[APP][Android 7.0+][4.3.194 - 22/12/2023] AdGuard - No Root Ad Blocker

[Daria Adguard Team]

Introduction

Hello all!
I'd like to present you Adguard for Android. It is a tool designed to make web surfing of Android users more comfortable and safe.
Adguard is an adblocker, privacy protection tool, and protector against online threats. It also has its own Firewall to control the incoming/outgoing traffic.
What's important: no ROOT required.

If you have any ideas on how to improve Adguard or you would like to submit a bug, please do so at our profile on GitHub! If you have any questions about Adguard or related matters and would like to get live responses, welcome to our public Telegram channel!

Important note: we use Github as an open bug and release tracker, but the app itself is a closed source.
Here is our privacy policy. TL;DR: we don't collect your data and send the necessary minimum for checking the license status (in case if you want to use "premium" features).

Images

Here are some screenshots of Adguard for Android app:

Features

• AdGuard is a top-notch system-wide ad blocker for Android. It effectively blocks ads and shields you from trackers both within browsers and apps.
• It speeds up page loading by removing unnecessary elements from web pages.
• With its Browsing Security feature, it protects you from malware and phishing.
• It’s really easy to use: you can start protection with a single tap.
  
  But for those who want fine-tuning...
  
  
• AdGuard's Firewall feature allows you to control Internet access for all apps installed on your device.
• It supports custom filters and user rules for the most precise ad blocking.
• You can view full statistics on all requests sent from your device, sorted by company or app, and manage them on the fly.

Installation instructions

Website
Instruction on how to install Adguard can be found in our knowledgebase.

Adguard checks for updates once in 24 hours. If there is a new version available, you will get a notification.
If you tap on "Update" we will download and upgrade your version of Adguard.

Google Play:

You can't get Adguard from Google Play because Google wants to know everything about you and also it does not want users to decide if they want to see its ads or not.

Changelog

Stable version 4.3.194, 22 December 2023

https://github.com/AdguardTeam/AdguardForAndroid/releases/tag/v4.3

Beta version 4.3.178, 15 December 2023

https://github.com/AdguardTeam/AdguardForAndroid/releases/tag/v4.3-beta-1

Previous versions:
https://github.com/AdguardTeam/AdguardForAndroid/releases/

Downloads

Stable version:
Link to the stable version
Beta version:
Link to the beta version

Click here to learn info about our beta testing program. We are always looking for beta testers and will be glad if you guys join us

All versions:
Or you can get any version from here.

FAQ

Q: How does Adguard protection work?

A: Adguard filters your browsers traffic by blocking requests to phishing and malicious websites and removing intrusive browser advertising. Adguard can use three modes of traffic filtering:

1. Local VPN mode - If you are using this mode, Adguard does not need ROOT privileges to carry out filtering. At the same time, VPN-server is located on your device, so that there is no need to pass your traffic through a remote server in order to filter it.

2. Automatic proxy mode - In this mode Adguard launch a local HTTP proxy server on your device. This mode is recommended if you use a rooted device. In automatic mode, enabling of filtering does not require any action from you. Filtering will work in both mobile and Wi-Fi networks.

3. Manual proxy mode - This approach may not work in some situations. It depends on your firmware and the actual VPN app. For some cases traffic bypasses manually configured proxy. In manual mode filtering will only work in Wi-Fi networks. And you have to manually configure the use of proxy server for each Wi-Fi network.

Q: Do I need the ROOT access?

A: Unlike most of applications that are engaged in the traffic filtering, Adguard does not require ROOT access to your device. In local VPN server mode Adguard will filter all your traffic and so the ROOT access is not needed at all.

Q: How to use a third-party VPN along with Adguard?

A: If you are already using a VPN for other purposes, then in order for Adguard filtering to work, you can turn it to a Automatic proxy mode. The filtering mode can be changed in the Filtering settings.

Q: How to configure Manual proxy mode?

A: If your device does not support automatic proxy configuration, then you can configure proxy server manually, using the instructions below:
1. In the Adguard Filtering settings select — Manual proxy mode.
2. Go to your phone settings and choose Wi-Fi. A list of wireless networks will be opened.
3. If the device is not yet connected, connect to the Wi-Fi networks than you need. Open network setting by pressing the line with this network. The following menu of the selected Wi-Fi network will appear.
4. Select Modify network. In the new window select Show advanced options.
5. In Proxy select Manual.
6. Enter 127.0.0.1 in Proxy hostname and enter the port that is showed in proxy settings in Adguard application itself (port 8080 is used in Adguard setting by default).
7. Proxy server is set up. Now all Wi-Fi traffic will be filtered by Adguard.

