Mobile app developers go through a lot to build software. If you are familiar with most free apps on the Google play store, you can testify that most of them are sacks of advertisements. I have no doubt that you must have had an annoying ad getting in your way and you were like “how can I block these ads?” Well, I won’t support your decision to block the ads because since the app was given for free, developers try to monetize them with ads because it’s only through these ads that they are able to make money from their work, if you decide not to pay.
If you still insist on blocking these ads, this post will walk you through on some easy guides to block annoying ads on most free android apps.
It is very important you have it in mind that most free ad blockers on Android smartphones only work on rooted devices, likewise, the method we are using here is for only rooted Android smartphones, so if you have not rooted your Android device, take a break here and root your Android phone before you continue.
Block Ads using ‘hosts’ file
This method uses ‘hosts’ file to block ads. This method blocks all ads on your device. When you put an ad server name into your host file with your own IP address, your computer won’t be able to contact the ad server or load the ad; it will try to but it has been tricked into thinking that it is the ad server it would simply be calling itself due to the fact that it is your computer. Your computer will kinda get a ‘Busy signal’ and it will give up. This method works only for rooted devices just as I said.
What is a ‘hosts’ file?
I’m sure this question has crept into your mind.
‘Hosts’ file is a plain-text file in an operating system to map hostnames or NetBIOS names (like anything.com) into an IP address. A computer first looks at the host file to resolve a name when looking up an IP address.
If the search is successful, then its mapped IP address is used; otherwise a query is sent to DNS (Domain Name Service) to find the IP address of that hostname.
Read Also: How To Scan Documents With Android Phones
Setting Up ‘hosts’ file
> On the computer, open MVPS (or pgl.yoyo.org or hostfile.mine.nu) on your browser. A plain-text page will open. Save this page as the name hosts on the computer.
> Copy this host file from your computer to your Android device using Bluetooth or a USB connection. Note the file path as well.
> Open your Android smartphone, click on file manager and copy the hosts’ file to /etc or /system/etc. To access this location, in most cases, you may be required to ‘allow superuser permissions’ to the file manager.
> Next is to rename the original hosts file (if it is present) to format such as .txt or .bak extension. Now continue by pasting the saved host’s file there. After that, just renew your Android device and you will get to see that it’s free from annoying ads.
Hope the article was helpful? Now help others in search of this kind of tutorial get it by just sharing with below social media share buttons. And also drop your questions through the comment box, below for easy solution to the part you don’t comprehend.