Intrusive advertising on smartphones Google Chrome on smartphones Android has become a real problem for millions of users. Banners, pop-ups, and personalized ads are not only annoying, but they also slow down your browser and waste your bandwidth and battery. According to research StatCounter for 2026, up to 68% mobile device users encounter aggressive advertising in their browsers every day, and 43% are ready to change browsers because of this.

In this article we will look into 7 proven wayshow to remove advertising in Chrome on Android —from standard settings to advanced methods using additional tools. It is important to understand that some advertising is built into the sites themselves, and you can completely get rid of them only with the help of blockers. However, even basic browser settings can reduce the number of impressions by 30-50%.

Before proceeding to the instructions, make sure that your Chrome updated to the latest version. Outdated versions of the browser not only filter ads worse, but also contain vulnerabilities that can be used to display hidden advertising through malicious scripts.

📊 How often do you encounter annoying ads in Chrome?
Constantly, on every site
Often, but not critical
Almost no advertising
Didn’t notice the problem

1. Disabling personalized advertising in Google settings

The first step is to limit the collection of data about your interests, on the basis of which Google shows targeted advertising. This method does not block advertising completely, but makes it less intrusive and relevant.

Go to Settings → Google → Google account management. Next, select the tab Data and personalization and find the section Advertising settings. Here, disable the option "Advertising personalization". After this, advertising networks Google will stop using your search history and visited sites to select ads.

  • 🔍 Plus: does not require installation of additional applications, works at the account level.
  • ⚠️ Minus: advertising will still be shown, but will become less “smart”.
  • 📱 Applicable: to all devices linked to your account Google.
⚠️ Attention: Disabling ad personalization does not affect impressions in other browsers or applications that use third-party ad networks (for example, Facebook Audience Network).

2. Setting up blocking pop-ups in Chrome

Pop-up windows (pop-up) are one of the most annoying types of advertising. Fortunately, Chrome has a built-in tool for blocking them. To activate it:

  1. Open Chrome and click on the three dots in the upper right corner.
  2. Go to Settings → Site settings → Pop-ups and redirects.
  3. Make sure the switch is in position "Blocked".

If some sites require permission to display pop-ups (for example, online banks or video conferencing services), add them to the exceptions in the same menu. To do this, click Add site and specify the domain.

Chrome settings are open|Go to "Site Settings"|Check the status of "Pop-ups"|Adding exceptions if necessary-->

It is worth noting that some advertising networks are bypassed this blocking, showing "pop-ups" through Web Push Notifications. To disable them too, go to Settings → Site Settings → Notifications and block impressions for suspicious sites.

3. Using the "Lite Mode" to save traffic

Mode "Light" (previously known as Data Saver) not only reduces mobile traffic consumption, but also partially blocks advertising. In this mode, pages are loaded through servers that optimize the content by removing some advertising elements. data-i="98">Select Google, which optimize the content by removing some advertising elements.

To enable it:

  1. Open Chrome Settings.
  2. Select Light mode (in some versions - Traffic saving).
  3. Activate the switch.
Option Standard mode Light mode
Traffic consumption High Reduced by 30-60%
Loading speed Depends on the site Increases by 20-40%
Advertising display Full Partially blocked
Image quality Original Compressed

Please note that in "Light" mode some page elements may not display correctly, especially on sites with dynamic content (for example, social networks or online games). Also Google can collect additional data about your traffic for optimization.

4. Installing ad blockers (AdBlock, uBlock Origin)

The most effective way to get rid of advertising is to use specialized blockers. On Android there are two main approaches:

  1. Browsers with built-in AdBlock (for example, Brave, Firefox Focus).
  2. Add-ons for Chrome (require Chrome versions below 79 or special workarounds).

Unfortunately, since 2020 Google limited support for extensions in the mobile version Chromeso install uBlock Origin or AdBlock Plus directly It won’t work. However, there are workarounds:

How to install AdBlock in Chrome on Android (alternative method)

1. Install a browser Kiwi Browser (Chromium-based with support for extensions).

2. data-i="139">Settings → Extensions Settings → Extensions.

3. Add uBlock Origin from the official extension store.

4. Use Kiwi instead of the standard one Chrome —it supports synchronization with a Google account and has an identical interface.

  • 🛡️ Brave Browser —blocks ads and trackers by default, supports torrents and cryptocurrency wallets.
  • 🦊 Firefox Focus —a minimalistic browser with built-in ad blocking and automatic history deletion.
  • 🌐 Kiwi Browser —the only browser on base Chromiumthat supports extensions on Android.
⚠️ Attention: Some ad blockers (especially from unverified sources) may contain malicious code or sell your data. Install only applications from Google Play with a rating above 4.5 and more than 1 million downloads.

