This Tool Can Block Ads in Almost Any iPhone App
This Tool Can Block Ads in Almost Any iPhone App
https://lifehacker.com/tech/this-tool-can-block-ads-in-almost-any-iphone-app
Publish Date: 2026-06-01 14:40:00
Source Domain: lifehacker.com
While iOS added support for ad blockers roughly a decade ago, those apps don’t do much for ads outside Safari. To block in-app ads, such as the ones you see in Apple’s apps, you’ve had to install a VPN or a DNS-based ad blocker separately, which came with their own drawbacks and limitations. That’s now changing, thanks to a new iOS 26 feature called URL filters. This new feature lets developers block or allows URL requests by checking those URLs against their own internal list. As such, the feature allows ad blockers to extend their reach outside of Safari, so you can block ads in other apps as well.
How “URL filters” improve ad blockers on iOS
There are a few advantages to using ad blockers with URL filters enabled. The new feature is better for your privacy, since the apps using URL filters can’t access your traffic data. That way, your ad blocker can keep ads from getting to you, without actually having to see what you’re doing. URL filters also reduce the chances of breaking webpages, since the feature blocks URLs one by one, rather than blocking entire domains. Plus, you can use an ad blocker that supports URL filters alongside your VPN, DNS-based blocker, or iCloud Private Relay, so it’s not one or the other.
I first encountered this advantage with the ad blocker I’ve been using for the past two years: Wipr 2. Wipr 2’s developer recently released a new feature called Filtr, which uses iOS 26’s URL filters to block ads outside of Safari. This should work with many apps that show ads, including third-party browsers such as Google Chrome. I purchased Filtr as soon as I heard about it, and after testing it for a couple of weeks, I’ve seen some positive changes in my browsing experience.
Using an ad blocker with URL filters, like Wipr 2
I can confirm that Filtr blocked ads on Chrome for iOS, Firefox Mobile, and most other apps that use third-party ad networks, for that matter. Google News doesn’t have its own ads, but whenever you tap on…
