How to remove advertising on Android via DNS: complete guide

The modern use of smartphones is often marred by intrusive banners, pop-ups and videos that interrupt reading articles or playing games. Users are looking for ways to remove ads on Android without installing complex and heavy blocker applications that require root access. One of the most effective and simple methods is to change the DNS (Domain Name System) settings on the device.

The essence of the method is to redirect requests to advertising servers into the void. When your device tries to load an advertising banner, it contacts the DNS server for the address. If the server is configured to block, it simply does not return the advertiser's IP address and the content is not displayed. This is a system solutionwhich works at the connection level, covering most applications and browsers.

The advantage of this approach is its lightweight and security. You don't need to give third-party apps access to all the data on your phone or install security certificates. Just enter the address of the specialized server in the appropriate field in the Android settings. Below we will look in detail at how to do this and which addresses to use for maximum efficiency.

The principle of DNS filtering on Android

To understand why changing the DNS address helps get rid of advertising, you need to understand the basic principle of how the Internet works. When you enter a website address or open an app, your phone sends a request to the DNS server to resolve the domain name (such as adserver.com) into a machine-readable IP address. Standard providers usually return the correct address, allowing you to load the entire content of the page, including advertising.

However, there are special DNS services that maintain databases of domains known for distributing malware or intrusive advertising. AdGuard DNS or DNSCrypt are examples of such services. When your Android smartphone contacts them for the ad tracker address, the server refuses or redirects the request to a blank page. As a result, the ad block simply cannot be physically loaded.

It is important to note that this method does not remove advertising from the application code, but blocks its loading from the network. This means that the banner space may be left empty, or the application may behave strangely if it critically depends on receiving a response from the ad server. However, for 90% of user scenarios it is perfect balance between a clean interface and system stability.

Modern versions of Android, starting with version 9 (Pie), have a built-in function Private DNS (Private DNS). This allows you to use a connection protected by the DNS-over-TLS protocol, which not only hides your requests from the provider, but also effectively filters traffic without installing additional software.

⚠️ Attention: Using DNS filtering does not guarantee 100% blocking of all advertising, especially in applications like YouTube or Instagram, where advertising content is loaded from the same domains as the main video or feed. For such cases, more complex solutions are required.

Preparing the device for changing network settings

Before making changes to the system network parameters, it is recommended to make sure that the current connection is stable. Although the procedure for changing DNS is safe, it is better to conduct any network experiments with alternative access to the Internet (for example, Wi-Fi), in case the mobile data stops working due to an error in the address.

It is also worth remembering or writing down the current settings. By default, the DNS field is usually set to "Automatic" or "Provider". If in the future the blocking server you have chosen stops working or starts to slow down the connection, you will need to return everything as it was. Remembering the original state is the golden rule of any system administration, even at the home user level.

Check the version of your Android. The feature to manually enter a DNS host in the Private DNS menu was introduced in Android 9. If you have an older version (Android 8 or lower), you will have to either update the firmware if possible, or use third-party applications that emulate a local VPN tunnel to forward DNS requests.

Step-by-step guide: setting up Private DNS

The setup process is the same for Most devices based on pure Android, as well as for shells from Samsung, Xiaomi and other manufacturers, although menu names may differ slightly. The main task is to find the field for entering the hostname (host name) of the DNS server.

Follow the algorithm of actions to activate the blocking:

• 📱 Open Settings your smartphone and go to the section Network and Internet or Connections.
• 🔍 Find the item Private DNS (Private DNS). On some devices it may be hidden in the menu Advanced or Wi-Fi Settings.
• ✍️ Select option Hostname DNS provider (or "Manual").
• 🌐 Enter the address of the selected blocker (the list of addresses is shown in the table below).
• 💾 Click Save and check for the key icon or DNS notification in the status bar.

After saving the settings, the system may break the connection to the Internet for a second in order reconnect with new parameters. This is normal behavior. If the Internet does not appear after 10-15 seconds, it means that the address was entered incorrectly or the server is unavailable.

List of effective DNS servers for blocking

There are several trusted DNS service providers that specialize in filtering traffic. The choice of a specific server depends on your needs: do you only need ad blocking, or do you also need protection from phishing and malicious sites.

Below is a table with the most popular and stable addresses for use in Android:

Service	Hostname	Features
AdGuard Default	dns.adguard.com	Ad and tracker blocking
AdGuard Family	dns-family.adguard.com	Ad blocking + adult content
Cloudflare	1dot1dot1dot1.cloudflare-dns.com	High speed, malware protection (no ad blocking)
Quad9	dns.quad9.net	Focus on security and privacy

For the task "how to remove advertising" the most suitable option is dns.adguard.com. This server automatically filters requests to known advertising networks. If you are setting up a phone for a child, it is more logical to choose the family version, which will add a filter for inappropriate content.

Solving problems with connection and access

Sometimes after changing the DNS server, users are faced with the fact that certain sites stop opening or applications based on geolocation begin to work incorrectly. This may be due to the fact that the DNS server blocked the domain, considering it to be advertising, or there was a conflict with the provider’s settings.

First of all, check that the entered address is correct. In the Private DNS field you need to enter exactly the hostname (host name), and not the IP address (numbers like 1.1.1.1). For Android, the native setup requires a text name, for example dns.adguard.com. If you enter numbers, the system will display an error.

If the problem persists, try temporarily disabling the Private DNS feature by returning the value to Auto. If the Internet works, then the problem is with the server. It is also worth clearing the DNS cache on the device. To do this, you can turn it on and off Airplane mode or simply restart your smartphone.

⚠️ Attention: Some corporate Wi-Fi networks or mobile data providers may block non-standard DNS queries. If you are in an office or public place, use standard settings or switch to mobile data to check.

What to do if the Internet is lost after setting up?

If after entering the address the Internet disappears completely, most likely the server is unavailable or the address was entered with a typo. Go back to the Private DNS settings and select "Disabled" or "Auto" to reestablish the connection. Then double-check the address in the table above.

Alternative methods and technology limitations

Despite its effectiveness, DNS filtering has its limitations. It can't cut out ads inside YouTube videos, since the video stream and the ad insert come from the same domain. Such tasks require specialized clients (for example, YouTube ReVanced) or premium subscriptions.

In addition, some applications may refuse to work if they detect that their analytics or advertising modules are blocked. In rare cases, this leads to application crashes. In such a situation, there are two options left: find a “softer” DNS server or refuse to use the method for a specific application, using exceptions (if they are supported by the selected service).

For devices on Android 8 and below, where there is no built-in Private DNS menu, you can use assistant applications such as Intra or Personal DNS Filter. They create a local VPN tunnel through which all traffic passes, applying filtering rules. The principle remains the same, but uses a little more battery.

Frequently asked questions (FAQ)

Will changing DNS slow down my speed? Internet?

In most cases, the speed will even increase, since you will get rid of loading unnecessary advertising traffic. However, if the selected DNS server is physically located far from you, the response time (ping) may increase slightly, which will only be noticeable in online games.

Will there be advertising on YouTube after setting up DNS?

No, standard DNS filtering does not remove advertising inside YouTube videos. This is due to the architecture of the Google service. Blocking ads on YouTube requires other methods that are not related to the system DNS settings.

Is it safe to use third-party DNS servers?

It is safe to use trusted open source or reputable services (like AdGuard or Cloudflare). They use DNS-over-TLS encryption, which makes your queries more private than the provider's standard DNS.

How to return everything back if something went wrong?

Go to settings Private DNS and select item Disabled or Automatic. This will instantly return the default network settings of your operator.