How to block ads in Chrome without an extension
Google is making changes to Chrome that will affect how Windows users can block advertisements. This is disappointing because adblocking tools allow users to block malicious ads, links to viruses, unsafe pages, and even phishing attack websites while allowing safe advertisements they like.
You can protect your Windows PC from intrusive ads in Google Chrome with Adguard. Adguard is a service that allows for advertisement blocking through an app you install and a DNS blocking service. Here’s how to set it up on your Windows system.
Before we begin
We are using Adguard to get around Google Chrome’s browser changes with Manifest V3. However, the program works in any browser you use on Windows. Even ones that don’t officially support blocking.
How to protect Google Chrome on your Windows PC with Adguard Home
The best way Windows users can get around the upcoming Manifest V3 changes in Google Chrome is by downloading the Adguard Home application to your computer. It blocks advertisements inside Chrome without actually connecting to the browser, getting around the browser changes.
Follow the step-by-step instructions below to get your hands on Adguard Home for your Windows PC.
- Head over to the official Adguard website. Once there, find the “Download” button with the Windows logo on it. Selecting this button will download Adguard to your computer.
- After Adguard is done downloading to your computer, open up the Windows File Explorer, and select the “Downloads” button. Inside the “Downloads” folder, select the “adguardInstaller.exe” file.
- Once you double-click on the Adguard installation file, the Windows UAC prompt will appear. This window says, “Do you want to allow this app to make changes to your device?” Select “Yes” to allow the program to modify Windows.
- After selecting the “Yes” option, the Adguard installer will open and show you a window that says “Installing AdGuard.” Next, find the green “Install” button, and select it with the mouse to set it up on your computer.
The installation of AdGuard on Windows shouldn’t take long. You will see a window with “Installation” completed successfully when the process is complete. Close this window, then find “AdGuard” on the desktop and double-click on it to open it.
How to use Adguard Home on Windows
Once you’ve opened Adguard on your Windows PC, you’ll see a pop-up window that says “Configure protection.” Select the “Let’s do it!” button to configure your Adguard preferences. 
After selecting “Let’s do it!” you must configure adblocking. Next, select “Automatically apply language-specific filters. Then, click the “Proceed” button to continue. 
On the next page, you must choose what kind of web content you’d like to block (social buttons, etc.) Select the “Social widgets” and the “Online assistants” buttons. Click “Proceed when done.
You’ll now need to configure your “privacy protection” in Adguard. By default, it is configured to “Comfortable protection level.” We recommend changing it to “Ultimate protection level.”
After setting up your privacy protection, Adguard asks you to configure its security features. By default, it restricts access to fraudulent and infected sites. Leave it as is unless you feel these features should be turned off. Select “Proceed” when done to move to the next page.
You’ll now be prompted to download the browser assistant. This step is optional, so feel free to skip it. After moving past the browser extension page, you must configure HTTPS filtering. Select “Filter HTTPS protocol” and “Filter websites with EV certificates.”
Configure custom filters
The Adguard Windows application has support for filters built-in. The default ad-blocking filters work but miss quite a lot. You must enable filters to get the most out of Adguard in Google Chrome.
Open up Adguard by right-clicking on it in the Windows system tray. Then, once it is open, locate “Ad Blocker.” Once in the “Ad Blocker” area, find the “Add a filter” button, and select it with the mouse.
When you select “Add a filter,” a pop-up menu will appear. This pop-up window has a lot of optional filters (all of which are not enabled.) For the best blocking experience in Google Chrome, locate “EasyList” and enable it. Then, find “Easy Privacy” and enable that too.
After enabling these two filters, you’ll be a lot safer online. However, many other filters are available if you wish to enable more filters.
Configure DNS protection in Adguard
In addition to blocking advertisements on Windows via their external program, Adguard can protect you via DNS filtering. Start by launching Adguard via the Windows system tray to enable DNS filtering.
Once Adguard is open, locate “DNS Protection” and click on it with the mouse. When DNS Protection is enabled, select “Open DNS filters editor.” Then, click “AdGuard DNS filter” to enable DNS filtering on your Windows system.
