yashsingh1/xdaforums huggingface dataset:
[Android Apps and Games] PerfectSlayer:
Hi all,

A small update after few months aside from the project, mainly to keep it up to date.

For root ad-blocking users, web server certificate was updated to reduce its validity time. No need to remove and reinstall it if your apss don't encounter issues with it.

The next update should focus on Android 12 migration, mongoose upgrade, and may be some UI improvements too. Will see how much energy I can find to work on it.

I also recently switched to a non rooted Pixel 6 (thanks for Google making it "affordable"), so the non-root ad-blocking method might receive some love too. I use it for a week now and it feels stable enough when you enable the watchdog option. (I'm reading Androids from Chet Haase and you can understand how much pain is was for engineers to maintain stable connection to servers compared to just writing applications. I guess it is the same kind of issue I have trying to keep the VPN connection up compared to just using the VPN API...)

Changelog:

Improve update activity to add support links and open from notification

Update web server certificate to comply with maximum validity time

Update dependencies

Update Android gradle plugin

Update NDK

Thanks:

Special thanks to rany2 for its helpful bug report.

Download:

AdAway 5.9.0
[Android Apps and Games] andrea0807:
How do I block advertising on the Facebook app with adaway?
[Android Apps and Games] Kolyei:
For now, 5.9.0 has issues with saving my hosts file even though systemless modules is installed on my phone. S20 fe 5g (sm-781u1 rooted)

Spoiler content hidden.

{Mod edit: Spoiler added for better reading and scrolling experience. - Oswald Boelcke}
[Android Apps and Games] zgfg:
When it attempts to update hosts file - do you see for short: AdAway is granted root?

Root is properly granted to AdAway?

If not, in Magisk app go to Superuser tab and remove AdAway, then open AdAway and refresh hosts sources - you should be popped-up to grant root to AdAway
[Android Apps and Games] Kolyei:
Root is granted to AdAway.
[Android Apps and Games] sow07:
I just had this issue on my Pixel 6 and it resolved after rebooting. It appears Magisk requires a reboot after enabling systemless hosts. I don't recall it saying that anywhere, but it appears to be the case. AdAway now works properly.
[Android Apps and Games] Provee:
How much performance loss and battery drain does adaway cause when run without root?
[Android Apps and Games] DiamondJohn:
Are you serious?!? the need for a reboot for root mode is everywhere! even for when it was used before magisk systemless, but magisk modules themselves are explicitly known to require a reboot before they are effective. If you search this thread for "reboot" you will get 20 pages of posts.
[Android Apps and Games] zgfg:
Agree on everything.

However, just adding the following:

- When you install a module from Magisk app it clearly asks a user that reboot is required

- However, to enable Systemless hosts, one must go to Settings page and to click on Systemless hosts.

For a very, very short, toast will say Systemless hosts module is enabled but Magisk does not warn that reboot is required

Actually, novice users likely do not know that Systemless hosts indeed works as a module (and therefore, that after enabling the reboot is required)

But yes, it has been described (here) many times that reboot us a MUST
[Android Apps and Games] sow07:
zgfg laid it out pretty accurately. In searching threads for the error I got with AdAway, the recommendation was to enable Systemless hosts in the settings menu. I did that and saw no message regarding a reboot needed. AdAway still failed. I tried the reboot just in case and voila, it worked.

Novice user might be a bit of a harsh statement given I've been rooting phones for almost 10 years, but I am admittedly much more of a user vs. developer when it comes to Magisk. That probably describes a lot of us though.

Clearly, there was at least one other user who had this problem, and I was trying to help them and others behind them, but also identify why we fell into the trap. A simple change to the menu text saying a reboot is required would probably go a long way. The alternative of expecting users to learn all the intricacies of Magisk modules, especially in the face of Canary changes, feels unreasonable. Many of us are already struggling trying to get our apps working with Denylist in the face of MagiskHide being removed (i.e. Company Outlook mail no longer working even with checking the same apps/processes as previously operating on the non Canary version with my last phone...not having work access on my daily driver is a real drag to say the least).
[Android Apps and Games] Nergal di Cuthah:
Very little as the app doesn't do anything but download the updated hosts
[Android Apps and Games] zgfg:
When running in non-root mode AdAway must constantly maintain its virtual VPN - but afaik it doesn't drain battery (however, I use the root)

Only in the root mode, it just needs to update hosts file
[Android Apps and Games] Nergal di Cuthah:
Oops I misread his post and thought it was root question missed that they said nonroot, thanks for catching that
[Android Apps and Games] gallegonovato:
Good afternoon:

Adaway should do as it did in versions 4. Reboot or not (the prompt came up for the user to choose) reboot or not after upgrading and installing the changes. It often stays on pause if you don't restart it. Putting in some source installed for a few minutes.

