Tired of Snapchat Ads? Here’s How To Disable or Block Unwanted Ads in 2025

If it seems like more ads are popping up in your Snapchat feed, you're right. In November 2024, Snapchat launched Sponsored Snaps, or ads that populate your Chat feed. 

Snapchat collects your data, including images of you, so that you receive a targeted ad experience. If you want to stop intrusive ads, you can take steps to reduce and even eliminate Snapchat ads from the app.

The best ad blockers will work on your computer and browser and may even work on the root functions of your phone to block ads within apps like Snapchat. Below, we outline how to disable targeted ads in the app and what other steps you can take to protect your privacy.

Featured ad blockers for Snapchat

How to disable Snapchat ads

While you won’t be able to disable Snapchat ads completely from just the app itself, you can disable Audience-Based, Activity-Based, and Third-Party Ad Networks. These are all forms of targeted ads that use your Snapchat data and personal information to send you ads based on your activities and preferences.

The steps to turn off targeted ads are easy.

Open Snapchat app

Open your Snapchat app and navigate to the Picture, Stories, or Spotlight options at the bottom. In the top left corner, you’ll see your Bitmoji (or other avatar). Click it to get into your account.

Access Snapchat Settings

Once in your account, you can click the gear in the top right corner to access Settings.

Navigate to Additional Services

You’ll want to scroll down the settings page until you find the Additional Services menu. There, you’ll find Ad Preferences. Click on that.

Toggle off ads

Finally, you’ll want to toggle off which ads you don’t want to see. For privacy reasons, we suggest turning them all off.

How to block Snapchat ads using an ad blocker

If you access Snapchat from a web browser, one of the best ad blockers we’ve tested should be able to remove ads from your experience.

If you use your mobile device to access Snapchat, as most people do, then you’ll want an ad blocker that works at the root of your phone. This means it provides more protection than a browser extension. You’ll probably have to enable root permissions, and during setup, there will likely be a warning that the app you’re installing can make changes and view your activity at the root processing of your phone.

As long as you’re using a reputable ad blocker downloaded from a trusted source (from the app store or the app’s official website), allowing these permissions shouldn’t be a problem.

How to get rid of Snapchat ads with an ad blocker

1. Download the ad blocker of your choice.
2. Sign up for services.
3. Activate the ad blocker, allowing all permissions.
4. Finish setup.
5. Reboot your phone by turning it off and back on again.
6. Open Snapchat and enjoy an ad-free experience.

If you want to set up a manual block list or have that capability with your ad blocker, Reddit users have reported success blocking Snapchat ads by adding this domain to the blocklist: (\.|^)snapads\.com$

We only recommend using manual block lists if you are sure you know exactly what you’re doing. Otherwise, you could disable essential processes that make your phone or mobile device work.

What is My Selfie on Snapchat?

The My Selfie feature on Snapchat lets you set up an image of yourself that you and your friends — and Snapchat’s Generative AI — can use to create “novel images” of you. Basically, it lets you put your face into different images, situations, etc., for funsies.

It’s also a way to serve you ads. Frankly, we think it’s creepy. We don’t really want a corporation using our face in the targeted ads it’s pushing. That sends us down a rabbit hole of facial recognition software nightmares. To avoid this, it’s a good idea to disable My Selfie in ads (or don’t set it up at all).

To disable My Selfie in ads:

1. Open Snapchat on your phone.
2. Click your Bitmoji or avatar in the top left corner (See image above).
3. Click the gear in the top right corner (See image above).
4. Scroll to the My Selfie setting and click it.
5. Uncheck the box that says See My Selfie in Ads.

Why does Snapchat have so many ads now?

Snapchat makes it clear in its privacy policy that the platform collects data to offer you personalized ads. With over 443 million active users per day (and 850+ million users overall), that’s a lot of targeted advertising.

So if you think there are more ads than there used to be, you’re right. Snapchat launched serious efforts to boost its advertising revenue in 2022, and the company is seeing results, partly due to Sponsored Snaps.

Snapchat greenlit the inclusion of ads in the Chat feed as of November 2024 — in partnership with Disney. The first Sponsored Snap was to promote the premiere of “Moana 2.” You’re not alone if you’re annoyed by the barrage of “unskippable ads” in your Chat feed, but you can clear Snapchat’s Sponsored Snaps by pressing the ad and clicking Clear from Chat Feed.

FAQs

Bottom line

Snapchat ads are intrusive, and there’s really no other way to describe them. From using your likeness in ads with My Selfie to using data for targeted ads, they’re just doing too much. You can reduce the data collection by turning off certain types of ads directly in your Snapchat account, but your best bet is to install a quality ad blocker.

Targeted ads, data harvesting, and other intrusive practices are only going to get worse, so you need to take steps to protect yourself. Ad blockers are a solid first step to taking back control of your privacy. Make sure you use one of the best ad blockers to keep your devices and your information secure.