You ever just open a website and get hit with a wall of ads? It feels like that’s just the internet now.
Especially ads from Google. They are literally everywhere you look, following you from site to site.
It’s 2025 and you’d think we’d have a perfect solution. We don’t. But we have some pretty good ways to fight back.
This is all about how you can block ads by Google. It’s a bit of a cat-and-mouse game, really. But you can definitely make your internet life a lot quieter.
Why Are Google Ads So… Everywhere?
First up, you have to get why these things are on every corner of the web. It’s pretty simple really.
Google makes a gigantic amount of its money from advertising. That’s the core business.
Websites you visit, they need to make money too. So they put a little piece of code on their site.
This code lets Google show ads to people like you. It’s a whole system that is considered to be the engine of the modern internet.
They track what you look at using little files called cookies. This helps them show you ads they think you’ll click.
It’s all about making the ads as specific to you as possible. Which can be helpful or just plain creepy.
So when you try to block them, you’re going up against a huge, well-oiled machine. It is a machine that is very good at what it does.
The Classic Method: Browser Ad Blockers Still Work (Mostly)
The most common way people try to block ads is with a browser extension. And for the most part, this still works pretty well.
These are little programs you add to Chrome, Firefox, or Edge. They work by looking at lists of known ad servers.
When a website tries to load something from one of those servers, the blocker just says no. And the ad never appears.
It’s a pretty direct approach to the problem.
Picking the Right Blocker for the Job
Not all ad blockers are the same. Some are better than others and some are kind of shady.
A big favorite for a lot of techy people is uBlock Origin. It’s lightweight and really effective.
It doesn’t use a lot of your computer’s memory, which is a nice bonus. And it’s open source which people generally trust more.
Another one is AdGuard. This one has a lot of features and can block all sorts of things, not just ads. Things like trackers and annoying social media buttons.
You should probably avoid blockers that have their own “acceptable ads” program. That normally just means they let some ads through if companies pay them.
The Constant Cat and Mouse Game
You might notice that sometimes ads still get through. This is because Google and other ad companies are always changing how their ads work.
They are trying to get around the blockers. It is a constant battle that goes on behind the scenes.
There’s also this thing with Chrome called Manifest V3. It’s a change to how extensions work.
It has made it a little harder for some ad blockers to be as powerful as they used to be. The way it works is a bit technical.
What it basically means is that the fight to block ads is always changing. What works perfectly today might need an update tomorrow.
Going Beyond Just Your Browser
Browser extensions are good. But they only work on the browser you install them on. What about ads in apps or on your smart TV?
For that, you need something bigger. Something that works on your entire internet connection.
This is where DNS blocking comes in. It sounds complicated, but the idea is simple enough.
Instead of blocking ads on your computer, you block them at the network level. Before they even get to your devices.
What is this DNS Thing Anyway?
DNS stands for Domain Name System. Think of it like the phone book of the internet.
When you type `google.com`, your computer asks a DNS server for the real address, which is a string of numbers.
A DNS-based ad blocker uses a special DNS server. This server has a list of ad domains.
If your device tries to connect to one of those ad domains, the DNS server just pretends it doesn’t exist. The ad can’t load.
Services like NextDNS or AdGuard DNS let you do this pretty easily. You just change a setting in your router or on your phone.
You can also set up something called a Pi-hole on a tiny computer in your house. It gives you a ton of control, if you like to tinker with things.
This method can block ads on every single device connected to your home Wi-Fi. It’s a very powerful tool.
Tweaking Your Actual Google Account
Believe it or not, Google gives you some control over the ads you see. You just have to know where to look.
They have a dashboard called Google’s My Ad Center. It is here that you can see what Google thinks it knows about you.
You can tell it to stop using your activity to personalize ads. This is a big step.
It won’t stop you from seeing ads entirely. That’s not what this does.
But the ads you see will be generic. They won’t be based on that weird thing you searched for last week.
For some people this is a good middle ground. They don’t mind ads, they just mind the creepy tracking part of it.
A Quick Guide to My Ad Center
Getting to these settings isn’t too hard.
First just search for “Google My Ad Center” and go to the official page.
You’ll see a big toggle at the top for “Personalized ads”. You can just turn that off.
If you scroll down, you can also review and delete the topics and brands Google thinks you’re interested in.
It is a good idea to check this page every so often, just to see what’s there.
Again, this is about controlling privacy not about creating a completely ad-free experience. But it helps make the web feel less invasive.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
1. Is it legal to block ads from Google?
Yes, it’s completely legal. You have control over what your browser or device loads. No laws are being broken by using an ad blocker.
2. Will blocking all these ads break some websites?
Sometimes, yeah. Some websites are built in a way that if you block certain scripts, parts of the site might not load correctly. It is often the case that login buttons or videos might not work. Most blockers let you temporarily disable them for a specific site.
3. What’s the best free ad blocker to use with Google Chrome?
A lot of people would say uBlock Origin. It’s free, it’s very effective, and it doesn’t slow down your computer too much. It’s a solid choice.
4. Can I block the ads on YouTube specifically?
Yes, but it’s gotten harder. Ad blockers like uBlock Origin work on YouTube, but Google is actively trying to stop them. Using a DNS blocker can sometimes help, but it’s one of the toughest places to get a perfect ad-free experience these days.
5. Does a VPN block Google ads?
Typically, no. A VPN’s main job is to hide your IP address and encrypt your traffic. Some VPN services do offer ad blocking as an extra feature, but a standard VPN on its own won’t stop ads.
Key Takeaways
Ad blockers in your browser are still a good first step. uBlock Origin is a popular choice.
The situation is always changing, as Google tries to find ways around the blockers.
For blocking ads on your whole network, including phones and TVs, look into DNS-based solutions like NextDNS or a Pi-hole.
You can go into your Google Account’s “My Ad Center” to turn off ad personalization, which makes ads less specific to you.
Blocking ads sometimes can cause issues on certain websites, but you can usually whitelist them if you need to.
