How to Stop Ads on Android Phone: 7 Working Methods (2026)

Seeing unwanted ads on your Android phone can be frustrating, especially when they appear as pop-ups, browser notifications, full-screen advertisements, or even when you are not using a browser.

The good news is that you do not always need a paid ad-blocking application. Android and Chrome already provide several useful controls, and you can also use Private DNS to block many advertising and tracking domains.

However, there is no single setting that removes every advertisement from every Android app and website. The right method depends on where the ads are appearing.

The guide: Stop Ads on Android Phone explains the practical methods that currently work on Android phones, including Samsung Galaxy devices.

Quick answer: Stop Ads on Android Phone

For most users, start with these three steps:

1. In Chrome, block pop-ups, redirects and intrusive ads.
2. Remove unwanted website notifications from Chrome.
3. Set an ad-blocking Private DNS such as dns.adguard-dns.com.

If advertisements are appearing over the home screen or other apps, also check recently installed apps and run Google Play Protect.

1. Block pop-ups and redirects in Chrome

Google Chrome already blocks pop-ups by default, but it is worth checking the setting if unwanted windows or redirects are appearing.

Turn off pop-ups and redirects

1. Open Chrome on your Android phone.
2. Tap the three dots in the top-right corner.
3. Tap Settings.
4. Open Site settings.
5. Tap Pop-ups and redirects.
6. Keep the option turned off.

Chrome states that legitimate websites can also use pop-ups, so blocking them may prevent some websites from opening content in a separate window.

Block intrusive ads in Chrome

Chrome also has a separate control for websites that use intrusive advertising.

1. Open Chrome.
2. Tap three dots → Settings.
3. Tap Site settings.
4. Open Intrusive ads.
5. Keep intrusive ads blocked.

This does not remove every advertisement from every website. Chrome’s built-in protection is designed to block certain intrusive or poor ad experiences rather than act as a universal ad blocker.

2. Stop unwanted website notifications

Sometimes what looks like an advertisement is actually a notification sent by a website that you previously allowed to send notifications.

This is especially common after accidentally tapping Allow on a website notification prompt.

Remove unwanted Chrome notifications

1. Open Chrome.
2. Tap three dots → Settings.
3. Tap Site settings.
4. Tap Notifications.
5. Review the websites that are allowed to send notifications.
6. Remove or block any website you do not recognize.

You can also open the unwanted notification and use the notification controls provided by Android or Chrome.

Chrome can also automatically remove notification permissions from some sites that it identifies as disruptive or abusive.

3. Block many ads using Private DNS

If you want stronger ad blocking without installing a traditional ad-blocking application, Android’s Private DNS feature is one of the easiest options.

Private DNS uses DNS-over-TLS to secure DNS queries. It can also be configured to use an ad-blocking DNS service.

Set AdGuard DNS on Android

The exact menu can vary between Android versions and manufacturers, so the easiest method is often to search for Private DNS inside the Settings app.

1. Open Settings.
2. Search for Private DNS.
3. Open Private DNS.
4. Select Private DNS provider hostname.
5. Enter: dns.adguard-dns.com
6. Tap Save.

AdGuard currently lists dns.adguard-dns.com as its default public DNS server for blocking ads and trackers.

Important: Private DNS does not block every ad

DNS filtering works at the domain/DNS level. Therefore, some advertisements may still appear, particularly when advertising content comes from the same infrastructure as the content you are viewing.

Private DNS also does not replace browser-level protection or malware detection.

So if ads continue after setting Private DNS, use the other methods in this guide as well.

4. Use a different Private DNS profile when needed

AdGuard provides different public DNS configurations.

The family server also enables Safe Search and Safe Mode where supported.

For normal ad blocking, the default AdGuard DNS server is the appropriate choice.

5. Stop full-screen ads caused by an unwanted app

If advertisements appear on your home screen, lock screen, or on top of other apps, the problem may not be Chrome at all.

A recently installed or poorly behaved application can cause unwanted advertising, pop-ups or redirects.

