It’s 2025, and somehow the internet feels even more crowded. You open a page to read a recipe and suddenly you’re in a maze of pop-ups for things you don’t need. It’s a lot. Getting rid of those annoying ads on Google Chrome isn’t just about making pages look cleaner it’s about making your browser faster and maybe even a bit more private. So you want to know how to block ads on Google Chrome. You came to the right place. This is a straightforward guide to getting that done without a bunch of technical talk. We’re just going to walk through the ways you can make your browsing experience a whole lot calmer.

Why You’d Even Want to Block Ads on Chrome Anyway?

Okay so lets be real for a second. The main reason is that they’re just plain annoying. Flashing banners and videos that play automatically are distracting. No one likes them.

But there’s more to it than just being a nuisance. All those ads take up bandwidth. That means they can actually slow down how fast a website loads for you.

Getting rid of them can genuinely speed up your browsing. It’s a noticeable difference on some websites that are really heavy on the ad front.

Then there’s the privacy angle. Some ads have trackers attached to them. These little bits of code follow you around the internet to see what you’re doing so they can show you more specific ads. It’s a bit creepy if you think about it too much. Blocking the ads often blocks the trackers too which is a nice bonus. It’s generally a good thing for keeping your online activity a bit more to yourself.

The Go-To Method: Using Ad Blocker Extensions

For most people this is the answer. The easiest and most complete way to block ads on Google Chrome is with a browser extension. Think of an extension as a tiny program that you add directly to Chrome to give it a new superpower. In this case, the superpower is making ads disappear. It is the method that is considered to be the most effective for a typical user.

These extensions work by looking at the code of a website before it loads. They have big lists of things that are known to be ads, and they just stop those parts of the page from ever appearing on your screen. It all happens in the background, you don’t have to do anything.

Finding and Installing a Good Ad Blocker

Getting one of these set up is really simple. It’s something anyone can do in just a couple of minutes.

First, you need to open up the Chrome Web Store. It’s the official place where you get extensions for Chrome, so it’s safe. Just search for it on Google.

Once you’re there, use the search bar in the store and type something like “ad blocker.” You’ll get a whole list of options.

Look at the ones with lots of users and good reviews. That’s normally a good sign that they work well and people trust them.

When you find one you like, just click the “Add to Chrome” button. A little box will pop up asking for permission, just say yes. And that’s it, it’s installed. You’ll usually see a new little icon up in the top right corner of your browser.

Some Popular Ad Blockers to Check Out in 2025

The world of ad blockers doesn’t change super fast, but some are consistently good. Here are a few that are still popular and do a good job.

uBlock Origin: This one is a favorite for a lot of tech-savvy people because it’s really good at blocking stuff and doesn’t use up a lot of your computer’s memory. It’s not flashy, it just works.
AdGuard AdBlocker: AdGuard is another strong choice. It does more than just block ads on web pages it can also stop them in places like YouTube videos, which is a big deal for a lot of people.
AdBlock Plus (ABP): This is one of the oldest and most well-known ad blockers out there. It’s very user-friendly but it has a program where it allows some “acceptable ads” through by default. You can turn this off in the settings if you want to block everything.

Tweaking Chrome’s Own Settings to Fight Ads

Now, Google Chrome does have its own built-in tool for dealing with some ads. It’s not a full ad blocker, not by a long shot. Don’t expect it to make all the ads go away.

What it does is block ads on sites that have really bad, intrusive ad experiences. Think pages that are covered in pop-ups or have sticky ads that take up your whole screen. Google has a list of what it thinks is unacceptable.

To turn this on, you have to go into Chrome’s settings. Click the three little dots in the top right corner, then choose “Settings.”

From there, go to “Privacy and security” on the left side menu. Then find and click on “Site Settings.”

You’ll have to scroll down a bit to find “Additional content settings.” Click that, and then you’ll see an option for “Intrusive ads.” Make sure that is set to block. It should be on by default, but it’s good to check.

What About Mobile? Blocking Ads on Chrome for Android & iOS

Blocking ads on your phone is a bit of a different situation. The experience isn’t quite the same as it is on a desktop computer.

On an Android phone, the Chrome app has a similar setting to the desktop version. You can go into Settings, then “Site settings,” and then “Ads” and make sure it’s turned on to block ads from sites that show intrusive or misleading ads. Again, it won’t block everything.

For a more complete solution on Android you might need to look at a different browser that has ad blocking built-in, or change some more advanced network settings on your phone like a private DNS, which is a bit more complicated.

On an iPhone or iPad, your options inside the Chrome app are very limited. Apple has rules that prevent Chrome from using the same kind of powerful ad-blocking extensions you can get on a desktop. You can use content blockers, but they generally only work with Apple’s own Safari browser. So for blocking ads on an iPhone, using Safari is often the better bet.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) about Blocking Ads on Chrome

1. Is it safe to use an ad blocker on Google Chrome?
Generally, yes, as long as you stick to the well-known and highly-reviewed ones from the official Chrome Web Store. Be careful of random, unknown extensions as they could be a security risk.

2. Will blocking ads break some websites?
Occasionally, yes. Some websites are set up in a way that blocking an ad script can cause other parts of the page to not load correctly. If a site you trust isn’t working, you can usually click the ad blocker’s icon and temporarily disable it for that specific site. This is often called “whitelisting.”

3. Can Google Chrome block all ads by itself without an extension?
No. Chrome’s built-in ad filter only targets what it calls “intrusive” ads on sites that violate their standards. It will not block standard banner ads, video pre-roll ads, or other common advertising you see every day. You need an extension for that.

4. What’s the best free ad blocker for Chrome in 2025?
“Best” is a matter of opinion, but uBlock Origin is frequently recommended because it is very effective, open-source (meaning its code is public), and very light on system resources. It doesn’t slow your computer down as much as some others might.

5. Does using an ad blocker mean I’m hurting the websites I like?
This is a tricky one. Many websites rely on ad revenue to operate and create content. By blocking ads, you are cutting off that source of income for them. That’s why many ad blockers have the whitelisting feature, so you can choose to allow ads on sites you want to support.

Key Takeaways

The most straightforward way to block nearly all ads on Chrome is by installing a browser extension from the Chrome Web Store.
Extensions like uBlock Origin and AdGuard are popular choices that work well and are easy to set up.
Google Chrome has a built-in setting to stop the most annoying ads, but it doesn’t function as a complete ad blocker.
Blocking ads on mobile Chrome is more limited, especially on iPhones, where you might have to consider other browsers for a better experience.
If a website isn’t working right with your ad blocker on, you can usually add it to a “whitelist” to allow ads just on that page.