Magisk when you install Systemless does not tell you to reboot.

It would be convenient that Adaway put again that window that came out in versions 4.

I reboot after every update and it's fine.

But, I come to comment a strange thing that happened today, to three different devices. All root, magisk and Adaway 5.9.0 . We were having a coffee break at work. And in the meantime we hit update and download the host list updates. And we let it sit while we talked and drank the coffee. But then I noticed that all three terminals, Adaway had deleted all the host sources we had set. And I had zero, zero, zero (on the main screen). Adaway's configuration had not changed. But the list of host fonts. It had changed to the three it came with. And deleted all the others, but without changing the Adaway preferences settings.

A very rare thing. And even if you think I'm making it up or something. I'll pass.

For example in a S9+ I go from 9 lists of hosts, to the 3 of origin. In a Oneplus from 14 to the 3 of origin. And on my Nexus 6p too.

And they did not return the sources of the files, even if you reboot. You will delete cache. Good thing I had a backup and we were able to put it without a problem.

Curious and rare thing. And mysterious.

About the wiffi 5, I have not yet tested in this new version. But on rooted mobiles. And installed adaway from scratch, it happened what I said in my message. Even uninstalling and reinstalling Adaway.

Thanks a lot for your time

A big hug
[Android Apps and Games] vandyman:
I get what you are preaching.

You need to get the reboot after anything OCD, like I have. 😉

Even if you install an app from the app store, reboot.. (OCD) 🤪
[Android Apps and Games] tobenary:
Since I upgraded my OP6T to Oxygen 11.1.1.1 I started to see ads.

Chrome/apps/pop-ups.

I'm using version 5.9, and turned off data saver (also. This wasn't an issue before)

When trying to open the host file in the app, I'm getting out of that screen. And redirected into the main app screen.

I have root with permissions.

Using root explorer shows me tow files (one linked file) for the hosts file. And the two (of course) are updated to when I click update hosts.

Any help would be great.

Also, where can I change the location of the host file (like was in version 3.3) I can't see where the file is pointing to
[Android Apps and Games] Kolyei:
I made sure systemless hosts was installed before I reboot the phone. Nothing changed.

Although, I do have a backup of my allowed lists for AdAway. Should I clear all the data and start AdAway from scratch?
[Android Apps and Games] tobenary:
I renamed all the files from various locations, then, execute the ad away and created a linked objects
[Android Apps and Games] zgfg:
Check in Magisk app, in Modules tab, if Systemless hosts module is properly enabled (like any other module)

You can also check by root explorer or from TWRP (if applicable), if there is there /data/adb/modules/hosts/system/etc/hosts file - that's the file where AdAway writes when working in Systemless mode (Magisk will mount that to the /system/etc/hosts file on every reboot)
[Android Apps and Games] richardmace:
Hello, I'm new to this forum and I have a question regarding adaway configuration. I have a Magisk rooted phone with the systemless hosts module installed. I have adaway installed. Is there any configuration that I have to do to make adaway use the Magisk systemless hosts module? Thanks.
[Android Apps and Games] gallegonovato:
Good afternoon:

I wanted to ask you a question, if I may.

I wanted to use Adaway https://raw.githubusercontent.com/ftpmorph/ftpihole/master/blocklists/smartphone-ads-tracking.txt but I have a doubt. Since when I put it, Adaway recognizes it, then it does not.

Then I have a doubt. Would it be valid without the 0.0.0.0.0 or 127.0.0.0.1 or should it be ok?

Best regards
[Android Apps and Games] zgfg:
AdAway cannot work with that file. Format must be like:

0.0.0.0 click.google-analytics.com

or

127.0.0.1 click.google-analytics.com

not just

click.google-analytics.com

And not 0.0.0.0.0 or 127.0.0.0.1 (too many zeroes)
[Android Apps and Games] Nergal di Cuthah:
Nope no further configuration should be needed (of course reboot the phone after the module is installed)
[Android Apps and Games] Wolfcity:
For me as good as nothing. Doesn't even appear in BetterBatteryStats or battery settings of the device.

