How To Block All Ads on Your Android Phone Effortlessly

How I Managed to Block Ads on My Android Using Private DNS (Finally!)

If you’re like me, dealing with ads everywhere on your Android device can get super annoying. Browsers, apps, pop-ups — it just never ends. I tried a bunch of ad blockers, but most either slowed things down or required shady third-party apps that I didn’t want anyway. So, I started digging into the settings, and honestly, one of the simplest fixes turned out to be changing the Private DNS. It’s not a magic bullet, but it definitely helped cut down a lot of those annoying ads, especially in browsers. Here’s where I got stuck and how I finally got it working.

Why does Private DNS even matter for ad-blocking?

Turns out, DNS — which is basically the internet’s phonebook — plays a big role here. When you visit a site, your phone asks a DNS server to translate domain names into IP addresses. If you switch to a DNS provider that blocks ad servers and trackers (like AdGuard’s DNS), you can prevent some ads from even loading in the first place. It’s like telling your device, “Ignore these ad servers,” and sometimes, it actually works. It’s not perfect, but it’s a lightweight way to improve your browsing without installing weird apps.

How to access the DNS settings on your Android device

This part was a little confusing — the options aren’t always where you expect them. Usually, you need to open Settings, then go to Network & internet or sometimes just Connections. From there, you might have to tap on Advanced or More connection settings. Keep scrolling until you find Private DNS. On my older phone, it was buried under Additional settings or even under Security. It’s like a hidden treasure, really, but it’s there.

Once you find Private DNS, tap on it. Usually, you’ll see options like Off, Automatic, and Private DNS provider hostname. Default is often off or set to automatic. But if you want to block ads, you need to switch to the hostname option.

Setting up the hostname for ad blocking

This is the part where I hesitated — because what do you actually put in that hostname field? I found that using dns.adguard.com is commonly recommended. AdGuard operates DNS servers that can block a lot of ads and trackers, and after some trial and error, I got it to work fine. The key is typing the hostname correctly, then saving. Sometimes, it doesn’t connect immediately or causes a hiccup. I had to re-start my phone a couple times to make sure the DNS switch took hold properly.

Other options are dns.familyshield.org which is from OpenDNS and blocks shady sites, or doh.cleanbrowsing.org for parental controls and ad filters. Just keep in mind, not all DNS servers are equal — some might slow things down a little, depending on your location and how overloaded their servers are. I noticed that switching DNS sometimes caused a brief internet disconnect, so I do a quick restart after, or toggle airplane mode on/off for a quick reset.

And setting it up is just typing that hostname into the box, then hitting save or checkmark. Give it a second to apply, then restart your device; it helps clear out the old DNS cache.

Does this really block all ads?

Honestly, not anymore. I hoped it would be some universal fix, but it’s more of a “helpful layer” than a complete shield. Some ads — especially those embedded within streaming apps or inside certain games — just don’t get caught by DNS blocking. But for browsing, especially in Chrome or Firefox, I saw a clear reduction in a lot of the banner and pop-up ads. It’s definitely not 100%, but it’s better than nothing and very easy to try.

Other tips to get even more control over ads

If you’re serious about reducing ads, you’ll want to combine this with other tools. Using browsers like Brave or Firefox with ad blocker extensions can make a noticeable difference. Or, if you’re tech-savvy, you can set up a VPN with ad-blocking DNS profiles for even better blocking — layer your defenses, basically. I found that DNS filtering helps most in browsers, but some apps still pull ads from servers that DNS filtering doesn’t catch, especially if they’re using their own ad domains or embedded ad networks.

Also, beware that switching to a third-party DNS provider might cause some slowness or odd connection issues, especially if they get overloaded or if your device doesn’t support the hostname perfectly. If you notice webpages hanging or saying “DNS server not responding,” just switch back to your carrier’s default DNS or reset your network settings — I’ve had to do that a few times (Settings > System > Reset options > Reset Wi-Fi, mobile & Bluetooth). Sometimes a quick toggling of airplane mode helps reset the DNS cache, too.

Final thoughts & what to double-check

So, in summary, changing your Android’s Private DNS to something like dns.adguard.com was surprisingly simple once I found the right menu. It doesn’t eliminate every ad, but it definitely helps in reducing the clutter — especially in browsers. Just remember to make sure you’ve got the hostname right, restart your phone afterward, and watch out for connectivity hiccups. If nothing works, revert those DNS settings and try again. Sometimes, a quick network reset or toggling airplane mode makes all the difference.

Hope this helped — ended up taking me way longer than it should have to figure out. Anyway, hope this saves someone else a weekend of frustration!