Tag: firefox

How to block ads on Android without root (2025 guide)

Online ads can be annoying, whether you are watching YouTube, perusing a news website, or using a free software. Aside from being unpleasant, they can slow down your device, use bandwidth, and compromise your privacy. Fortunately, you can disable most advertising on Android without rooting your device or installing costly apps. This comprehensive guide describes the best ways to block advertisements on websites, applications, and games using free and secure techniques.

Why should you block ads on your device?

Blocking ads on your Android phone does more than merely improve the user experience. There are practical advantages that improve device performance, privacy, and security. Here’s why many users prefer to block advertisements:

1. Improved Performance

Ads frequently load media-rich material such as photos, animations, and videos, which eat memory and CPU cycles. On smartphones with limited resources, this might result in slower loading times, slowness, and even app crashes. Blocking advertisements frees up system resources and improves program responsiveness.

2. Better Battery Life

Since many ads are dynamic and constantly update, they continue running in the background, which drains the battery. Blocking these elements can significantly extend battery life, especially on older devices.

3. Reduced Data Usage

When an ad loads, it consumes bandwidth. For individuals with limited data plans, this may result in higher mobile bills or throttling. Blocking advertising helps you save your monthly data allowance.

4. Enhanced Privacy and Security

Ads sometimes include tracking scripts that track your activity across apps and websites. Malicious advertising (malvertising) can occasionally lead consumers to phishing or malware-infected websites. Blocking advertisements reduces the likelihood of tracking and exposure to hazardous content.

Block ads in browsers with Brave or Firefox + uBlock Origin

Use Brave browser with built-In ad blocking

The Brave browser prioritizes privacy and includes built-in ad and tracker blocking. Unlike Chrome, which does not enable ad-blocking, Brave automatically removes the majority of advertisements and tracking scripts from websites.

How to use Brave:

Go to the Google Play Store and install Brave Browser.
Open the app and begin browsing — ad blocking is enabled by default.
To customize settings, go to Brave’s menu > Settings > Shields. You can adjust how strictly ads and trackers are blocked.

Brave also provides other settings such as script blocking, cookie control, and HTTPS upgrades to improve your surfing privacy even further.

Best Use Case: Blocking ads on most websites instantly, without needing any extensions or additional configuration.

Use Firefox with the uBlock Origin Add-On

Firefox with the uBlock Origin Add-On to block ads

If you prefer Firefox, it provides a more personalized experience by supporting third-party add-ons such as uBlock Origin, one of the most powerful ad blocks accessible.

Steps to set up uBlock Origin on Firefox:

Install the latest version of Firefox for Android.
Visit addons.mozilla.org from within the browser.
Search for “uBlock Origin” and add it to Firefox.
Once installed, uBlock Origin will immediately begin filtering ads on websites.

You may set up custom filters, activate regional ad lists, and block certain aspects on a webpage. This level of control makes Firefox with uBlock Origin excellent for users seeking extensive filtering options.

Best Use Case: Users who want granular control over what gets blocked and which filters are applied.

Use private DNS to block ads system-wide (Android 9+)

Since Android 9 (Pie), users can use a feature known as Private DNS. It connects you to a DNS provider, which filters out known ad-serving domains before they load, essentially blocking advertisements in all browsers and many apps.

Steps to enable Private DNS:

Open Settings on your phone.
Navigate to Network & Internet > Private DNS.
Select “Private DNS provider hostname”
Enter the hostname of a DNS provider that supports ad blocking.
Save the changes.

Popular Ad-Blocking DNS Providers:

Provider	Hostname	Description
AdGuard DNS	`dns.adguard.com`	Blocks most ads and trackers
NextDNS	`dns.nextdns.io/your-config-id`	Highly customizable with user-defined filters
Control D Free	`freedns.controld.com`	Offers ad/tracker filtering without an account

Advantages:

Blocks ads across apps, not just in browsers
Doesn’t require any apps or root access
Improves loading speeds and reduces unwanted traffic

Limitations:

May not block all in-app ads or YouTube ads
Some mobile networks may not support encrypted DNS

Best Use Case: Non-root system-wide ad blocking with minimal setup effort.

Use AdGuard content blocker for supported browsers

AdGuard content blocker block ads on Android

The AdGuard Content Blocker is a free application that disables advertisements in browsers such as Samsung Internet and Yandex Browser without having root access.