I don't know what should cause any battery drain, maybe a very small amount when automatically updating the sources (you can disable it),
[Android Apps and Games] DiamondJohn:
Slightly OT: I use a system that can accept the format. I added this source and checked what it added to my already >2.9M unique blocked hosts (about 970 new ones added) , and some worrying items look to me to be hosts used by the GPS, to update the satellite positions i.e."EXTRA Service" URL's in the gps.conf file. Some examples.

www.izatcloud.net
www.gpsonextra.net
xtra1.gpsonextra.net
xtra2.gpsonextra.net
xtra3.gpsonextra.net
xtra4.gpsonextra.net
xtra5.gpsonextra.net
xtra6.gpsonextra.net
xtrapath1.izatcloud.net
xtrapath2.izatcloud.net
xtrapath3.izatcloud.net
xtrapath4.izatcloud.net
xtrapath5.izatcloud.net
xtrapath6.izatcloud.net

Long story short, I added the host source BUT I also added a new whitelist to bring back these sites.
[Android Apps and Games] Fishawy:
I'm curious about this >2.9M hosts file, wonder what more benefits it has comparing to something like the OISD list for example (about 1M hosts).

Mind sharing the sources?
[Android Apps and Games] DiamondJohn:
This host sources list is too much for AdAway, and the wrong format.

If by OISD you mean https://dbl.oisd.nl then yeah (NB: I use the domain list not the host list), that is one of my best. HOWEVER it explicitly excludes facebook, twitter and google shopping etc etc I do not use these (and a few of the others) and they are a big source of ads. So I prefer to have other list in addition, that explicitly block those excluded ad sources. And hence, not just OISD (just noticed it does not block Warez & Porn...and tracking links...and the more I read of what it does not block, the more I realise it would not suffice alone.

View attachment 5470303

As you can see below, its near the top of unique host counts, but the ones it is missing (see above) are ones I want blocked.

View attachment 5470305

I have also attached the whole report in the ZIP file as a HTML file. There are a lot of files with 0 unique, but you cant just take them all away in one sweep, as deleting one, would then make the hosts in another 0 file unique. So deleting two may leave some hosts unblocked.
[Android Apps and Games] Fishawy:
Thanks a lot for the detailed explanation. I'll check the hosts out.
[Android Apps and Games] DiamondJohn:
Dont go on the belief these are well researched hosts sources. A lot was simply me testing the host builder by selecting large sources with high uniqueness (and hence the report). Although, there was some checking, just not enough to give them as a personal recommendation. The "file" / local sources you see in the list are mostly old (but not all), that I collected over the years, so many hosts contained are probably dead or simply collected for a desktop not mobile.
[Android Apps and Games] gonzo1963:
Good Morning,

I have used AdAway in several rooted smartphones for years and have not given me any kind of problem.

I have acquired a Nokia X20, which I can not root, and I have installed AdAway 5.9.0 for a non-root mobile, without modifying anything in the settings.

Fail constantly, cut the connection when it passes from a WiFi connection to a data connection and in reverse.

To solve it, I have to pause AdAway, and start it again every time I change the connection type.

Do I need to make some special adjustment so that it does not fail?

Is it a bug?

Regards
[Android Apps and Games] nreuge:
That's why I've moved to a paid alternative...
[Android Apps and Games] gonzo1963:
Good evening,

Can you tell me which one?

Thanks.

Regards
[Android Apps and Games] ipdev:
It is a known bug.

Has been for a while.

Project Development Card. - GitHub - Link

For me it is hit or miss.

I use the VPN version on my daily use Pixel 3a XL

Sometime it will be constant with every network change.

Then I might go a few days with no issues.

If you can duplicate it at will, please help by grabbing a log cat and sharing it here or on GitHub in the issue.

Issue # 2154 - GitHub - Link

Cheers. :cowboy:
[Android Apps and Games] richardmace:
Forgive me please if this has been asked before and answered. I have two OnePlus6 phones. Adaway runs fine on one but not on the other. Difference in phones? 1 has android 11.1.1.1 with latest Magisk with Zygisk. Adaway doesn't work on this phone. My other phone has Magisk 23 Canary and Android 10.3. Adaway runs fine on this phone! Both phones have the Magisk systemless host module installed. Help appreciated. Thanks
[Android Apps and Games] sar014ut:
Good morning,

I am using the non-rooted/VPN option. I think I already know the answer, but wanted to confirm. On my Galaxy S20 plus if I try using a VPN ADAWAY will pause. Is there a way to have a VPN for privacy plus ADAWAY running at the same time?

