than blocking an entire domain.

However, their coverage is usually limited to the browser where the blocker is installed. An extension running in Chrome, for example, doesn't automatically block advertisements inside a desktop application or mobile game.

DNS-level ad blocking

DNS-level filtering works earlier in the connection. When your device requests a domain, a DNS filtering service checks it against a list of known advertising, tracking, or malicious domains and blocks the request if there's a match, so the advertising resource never loads. Because DNS requests come from browsers, apps, and other software alike, this approach covers more than a single browser extension can.

Some VPNs build this kind of DNS filtering into their apps as a bundled ad-blocking feature. DNS filtering has one key limitation: it blocks entire domains, not individual page elements. If a site serves ads and legitimate content from the same domain, filtering that domain can affect both.

How to block ads in your web browser

If you mainly want to block advertisements while browsing the web, a browser-based content blocker is usually the simplest option. Most desktop browsers support extensions that can filter advertisements and trackers. The exact process depends on the browser you're using.

Chrome

On a desktop, you can install a reputable content-blocking extension from the Chrome Web Store.

After installing it:

1. Open Chrome and select the Extensions icon.
2. Find your content blocker and open its settings.
3. Make sure filtering is enabled.
4. Visit a website where you normally see ads and check whether they're still appearing.
5. If the site stops working correctly, temporarily disable the blocker for that site or add it to the allowlist.

Firefox

Firefox supports extensions that can block advertisements and trackers.

After installing a content blocker:

1. Select the Extensions icon.
2. Open the extension's settings.
3. Make sure filtering is enabled.
4. Visit a website and check whether advertisements are being blocked.

Firefox also includes built-in tracking protection, which can reduce some forms of tracking even without a dedicated ad blocker.

Microsoft Edge

Edge supports extensions that can filter advertisements and trackers.

To configure one:

1. Open Edge.
2. Select Extensions.
3. Open your content blocker's settings.
4. Make sure filtering is enabled.
5. Visit a website and check whether ads are being blocked.

Safari

Safari supports content-blocking extensions on Mac, iPhone, and iPad. Apple says Safari content blockers can prevent certain types of content from loading, or hide elements on webpages.

On iPhone or iPad:

1. Install a compatible content-blocking app.
2. Open Settings.
3. Tap Apps > Safari > Extensions.
4. Select the content blocker and enable it.
5. Open Safari and test it on a website where you normally see advertisements.

On Mac, you can install a Safari extension that provides content-blocking functionality.

How to block ads across apps and your device

Browser extensions are useful for websites, but they typically don't affect advertisements in other applications. If you want broader coverage, DNS filtering can extend ad blocking beyond the browser.

The setup varies by operating system, but the principle is the same: instead of installing a blocker inside a particular browser, you configure your device to use a DNS service that filters known advertising and tracking domains.

Android

Android has a built-in Private DNS setting that lets you specify a DNS provider. Google currently lists it under Settings > Network & Internet > Private DNS, although the exact location can vary across devices and Android versions.

To use a DNS provider that offers ad filtering:

1. Open Settings.
2. Search for Private DNS if you can't find it in the network settings.
3. Select the Private DNS provider hostname.
4. Enter the hostname provided by your DNS filtering service.
5. Tap Save.
6. Test a website or app to see whether advertisements are still appearing.

Private DNS itself doesn't block ads. It determines which DNS service handles your requests, so the filtering depends on the provider you choose.

Google also notes that Private DNS protects only DNS queries and responses, not all network traffic.

iPhone and iPad

On Apple's devices, the two approaches split cleanly by scope:

• Safari content blockers only affect what loads inside Safari, but they can work directly with webpage content — hiding or blocking specific elements, not just whole domains.
• DNS filtering (via a dedicated app or a VPN with built-in filtering) works at the system level, so it also covers requests made by other apps, not just Safari.

If you only browse in Safari, a content blocker is enough. If you want ads blocked inside other apps too, use a DNS-filtering app or VPN instead, and follow that app's own setup instructions rather than configuring Safari separately.

Windows and Mac

On Windows and Mac, a browser extension is usually the easiest choice if your main concern is web browsing.

For broader coverage, you can configure DNS filtering at the device level. The exact steps depend on your DNS provider and operating system, but you'll generally find the relevant settings under your network connection's DNS configuration.

Another option is to use a VPN with built-in ad and tracker blocking. In that case, the VPN application handles the DNS filtering instead of requiring you to configure a DNS service manually.

How to use a VPN to block ads and trackers

Some VPNs bundle DNS-based ad and tracker filtering into their apps. Because the filtering applies to any app or browser using the VPN connection, it covers more than a single browser extension, though it carries the same domain-level limitation as other DNS filtering.