How to install and use AdGuard Content Blocker:

Download the app from the official AdGuard website or from F-Droid.
Open the app and select the browser you use (Samsung Internet or Yandex).
Enable content filters like EasyList or AdGuard Base Filter.
Ads will be blocked while browsing within the supported browser.

Advantages:

Offers control over what filters are applied
Requires no permissions or rooting
Supports multiple languages and filter lists

Limitations:

Does not block ads inside other apps
Only works with supported browsers (not Chrome)

Best Use Case: Samsung or Yandex browser users seeking browser-specific ad blocking without full system-wide solutions.

Use a custom hosts file or DNS66 (No Root Required)

Tech-savvy users may prefer to utilize a custom hosts file that redirects known ad-serving domains to a blank IP address. DNS66, for example, provides this capabilities without the need for root access.

How it works:

DNS66 creates a local VPN tunnel and uses a custom hosts file.
Any requests to known ad servers are blocked at the DNS level.
It filters traffic system-wide, including ads in apps and games.

Steps to use DNS66:

Download DNS66 from F-Droid (it’s not available on the Play Store).
Launch the app and configure which hosts files to use (e.g., AdAway or Energized).
Start the VPN service and allow the app to block domains across the system.

Best Use Case: Advanced users who want fine-tuned control over DNS-level ad blocking without root.

Note: Since DNS66 uses a local VPN, you cannot run other VPNs at the same time.

What about YouTube ads?

YouTube uses server-side ad distribution, which makes it difficult to prevent adverts in the official YouTube app. However, there are various workarounds available:

Option 1: watch YouTube in Brave or Firefox with Ad Blocking

Open YouTube.com in Brave or Firefox with uBlock Origin enabled.
Ads will be stripped from videos on the web interface.
You can even use picture-in-picture mode on supported devices.

Option 2: Use YouTube Vanced or ReVanced

YouTube Vanced (now discontinued) and its successor, ReVanced, offer modified YouTube apps with built-in ad-blocking and background playback.

Important Notes:

These apps must be sideloaded and are not available on the Play Store.
Use trusted sources such as GitHub or community forums to avoid malware.
YouTube may update its API to block these apps in the future.

Best Use Case: Users who regularly watch YouTube and want a consistent ad-free experience without paying for YouTube Premium.

Additional tips to reduce ads and trackers on Android devices

If you want even more control over your privacy and device experience, consider these extra steps:

Use a privacy-focused VPN with built-in ad and malware blocking (e.g., Proton VPN, NordVPN, Surfshark).
Enable Data Saver or Lite Mode in Chrome to minimize ad-heavy content.
Regularly clear app cache and browsing data to remove trackers.
Turn off personalized ads by visiting Google Ad Settings and disabling ad personalization.

Final Thoughts

Blocking ads on Android no longer necessitates technical knowledge or rooting the device. The majority of advertisements may be removed from your browsing and app experience using browser-based blockers, DNS-based filtering, and content-blocking applications.

These methods are safe, effective, and frequently free. Whether you are concerned about performance, data use, or privacy, using these ad-blocking tactics will significantly enhance your Android experience.

April 30, 2025

Clean your browser junk files in a few steps.

Regularly clearing the cache and cookies in your web browser will help you get rid of unnecessary garbage files.

Much of the information that your Android phone’s web browser gathers from the websites you visit is unnecessary for it to be on your phone.

The information kept in your cookies and cache, regardless of whether you are using Samsung Internet, Mozilla Firefox, or Google Chrome, may come in handy occasionally. It is what keeps you signed into your accounts and enables you to swiftly access websites that you visit often. That is great, but your browser’s cookies and cache include a lot of unnecessary data that may even pose a privacy concern.

The reasons behind periodicaly clearing your cache and cookies

A large portion of the content that accumulates in your cookies and cache is just useless garbage. A portion of it might have come from single-visited websites. Some appear to be actively monitoring your browser history in order to provide you with adverts that are relevant to what you purchase or watch online. For example, after looking at a few stores, I keep getting advertising for buying glasses online, or I get ads from Amazon that just so happen to reflect what was last in my shopping basket.

It is a good idea to periodically clean your cache because of this. It enables you to delete data from your phone that you no longer require, particularly if one of the cookies on your phone has an unknown data tracker. You will have to log back into some of your favorite websites after clearing your cache, but it is a tiny annoyance to ensure that your phone is not accumulating unnecessary data.

