Does Android block ads by itself?
Android has no ad blocker switch. Two built-in features come close, and only one of them works across the whole phone:
| Feature | Where it works | What it blocks |
|---|---|---|
| Chrome Intrusive ads setting | Only in Chrome | Ads on sites that Google found showing intrusive or misleading ads. Normal ads on other sites still load. |
| Private DNS with an ad-blocking hostname | Apps and browsers that use the phone's DNS, on Wi-Fi and mobile data | Ad and tracker addresses on the DNS provider's list |
So the practical answer is Private DNS. Android 9 and later have it; it is not an app and needs no install.
How does Private DNS block ads?
Before an app or a site loads an ad, the phone asks a DNS server for the ad server's address. With Private DNS, every one of those questions goes, encrypted with DNS over TLS, to the hostname you typed. A DNS provider that blocks ads answers "not found" (or a blank address such as 0.0.0.0) for the ad and tracker addresses on its list, so the ad does not load. The page itself still loads, because its own address is answered normally. A browser or app that uses its own encrypted DNS instead of the phone's skips Private DNS.
This has limits. When an ad comes from the same address as the content, DNS cannot separate them. YouTube video ads and sponsored posts in social apps are the usual examples, see what DNS cannot block. Also, the provider you type sees every DNS lookup your phone makes, so read its privacy policy first.
Private DNS provider hostname list
These are the hostnames you type into the Private DNS provider hostname field. The two number columns come from our DNS ad blocking test: the share of 1,880 ad and tracker names seen on 429 popular sites in 23 countries that each provider blocked, and how many names that sites need it blocked by mistake.
| Provider | Private DNS hostname | What it filters | Ads and trackers blocked | Needed site parts blocked |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Control D (ads & tracking) | p2.freedns.controld.com | Ads, trackers, malware | 97.8% | 34 |
| dnsforge.de | dnsforge.de | Ads, trackers, malware | 98.5% | 62 |
| AdGuard DNS | dns.adguard-dns.com | Ads, trackers, phishing | 87.1% | 4 |
| AdGuard DNS Family | family.adguard-dns.com | Ads, trackers, phishing, adult sites | 87.1% | 20 |
| Mullvad DNS (adblock) | adblock.dns.mullvad.net | Ads, trackers (Mullvad says this public service ends on 2 November 2026) | 66.3% | 4 |
| Cloudflare for Families | family.cloudflare-dns.com | Malware, adult sites | 0.2% | 2 |
| OpenDNS FamilyShield | familyshield.opendns.com | Adult sites | 0.1% | 0 |
| Quad9 | dns.quad9.net | Malicious sites | 0.1% | 0 |
| Cloudflare 1.1.1.1 | one.one.one.one | No filter | 0.1% | 0 |
| Google Public DNS | dns.google | No filter | 0.1% | 0 |
| OpenDNS | dns.opendns.com | Phishing sites | 0.1% | 0 |
We measured the providers over DNS over HTTPS on October 7, 2026. On October 7, 2026 we asked the same 1,880 ad and tracker names through the hostnames above with DNS over TLS, the protocol Private DNS uses, and got the same block decision for 100.0% of them. Providers can change their hostnames and lists, so check the provider's own page before you rely on one. Some providers, NextDNS for example, give each user a personal hostname; those are not in the table.
How do I turn on Private DNS ad blocking?
- Open Settings and find Private DNS: on Pixel and stock Android under Network & internet, on Samsung under Connections > More connection settings, on Xiaomi under Connection & sharing. If you cannot find it, search for "Private DNS" in Settings.
- Choose Private DNS provider hostname.
- Type a hostname from the table, for example
dns.adguard-dns.com, and tap Save.
The Android Private DNS guide explains the three modes and each phone's menus in more detail.
What can go wrong?
- No internet after saving. With a hostname typed, Android uses only that server. If a network blocks DNS over TLS (some workplace, hotel and public Wi-Fi networks do) or the hostname has a typo, lookups fail. Set Private DNS back to Off or Automatic.
- A site or app stops working. Ad-blocking lists also block some addresses that sites need; the last column of the table counts how often that happened in our test. Try another provider, or switch Private DNS off while you use that app.
- Wi-Fi login pages. A hotel or airport sign-in page may not open while a hostname is typed. Switch Private DNS off, sign in, then switch it back on.
Where does EZOBLOCKER fit in?
EZOBLOCKER has no Private DNS hostname. It works through its app: a local tunnel catches the phone's DNS lookups and sends them encrypted to our servers, where ads and trackers on our list are blocked before they reach your phone, together with the other categories you pick. In the same test it blocked 96.5% of the ad and tracker names with 3 needed site parts blocked by mistake. Because a typed hostname takes priority, Private DNS must be Off or Automatic while EZOBLOCKER is on.
If you prefer a public provider, the app can switch to one under Settings > Advanced > DNS provider (AdGuard DNS, AdGuard Family, Cloudflare, Google, OpenDNS, Quad9 and others); in that mode its own categories do not apply. To check that EZOBLOCKER is filtering, open the protection check in your phone's browser.