How to completely disable advertising in Opera on Android: all working methods

Browser Opera for Android remains one of the most popular thanks to its built-in VPN, traffic saving mode and user-friendly interface. However, even loyal users face an annoying problem: pop-up advertisingbanners at the bottom of the screen and advertising blocks in the news feed. Unlike the desktop version, the mobile version aggressively integrates advertising into the interface, which slows down the browser and spoils the user experience. Pop-up advertising Opera aggressively integrates advertising into the interface, which slows down the browser and spoils the user experience.

In this article we will look at from standard settings to using third-party tools. It is important to understand that some methods may conflict with policy all available ways to disable advertising - from standard settings to using third-party tools. It is important to understand that some methods may conflict with policy Opera Softwareso we will outline the risks and alternatives. If you use Opera Mini, Opera GX or the main version of the browser, here you will find a solution to suit your needs.

We warn you in advance: complete removal of advertising may require root access or installing additional applications. But most methods work without them - the main thing is to follow the instructions carefully.

Why is there so much advertising in Opera and is it possible to remove it legally?

The browser Opera is free for users, and the company's main source of income is targeted advertising. In the mobile version, it manifests itself in several forms:

• 📢 Pop-up banners when opening new tabs or going to the main page.
• 📰 Advertising news in the feed on the start page (often disguised as "recommendations").
• 🎯 Contextual advertising in search results (for example, when entering a query in the address bar).
• 🔄 Advertising in mini-panels (in Opera Mini or Turbo mode).

From a technical point of view, Opera does not violate the rules Google Play, since the user agrees to the display of advertising upon installation. However Some banners can be disabled through the settings - few people know about this. The other part requires more radical measures, including modification of system files.

Important: Opera GX (the gaming version of the browser) contains less advertising by default, but there are hidden settings to reduce it. If you are ready to sacrifice some functions for the sake of a clean interface, read on.

Method 1: Disabling advertising through standard Opera settings

Before resorting to third-party tools, check hidden browser settings. Many users do not know that some advertising modules can be deactivated without additional apps.

Instructions for Opera i Opera Mini:

1. Open the browser and go to the menu (⚙️ icon or three dots in the bottom panel).
2. Select Settings → Advertising and content.
3. Disable the following options:
   • 🔘 Show news on the main page (removes the feed with advertising materials).
   • 🔘 Personalized advertising (reduces the number of targeted banners).
   • 🔘 Partner recommendations (in some versions called "Affiliate Content").

Return to the main menu and select Settings → Browser, then disable Opera Turbo (advertising from partners is often embedded in it).

For Opera GX the path is a little different:

1. Go to Settings → GX Corner.
2. Disable Show GX news and Game recommendations.
3. In the section Privacy deactivate Personalized advertising.

These actions will reduce the amount of advertising by 40-60%, but will not remove it completely. For example, banners will remain when opening new tabs. To remove them, additional steps will be required.

Show news on the main page|Personalized advertising|Partner recommendations|Opera Turbo (if not needed)|GX Corner (in Opera GX)-->

Method 2: Use built-in ad blocker (without root)

Opera has a built-in ad blocker, but by default it inactive works selectively. You can enable and customize it to suit your needs.

How to activate:

1. Open the browser and go to Settings → Ad blocker.
2. Move the slider to position On
3. Select blocking level:
   • 🛡️ Standard — blocks the most annoying banners, but leaves “safe” advertising.
   • 🛡️🛡️ Aggressive — removes most of the advertising, but may break the layout of some sites.

In the section Exceptions add sites where the blocker interferes with work (for example, youTube.com or vk.com).

Method limitations:

• ❌ Does not block advertising in news feed on the main page.
• ❌ Does not work with pop-up windows from partners Opera.
• ❌ In Opera Mini there is no ad blocker - you will need a different approach.

If the built-in blocker does not cope, consider installing third-party extensions (more on them in the next section).

Method 3: Installing third-party blockers (AdGuard, Blokada)

If standard methods do not help, they will come to the rescue specialized applications for blocking ads. They work at the network level and intercept advertising requests before they are displayed in the browser.

Best options for Android:

Application	Blocking type	Root required?	Pros	Cons
AdGuard	Local VPN	❌ No	Blocks ads in all browsers, low battery consumption	Free version with restrictions
Blokada	DNS/VPN	❌ No	Open source, blocks trackers	May conflict with other VPNs
DNS66	DNS filtering	❌ No	Does not require VPN, works at the DNS level	Complicated setup for beginners
uBlock Origin (via Firefox)	Extension	❌ No	The most effective blocker	Requires installation Firefox or Kiwi Browser

Setting instructions AdGuard (the simplest option):

1. Download AdGuard from Google Play or from official website.
2. Launch the application and click Start.
3. Select mode Local VPN (does not require root).
4. Enable protection and add filters: (basic) data-i="182">For
   • 🔹 AdGuard Base filter (base)
   • 🔹 EasyList (for English-language sites)
   • 🔹 Russian filter (for RuNet)

Restart Opera - advertising should disappear.

For Blokada the algorithm is similar, but instead of filters host blacklistsare used. After installation:

1. Open Blokada and activate protection.
2. In section Hosts lists Select ad blocking lists (for example, Adaway or Energized Protection).
3. Reboot your device.

⚠️ Attention: Some banks and payment systems (for example, SberBank Online or Tinkoff) may block access when VPN is active. Before using AdGuard or Blokada add such applications to exceptions.

