Having an Android TV with an internet connection is both a blessing and a curse at this point. Moreover, Android TVs have changed a lot in every perspective in recent years.
Indeed, Ads are one of the annoying things that have developed a lot more than the features on TVs.The statistics show that Android TVs have millions of active users every month.
However, we can still see the annoying ads on Browser, YouTube, and even on some apps. Seemingly, you may be wondering how these ads follow me to whichever app I switch. In long term, the ads become more intrusive and you can’t bear them anymore.
The bad news is that annoying ads are common on most streaming devices. But the good news is that there are some possible workarounds to get rid of them. In that way, the following article will give you a detailed guide to block ads on your Android TV.
How to Block Ads on Android TV?
Although the ads are annoying, you can stop seeing them using some apps and software on your Android TV. I can understand that it can be challenging for you to find the best apps to block ads on your TV.
Concerning that, we have collected the best possible ways and provided them in this article. Just scroll through our quick smart guide to find the best solution to block ads on your Android Smart TV.
Also Read: How to Install XMEye on Android TV?
# Using Blokada on your Android TV
The first method is using the Blokada app. Seemingly, Blokada is a popular third-party and open-source ad-blocking software that also doubles as a VPN. Indeed, it is an effective app to block annoying ads and protect your privacy simultaneously. Moreover, it is free software that is available to use on Android & iOS mobiles, and tablets.
Meanwhile, it also works on Android TVs as they run on the Android operating system. The Blokada software is available in three versions namely V4, V5, and V6. Indeed, the Blokada V6 is available as an app, so you can get it directly from the Google Play Store or Apple App Store. The V6 version is compatible with mobiles and tablets but not with TVs.
So you can download the V4 version. Yes, even though it sounds older, the V4 version is perfectly optimized to run on Android TVs. But, you have to sideload it on your TV as it is available as an APK. If you are wondering how to sideload the Blokada app on your Android TV, don’t worry, the following article will help you with that.
Step1:
Initially, launch the default browser on your PC.
Step2:
Then, visit the Blokada.org website.
Step3:
Scroll down and find the ‘Blokada V4.APK’ link.
Step4:
Download the respective file on your PC. Make sure you access the file in the quickly accessible folder.
Step5:
Following that, connect a USB drive to your PC and transfer the ‘Blokada V4’ file to the respective Pendrive.
Step6:
Now, disconnect the USB drive from your PC and connect it to the USB port on your Android TV.
Step7:
Open the File Manager app on your TV and find the ‘Blokada V4’ file on the connected USB drive.
Step8:
Click the Install button and wait for a few minutes.
Step9:
Open the Blokada app and there you can find a new Software Update notification. Make sure you update the respective software which gives you access to an Android TV-friendly UI.
Step10:
Click the Power button to activate the Blokada app. This action will activate both VPN and Ad-blocking functionalities.
Now you can use your Android TV without any interrupting ads on browser and apps.
# Using SmarTubeNext as a YouTube Alternative
Seemingly, YouTube is one of the most used apps on Android TVs for entertainment. Although, the YouTube app is free to use it is hard to bear the annoying ads. Of course, there is a costlier option to get rid of the ads, which is switching to ‘YouTube Premium’. Many of us may have no interest in getting a Premium subscription.
Even though there are various tricks available over the internet to skip the ads on YouTube, they won’t sound the best. Our recommendation is SmarTubeNext. If you are looking for an ad-free and distraction-free streaming experience, SmarTubeNext can be the best alternative. Yes, the respective platform has videos from multiple genres that you expect the most.
Moreover, this smart platform natively includes Adblocking and Sponsorblocking features which auto skips all the distracting elements on a video. In addition, the SmarTubeNext platform has a user-friendly and customizable UI that is perfectly optimized for Android TVs.
This platform includes all your favorite YouTube videos by default so you can start streaming once you install the app. However, this app is not available on the Google Play Store. Instead, you have to sideload it on your Android TV from ‘Github.com’.
Note: You can refer to the first method for the sideloading process where we have given the step-by-step guide to sideload Blokada on Android TV.
Also Read: How to Install and Use Brave on Android TV?
# Changing DNS Settings to Block Ads on Android TV
The third method you can try is changing the DNS settings of your network. Seemingly, the DNS of our network is related to Ad personalization.
So, changing the default DNS to an Adguard tool can help you to stop seeing ads on your Android TV. Moreover, you can complete the respective procedure using four simple steps.
Step1:
Turn On your Android TV and navigate to the Settings page.
Step2:
Choose Network settings and move to Advanced Network Settings.
Step3:
Select the DNS Settings and change the preferred DNS server address to ‘94.140.14.14’.
Step4:
Set ‘94.140.15.15’ as the alternative DNS server address if asked.
Turn Off Ad-Personalization
Step1:
Navigate to the Settings page on your Android TV.
Step2:
Choose Device >> Preferences >> About device option.
Step3:
Following that, select Legal Information >> Ads.
Step4:
Turn Off Ad Personalization.
Note: Indeed, you can turn off personalized ads but you will still get non-personalized ads on your Android TV.
Also Read: How to Get Mozilla Firefox on Android TV?
End Note
These are all the simple methods to block ads on your Android TV. It is entirely your preference to choose an ad-blocking app or alternative apps to get rid of ads.
Apart from giving interruption-free streaming, ad-blocking also helps you in saving your data. Whatever method you may choose, make sure you follow the step-by-step instructions carefully to block unimportant ads alone.
Elango is a Senior Content Writer for ‘Quick Smart Guides’, writing about the latest in tech with a particular focus on daily use devices and streaming services.
