Users of smart TVs often encounter intrusive commercials that interrupt the viewing of movies or broadcasts. The built-in Android TV system shows banners in the interface, and some installed applications broadcast video before the start of the content. This is not only annoying, but also slows down the device, consuming traffic and processor resources.
Fortunately, there are effective methods that allow you to completely clear the airwaves of commercial garbage. We will look at both software settings and deeper technical solutions available to owners of set-top boxes and smart TVs. The choice of a specific method depends on your technical background and device model.
Why advertising appears on TV
The main source of visual noise is the operating system itself and manufacturers’ agreements with advertisers. Many brands, such as Xiaomi or Hisense, subsidize the cost of hardware through advertising revenue, embedding it directly into the launcher. This is the so-called banner advertisingwhich occupies part of the screen in the menu.
The second type is advertising inserts inside applications. Free versions of video players and streaming services often use AdMob or their own SDKs to display videos. Unlike system banners, this traffic comes directly from application servers, which makes blocking difficult using standard means.
The third source is network requests. The TV constantly polls analytics servers and advertising networks to load updated materials. If you block this communication channel at the routing level, the device simply will not be able to receive data to display the banner.
⚠️ Attention: Complete blocking of all network requests may disrupt the work of some legal services that use the same domains to check licenses or download metadata.
DNS blocking method (The easiest way)
The most accessible method for the average user is to change the DNS server at the TV or router level. Specialized DNS services, such as AdGuard DNS or NextDNS, filter requests to known advertising domains before they reach your device.
To implement this method, you do not need root access or a computer connection. Just go to the network settings of your TV and manually enter the server addresses. This solution works transparently for the system and does not require the installation of third-party software.
The algorithm of actions is extremely simple. Go to menu Settings → Network and Internet. Select your active network (Wi-Fi or Ethernet) and go to advanced IP settings. Change the configuration type from “DHCP” to “Static” or manually edit the DNS fields.
Use DNS from AdGuard: 94.140.14.14 and 94.140.15.15. These are public servers that automatically cut out ads without the need for complex settings.
After saving the settings, it is recommended to restart the TV. The effect is usually immediate: banners in the system menu disappear, and wait timers in applications stop loading. However, it is worth remembering that this method does not block advertising that is “hardwired” inside the video stream (as on YouTube).
Changing DNS is a safe first-level method that removes up to 80% of system and network advertising without the risk of breaking the device.
Removing system advertising applications via ADB
If the DNS change does not helped get rid of built-in applications that show ads, a more radical approach will be required. Using USB debugging (ADB) allows you to remove or disable system packages that cannot be removed through the standard settings menu.
First, you need to activate developer mode. Go to Settings → About device → Build and click on this item 7 times in a row. After the message “You have become a developer” appears, return to the main settings menu and find the new section For developers.
Inside this section, enable the item USB debugging. Your TV is now ready for external control. You will need a computer with the platform tool installed Android SDK Platform-Tools and a USB cable (if there is a port on the TV) or a network connection.
☑️ Preparing for removal via ADB
The network connection is performed by the command in the command line computer line:
adb connect 192.168.1.XX:5555Replace 192.168.1.XX with the real IP address of your TV, which can be found in the network settings. After successful connection, you will have access to the device shell.
To remove a specific application, you need to know its package name. You can find it through listing commands or special analyzer applications installed directly on the TV. The removal command looks like this:
adb shell pm uninstall -k --user 0 com.name.of.package⚠️ Attention: Removing system components may lead to unstable operation of the interface or “bricking” the device. Delete only those packages whose purpose you are 100% sure of.
List of packages that are safe to remove
Advertising modules often have the words 'ads', 'analytics', 'tracker' in their names. However, different brands (Sony, Philips, Xiaomi) have different names for system launchers and services. Before deleting, google the package name.
Using private DNS in Android 9 and higher
Starting with version Android 9 Pie, the system has a “Private DNS” function. This is a more modern analogue of manually registering DNS addresses, which encrypts requests and works at the level of the entire system, including all applications.
The advantage of this method is that it does not require changing the connection type to a static IP, which sometimes causes problems with obtaining the gateway address on some routers. You simply enter the DNS provider hostname.
Find the Network and Internetsection in the settings, then select Private DNS. By default it is set to “Auto”. Switch it to the “ISP Hostname” mode and enter the address of the blocking service.
| Service | Hostname to enter | Features |
|---|---|---|
| AdGuard | dns.adguard.com |
Blocks ads and trackers |
| NextDNS | [ID].dns.nextdns.io |
Requires registration, flexible setup |
| Control D | p2.freedns.controld.com |
Free level without registration |
Use NextDNS gives an additional advantage: you can create a personal account where configure in detail which categories of sites and requests to block. This allows you to specifically disable advertising without disrupting the operation of the necessary services.
Blocking at the router level
If you have several Android devices in your home (TVs, set-top boxes, phones), it is advisable to set up traffic filtering at the router level. This will eliminate the need to configure each device separately.
Modern routers, especially with firmware Keenetic, MikroTik or OpenWrt, allow you to register ad blocking DNS servers in global DHCP settings. All devices connecting to such a network will automatically receive “cleared” server addresses.
In the router interface, find the DHCP or DNS settings section. Specify priority DNS servers similar to those used in the private DNS method. For example, for AdGuard this 94.140.14.14.
This method also allows you to use block lists Hosts. You can download a large text file with lists of advertising domains to your router. The router will drop any packets addressed to these domains, saving the entire family's Internet channel.
However, there is a caveat: if the application uses hard-coded IP addresses of advertising servers or the DoH (DNS over HTTPS) protocol, router filtering may be ineffective. In such cases, advertising will continue to break through the protection.
Third-party blocking applications
There are applications that create a local VPN tunnel on the TV itself to filter traffic. A striking example is AdGuard for Android TV. It is installed as a regular application from an APK file.
After launch, such an application requests permission to create a VPN connection. All device traffic passes through the app’s local filter, where it is checked against the internal databases of advertising domains. This is a powerful tool that works even if DNS is not configured on the router.
Installation requires downloading an APK file from the official website of the developer, since such blockers are often absent from the Google Play Store or have limited functionality. You will need a flash drive or an application to download files to TV.
The main disadvantage of this method is the consumption of RAM. On budget set-top boxes with 1-2 GB of RAM, running a background blocker can cause the interface to slow down. In such cases, it is better to use the DNS method.
When installing APK files, always enable the "Unknown Applications" source only during installation and disable it immediately after to increase system security.
Frequently asked questions and problems
Is it possible to remove advertising on YouTube on Android TV?
Standard DNS or ADB blocking methods do not remove advertising inside the YouTube video player, since it is loaded from the same domain as the video itself. This requires modified clients such as SmartTube (formerly SmartTubeNext), which must be installed manually.
Is it safe to disable system processes via ADB?
Disabling analytics and advertising-related processes is usually safe. However, removing critical system components (such as the system launcher or Google Play services) may cause the TV to become unbootable. Always make a backup copy of your data before deep intervention.
Why did the ads appear again after resetting the settings?
Resetting to factory settings (Factory Reset) deletes all user configurations, including registered DNS addresses and installed blockers. You will have to repeat the blocking setup procedure again after turning on the TV for the first time.
Does blocking ads affect the speed of the TV?
On the contrary, blocking ads often speeds up the interface. The TV does not need to load heavy graphic banners and videos, which saves processor and RAM resources, making menu navigation smoother.