Method 4: Manual editing of files (only for root)

If your smartphone has root access, you can remove ads at the system level. This method most effective, but requires caution: incorrect actions may cause the browser to crash.

What to do:

1. Install a file manager with root support (for example, Root Explorer or FX File Explorer).
2. Go to the path:

   /data/data/com.opera.browser/app_opera/

   or for Opera Mini:

   /data/data/com.opera.mini.native/app_opera/

3. Find files with the extension .json or .dbcontaining ad, promo or newsfeed in the name (for example, promo_config.json).
4. Delete or rename them (add at the end .bak).
5. Restart the browser.

An alternative method is to edit the file hosts:

1. Open the file /system/etc/hosts in a text editor (root access will be required).
2. Add to end of the line file for blocking advertising domains Opera:

   127.0.0.1 ad.opera.com
   127.0.0.1 ads.opera.com
   127.0.0.1 promo.opera.com
   127.0.0.1 news.opera.com

3. Save the changes and restart the device.

⚠️ Attention: After the update Opera deleted files can be restored. To avoid this, disable automatic browser updates in Google Play or use applications like Lucky Patcher to "freeze" versions.

What to do if, after editing the files, Opera stops launching?

If the browser crashes, return the renamed files back (remove the extension .bak) or restore the backup copy. As a last resort, reinstall Opera, but the advertising will return. For reliability, create backups before any changes in system folders.

Method 5: Alternative browsers without unnecessary water

If fighting advertising in Opera seems too complicated, consider switch to another browser. Many alternatives offer a clean interface and built-in ad blocking without additional settings.

Best options for Android:

• 🦊 Firefox + uBlock Origin —the most flexible option with support for extensions. Install uBlock Origin via Settings → Add-ons.
• 🌐 Brave Browser - blocks ads and trackers by default, supports torrents and cryptocurrency wallets.
• 🛡️ Kiwi Browser - based on Chromium, supports extensions from Chrome Web Store (including uBlock).
• 🚀 Vivaldi —a browser with a built-in blocker and synchronization between devices.

Advantages of switching:

• ✅ No need to set up blocking - everything works out of the box.
• ✅ More control over privacy (for example, there is no data collection for targeted advertising). Brave no data collection for targeted advertising).
• ✅ Support for modern web standards (many sites are displayed incorrectly due to traffic compression). Opera Mini many sites are displayed incorrectly due to traffic compression).

Disadvantages:

• ❌ You will have to transfer bookmarks and passwords manually (use Export/Import in settings Opera).
• ❌ Some browsers (for example, Vivaldi) consume more RAM.

💡

If speed and saving traffic are important to you, try Brave Browser —it blocks ads and at the same time speeds up page loading by removing unnecessary elements.

What to do if advertising remains: additional tips

If none of the methods helped, check the following points:

1. Update your browser. In new versions Opera sometimes additional settings for managing advertising appear. However in versions 70+ the company began to more actively integrate advertising into the interface, so updating may worsen the situation.
2. Check Google settings. Some of the advertising Opera is associated with your account Google. Go to Google Settings → Advertising and disable Ad personalization.
3. Use DNS filtering. Change the DNS server on the device on AdGuard DNS (94.140.14.14) or Cloudflare Family (1.1.1.3). This blocks advertising at the network level.
4. Clear browser cache. Sometimes advertising banners are saved in cache. Go to Settings → Privacy → Clear data and select Cache.

If advertising appears in view notifications, check:

• 🔔 Android Settings → Applications → Opera → Notifications —disable all permissions.
• 🔔 In the most browser: Settings → Notifications — deactivate all options.

Last advice: if advertising interferes only on specific sites, use reading mode in Opera. It removes all unnecessary elements, including banners. Activated by the 📖 button in the address bar.

FAQ: Frequently asked questions about removing ads in Opera

Is it possible to disable advertising in Opera without root and third-party applications?

Yes, but not completely. Through the browser settings (Settings → Advertising and content), you can disable the news feed and personalized advertising, and the built-in blocker will remove some banners. However, pop-up windows and advertising in the search will remain.

Why are ads still shown in Opera after installing AdGuard?

Possible reasons:

• 🔹 Q AdGuard filter for mobile advertising is not activated (add AdGuard Mobile filter).
• 🔹 Browser Opera added to exceptions (check in settings AdGuard).
• 🔹 Advertising is built into the browser interface itself (for example, banners on the main page) - its blockers are not deleted.

Will Opera work after deleting advertising files via root?

In most cases, yes, but failures are possible. If you delete critical files (for example, related to updates), the browser may stop starting. Always make a backup before editing system folders. It is better to rename files (add). data-i="307">), rather than deleting them completely. .bak), rather than removing them completely.

How to transfer bookmarks from Opera to another browser?

Instructions:

1. B Opera go to Bookmarks → Manage bookmarks → Export (save the file in format .html).
2. In the new browser, find the import option (for example, in Firefox: Settings → Import and backups → Import bookmarks).
3. Select saved file.

For passwords, use the menu Settings → Passwords → Export (you will need to enter a PIN code).

Is it legal to block ads in Opera?

From a legal point of view yes —you have the right to configure your device as you like. However Opera Software may regard bypassing advertising as a violation of the user agreement. In theory, this can lead to account blocking (if you use synchronization), but in practice such cases are extremely rare.

The main risk is technical restrictions: the browser may be updated with the restoration of advertising or stop working after deep modifications.