How to Block and Stop Video Ads on Roku Streaming Media Players

Roku streaming media players are popular devices that allow you to stream content from various apps and channels on your TV. However, many of the free channels and content contain video ads that can be annoying and disruptive to your viewing experience. Fortunately, there are several methods you can use to block or limit ads on your Roku player.

Use the Roku Ad Preferences Settings

Roku has built-in ad preference settings that allow you to limit the amount and types of ads you see:

  • Go to Settings > Privacy > Advertising on your Roku device.
  • Select Limit Ad Tracking to prevent Roku from using your viewing data to target ads.
  • Choose the Control Ads option to hide specific ads or categories of ads. You can hide ads as they appear by pressing the star button on your remote.

While this won’t eliminate all ads, it can reduce the number of intrusive video ads during your streaming sessions.

Use a Third-Party DNS Service

Services like AdGuard DNS and NextDNS allow you to block ads and tracking at the network level through custom DNS settings. Here’s how to set one up:

  1. Sign up for a DNS filtering service like AdGuard or NextDNS.
  2. Configure your router or device to use the DNS addresses provided by the service.
  3. Enable filtering categories related to ads, analytics, etc.
  4. The service will now block ads and tracking attempts across your network, including on Roku.

DNS filtering can block ads in streaming channels and content to give you a cleaner viewing experience.

Use a Pi-Hole Ad Blocker

Pi-Hole is a network-wide ad blocking software that works similarly to DNS filtering services. When installed on a Raspberry Pi or Linux machine on your network, Pi-Hole can block ads on many devices, including Roku.

Pi-Hole takes more technical skill to set up but costs nothing to use. It also lets you customize and fine-tune ad blocking behavior across your network.

Use a VPN Service

Many VPN providers offer ad blocking as part of their services. When connected to the VPN on your Roku, it can filter out ads and tracking attempts that would normally reach your streaming apps and channels.

The advantage of a VPN over DNS filtering is that it also provides security and privacy benefits on top of ad blocking. The downside is that VPN connections can sometimes slow down streaming performance.

Use a Streaming Device with Ad Blocking

Some streaming devices like the Fire TV offer the ability to install third-party ad blockers directly on the device’s operating system. This isn’t currently possible on Roku devices.

If ad blocking is a priority for you, switching to an Amazon Fire TV, Apple TV, Android TV box, or jailbroken Fire Stick allows you to install advanced ad blockers for the most effective blocking.

Deal with Ads or Pay for Premium Subscriptions

If the above options don’t appeal to you or prove ineffective, your remaining choices are:

  • Tolerate the ads on free streaming channels
  • Pay for premium subscriptions on services like Netflix and Hulu that don’t have ads

No ad blocking solution is perfect, especially as streaming providers find new ways to circumvent blockers. Depending on your budget and tolerance for ads, paying for commercial-free plans may provide the best viewing experience.

In Summary

While Roku devices themselves don’t support ad blockers natively, there are several workarounds to reduce video ads during streaming sessions:

  • Use Roku’s built-in ad limits and controls
  • Configure a third-party DNS filtering service
  • Install Pi-Hole ad blocking software
  • Connect a VPN on your Roku for ad blocking
  • Switch to streaming hardware that supports ad blockers
  • Stick to premium streaming plans without ads

Combining multiple methods, like DNS filtering + VPN, can provide the most effective ad blocking on Roku devices. Be prepared to tweak settings or try different services to find what works best for your streaming needs.

I hope this guide gives you some options to take back control from disruptive video ads on your Roku player! Let me know if you have any other questions.