Google recommends removing problematic recently installed apps and checking the device with Play Protect when unwanted advertisements continue.

Check recently installed apps

Think about when the advertisements started.

If the problem began after installing a particular app, uninstall that app and check whether the advertisements stop.

Pay particular attention to apps that were installed from unofficial websites or sources you do not completely trust.

6. Scan the phone with Google Play Protect

Google Play Protect can scan Android apps for harmful or potentially unsafe software.

Run a Play Protect scan

1. Open the Google Play Store.
2. Tap your profile picture.
3. Tap Play Protect.
4. Tap Scan if the option is available.
5. Make sure Play Protect’s app scanning is enabled.

Google recommends keeping Play Protect enabled, particularly when applications have been installed from sources other than Google Play.

7. Check apps that can appear on top of other apps

Some Android applications can use a special permission that allows them to display content over other applications.

On many Android phones, the setting can be found under:

Settings → Apps → Special app access → Display over other apps

The wording can vary by manufacturer and Android version.

Review applications that have this permission and disable it for apps you do not trust or no longer need.

Do not disable the permission blindly for every application. Some legitimate apps use overlays for valid functions.

Samsung Galaxy: stop unwanted app notifications

On Samsung Galaxy phones, you can control notifications for individual applications.

Go to: Settings → Notifications → App notifications

Select the app that is sending unwanted notifications and turn off its notifications or adjust its notification categories.

On recent Galaxy software, Samsung also provides notification-category controls that can be used to disable only unwanted types of notifications instead of disabling everything from an application. Menu names can vary by One UI version.

This is particularly useful when the “ads” are actually promotional notifications from an installed application.

What if ads still appear after all these steps?

Try to identify where the advertisement appears.

Ads only appear while browsing websites

Check:

• Chrome Pop-ups and redirects
• Chrome Intrusive ads
• Chrome Notifications

Ads appear on the home screen or over other apps

Check:

• Recently installed applications
• Play Protect
• Apps with Display over other apps permission
• Suspicious applications installed outside Google Play

Ads appear inside several different apps

Try Private DNS and check whether the advertisements are coming from apps that use third-party advertising networks.

Keep in mind that DNS filtering cannot guarantee removal of every advertisement.

Optional: block ads for devices connected to your Wi-Fi

If you manage your home router, you can configure its DNS servers instead of configuring every phone individually.

AdGuard currently provides these IPv4 addresses for its default ad-blocking DNS:

These addresses are intended for network configurations such as routers and are different from the Private DNS hostname used directly on Android.

When configured correctly on a router, DNS filtering can apply to devices using that network. Router menus differ significantly by manufacturer, so use your router manufacturer’s instructions for changing DNS settings.

Do you need a third-party ad blocker?

Not necessarily. For basic protection, Chrome’s built-in controls and Android Private DNS are enough for many users.

For stronger browser-level blocking, another option is a browser that supports content-blocking extensions. Firefox for Android supports extensions through its Add-ons manager, although individual extensions can have compatibility requirements.

For most users, it is better to start with Android’s built-in settings and Private DNS before installing an additional application.

Things that will not remove all Android ads

Some commonly suggested settings are misunderstood.

Changing Google’s advertising personalization settings does not turn advertising off completely. It mainly affects how ads are personalized.

Likewise, blocking Chrome pop-ups does not remove normal advertisements embedded inside webpages.

The method you need depends on the type of advertisement you are seeing.

Frequently asked questions

Final thoughts

There are several ways to reduce unwanted advertisements on an Android phone without immediately installing another ad-blocking application.

Start with Chrome’s Pop-ups and redirects, Intrusive ads, and Notifications settings. If you want broader filtering, try Android’s Private DNS with dns.adguard-dns.com.

If advertisements continue to appear across the phone, investigate recently installed applications and run Google Play Protect. That is especially important when the advertisements appear outside the browser.

Android menus can change between manufacturers and software versions, so the names of some settings may be slightly different on your phone.

More related posts: Samsung Secret Codes and Samsung Secure Folder troubleshooting