In this article we will look at all available blocking methods: from using built-in functions to installing third-party software. It is important to understand that Developers are constantly updating algorithms ads are served, so the effectiveness of some methods may vary. We have prepared up-to-date information that will help you regain comfort when reading news.
The choice of a specific method depends on your technical skills and goals. Some people just want to hide banners, while others need to completely isolate the application from ad servers. Let's look at each option in detail so that you can choose the optimal solution for your smartphone.
Official settings and Yandex Plus subscription
The most legal and easiest way to get rid of a significant part of advertising is to use the official tools of the platform. In the settings of the application itself Yandex Zen There are options to limit the display of certain types of content. However, it is worth understanding that it will not be possible to completely remove all promotional materials through the standard menu, since this is the main source of income for the service.
Users have access to the “Personal Recommendations” function, which is managed in the section Settings → Personalization. Disabling this option may reduce ad relevance, but not quantity. A more effective solution is to subscribe Yandex Plus. According to the terms of the service, subscribers receive the status “Without excess water” in a number of ecosystem products, including Zen.
This option is activated automatically if you have a valid subscription. You do not need to enter additional codes; the system itself will recognize your account. However, even with a subscription, some native brand integrations may remain in the feed, since they are technically considered part of editorial content and not classic advertising.
⚠️ Attention: The "No Waste" status only applies while your subscription is active. After the end of the paid period, the advertising blocks will return to the feed automatically, and no additional settings will be required to return them.
Use the Yandex Plus trial period (usually 30-60 days) to evaluate how comfortable it is to read the feed without advertising inserts before paying for a subscription for a year.
If you are not ready to pay for the absence of banners, proceed to the following sections. It describes methods that do not require financial investments, but require a little preliminary configuration of the device.
Using system ad blockers
For global ad blocking at the level of the entire operating system Android specialized filter applications are ideal. They work like a local VPN gateway, intercepting network requests and filtering out those that lead to known ad servers. One of the most popular and reliable solutions is AdGuard.
After installing such an application, you must grant it permission to create a VPN connection. This does not mean that your traffic goes to third-party servers; filtering occurs directly on the device. In the filtering settings, you should activate protection for the browser and application Yandex Zen. The app's algorithms automatically update the lists of domains from which advertising junk is downloaded.
- 🛡️ AdGuard - a powerful all-in-one tool with flexible filter settings and the ability to create your own rules.
- 🚀 Blokada 5 - a lightweight open source solution that consumes a minimum of battery resources.
- ⚡ DNS66 - a simple tool that works exclusively through DNS blocking, without deep analysis packages.
The effectiveness of such apps depends on the regularity of updating domain databases. Developers Yandex often change the addresses of their advertising networks to bypass blocking. Therefore, it is critical to keep the filter application up to date and allow it to automatically update lists.
It is worth noting that the use of such filters can slightly increase the loading time of pages in the feed, since each request undergoes an additional check. However, for most modern smartphones this delay is invisible to the eye, and the cleanliness of the feed is worth it.
Setting up Private DNS on Android 9 and higher
Starting with version Android 9 (Pie), the system has a built-in “Private DNS” function. This tool allows you to redirect all of your device's DNS requests to a third-party server, which blocks ads before they even start loading. This is one of the most elegant methods that does not require installing unnecessary applications.
To activate the function, go to Settings → Network and Internet → Private DNS. By default it is set to “Auto”. You need to select the “DNS Provider Hostname” mode and enter the address of one of the blocking servers. The most popular and stable solution is the service AdGuard DNS.
dns.adguard.comAfter entering this address, save the settings. Now all applications, including Yandex Zenwill use this server to resolve domain names. If the domain belongs to an advertising network, the server will return an empty response, and the banner will simply not be displayed, leaving an empty space or a hidden block.
| DNS Provider | Host Address | Features |
|---|---|---|
| AdGuard Default | dns.adguard.com |
Blocking ads and trackers |
| AdGuard Family | dns-family.adguard.com |
Blocking ads + adult content |
| NextDNS | your-id.dns.nextdns.io |
Flexible configuration through your personal account |
⚠️ Attention: If you specify the wrong host address or the server will is unavailable, the Internet on the phone may completely disappear. In this case, return the Private DNS setting to Auto or Disabled.
