How I permanently stopped invasive ads on my parents’ Android phones
▼ Summary
– Mobile ads on Android are increasingly deceptive, with pop-ups masquerading as system updates or genuine notices, even appearing in Google’s own apps like YouTube.
– The author’s father fell for a fake PDF update ad in a preinstalled office app, installing multiple bogus apps from the Play Store.
– To protect his parents, the author chose NextDNS, a network-wide DNS filtering solution that can be managed remotely and supports individual profiles for different users.
– NextDNS blocks ads across all devices on the network by filtering traffic through user-selected blocklists, requiring only enabling Android’s Private DNS feature.
– DNS filtering does not block ads in YouTube, so the author uses alternative apps like SmartTube and LibreTube, and recommends regular device checks and app permission reviews.
Mobile advertising on Android has crossed a troubling line. I recently witnessed a wave of deceptive pop-ups designed to look like legitimate system alerts or update notifications. While I can easily spot these fakes, many people cannot, and that’s exactly what the scammers are counting on.
My dad fell for one of these tricks. He saw a fake PDF update prompt inside a preinstalled office app, tapped the bogus button, and ended up with several useless PDF apps from the Play Store. That was bad enough, but the problem has escalated. Now, even Google’s own apps are serving these scam ads. He sent me a screenshot of an ad on YouTube that used the same tired “PDF app is out of date” ruse. I opened YouTube on my Pixel to check, and sure enough, a nearly identical ad appeared at the top of my screen. That was the moment I decided enough was enough.
I need my parents to have safe, secure phones for communication, banking, and storing memories. That means eliminating as many predatory ads and apps as possible. The solution had to be remote-friendly, because I no longer live with them. I needed a tool I could update or disable from afar, something that would filter their entire home network including their older Android streaming box. A free option with a solid trial period was ideal, and I wanted separate profiles for my mom and dad since they use their devices differently. Most importantly, the setup had to be simple enough that they only needed to flip one switch on their phones.
After researching, I settled on an old favorite: NextDNS. Think of it as a custom digital filter that lets good traffic through while blocking unwanted content based on user-selected blocklists. It works with any device that supports custom DNS settings and uses Android’s Private DNS feature to filter all traffic whether on Wi-Fi or mobile data. Free accounts get 300,000 monthly DNS queries, which is more than enough for my parents’ combined usage. I never hit 180,000 on my own devices, so there’s plenty of headroom.
The best part is that NextDNS supports individual profiles. I set up a separate environment for each parent and their devices. I manage everything remotely, and all they had to learn was how to enable Android’s Private DNS feature. That’s it.
Setting it up was straightforward. I visited the NextDNS website, created a temporary test account, and then signed up with our family email. I created separate profiles for each parent, then added any domains they might need but that could be mistakenly blocked. Under the Privacy tab, I added the HaGeZi Normal blocklist. Finally, I sent each of them the unique DNS-over-TLS endpoint address, which they entered into their phone’s Private DNS field. Within minutes, the system was live. I can now check their Analytics and Logs tabs to verify everything is working, and I can tweak settings remotely whenever needed.
Of course, DNS filtering isn’t a silver bullet. It won’t block ads inside YouTube because those ads come from the same domain as the videos. For YouTube specifically, I would have bought a YouTube Premium Family plan, but my parents don’t live at my address, so Google’s policy blocks that option. Instead, I’ve turned to alternatives like SmartTube on Android TV and Libretube or Tubular on phones.
Other problematic apps, especially fake PDF readers, will still try to serve scam ads. I recommend installing a reliable PDF reader on your parents’ devices and keeping an eye on any suspicious messages they forward. Ask them which app they were using when they saw the ad, and request a screenshot. That context is crucial for troubleshooting.
Beyond ad blocking, a multi-layered security approach is essential. Regularly review app permissions, uninstall anything unnecessary, and use tools like Canta and Shizuku to remove bloatware that standard uninstallation can’t touch. Android requires constant vigilance, and I’ve seen the harm these ads can cause. I can spot a fake PDF update pretending to be a critical system notice, but many people cannot. That’s the real problem with today’s advertising ecosystem, and it’s one I wish Google would address directly.
The reality is that Android can be a dangerous place for less tech-savvy family members. Setting up a secure network and regularly checking their devices might be one of the most valuable gifts you can give them.
(Source: Android Authority)
