A guide to the technology behind ad blocking in AdBlock VPN for Android & Windows, and AdBlock for Safari + VPN on macOS & iOS
Four Apps, Two Approaches
Our VPN-bundled AdBlock products use different ad blocking mechanisms depending on the platform. The distinction matters because iOS and macOS have strict system constraints that shape what's technically possible — while Android and Windows offer more flexibility.
AdBlock VPN on Android & Windows: Network-Level Ad Blocking
How it works
AdBlock VPN on Android and Windows blocks ads at the network level, using the VPN tunnel itself as the filtering layer.
When you connect to AdBlock VPN, all of your device's internet traffic is routed through an encrypted tunnel. As requests travel through that tunnel, they're checked against a continuously updated list of known ad-serving, tracker, and malicious domains. If a request matches a blocked domain, it's stopped inside the tunnel — the connection never completes, and the ad never loads.
Because this filtering happens at the network level — before a response ever reaches your device — it works across your entire device, not just inside a specific browser. Apps, browsers, and background services all have their traffic routed through the tunnel in the same way.
What the VPN tunnel adds
The tunnel does two things at once. First, it provides standard VPN privacy benefits: your IP address is masked, your connection is encrypted (especially useful on public Wi-Fi), and you can access geo-restricted content. Second, it creates the controlled pathway that makes system-wide ad blocking possible — every outbound request passes through it, so filtering can be applied consistently across your whole device.
Limitations
Network-level blocking works at the domain level, which means it can block an entire domain but can't distinguish between ads and regular content served from the same address. Most third-party ads across the web come from dedicated ad network domains, so they're blocked effectively. However, large platforms like YouTube, Reddit, and Facebook often serve ads from their own domains — the same ones that deliver their content — so those ads can't always be separated out and blocked.
Getting the most out of ad blocking
AdBlock VPN's network-level filtering works across your entire device, but pairing it with a dedicated browser extension gives you an extra layer of ad blocking — including element-level blocking that catches ads network filtering can't reach (like those served by YouTube, Reddit, and Facebook from their own domains).
On Android: For the best in-browser ad blocking experience, we recommend using AdBlock for Samsung Browser alongside AdBlock VPN.
On Windows: For Chrome, Firefox, or Edge, install the AdBlock browser extension to complement your VPN ad blocking.
Together, the VPN handles system-wide filtering across all your apps, while the browser extension takes care of the ads that only browser-level blocking can catch.
AdBlock for Safari + VPN on macOS & iOS: Two Layers Working Together
On Apple platforms, ad blocking works differently. A combination of a Safari content blocker and a VPN creates a two-layer system that tackles ads in different contexts.
Layer 1: Safari Content Blocking (Free)
In Safari on macOS and iOS, ads are blocked using the Safari Web Extension API — which requires accepting permissions when prompted.
The extension intercepts network requests before they load, checking them against a list of known ad-serving domains, URL patterns, and element selectors — blocking matched requests before they ever reach the page.
This approach works very well for web browsing in Safari: ads on websites, cookie banners, and distracting page elements can all be blocked. It's available at the free tier — no subscription required.
Layer 2: VPN + Network-Level Protection (Premium)
The VPN component adds a second layer that extends protection beyond Safari. Like AdBlock VPN on Android and Windows, this routes your device's traffic through an encrypted tunnel where known ad, tracker, and malicious domains are filtered out before connections complete.
This is where the premium subscription adds value: Safari ad blocking is free, but the VPN layer extends coverage to other browsers and apps on your device.
Limitations
Network-level filtering via the VPN works at the domain level. Ads served from large platforms like YouTube, Reddit, and Facebook — which use their own domains for both content and ads — may not always be blocked.
For the most complete ad blocking experience on these platforms, we recommend using Safari instead of their dedicated apps where possible. Safari's content blocker can filter at the element and URL level within a page, catching ads that network-level filtering can't.
How the two layers complement each other
|
Context |
Blocking mechanism |
|---|---|
|
Websites in Safari |
Content Blocking (Apple-native) |
|
Websites in other browsers |
Network-level filtering via VPN |
|
Apps |
Network-level filtering via VPN |
|
Cookie banners and distractions |
Content Blocking (Apple-native, Safari only) |
For Chrome, Firefox, and Edge users
The VPN is primarily about privacy — encrypting your connection and blocking known tracker and malicious domains. For the best ad blocking experience in your browser:
On Mac: Install the AdBlock browser extension for Chrome, Firefox, or Edge — it works at the page level, blocking ads that a VPN simply isn't designed to catch.
On iPhone or iPad: Mobile browsers don't support extensions, so for the best ad blocking experience we recommend using Safari instead, where AdBlock's content blocker is already active.