I see so many posts complaining about ads but never enough posts about using an Ad Blocker. These take a minute to setup, cost nothing, and don’t require you to spend time maintaining them. Let’s make the internet/YouTube usable again!
Desktop Browser
- Safari: AdGuard (free tier is fine)
- Firefox: uBlock origin
- Chrome: uBlock origin
Mobile Browser
- Safari (iOS): AdGuard (free tier is fine)
- Firefox (Android): uBlock Origin.
- Open Firefox
- 3 dot menu in upper right corner
- Tap
Add-ons
- Tap the
+
icon next to “uBlock Origin” - Tap
Add
- Tap
Okay, Got it
To add to this, on Firefox mobile with uBlock origin you can also block cookie announces such as the popup cookie banners that block half the screen.
Firefox> settings > add-ons > ublock > settings > filter lists > annoyances
As another option if you’re using a VPN service it may have an add blocker built in as well - mine does and you’re rightit makes things so much better not having ads!
Orion browser for IOS allows you to install FF extensions like uBlock Origin.
Or use a PiHole in your local network and you won’t never need any extension anymore.
Plus one for a pihole. Bonus points if you also change your preferred DNS servers from your ISP to one’s that also include ad blocking and malicious sites as well. Do this on your router and change the DHCP settings and switch DNS to one of the IPs you pick (Google it to find a list of a bunch to pick from).
Minus one for pihole as it’s too technical for most people
Ads can be blocked using
- browser extension or application
- using local DNS server (e.g. pihole on localhost, selfhosted in LAN)
- using selfhosted service on the internet (pihole, Adguard)
- public ad-blocking DNS servers (e.g. mullvad or 1.1.1.1 hosted service
This post is the first method. If you are technical enough do 2 or 3 also. You will not see ads in mobile phones where extensions are limited.
If not just use the ad blocking DNS server. Mullvad one is compatible with Android private DNS setting.
To add to this Firefox mobile you can disable
Is there an option other than Firefox for Android? My preferred browser is Chrome, any way to run a blocker for it?
Chrome is produced by an ad company. So no
Use ad-blockint DNS server such as mullvad, NextDNS , etc.
Sadly, I don’t try to spread the word about this. When people complain, I just say “yeah, sure does suck”. If adbloxkers get too mainstream they’ll become enough of an issue to start getting shut down. We’re seeing it already on YouTube.
Keep it quiet, we got a good thing going here.