How to block ads in apps on your phone

Blocking ads in apps on Android and iPhone phones allows you to browse the web, play games, and even watch videos freely and comfortably without being interrupted by ads.

Most free apps contain ads, and sometimes these ads can be annoying, especially when you're playing games or browsing the web on your phone.

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Ad blocker for apps on your phone.

Here are some ways to block ads on apps for Android and iPhone phones.

Part 1: How to block ads in apps on Android phones


Method 1: Using Adblock Plus (ABP)

The first method to block all in-app ads on Android phones is to use an ad blocker app. The ad blocker that TipsMake mentions in this article is called Adblock Plus (ABP).

Note: This method applies to both rooted and unrooted Android devices.

Additionally, we will need to perform an extra sideloading step because Google has blocked ads from the Play Store.

Follow the steps below to install and use ABP ad blocker for Android apps:

Step 1: Open the Settings app => Applications .
Step 2: Find the option called Unknown sources .
Step 3: If the option is not selected, simply tap it, then tap OK on the window that appears on the screen.
Step 4: You can now install Adblock Plus on your Android device.
Step 5: Open any browser on your device, search for and download Adblock Plus (APK file adblockplusandroid-version.apk ) and install it.

Download and install Adblock Plus here.

Step 6: Open the folder containing the downloaded file and begin the installation process. If you opened the APK file using a file manager, select Open App Manager => Install.

Step 7 : On a rooted Android device :

After installation, open Adblock Plus and grant user permissions.

Step 8 : On unrooted Android devices, you will need to manually set up the proxy.

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Adblock Plus will start blocking all ads in apps on your Android phone. If you wish, you can also set up additional options such as ad filters, etc., in the app settings.


Method 2: Using the hosts file

Another way to block ads on Android apps and games is to use the "hosts" file.

Note: This method only works on rooted Android devices.

The "hosts" file is a plain-text file in the operating system that maps hostnames to IP addresses. Whenever you access a website via a hostname, the operating system searches the "hosts" file for the corresponding IP address.

Follow the steps below to set up the "hosts" file:

Step 1: Open any web browser on your computer and go to MVPS (or pgl.yoyo.org or hostfile.mine.nu). A window containing a plain text page will appear on the screen. Save this page as a hosts file by pressing Ctrl + S.

MVPS link: http://winhelp2002.mvps.org/hosts.txt

pgl.yoyo.org link: https://pgl.yoyo.org/as/serverlist.php?showintro=0;hostformat=hosts

link hostfile.mine.nu: http://hostsfile.mine.nu/Hosts

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Step 2: Next, use a USB cable to connect your Android phone to your computer, then copy the hosts file to the device. Remember to note down the path.
Step 3 : On your Android phone, open the file manager and copy the hosts file to the /etc or /system/etc folder .

A message will appear on the screen requesting Super User access to the file manager. Click Allow to grant permission.

Step 4: Rename the original hosts file (if any) to a .txt or .bak extension . Then paste the saved hosts file here.

Finally, restart your Android phone. From now on, you can enjoy browsing the web and playing games without ads.


Part 2: How to block in-app ads on iPhone

Method 1: Use a VPN with built-in ad blocker.

Some VPN apps for iPhone also include features to block ads on third-party apps. Luna VPN is one of these apps worth mentioning.

To download and install Luna VPN, click here.

Note : VPN applications require a Wi-Fi connection to function properly.

In the application window, tap the Power button icon. A message will then appear asking if you want to add a VPN configuration. Tap Allow and enter your passcode (if required).

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This is the most popular method for blocking in-app ads on iPhones due to its convenience and ease of installation.


Method 2: Use an ad blocker for iPhone

iOS also offers ad blockers on the App Store, among which Weblock supports blocking all ads on third-party apps.

To download and install Weblock, click here.

After installation is complete, open the application and follow the on-screen instructions to copy the configuration link.

Next, open the Settings app => Wifi and tap the "i" icon next to the name of the Wifi network you are currently connected to.

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In the Wifi settings window, scroll down, find and change the Configure Proxy setting to Automatic , paste the link into the URL field, and click Save .

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Simply open the Weblock app and activate the available ad filters.

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With just a few simple steps, you can block ads in apps on your iPhone. Choose the method that suits you best. Good luck!

The article above from TipsMake has just guided you on how to block ads in apps on your phone. Additionally, you can also refer to tips on blocking ads when playing games on Android and iPhone here.


For YouTube, you can install and use the Pure Tuber app as an alternative. It has similar features to YouTube but can block ads, allowing you to watch videos more efficiently. 

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