Why is your Facebook feed suddenly full of ads?
Your Facebook feed is full of ads because the platform has a sophisticated advertising system that uses data collected both from your activity on the platform and from your browsing behavior across other websites and apps. This way, Facebook can target ads more precisely.
Every time you like a post, comment on content, or even pause while scrolling your Facebook feed, Facebook takes notes. These interactions signal your interests to advertisers. Like cooking posts? Expect kitchen gadget ads. Engage with fitness content? Get ready for workout gear promotions, which will be abundant to say the least. No wonder you’d like to hide ads or block them altogether.
Facebook also collects data about your activity on other websites and apps through tracking tools like the Facebook Pixel. This means that the hiking backpack you researched on another site can trigger related ads on Facebook. These practices may feel intrusive and overwhelming, which can result in a search for how to get rid of ads on Facebook. Although you can’t get rid of all the ads on Facebook, you can tailor your ad experience to your preferences — and if this option doesn’t satisfy you either, maybe consider closing your account and looking for a less ad-swamped platform?
Things you should know about getting rid of ads on Facebook
Although you can’t opt out of or completely block ads on Facebook, you can adjust your preferences to let Facebook know which ads you prefer. By using the built-in tools, adjusting account settings, and hiding specific ads, you can at least reduce the number of unwanted advertisements and make your Facebook more private.
How to control ad preferences on Facebook
In your Facebook account, you can view and adjust your ad preferences. To access these settings:
- 1.Click on your profile picture in the top right corner.
- 2.Go to “Settings and privacy” then “Settings.”
- 3.Navigate to “Accounts center” (with the Meta logo above it) and click “Ad preferences.”
There you can review the list of interests Facebook has assigned to you and remove irrelevant categories. You can also block specific companies (aka advertisers) from showing you ads.
How to turn off personalized ads on Facebook
To turn off personalized ads on Facebook, tap your profile picture in the top right corner, then:
- 1.Select “Settings and privacy.”
- 2.From there, navigate to “Settings,” then “Accounts center.”
- 3.Tap “Ad preferences.”
- 4.Then tap “Ad settings.”
- 5.Tap “Ad experience” and select either “Personalized ads” or “Less-personalized ads.”
But think carefully before making your choice. Either way, you’ll still see the same number of ads in your feed — the only difference is whether those ads will match your interests or feel irrelevant and spammy.
How to mark unwanted ads on Facebook
When you encounter an unwanted ad in your feed, you can let Facebook know you don’t want to see it again. Clicking the three dots in the top right corner of the ad gives you several options:
- Hide the ad.
- Report the ad if it’s inappropriate or otherwise harmful.
- Find out why you’re seeing this ad. If you choose this option, Facebook will show you the advertiser and give you the options to hide the ad or navigate straight to your ad preferences to update them.
Your feedback helps Facebook’s algorithm understand your preferences and limit similar ads in the future. Although this influences what ads you’ll see in the future, it doesn’t reduce the number of ads you’ll see.
How to stop targeted advertising on Facebook
You can stop targeted advertising on Facebook in a few easy steps:
- 1.Navigate to your “Accounts center” and tap “Ad preferences.”
- 2.Tap “Ad settings.”
- 3.Then, tap “Activity information from ad partners.”
- 4.Select “Review settings.”
- 5.Tap “No, don’t make my ads more relevant by using this information” (“this information” here means your activity information from ad partners).
This prevents Facebook from using data collected from other websites and apps (aka ad partners) to target ads to you, though Facebook will still use your on-platform activity for ad targeting.
Is there an “ad-free” zone on Facebook?
No, Facebook doesn’t have a built-in ad-free experience because the platform relies on advertising revenue to operate. However, Facebook offers a paid subscription service available in some regions that completely removes ads from your linked Facebook and Instagram account feeds. This option is only available to users in the European Union, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway, Switzerland, and the United Kingdom. If you live outside these regions, your best approach to control your ad experience to a certain degree is to combine Facebook’s built-in ad management tools with third-party solutions for ad blocking.
Other ways deal with ads on Facebook
Beyond adjusting your Facebook account settings, you can opt for other solutions to reduce unwanted targeting.
- 1.
Use an ad blocker
Ad blockers can help protect you from malicious advertisements and reduce the overall number of ads you see on Facebook. That said, keep in mind that ad blockers are more effective on Facebook’s web version than within the mobile app, where ads are more deeply embedded into the platform’s code. NordVPN’s ad blocker can help you see less ads when you use Facebook in your web browser.
- 2.
Use a VPN
A reliable service like NordVPN can add an extra layer of privacy to your Facebook browsing by changing your IP address, which may reduce location-based ad targeting. NordVPN’s Threat Protection Pro™ also improves your security on Facebook by guarding against Facebook scams and malvertising — it warns you if you accidentally click on a phishing link or a malicious ad so you can stop interacting with it.
However, while a VPN changes your IP address and can throw off geotargeting, Facebook and advertisers primarily rely on cookies and your on-platform behavior for ad targeting. Since cookies are stored in your browser, a VPN alone won't prevent Facebook from tracking your interests based on your likes, shares, and your off-Facebook activity.
One more way to improve your privacy on this social platform is to delete your Facebook search history.
- 3.
Report inappropriate ads
If you spot a suspicious, misleading, or potentially harmful ad on Facebook, report it immediately — click the three dots in the corner of the ad and select “Report ad.” The ads you report will not be shown to you again. Facebook relies on user reports to identify scams, phishing attempts, and inappropriate content, so your action helps protect both you and other users.
Why should you block ads on Facebook?
Facebook ads aren’t just annoying — they can pose security and privacy risks. Cybercriminals may use Facebook’s advertising platform to launch malvertising campaigns that distribute malicious software and steal personal information. These malicious ads often look legitimate, making them particularly dangerous.
Facebook’s advertising system also collects extensive data about your browsing habits both on and off the platform to create a detailed profile that it shares with advertisers. For more on the topic, check out our blog post on what Facebook knows about you.
You can also stop Facebook from sharing your information with third-party apps. To do so, go to “Settings and privacy” > “Settings” > “Apps and websites” and either remove individual apps or turn off the “Apps, websites, and games” setting completely. However, keep in mind that by turning the feature off, you will no longer be able to log in to those services with your Facebook account. On the bright side, those services will no longer be able to access any of your Facebook profile information.
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