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Block Trackers with Private DNS on Android
A free, no-app way to block most ads and trackers across every app on your phone.
By Adrián Vega
Published 25 February 2026 · Updated 3 June 2026 · 5 min read
Private DNS is Android's name for DNS-over-TLS, a setting that routes every DNS query on your phone through an encrypted connection to a provider of your choice. The right provider blocks ads and trackers at the network level.
What Private DNS does
Every time an app loads a tracking pixel or ad, it asks DNS to resolve the tracker's domain. A blocking DNS provider simply returns no answer, and the request never happens.
Picking a provider
NextDNS, AdGuard DNS, and Mullvad DNS all offer free or low-cost ad-blocking. NextDNS is the most configurable; AdGuard is the easiest.
Setting it up
Settings > Network & Internet > Private DNS > Private DNS provider hostname, then paste the hostname your provider gives you (for AdGuard, that's dns.adguard-dns.com).
Watch
Video walkthrough
A short video on private dns android to complement the steps above.
Key takeaways
- Private DNS works system-wide, no app needed.
- Blocking happens before the ad ever loads, saving data and battery.
- Choose a provider with a clear no-logs policy.
Frequently asked questions
- Does Private DNS work on cellular and Wi-Fi?
- Yes — once configured, it applies to every connection.
References & further reading
Continue reading
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