Thanks in advance.
[Android Apps and Games] Oswald Boelcke:
Negative. Android is only able to run one VPN instance. For this reason, I'm using AdAway in root mode to allow me to use OpenVPN in parallel.
[Android Apps and Games] gallegonovato:
Good evening @DiamondJohn and @zgfg

Thank you very much for your help and time. I missed it already. But I didn't realize that. I thought that Adaway by the settings would already redirect to 127 or 0 depending on whether I put ipv4 or ipv6 redirection.

By the way @DiamondJohn you beat me in blocking. Since I walk 2.4 million hehehe on the test mobile.

A hug and thanks a million for your help and time.
[Android Apps and Games] DiamondJohn:
ummm...maybe a shout-out to @PerfectSlayer is more deserved than me, since he built AdAway itself.;)
[Android Apps and Games] PerfectSlayer:
Hi all,

Yes, I am aware of the issue.

I spend hours lately to fully rewrite the VPN part I borrow from the DNS66 app.

I studied how other open source application like blokada, dns66, duckduckgo, nebulo work and they still had the same kind of issues. They probe network frequently, they record state every 10 seconds, they record alarm every 10 minutes, etc... What a nightmare for the battery!

I am spending weeks to find a way to make it work without impacting battery so much and I am close to good solution.

I can't tell when it will be ready as it takes days to test (changing network, testing doze, etc...).

Thanks for the report. I tried Zygisk when the first beta/canary was online and it worked fine.

There may be an issue since. Can anyone confirm?

If you enable IPv6, it will redirect to ::0 in addition to 127.0.0.1 (two entries will be added per host on your host file).
[Android Apps and Games] gonzo1963:
Good morning,

Thanks a lot for your work.

Regards
[Android Apps and Games] PerfectSlayer:
Hi all,

It is no secret I am working hard on making the VPN ad-blocking method more robust and I am making some progress. Nothing ready to be released though but I might use the beta channel at some point to gather more feedback.

Until it is done, here is a batch of updates to keep the app fresh.

It brings the support for Android 12 and a fix (from a contribution!!) about the connectivity change when using VPN. It might help some of you when switching from network layer (from 4G to WiFi for example).

Changelog:

Fix connectivity change detection in VPN mode

Update mongoose web server

Update target SDK to Android 12

Update dependencies

Update translations

Thanks:

Special thanks to 8asuj6m2 for its contribution.

Download:

AdAway 5.10.0
[Android Apps and Games] gallegonovato:
Good evening @DiamondJohn and @PerfectSlayer

First of all thank you very much for your time and help.

So you can use this hosts source: https://raw.githubusercontent.com/ftpmorph/ftpihole/master/blocklists/smartphone-ads-tracking.txt in Adaway without problems. Without having 127.0.0.1 or 0.0.0.0.0 in front of each entry ?

I mean just having the ipv4 and ipv6 redirection?

By the way @PerfectSlayer sorry to be a pain. But I don't know if it would be possible to add to Adaway 5.x the option that Adaway 4.x had to reboot the device after having updated the hotlists?. It is that I notice as if Adaway behaves better and even notice that there were those updates after rebooting after each update. Even appearing different number of blocked after reboot. In plain words, as if it settles the host list update better.

Best regards
[Android Apps and Games] nreuge:
Adguard.

I'm grateful to the dev of Adaway because I had used it for years and years on my old rooted phones.

Now my new phone is unrooted and I won't root it. I'll be back to Adaway as soon as the connectivity issue is fixed for sure.
[Android Apps and Games] zgfg:
No, it won't work. Not supported format

https://raw.githubusercontent.com/ftpmorph/ftpihole/master/blocklists/smartphone-ads-tracking.txt

for bloccked/black list (would work only for the allowed/white list) - it was answerved/described earlier

You can test yourself. Disable all other hosts sources.and define and enable only this one.

AdAway will not find any site to block (no proper format), and you will have 0 blocked sites
[Android Apps and Games] zgfg:
Updated to the new AdAway 5.10.0 and for my root installation everything works well. Thanks
[Android Apps and Games] DiamondJohn:
You asked the exact same question on the previous page! And you were already answered, and the answer is the same.
[Android Apps and Games] ReyStunner:
Root + Adaway = IMMACULATE.

