How To Block Twitter Ads

While X (formerly Twitter) relies on advertising to stay afloat, your personal data doesn't need to pay the price. You can block Twitter ads by tweaking your Twitter privacy settings, using a privacy browser, or employing the best ad blockers.

In this article, we'll recommend tools to effectively block those pesky ads and guide you through how to change privacy settings for an ad-free Twitter experience.

How to block Twitter ads

If you’re a Twitter user, you are likely familiar with seeing ads, promoted accounts, and other nuisances cluttering your timeline. Here are four ways you can block ads on Twitter for a better social media experience:

1. Download an ad blocker
2. Change your Twitter privacy settings
3. Use a privacy browser
4. Limit ad tracking on an iPhone

Download an ad blocker

An ad blocker is a powerful tool in the modern user's digital arsenal. Ad blockers can filter out advertising content, such as promoted posts and pop-up ads, providing you with a cleaner and faster browsing experience.

By installing an ad blocker, you can significantly reduce the number of ads you see on Twitter. Here’s how to download and use an ad blocker to block Twitter ads:

1. Choose a reputable ad blocker.
2. Visit the official website or your web browser's extension store to download the ad blocker. Make sure to download from a trusted source to avoid malicious software.
3. Follow the installation prompts to add the ad blocker extension to your browser or install the mobile app on your device.
4. Once installed, open the ad blocker's interface and ensure it's activated. Some ad blockers require you to enable specific features for optimal performance.
5. Navigate to Twitter through your browser or app. The ad blocker should automatically filter out most ads, including promoted tweets and sidebar promotions.
6. If ads are still appearing, check the ad blocker settings. You may need to update your filter lists or adjust the strictness of the blocking features.

Best ad blockers for Twitter

There are numerous ad blockers you can use for blocking Twitter ads. Here are three options for you to consider:

• Total Adblock: Known for its user-friendly interface and effective blocking capabilities, Total Adblock offers a seamless way to remove ads from your Twitter feed and other sites. It offers browser extensions for Google Chrome, Mozilla Firefox, Safari, and Microsoft Edge, as well as apps for iOS and Android.
  
  Get Total Adblock | Read Total Adblock Review
  
• NordVPN Threat Protection: While primarily a VPN service, NordVPN's Threat Protection feature can also block ads and protect against malware. It's an all-in-one solution for those who value privacy alongside an ad-free experience.
  
  Get NordVPN Threat Protection | Read NordVPN Threat Protection Review
  
• BlockZilla: This comprehensive ad blocker is designed to offer heavy-duty blocking against ads and trackers. It's particularly adept at handling social media platforms like Twitter to ensure a clean browsing space.

Best Basic Adblocker — Including YouTube Video Ads

4.3

AllAboutCookies writers and editors score products based on a number of objective features as well as our expert editorial assessment. Our partners do not influence how we rate products.

Editorial Rating

Learn More

On Total Adblock's website

Ad Blocker

Total Adblock

Special deal: Save 75% off

• Instantly blocks distracting ads on millions of websites, including YouTube video ads
• Blocks third-party trackers to protect your privacy and information
• Improves page load times and enables faster browsing
• Free version excludes top 15,000 websites

Change your Twitter privacy settings

You can also directly influence the number of ads you see on Twitter by adjusting your privacy settings. Twitter provides a setting to opt out of personalized ads. This doesn't remove all ads but will limit the platform's ability to show targeted advertising, thus, resulting in a less invasive social media experience.

How to opt out of personalized Twitter ads on a desktop:

1. Log in to your Twitter account and click More in the left-hand menu.
2. Select Settings and privacy from the drop-down menu.
3. Navigate to Privacy and safety and click Content you see.
4. Look for Ad preferences and click Personalization and data.
5. You will find a setting labeled Personalize ads. Toggle this off to opt out of personalized ads.
6. Twitter may ask you to confirm your choice. If so, confirm that you wish to disable personalized ads.

How to opt out of personalized Twitter ads on a mobile:

1. From the Twitter app, tap on your profile icon.
2. Select Settings and privacy > Privacy and safety.
3. Under Data sharing and off-Twitter activity, tap on Ad preferences.
4. Tap Personalization and data at the bottom.
5. Disable the option for Personalize ads to opt out.
6. Confirm your selection, if prompted, to ensure these changes are applied to your account.

