How to block ads on every device through a VPN: AdGuard DNS in NvoVPN

Ad blocking in NvoVPN does not work in the browser but on the VPN server: AdGuard filters cut off ad domains and trackers (tracking counters) before the page even starts loading them. That is why ads disappear across the whole device — in the browser, in apps, on your phone, laptop and TV — with nothing to install. How to turn on ad blocking is four steps below; further down, what gets cut and what does not, and how to check.

1. 1

   Check whether it is already on

   Open your account → "Overview". On plans of three months and longer (3 and 6 months, 1 and 2 years), blocking is already included: the "Ad blocking" line will show "On · included in plan". If so, skip to step 3.

2. 2

   On the 1-month or trial plan — add AdGuard DNS

   Open your account → "Plans", the "AdGuard DNS — ad and tracker blocking" block. Choose monthly or yearly — paid from your balance. It switches on right after payment. The same "Enable" button is in "Overview", next to the "Ad blocking" line.

3. 3

   Reconnect the VPN

   On a phone or computer, press the shield twice — disconnect and reconnect; on a router, restart the VPN connection. The filter applies to the connection within a few minutes. There is nothing to change in the app or the configuration files.

4. 4

   Check that the ads are gone

   Open any news site: there should be no banners or "accept cookies" pop-ups. Empty spaces where they used to be are normal: the filter does not redraw the page, it just stops the ad from loading. AdGuard's test page shows it more precisely — the link is in your account next to the setting.

How ad blocking works in a VPN

When a page loads, the device first asks DNS (the internet's "address book") where every domain lives: the site itself, images, the ad network, the tracking counter. The NvoVPN server answers these queries itself, and simply does not answer for domains on the AdGuard lists — so the connection to the ad network never gets made. Three consequences follow: ads and trackers do not load in any app, pages open faster, and mobile data is used up more slowly.

Filtering runs on every server and in both protocols — AmneziaWG and stealth mode alike. There is nothing to change in the app or the configurations.

What does not get blocked

These are the limits of any DNS-level blocking, not of our service:

• Ads inside YouTube videos and other players, where the video and the ads come from the same domain. They cannot be told apart by address.
• Ads served from the app's own domain — inside a social network or a marketplace, for example.
• Sponsored segments within the content itself.
• Cosmetics: the banner's slot sometimes stays empty, because the filter does not edit the page.

If ads are still showing

• Android, "Private DNS". If "Settings" → "Network & internet" → "Private DNS" has a specific address set, the phone asks it directly, bypassing the VPN's filter. Switch it to "Automatic".
• "Secure DNS" in the browser. Chrome, Edge and Firefox can send DNS queries over HTTPS to their own provider, bypassing the system. In the browser settings ("Privacy" → "Secure DNS" / "DNS over HTTPS"), choose "with current service provider" or turn it off.
• A custom DNS in the router configuration. If a different DNS is set on the router, the filter never sees the queries — keep the address from the NvoVPN configuration.
• Not included in your plan. Check the "Ad blocking" line in your account's "Overview" — the "Enable" button is right there.

How this differs from uBlock Origin and Pi-hole

uBlock Origin is a browser extension; Pi-hole is a home DNS filter on your own mini-computer. Here is how they compare with the filter in the VPN:

The approaches do not conflict: a browser extension on your computer plus the filter in the VPN on every device together cover almost everything.

FAQ

Does blocking slow the internet down? The opposite: pages without ads and trackers load less data and open faster.

Can I turn it off temporarily? Since the filter applies to the whole connection, there is no separate switch in the app yet. If a site misbehaves, open it without the VPN, or message support — we will check the lists.

Are phishing sites blocked? The AdGuard lists include known scam domains — those will not open either.

Does it work on a TV and a router? Yes, for any device whose traffic goes through NvoVPN — including through a router with a configuration and on a TV.

Do I need to configure anything in the app? No. Blocking is turned on in your account and runs on the server: the app, the configuration file and the router stay as they are.

Related guides: How to install a VPN on Android · How to set up a VPN on a router · Why your VPN is slow and how to speed it up