How it works

How ad-blocking DNS works.

Every website and app looks up domain names before it connects. AdAvoid DNS answers those lookups and refuses the ones that lead to ads, trackers, and malware, so they never load.

dns

What is DNS?

The Domain Name System translates human-readable domain names like example.com into IP addresses that computers use to connect. Every time you visit a website, your device sends a DNS query to resolve the address.

filter_alt

How Filtering Works

When you use our DNS, your queries go through our resolver instead of your ISP's default. We check every domain against curated filter lists before responding. Blocked domains return a null address and never load.

The Filtering Process

Your device sends a DNS query (e.g. "resolve ad.tracker.com").

Our server checks the domain against the active filter lists for your chosen mode.

If the domain is on a blocklist, the server returns a null address (0.0.0.0), so the ad or tracker never loads.

If the domain is safe, the server resolves it normally and returns the real IP address.

Filtering Modes

Default

For most devices. Blocks ads, trackers, malware, and phishing sites in your browsers and apps.

dns.adavoid.io

Family

For kids' devices and shared home Wi-Fi. Blocks everything in Default plus adult sites, and turns on safe search where search engines support it.

family.adavoid.io

Unfiltered

For private lookups without blocking. Every domain loads, with the same privacy promises. Use an encrypted address and your internet provider can't see your lookups.

unfiltered.adavoid.io

DNS filtering is best-effort and works at the domain-name level. False positives and false negatives can happen, and Family mode is not a complete parental-control compliance product. Read the Filtering Policy for details.

DNS can't block ads served from the same domain as the content, like YouTube video ads, and it can't hide empty ad spaces or filter per app. The AdBlocker Ultimate apps, from the same team, can.

Built for Privacy, Not Profiles.

AdAvoid DNS does not keep user-identifying DNS query logs in normal operation, and does not build profiles of what you visit. There are no accounts, no dashboards, and no device profiles, so there is nothing to tie your lookups to you. Read the full Privacy Policy.

No Browsing-History Logs

In normal operation, we do not keep user-identifying DNS query logs. Temporary local debug logs may be enabled only for specific operational investigations and deleted within seven days.

Encrypted Protocols

Use DNS-over-HTTPS, DNS-over-TLS, or DNS-over-QUIC, and your ISP can't read or change your DNS lookups. Plain DNS is also available, unencrypted, for devices that need it.