This article has been updated. An earlier version of this guide recommended a system level ad blocking program called Adfender to block ads in Microsoft Edge. That approach is no longer recommended. Adfender has not been meaningfully updated in years, and running a local proxy to filter traffic is an outdated and needlessly complex way to block ads in a modern browser.
Edge has supported browser extensions since January 2020, when Microsoft rebuilt it on the Chromium engine. That means you can now use the same reliable, free ad blockers that work in Chrome and Firefox, without installing any separate system software.
The best free ad blocker for Edge
uBlock Origin is the top choice. It is free, open source, and widely regarded as the most efficient ad blocker available. It blocks banner ads, video ads, popups, trackers and malicious domains, while using very little memory or CPU. Install it from the Microsoft Edge Add-ons store and it works immediately.
For the future, when Edge eventually moves fully to the Manifest V3 extension standard, uBlock Origin Lite is the version designed for that standard and is equally worth having.
Why the old system level approach is gone
- Proxy based ad blockers intercept your traffic, which adds complexity and can interfere with secure connections.
- They require separate installation and configuration outside the browser.
- Modern browsers have native extension support, so the workaround they existed for no longer applies.
Blocking ads in every app with DNS filtering
If your goal is to block ads beyond the browser, in desktop apps or across all devices, use DNS based filtering instead of a local proxy. Services like AdGuard DNS and NextDNS block advertising domains at the network level, across every application, with no software to install.
Getting started
- Open Microsoft Edge and visit the Edge Add-ons store.
- Search for uBlock Origin and click Get.
- Confirm the installation prompt and you are done.
That is all it takes to block ads in Microsoft Edge in 2026. No payware, no proxy configuration, just a free extension from the official store.