How to enable a VPN ad blocker

The exact name and location vary between apps, but the process is usually similar:

1. Open your VPN application.
2. Go to Settings, Features, or a similar section.
3. Look for a name like Ad blocker, Threat Protection, NetShield, or CleanWeb.
4. Enable the relevant protection and connect to the VPN.
5. Visit a website or open an app to check whether advertisements are still appearing.

Some VPNs offer different filtering levels — for example, malware-only versus malware, ads, and trackers combined.

How to block ads across your whole network

If you have several devices at home, you can take DNS filtering one step further by configuring it on your router.

Instead of configuring each device individually, the router sends DNS requests from devices on your network to the filtering service. If a requested domain appears on the blocklist, the request can be prevented from resolving.

This can potentially cover:

• Phones and tablets
• Computers
• Smart TVs
• Game consoles
• Streaming devices
• Other connected devices

The main advantage is convenience: you configure the filtering once rather than setting it up separately on every device.

There are limitations, though. Some devices and applications can use their own DNS configuration or other networking methods, allowing them to bypass the router's filtering.

Why am I still seeing ads?

Even after enabling an ad blocker, some advertisements can still get through. That's usually a limitation of how the filtering method works rather than a sign that it isn't working at all. Common reasons include:

• The advertising domain isn't on the blocklist. Filtering lists must be updated as new advertising domains are added.
• The ad and legitimate content come from the same domain. DNS filtering may not block one without affecting the other.
• You're only blocking ads in your browser. A browser extension typically won't affect advertisements in other applications.
• The app is bypassing your DNS configuration. Some applications use their own DNS or networking methods.
• The advertisement is part of the content itself. Some ads are integrated directly into an app or webpage rather than loaded from a separate advertising domain.
• The website detects ad blocking. Some sites can recognize that filtering is enabled and ask you to disable it.

If a blocker doesn't appear to be working, check that it is enabled and that the browser or application you're using is covered. If your filtering service provides an activity or blocked-domain log, check it to see whether requests are being filtered.

What if ad blocking breaks a website or app?

The same filtering that removes unwanted content can occasionally block something a website or application actually needs.

If that happens:

1. Temporarily disable the ad blocker.
2. Reload the website or app.
3. Check whether the problem disappears.
4. If it does, look for the blocked domain or resource in your filtering tool.
5. Add the affected site or domain to the allowlist if the service supports one.
6. Re-enable filtering and test the site again.

This is particularly relevant to DNS filtering because blocking an entire domain can affect both legitimate content and advertisements.

What are the benefits of blocking ads?

Blocking advertisements isn't only about removing visual clutter. It can also reduce the amount of unnecessary content your device has to load.

Reduced data usage. Advertisements can contain images, videos, scripts, and other resources that require additional data to download. Blocking them can reduce the amount of data transferred, particularly on pages with video or image-heavy advertising.

Potentially faster page loading. When advertisements and their associated resources don't have to load, your browser has less content to download and process. This can make some pages load faster, although the difference depends on the website and your connection.

Fewer tracking requests. Many advertising systems also rely on tracking technologies to measure activity and build user profiles. Blocking known advertising and tracking domains can reduce some of these requests.

However, ad blocking isn't the same as complete privacy protection. Websites can still use first-party analytics, cookies, browser fingerprinting, and other tracking methods that aren't necessarily blocked by an advertising filter.

Browser ad blocker vs. DNS filtering vs. VPN ad blocker

Each ad-blocking method works at a different level, so the right choice depends on how broadly you want to filter advertisements. A browser blocker is more precise, while DNS-based methods can cover multiple apps or devices but generally work at the domain level.

Method	Coverage	Scope	Notes
Browser ad blocker	Websites	One browser	Usually doesn’t cover other apps
DNS filtering	Multiple apps and devices	Device-wide or network-wide	Works at the domain level
VPN ad blocker	Apps and browsers while using a VPN	Depends on the VPN and device	Requires the VPN connection
Router-level DNS filtering	Multiple devices at home	Whole network	Some devices or apps can bypass it

These methods also overlap. A VPN ad blocker may use DNS filtering underneath, so the important difference isn't always the technology itself. It's where the filtering happens and where it can cover your device or network.

Final thoughts

The best way to block ads depends on where you encounter them. For websites, a browser-based ad blocker is usually the simplest option. If you want to block ads across multiple apps, DNS filtering provides broader coverage, while a VPN with built-in ad blocking can handle the DNS filtering for you. For multiple devices on the same home network, router-level filtering can extend ad blocking even further.

No method will block every advertisement. DNS filtering can struggle when ads are served from the same domains as legitimate content, while browser-based blockers generally don't affect other applications.

Still, ad blocking can reduce unnecessary data transfers, speed up some page loads, and limit requests to known advertising and tracking domains. The right approach ultimately comes down to where you see ads and how broadly you want to block them.

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