You can reduce ads on Facebook, but you cannot turn them off completely

Facebook does not have a setting that removes all ads. The platform makes money from advertising, so ads will always appear in your feed, in Stories, and in other places. What you can do is limit which ads you see, tell Facebook to show you fewer ads from specific companies, and hide ads that are particularly annoying or irrelevant to you.

The steps below work on both the Facebook website and the mobile app. Some options take effect immediately; others may take a few days as Facebook's system processes your preferences.

Key Takeaways

  • You cannot remove all ads from Facebook, but you can hide individual ads and tell Facebook not to show you ads from specific businesses.
  • The "Ad Preferences" section lets you control what topics Facebook thinks you are interested in, which changes the ads you see.
  • Hiding ads one at a time trains Facebook's system over time, but does not permanently block that advertiser.
  • Using a browser extension or ad blocker may hide some ads, but Facebook actively works against these tools and they are not reliable.

Hide individual ads as they appear in your feed

The fastest way to stop seeing a specific ad is to hide it. When you hide an ad, Facebook removes it from your feed immediately and notes your preference. If you do this repeatedly with ads from the same company, Facebook will eventually show you fewer ads from that advertiser.

On the Facebook website or app, hover over or tap any ad in your feed. A small menu icon (three dots or a downward arrow) appears in the top right corner of the ad. Tap or click it, then select "Hide ad" from the menu. Facebook will ask why you hid it — you can choose "I don't want to see this" or "It's not relevant to me." Selecting a reason helps Facebook learn your preferences, though it is not required.

Repeat this process whenever you see an ad you do not want. Over time, Facebook will show you fewer ads in categories you consistently hide. This method works but requires ongoing action on your part.

Block ads from a specific business or advertiser

If you keep seeing ads from the same company and want to stop, you can block that advertiser entirely. When you block a business, you will not see ads from that company anymore, though Facebook may still show you ads from similar businesses in the same category.

Find an ad from the advertiser you want to block. Tap or click the menu icon (three dots or arrow) on that ad. Select "Block advertiser" or "Don't see ads from [Company Name]." Facebook will confirm the action and remove ads from that business from your feed.

You can block as many advertisers as you want. There is no limit. If you change your mind later, you can unblock them through your Ad Preferences settings (see the next section).

Adjust your Ad Preferences to control what Facebook thinks you like

Facebook builds a profile of your interests based on your activity — pages you follow, posts you like, links you click, and websites you visit outside Facebook. It uses this profile to decide which ads to show you. You can view and edit these interests directly.

On the Facebook website, click the menu icon (three horizontal lines) in the bottom left corner, then scroll down and click "Settings and privacy," then "Settings." On the mobile app, tap the menu icon, scroll to "Settings and privacy," and tap "Settings."

Look for "Ads" in the left sidebar (website) or scroll down to find it (app). Click or tap "Ad Preferences." You will see several sections: "Advertisers you have seen," "Your interests," "Advertisers who have uploaded your contact information," and "Blocked advertisers."

In the "Your interests" section, you will see a list of topics Facebook thinks you care about — things like "Technology," "Sports," "Fashion," or "Home and Garden." You can remove any interest by clicking or tapping the X next to it. Removing interests does not delete your account data; it just tells Facebook not to use that interest to target ads to you. You can add interests back later if you change your mind.

Review which advertisers have your contact information

Some companies buy contact lists (email addresses or phone numbers) and upload them to Facebook to target ads at people they already know. Facebook shows you which advertisers have done this in your Ad Preferences.

In the "Advertisers who have uploaded your contact information" section of Ad Preferences, you will see a list of companies that have matched your email or phone number to your Facebook account. You cannot prevent companies from uploading lists, but you can see who has done it.

If you see an advertiser on this list and do not want to see their ads, click or tap the advertiser's name and select "Block advertiser." This removes their ads from your feed, though they may still have your contact information on file.

Use browser settings to limit ad tracking across the web

Facebook tracks your activity on other websites to build your interest profile and target ads more precisely. You can limit this tracking through your browser settings, which may reduce the relevance of ads you see on Facebook.

Most modern browsers have a "Do Not Track" or privacy setting. On Chrome, click the menu icon (three dots) in the top right, go to "Settings," then "Privacy and security," and turn on "Do Not Track." On Safari, click "Safari" in the top menu, select "Settings," go to the "Privacy" tab, and check "Prevent cross-site tracking." On Firefox, click the menu icon, go to "Settings," select "Privacy and Security," and choose "Strict" under "Enhanced Tracking Protection."

These settings tell websites and advertisers not to track you, but Facebook and other major platforms do not always honor this request. The effect is limited, but it is worth enabling if you want to reduce tracking.

Why ad blockers and extensions do not reliably work on Facebook

Browser extensions and ad blockers can hide some ads on Facebook, but they are not reliable. Facebook actively updates its code to work around ad blockers, so extensions that work today may stop working next week. Additionally, some ad blockers slow down your browser or cause Facebook features to break.

If you want to try an ad blocker anyway, popular options include uBlock Origin, Adblock Plus, and AdGuard. Install one from your browser's extension store, then reload Facebook. Some ads may disappear, but you will likely still see many. Do not expect complete ad removal.

A more stable approach is to use the native privacy settings in your browser (described above) combined with Facebook's own Ad Preferences. This method is slower but more reliable over time.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I pay Facebook to remove all ads?

No. Facebook does not offer an ad-free subscription for the regular Facebook app or website. Meta (Facebook's parent company) does offer Meta Quest+ and other paid services, but these do not remove ads from Facebook itself. Ads are how Facebook funds the platform.

Will hiding ads stop Facebook from showing me ads in that category?

Not immediately. Hiding ads trains Facebook's system over time. If you hide ads about fitness repeatedly, Facebook will eventually show you fewer fitness ads. But one hidden ad does not stop an entire category. You need to hide multiple ads to see a pattern change.

If I block an advertiser, can they still see my information?

Blocking an advertiser stops their ads from appearing in your feed, but it does not prevent them from having your information if they uploaded a contact list to Facebook. Blocking only affects what you see, not what data Facebook shares with advertisers.

Do I have to remove interests from Ad Preferences, or will Facebook figure it out if I ignore ads?

Facebook learns from both actions. Removing interests directly is faster and more reliable. Ignoring or hiding ads works too, but it takes longer for Facebook to adjust. If you want immediate results, remove the interests manually.

What happens if I turn off all ad tracking in my browser?

Turning on "Do Not Track" or "Prevent cross-site tracking" tells websites not to follow you across the web. This may reduce how much Facebook knows about your interests outside Facebook, which could make ads less relevant. However, Facebook still tracks your activity within Facebook itself, so you will still see ads based on what you do on the platform.