Use a privacy browser

For those looking to take their digital privacy to the next level, using a privacy browser can be a game changer. Brave blocks ads and trackers by default, making it an excellent tool if you want to use Twitter without ads interruptions.

When you use Brave to navigate to Twitter, the browser automatically filters out the noise — ads are blocked, leaving you with just the content you want to see. This not only enhances your browsing experience on Twitter but also improves loading times and protects your data from trackers that often accompany social media ads.

Limit ad tracking on an iPhone

Apple has long championed privacy as a fundamental right. This is reflected in the features embedded within its devices.

Apple provides a feature to limit ad tracking, which can be helpful if you use Twitter on an iPhone running iOS 13 or later. This function doesn't block ads entirely but restricts advertisers from using your data to serve targeted ads. By enabling this feature, you can reduce the number of personalized ads you encounter across all apps on your device.

To enhance your privacy and reduce ad tracking, follow these steps:

1. Open the iPhone settings app.
2. Scroll down and tap Privacy & Security.
3. Find and select Apple Advertising.
4. Toggle off Personalized Ads to prevent advertisers from targeting you.
5. You can also view and reset your Ad Targeting Information in this section, which can further limit tracking, as it removes the data advertisers have collected about you.

Why should I block Twitter ads?

The reasons to block Twitter ads extend beyond them being annoying. A clutter-free Twitter timeline ensures that the tweets you see are from people you choose to follow, not chosen by advertisers. This streamlined experience not only enhances your enjoyment but also improves the platform's usability, making it easier to engage with content that genuinely interests you.

Moreover, blocking Twitter ads serves as a precautionary measure against potential adware and malware, which can sometimes be disguised within or distributed through malicious ads. By preventing these ads from appearing, you significantly reduce the risk of inadvertently compromising your device's security.

Beyond these practical benefits, there's a compelling argument for privacy. Advertisements on Twitter are often tailored to your behavior and preferences through extensive tracking. By blocking ads, you limit the amount of data that advertisers can collect, helping to preserve your anonymity online.

In an era where digital footprints are closely monitored, controlling what you share indirectly through ad interactions is a proactive step toward maintaining your privacy. Check out our social media safety tips for more information.

Featured ad blockers to consider

Ad blocker
Best For	Best for blocking YouTube ads	Best overall	Best for blocking streaming ads
Price	Paid plan costs $1.99/mo (billed annually)	Starts at $3.99/mo	Starts at $2.29/mo (billed biennially)
Blocks YouTube ads
Learn more	Get Total Adblock	Get NordVPN Threat Protection	Get Surfshark CleanWeb

FAQs on blocking Twitter ads

Bottom line

Taking the initiative to block Twitter ads can vastly enhance your social media experience. It not only declutters your feed but also fortifies your defense against potential security threats and reinforces your online privacy. By leveraging the tools and settings discussed, from Twitter ad blockers to privacy browsers to adjusting your settings, you can take significant strides toward a more focused and personalized Twitter journey.

For those particularly eager to enjoy an ad-free mobile experience on Twitter, reading our curated guides on the best ad blockers for iPhone and best ad blockers for Android will provide you with the resources to make an informed decision.

Remember, your online space is yours to curate and protect. By understanding and utilizing the tools to block Twitter ads, you're setting the stage for a safer, cleaner, and more enjoyable social networking environment.

Best Basic Adblocker — Including YouTube Video Ads

4.3

AllAboutCookies writers and editors score products based on a number of objective features as well as our expert editorial assessment. Our partners do not influence how we rate products.

Editorial Rating

Learn More

On Total Adblock's website

Ad Blocker

Total Adblock

Special deal: Save 75% off

• Instantly blocks distracting ads on millions of websites, including YouTube video ads
• Blocks third-party trackers to protect your privacy and information
• Improves page load times and enables faster browsing
• Free version excludes top 15,000 websites

Author Details

Ryan L. Clancy

About the Author

Ryan Clancy is a freelance writer and blogger. With 5+ years of mechanical engineering experience, he's passionate about all things engineering and tech. He loves bringing engineering (especially mechanical) down to a level that everyone can understand.