Is There an Undetectable Ad Block?

Ever since the relatively early days of the internet, ads have been a source of annoyance. From the original old-school pop-ups to more recent ads that flash or play sound and video without your permission, it can be hard to browse in peace.

Not only can ads be annoying, but they can also actually be a danger to you and your computer. Enterprising hackers have been known to inject viruses, trojans, and malware into seemingly innocuous adverts. These can be used for a variety of purposes, from installing ransom-ware onto your system, to secretly tracking your data, and potentially even stealing your personal information and bank details.

Ads also slow down the browsing experience. If you’ve not got a high-speed connection or a good computer, they can make loading a webpage feel like wading through molasses.

Ads Off to You

The problem, of course, is that the internet is mostly paid for by ad revenue. Google made their billions by hosting other peoples’ ads for them, and most free websites rely on people clicking on the ads they show to pay for their costs.

This has resulted in an arms race between the creators of ad block services, and the software engineers responsible for ensuring the ads show up on your screen as intended.

Coders on both sides make advances and take losses, which means that a site that detected an ad blocker one day might not after the codebase is updated. The opposite is also true, as new methods of detection are constantly being developed and refined.

The question is, then, is there an undetectable ad block out there that can get past all of the current methods of detection?

The simple answer is no because the world of ad blocking is a constantly changing battlefield. Fortunately, there is something that you can do to enhance your ad blocker’s chances of slipping through the net undetected.

Read the Script

By adding a custom script and filter list, you can enable it to bypass as many ad-block-detectors as the authors have managed to subvert. These lists are updated as the playing field changes, but such is the nature of the game that they won’t work for every website every time. They will increase your chances of getting through, though.

1. Make sure your ad blocker is installed on your browser. Adblock, Adblock Plus, and uBlock Origin are all solid choices.
2. You will need to install a script manager into your browser. Tampermonkey or Greasemonkey (Firefox only) are your best options for this. Once downloaded, and installed, restart your browser. You’re now ready to install user-scripts.
3. Next, you need to subscribe to the filter list. You can do so by clicking this link, then clicking on the ‘subscribe button’, then clicking ‘Ok’ on the pop-down window.
4. Finally, add a user script to your ad blocker by clicking one of the following links, then clicking on the install button.
   1. com
   2. org
   3. com

Once you’ve installed these additions to your ad blocker successfully, you should find that many websites that caught you should now let you through with your blocker intact. If any sites are still catching you out, there’s one other thing you can try.

A Hot Cup of JavaScript

This option should work to allow you in to websites that weren’t unblocked by the previous method. By disabling JavaScript, you’ll stop most websites attempts to detect your ad blocker.

Keep in mind though that many websites rely on JavaScript to function properly, meaning this might not be the perfect solution for every site. Our walkthrough is for Chrome, but the process for other browsers should be similar.

1. Click on the Site Info button. This is to the left of the address bar.
2. Click on ‘Site settings.’
3. Click on the drop-down menu next to JavaScript.
4. Click on ‘Block.’
   

This should work to bypass the website’s ad block checks, though this only works on a site-by-site basis. So you’ll have to follow the same process for any other website that your blocker doesn’t work on.

Advertising… Advertising Never Changes

While there isn’t an infallible, undetectable ad blocker available currently, these methods should help you to get past the majority of sites that detect blockers. As it’s a constantly evolving battle between ad blockers and ad hosts, keep in mind that no solution is guaranteed to be a permanent one.

More popular websites run by wealthier companies are more likely to have the resources to bring to bear against the ad blockers, so don’t be surprised if you’re suddenly getting ads on YouTube again.

If you’ve found an ad blocker that works everywhere, or have a solution we’ve missed, be sure to let us know in the comments.