Nothing makes a phone browser unusable faster than a pop up ad that covers the page, follows your scroll, and refuses to close. Here is how to cut most of it out for free.

Start With the Browser Settings

Most mobile browsers have a content blocking setting and it is off by default.

1. Open browser settings and find site settings or content settings.
2. Turn on pop up blocking.
3. Turn on JavaScript blocking for unknown sites if your browser offers it. Some pages break, but the ad heavy ones get much better.

Change Your Search Habits

Most pop up heavy sites are ones you landed on from a search result you would not have chosen otherwise. Look at the URL before you tap. If it is a long chain of random words and numbers, skip it. If the result is from a site you recognize, you probably will not get a pop up at all.

Android and iPhone Specifics

• Android: use a browser that supports extensions and install a content blocker. Chrome on Android does not support extensions.
• iPhone: Safari supports content blockers installed as apps. Turn one on in Safari settings.
• Both: set a private DNS if your phone supports it. It filters some ad domains before the page even loads.

One more thing that helped me: when a site throws up a full screen ad with a tiny X, tap the X once and wait two seconds. Jabbing at it repeatedly usually opens the ad instead of closing it.