Q: How does DNS-filtering work?

Adguard can filter domain resolution requests to the Domain Name System servers, handle them locally, and block requests to phishing, malicious, advertising and tracking systems on such domains.
Blocking is implemented by sending back a specially crafted response that redirects all traffic to local network interface (with 127.0.0.1 IP address). Then browser or app intended to connect to such domain will try to connect to a server on this particular device, and eventually get an error.
Detailed answer: http://xdaforums.com/showpost.php?p=63751226&postcount=375
Q: This seems like a best way to filter ads, why use something else?
A: Because there are many advertising systems that use the same domains for advertising and some useful service. The DNS-filtering can be used just to speed up overall filtering process and to save some battery juice.
Q: Why can't I use DNS-filtering with Local HTTP proxy mode?
A: Because we need to filter all traffic (all network packets) sent from your device for DNS-filtering. Only VPN mode can accomplish such a thing.

Q: Why does Android stats show that Adguard consumed more traffic than it saved?

A: On Android's Data usage page or in your favorite data-traffic tracking app, you might see an indication that Adguard has consumed all or most of your mobile traffic. Make no mistake - it's your apps and not Adguard that consumed the data in question. There is a known issue with Android when VPN or proxy is established, with all traffic from all apps being assigned to Adguard. We hope that this clarifies what's happening.

Q: Why does Adguard consume so much battery juice?

A: First of all, no it's not Adguard that takes so much traffic and device battery (as it may seem). It is an issue of Android that calculates the amount of consumed traffic in a very peculiar way. We have a nice article - "Adguard for Android battery and traffic consumption issues", check it out for more information.

Q: What restrictions does VPN mode have?

A: Adguard filters traffic using local VPN-server by default. In this mode there are some restrictions. In local VPN mode Adguard won't be run automatically after turning on the phone, because this capability is blocked by Android OS.

Contributors
Daria, Adguard Team, avatar_adg, BabylonDreams, Revertron

Version Information
Status: Stable
Current Stable Version: 4.3.194
Stable Release Date: 2023-12-22
Current Beta Version: 4.3.178
Beta Release Date: 2023-12-15

Created 2015-08-12
Last Updated 2023-12-22

 

[stylemessiah]

Be aware that while using AdGuard on PC it became abundantly clear that it slowed internet traffic, pages do NOT open faster, but most alarming of all was its insane (and i mean INSANE) overinflation of the number ads etc that it blocked. It smelt like a con on just the bs figures alone, but with the added slowdown in traffic i removed it.

AdAway, via FDroid. Less drama, real results.

 

[Primokorn]

More information if some non-rooted users would like to try:
• Android 4.0.3+
• Not compatible with Opera Mini and Puffin Browser.

Official announcement: http://blog.adguard.com/en/news/official-release-adguard-android-1-0.html

 

[Daria Adguard Team]

Be aware that while using AdGuard on PC it became abundantly clear that it slowed internet traffic, pages do NOT open faster, but most alarming of all was its insane (and i mean INSANE) overinflation of the number ads etc that it blocked. It smelt like a con on just the bs figures alone, but with the added slowdown in traffic i removed it.

AdAway, via FDroid. Less drama, real results.

So you are making a conclusion about android app because of your experience with PC version, am I right?

Also what about PC version, could you please send me in PM some details on this insane overinflation?
Looks like a bug for me. Also traffic slowdown is something unusual for Adguard.

 

[drive2droad]

Seems too good to be true & so many complaints on desktop browsers . Lets try this on my MOTO G & see the results .

 

[airmaxx23]

Seems too good to be true & so many complaints on desktop browsers . Lets try this on my MOTO G & see the results .

It's working great on my Note 4, it's blocking ads everywhere.

 

[Daria Adguard Team]

Beta version 1.0.734

We've just released new beta version.

Changelog for version 1.0.734:
* Improved HTTPS filtering
* Fixed possible conflicts when using the same port number with another proxy server
* Fixed issues with some apps (Telegram, Orbot and others)
* Fixed bugs with some HTTP requests processing
* Added an option to change the look of notification icon
* Fixed problem with landscape mode on devices with low resolution screen

 

[airmaxx23]

We've just released new beta version.