5. Changing the DNS server to block ads at the network level

If you do not want to install additional applications, you can block ads at the level DNS. To do this, just change DNS server on the device. The most popular servers with ad filtering:

  • 🔒 AdGuard DNS — 176.103.130.130 and 176.103.130.131 (blocks ads and trackers).
  • 🛡️ Cloudflare Family — 1.1.1.3 and 1.0.0.3 (blocks malware and adult content).
  • 🌍 NextDNS —requires registration, but allows you to configure your own filters.

To change DNS to Android:

  1. Go to Settings → Networks and Internet → Private DNS.
  2. Select your private DNS provider hostname in Private DNS Provider Hostname.
  3. Enter an address, for example: dns.adguard.com.
  4. Save the settings and reboot the device.

This method works at the level of the entire system, so advertising will be blocked not only in Chrome, but also in other browsers and applications. However, some mobile operators overwrite DNSsettings, so the method may not work on all devices.

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If after changing the DNS some sites no longer open, try using an alternative server or disabling private DNS to diagnose the problem.

6. Clearing Chrome cache and data

Accumulated cache and browser data may contain advertising scripts that continue to display banners even after blocking. Regular cleaning helps get rid of “extra” elements:

  1. Open Settings → Applications → Google Chrome.
  2. Click Storage → Clear cache.
  3. For a complete reset, select Clear data (will delete history, passwords and settings!).

If you do not want to lose saved passwords and bookmarks, use the function Synchronization v Chrome. To do this, log into your account Google and enable synchronization in your browser settings. After cleaning, the data will be restored automatically.

⚠️ Attention: Data clearing Chrome will delete all saved autofill forms, including bank card data. Before the procedure, make a backup copy of your important data.

7. Checking your device for viruses and malware

If advertisements appear even on empty tabs or redirect you to suspicious sites, your device may be infected with Chrome appears even on empty tabs or redirects you to suspicious sites, your device may be infected Adware an ad virus. Such apps are often disguised as legitimate applications and display advertisements on top of all windows.

To check your smartphone:

  1. Install an antivirus with an adware scanning function (for example, Malwarebytes, Kaspersky, Bitdefender).
  2. Run a deep system scan.
  3. Remove all detected threats and restart the device.

Pay special attention to applications that you installed from third-party sources (not Google Play). Adverts are often distributed through:

  • 🎮 Modified games (APK with cheats or hacked graphics).
  • 📱 Launchers and themes from unknown sites.
  • 🔧 "Optimizers" and "accelerators" for Android.
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If the antivirus does not find threats, but advertisements continue to appear, check the list of installed applications for suspicious ones (for example, with names like "System Update", "Android Helper" or "Clean Master").

FAQ: Frequently asked questions about blocking ads in Chrome

Is it possible It is impossible to completely remove ads in Chrome without root access?

It is impossible to remove ads 100% without root as some ads are built into the site code. However, a combination of methods (blocker + DNS change + Chrome settings) can reduce it to 80-90%. Complete blocking requires root access and installation of system tools like AdAway.

Why are ads still shown after installing AdBlock?

Probable reasons:

  1. You are using a stripped-down version of the blocker (some applications in Google Play are fakes).
  2. Advertising is shown through Web Push (turn off notifications for sites in Chrome settings).
  3. The site uses anti-blockers (for example, it asks you to disable AdBlock to view content).

Try changing the blocker to uBlock Origin (via Kiwi Browser) or add the site to the blacklist manually.

Is it safe to use private DNS to block ads?

Yes, if you choose trusted servers like AdGuard DNS or Cloudflare. These services do not collect personal information or sell it to third parties. However, avoid little-known DNSproviders - they may redirect traffic through their servers to collect statistics.

How to return default Chrome settings if sites do not work correctly after changes?

To reset Chrome to factory settings:

  1. Go to Settings → Applications → Google Chrome.
  2. Click Storage → Space management → Clear all data.
  3. Confirm reset (this will delete history, passwords and settings).

If the problem is DNS, return the network settings to default in Settings → Networks and Internet → Private DNS → Automatic.

Is it legal to block ads on your phone?

From a legal point of view, the use of ad blockers is not prohibited in most countries, including Russia. However, some sites may restrict access to content for users with AdBlock enabled. This is their right, since advertising is the main source of income for many resources.

If you want to support your favorite sites, add them to the blocker white list or disable AdBlock on them manually.