How to turn off ads in apps and browsers on Android and iOS

Modern smartphones often display ads within apps — they can pop up during use and even appear in system menus. Not only is this annoying, but it can also slow down your device.

OBOZ.ua explains how to remove most of these ads without using any third-party apps.

How to get rid of ads on different devices

On Android, annoying notifications are usually caused by excessive permissions granted to apps. Go to Settings > Applications & Notifications and turn off notifications for the programs that bother you. This will eliminate banners that appear when you swipe down from the top of the screen or when you're working with the screen. If you need more complete filtering, AdGuard or NetGuard will help — they're effective, but typically cost money. A free but less comprehensive alternative is Adblock Fast.

Ads are less common on Apple smartphones, but sometimes appear in the form of notifications. To disable them, find the list of programs in the notification menu and revoke permissions for apps that send unnecessary information.

Ads on the internet are a separate problem. Websites display banners, videos, and pop-ups. The most reliable solution is to install an ad blocker extension. For Android, you can download one from the Google Play Store. Popular options include AdGuard, which blocks ads and protects your privacy by preventing websites from tracking you. Similar extensions are available for iPhone browsers, though the system has some limitations.

Xiaomi devices often display ads, even in system applications, because the company uses advertising inserts to partially compensate for the low price of the devices. To remove the ads, disable the display of recommendations on the desktop in Settings and the "Get recommendations" option in the "All apps" menu. In the Passwords and Security menu, under Privacy, you should opt out of personalized ads and deactivate the MSA service, which is responsible for most ads.

Finally, remember that most banners and videos download via the internet. Turning on airplane mode disconnects the device from the network and temporarily eliminates ads — just tap the airplane icon when you need complete silence or focus on the task at hand.

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