Changelog for version 1.0.734:
* Improved HTTPS filtering
* Fixed possible conflicts when using the same port number with another proxy server
* Fixed issues with some apps (Telegram, Orbot and others)
* Fixed bugs with some HTTP requests processing
* Added an option to change the look of notification icon
* Fixed problem with landscape mode on devices with low resolution screen

Unfortunately the setting to change the icon doesn't work.

 

[justmpm]

Hi Everyone,
Sorry but I had to remove all the talk about the paid version of this app because these discussions can easily be against the xda rules. So please, can we limit the discussion to the free version of this app and if you have an interest in, or a comment about, the paid version please take it up on the adguard website.

Thanks!

 

[avatar_adg]

Unfortunately the setting to change the icon doesn't work.

It won't work if you use VPN filtering mode with Android 4.X.
The problem is that the "key" icon is not ours - it is Android's system icon, we can't control it.

Maybe we should disable this setting in this case?

 

[Mariner_1712]

It won't work if you use VPN filtering mode with Android 4.X.
The problem is that the "key" icon is not ours - it is Android's system icon, we can't control it.

Maybe we should disable this setting in this case?

I would simply add a note to the Icon setting description that the Adguard icon defaults to Android's VPN key in VPN-mode.

No need to remove or disable anything. Choice is good.

 

[avatar_adg]

I would simply add a note to the Icon setting description that the Adguard icon defaults to Android's VPN key in VPN-mode.

Choice is good indeed but we just don't want to confuse user with a setting which does nothing currently.
I think that we may mark setting as disabled and add a note below that VPN key icon is managed by OS, not app.

 

[BakaB]

now the real question, why this over adaway?

 

[Mariner_1712]

Choice is good indeed but we just don't want to confuse user with a setting which does nothing currently.
I think that we may mark setting as disabled and add a note below that VPN key icon is managed by OS, not app.

That's exactly what I meant, and what I wrote.

 

[avatar_adg]

now the real question, why this over adaway?

Adaway is not a filtering app or an ad blocker. It is no more than a hosts file manager. So for me it's strange to compare Adguard or ABP with Adaway or Adfree. You can use hosts file to block some ad networks, that's true. But the quality of such filtering is very low comparing to what real filters do.

Some examples for better understanding.

With hosts file:
You cannot block facebook or twitter buttons without blocking facebook and twitter sites.
You cannot handle mobile redirects, inline scripts, self-hosted banners, etc.
You will see broken elements (images,objects,whitespaces) on the pages because hosts file does not filter the page code and cannot make it look right.

Filtering has its own drawbacks. Because app actually does something it needs your CPU and it uses your battery.
Anyway, you can use Adguard along with adaway or adfree, no conflicts and no overhead here (hosts file does not use your battery at all).

 

[Daria Adguard Team]

New beta version is ready.

We are very close to major release. I think that this beta version is faster and better than current stable release.

Changelog for 1.1.779:

+ Tested and optimized for Android 5.0
* Optimized CPU and battery usage
* Fixed display of some elements of the interface and notifications
* Fixed processing of certain HTTPS requests
* Resolved compatibility issues with some apps

 

[rodaven]

I there, I have a question. I tested another application like this one time ago (AdB...k), that worked fine blocking ads but consumed a lot of my mobile data, almost all my mobile data available in 3 days. My question is, this app with do the same?

 

[avatar_adg]

I there, I have a question. I tested another application like this one time ago (AdB...k), that worked fine blocking ads but consumed a lot of my mobile data, almost all my mobile data available in 3 days. My question is, this app with do the same?

Yes we will. But actually it's not our app who use this mobile data.
It's your apps that consumes the data.

The problem is that all traffic goes through the filter (our app or abp or whatever) and that's why Android counts this traffic as ours in it's data usage stats.

We plan to add a simple firewall in version 1.2. So you'll be able to see actual data usage of your apps and to manage their network access.

 

[rodaven]

I don't think that was my case, because I keep track of my mobile data usage and I have never used that amount of data in just 3 days (like 65 MB) and I didn't do anything estrange or out of normal, just WhatsApp and I opened Facebook like 4 times.

 

[avatar_adg]

I don't think that was my case, because I keep track of my mobile data usage and I have never used that amount of data in just 3 days (like 65 MB) and I didn't do anything estrange or out of normal, just WhatsApp and I opened Facebook like 4 times.

I am not abp specialist so just don't know, maybe their app really has some bugs. I know they check filter updates sometimes (and filters are rather heavy), maybe that's it. Anyway, if mobile data usage is important to you just enable "Update over Wi-Fi only" in Adguard to be sure.