The steps differ slightly depending on the type of phone and web browser app you’re using. Below, we’ll go over how to clear this data for Google’s Chrome browser (often the default for many Android phones, like the Google Pixel line), Samsung’s internet browser (often the default on the Galaxy phone series) and Mozilla’s Firefox browser.

Google Chrome

In the Google Chrome app for Android, you can clear your cache and cookies by first clicking the More button (shown by a column of three dots) in the top right corner of the browser, then selecting History, and then selecting Clear browsing data. Alternatively, you may access this by selecting Privacy and Security from the Chrome Settings menu, followed by Clear browsing data.

Additionally, Chrome has Basic and Advanced settings for deleting cookies, site data, cached files and pictures, and browsing history. You can choose to erase all of your information or just a portion of it, ranging from the recent 24 hours to the previous four weeks, using the Time range drop-down menu. You can also delete Saved passwords, Autofill form data, and Site settings by tapping Advanced.

Once you have decided what to remove, hit the blue “Clear data” button. If Chrome considers any websites to be “essential” to you, you may receive an additional prompt, and you will be able to accept before clearing. In the event that you do not receive the prompt, Chrome will clear as soon as you tell it to.

Samsung Internet

You can delete the cache and cookie data from your Samsung Internet browser in two distinct methods. You have two options for clearing: using the Settings app on your phone, or directly from within the browser.

To clear while in the Samsung Internet browser app, first tap the Options button in the bottom right corner represented by three horizontal lines, then Settings; scroll down to and tap Personal Data, then tap Delete browsing data to get a menu of options to delete. You can clear your Browsing history, Cookies and site data, Cached images and files, Passwords and Autofill forms in any combination. After tapping Delete data, you’ll then receive a prompt asking for you to confirm your choices before deleting.

You can customize what you want to erase the most by going through the browser app itself. Nevertheless, you may launch the Settings app, touch on Apps, scroll down to Samsung Internet, and then tap Storage if you want to access comparable choices from your phone’s settings menu.

There are distinct options to clear data and clear cache at the bottom of Storage. Choosing Clear data triggers a warning that all of the application’s data, including files, settings, accounts, and databases, will be permanently erased. Tapping Clear cache will instantly remove the cache. This “going nuclear” method should erase all leftover data, even though it does not mention cookies, allowing you to restart the Samsung Internet browser as if it were a fresh install.

Mozilla Firefox

You may empty the cache from within the Mozilla Firefox Android app, just like you can with Google Chrome. Once more represented by three vertically aligned dots, the More button is located to the right of the address bar. Tap it to access this function. Next, select Settings and proceed to the Delete browsing data section.

Of the three browsers we’re discussing here, Firefox gives you the most options under the Delete browsing data menu, allowing you to also delete any existing Open tabs, your Browsing history and site data, Site permissions and even your Downloads folder alongside Cookies and Cached images and files.

You can be more precise about the kind of data you want to erase, even though you are unable to select a time frame like you can with Chrome.

Additionally, Firefox offers a second option for users who want not to store their browser history once they close the program. There is a Delete browsing data on stop option in Settings that tells Firefox to remove any combination of these same settings each time the program is closed. This is a helpful function if you want to maintain your browser clean and, for example, not unintentionally give your browsing history to someone who could have stolen or otherwise obtained access to your phone.

February 25, 2024
Firefox fixes critical security vulnerability
Mozilla was busy working on a revised version of Firefox for Android, which is now live in the Beta and Nightly (previously Preview) channels of the browser. If you’re still on Firefox ‘s regular stable version for Android, though, you should update right now.

Firefox 68.10.1 is now running on the Play Store, which fixes a critical vulnerability that theoretically could allow remote web pages to read local files, including cookies from other websites:
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A Content Provider in Firefox for Android allowed local files accessible by the browser to be read by a remote webpage, leading to sensitive data disclosure, including cookies for other origins.
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There are not many public information about how the bug operates, but malicious sites won’t be able to take advantage of it until it’s widely patched, but only the classic Firefox browser will be affected. If you are using the versions Beta or Nightly / Preview, there’s nothing to worry about. Firefox browsers are also unaffected on other systems (Windows, macOS, and so forth).

If you are using the standard Android Firefox, you certainly need to update as soon as possible. The latest version (68.10.1) is already up and running on the Play Store, but you can grab it from APKMirror as well.

Download latest Firefox APK
July 8, 2020