Looking forward to VPN Adaway closing the gap. My note 20 is the 1st phone in a decade I haven't/will not root so I'm fingers crossed for the app getting better!
[Android Apps and Games] Provee:
I've been noticing some strange behavior on my Google pixel 4a running the rootless version.

When I leave my house and my phone gets disconnected from wifi, and switches over to data, there is no issue with adaway even with it running continuously in the back ground during the transition. However as soon as I reconnect back to wifi say I return home, If I don't pause adaway and restart it then even if the wifi is connected the internet on my phone will not work. Adaway seems to be blocking it due to some glitch. This is really sketchy if my wifi disconnects and reconnects because I will not be aware that my phone is blocked from the internet as a result.
[Android Apps and Games] chad2four:
This is great! Thank you for sharing!
[Android Apps and Games] gallegonovato:
Good afternoon:

Thank you for your help. I know I asked the question. But the funny thing is that Adaway does recognize the source. And if I look in blocked it appears. The only thing is that it does not put the number of blocks or increase the number of total blockage that comes out on the main page of Adaway.

I don't even see it like @zgfg in the allowed list. So no disbelief.

By the way I comment a curious thing. That I pass to three different devices with different host sources. They were updating the hosts list. And when we realized all the host lists disappeared. And put the source ones that comes with Adaway. Without changing any of the Adaway preferences. It happened to us three times already, in several mobiles. In mine a Nexus 6p, in a Oneplus 8 pro of a coworker, in a Samsung s9+ of another coworker. And today it happened to Motorola g7 I think it was. From a coworker.

A hug and thank you for your time.
[Android Apps and Games] zgfg:
Actually "1 Allowed" that was on my screenshot was one one allowed site that I previously added (independent of your txt source) and didn't remove for the test/experiment

Btw, over time I shrinked to the minimalistic usage - I had disabled all automatic updates and I only, once in a day or few, open Adaway and do the update (I only left updating on starting/openimg the app to make me easier to force the update)
[Android Apps and Games] gennokky:
I am using Adaway 5.10 on Android 10 with default filter lists. Do you know any filter list and can clear links that I share from apps? i am using this extension on computer and maybe there is a similar filter that can I works on mobile too.
[Android Apps and Games] zgfg:
AdAway does not edit URLs (to remove cookies and so) but just blocks the whole sites (as listed in the given hosts sources)
[Android Apps and Games] BoboBrazil:
Has anyone experienced ad blocking not working with the latest version. I've tried this on a OnePlus 8 Pro and OnePlus 7T and It's not blocking ads anymore on either of those in Chrome. Lite mode is turned off. I've tried uninstalling and reinstalling, adding hosts lists, and nothing is working to make it block ads...

-edit- forgot to mention both phones on Android 11. One using root method and one using VPN method in app.
[Android Apps and Games] Wolfcity:
Please search this thread for " Chrome adblocking".

There are some extra things to do for Chrome.

Thread searching isn't working for me since last XDA update so try it by yourself.

For me (Xiaomi Mi 9T VPN mode) everything is working well.
[Android Apps and Games] BoboBrazil:
I can not find anything regarding this when searching the thread.
[Android Apps and Games] DiamondJohn:
Check the hyost file that it IS being updated with your blocks. ie AdAwa is building a host file and placing it where it should be

Check with aPINGB in the shell, if your system is using the host file.
[Android Apps and Games] Nergal di Cuthah:
Are you using a private dns, or another vpn on the root one
[Android Apps and Games] BoboBrazil:
Can you explain how to do this? AdAway says it's successfully applying the hosts file.

No.
[Android Apps and Games] BoboBrazil:
So I've been trying other ad blockers as well(I'm rooted, but also tried vpn and dns based ad blockers) and none seem to be blocking ads. What could be the cause of this on a OnePlus 7T? This wasn't an issue until recently...Like I said I disabled the data saver mode in Chrome...
[Android Apps and Games] xflowy:
Do we still need to enable systemless hosts under Magisk, when using Adaway (root)?

I'm on a rooted Pixel 6 Pro.

Thanks!
[Android Apps and Games] Lughnasadh:
Yes
[Android Apps and Games] joefuf:
I assume everyone already knows, but I think the Allowed and Redirected are broken. I have added entries to these areas and applied the settings, but they are still blocked.

I see they are present in the Blocked list, but that is fed by the Hosts sources which does not appear to be editable.

Anyone know of a fix or workaround?