The advantage of this method is that it works systemically and does not consume the battery as much as full-fledged VPN filters. However, it is less flexible: you cannot create an exception for a specific site or application without disabling protection entirely.
The Private DNS method is the “golden mean” between efficiency and simplicity, not requiring the installation of third-party software, but providing basic protection against banners.
Alternative clients and web versions
If you don’t want to tinker with the system settings, you can simply abandon the official application in favor of alternative ways to access content. Web version Zena in a mobile browser often contains less aggressive advertising, especially if you use a browser with a built-in adblock, for example, Brave or DuckDuckGo.
There are also third-party open source clients developed by enthusiasts. Applications such as ZenMod or various forks take content directly from Yandex servers, but filter out advertising tags at the display stage. You can find them on platforms like GitHub or in specialized application directories such as F-Droid.
Using unofficial software carries certain risks. You trust your reading data and browsing history to a single developer who is not responsible for information leaks. In addition, such applications may stop working at any time due to changes in the service API.
Where to look for alternative clients?
Look for projects using the queries "Zen client open source" on GitHub. Pay attention to the date of the last update of the repository - if the code has not been updated for more than six months, the application most likely does not work.
Nevertheless, for those who place privacy and a clean interface at the forefront, this option remains one of the most effective. You get access to all the content of the platform without visual noise and behavior tracking by advertising networks.
Modified versions of the application (Mod APK)
On the Internet you can find modified versions of the official application Yandex Zen, from which the advertising code is cut out. Such files are distributed on thematic forums and sites with mod-apk. Installing this version allows you to use the familiar interface, but without banners and video inserts.
The installation process requires permission to install from unknown sources. After downloading the file .apk you need to uninstall the original application (after saving important data, if any) and install the modified version. Often such assemblies require disabling automatic updates in Google Play, otherwise the system will replace the “clean” version with the official one with advertising.
- 📥 Pros: Complete absence of advertising, maintaining the familiar interface and functions.
- ☣️ Cons: The risk of infecting the device with viruses, the possibility of theft of personal data, unstable operation.
- 🚫 Risks: Blocking of the account by Yandex for using unofficial software.
Use mods violate the user agreement of the service. Although mass blockings for this have not yet been observed, the platform has the technical capability. If access to personalized recommendations is important to you and your reading history is synchronized with your account, it’s worth measuring seven times.
⚠️ Attention: Never enter your payment information or passwords for important services in modified versions of applications. You can trust such software only in “guest” mode or with a minimum set of rights.
☑️ Security check Mod APK
Comparison of methods and possible problems
Each of the considered methods has its own strengths and weaknesses. The choice depends on what is more important to you: safety, convenience or maximum belt cleaning. System blockers and DNS provide a good balance, while mods provide maximum results at the cost of potential risks.
Often users are faced with the fact that after setting up, advertising still appears. This may be due to caching of old banners or Yandex using new domains that are not yet included in the filter blacklists. In such cases, clearing the application cache helps Settings → Applications → Zen → Storage → Clear cache.
It is also worth considering that some types of native advertising, integrated directly into the text of the article by the author, are technically impossible to filter out without breaking the layout of the material itself. Such inserts are part of the content and not a separate network request.
Frequently asked questions (FAQ)
Is it safe to use DNS blockers for banking applications?
Yes, using reliable DNS services such as AdGuard DNS is safe for financial transactions. They only filter requests to well-known advertising domains and do not replace the addresses of banking websites. However, avoid using unknown private DNS configured by enthusiasts, as they can theoretically intercept traffic.
Why does Zen take longer to load after installing a blocker?
The application tries to load ad units, gets rejected by the filter, and only then displays the main content. This process takes a fraction of a second, but can be noticeable on weak devices or poor internet. This usually goes away after adapting the adjustment algorithms.
Can Yandex block my account for using a blocker?
At the moment, there are no cases of account blocking solely for the use of system ad blockers (AdGuard, DNS). Risks arise mainly when using modified versions of the application (Mod APK), which interfere with the app code.
How to disable advertising only in Zen videos?
Separately disabling advertising only in videos is difficult, since it is embedded in the same data stream. The most effective way is to use a Yandex Plus subscription or a system blocker that cuts video advertising by source domain.