Before you install
Common questions
Learn what a system-wide ad blocker is, which browsers it covers, what it costs, and what happens to your browsing data.
Blocking and filtering
Find out why ads still appear or why a site stopped working.
- Ads are still showingA 30-second test shows whether AdFender sees your browser’s traffic, then points you to the checks that apply.
- A website is brokenPause filtering to see whether AdFender is involved, then turn filtering off for just that site and keep the rest of the web filtered.
- Choosing filter listsLearn what the four built-in lists do, how to add a list for your language, and how to subscribe to any list by its address.
- HTTPS filtering and the certificateLearn why AdFender installs a certificate on your PC, who can use it, and what to do about a certificate warning.
- Using AdFender with a VPN or security softwareAdFender is designed to run alongside a VPN, antivirus or a work proxy. This article describes what to do when another program changes your connection settings.
- What the Privacy switches doFive switches send a privacy signal or reduce the information your browser shares. Leave one of them off if you make video calls in the browser.
Installing and upgrading
Install AdFender, upgrade from version 2.x, or fix a startup problem.
- Installing, uninstalling and system requirementsLearn what AdFender needs, the two choices setup asks you to make, and what the uninstaller keeps unless you tell it otherwise.
- AdFender won’t open or startLearn how to find AdFender in the system tray and open the dashboard, what each startup error means, and how to resolve it.
- Upgrading from AdFender 2.xSetup replaces any version of AdFender 2.x automatically. This article describes what happens to your license, your own rules and your settings.
Licenses and activation
Activate a license, move to a new PC, or recover a code.
- License messages and what they meanIf AdFender shows “Protection is off”, this article explains what trial expired, license expired, trial not verified, revoked and not active on this PC mean, and how to turn protection back on.
- How many PCs one code coversOne code works on 3, 5 or 10 PCs at the same time, depending on your plan. This article explains how to free a PC, how to move to a new one, and why reinstalling on the same PC does not count as a new activation.
- Activate your licenseFollow the steps to enter the code from your order email.
- Look up your orderUse this page if you lost the email or have an older code that we no longer accept.
Contact support
Help us understand the problem quickly.
Video guides
These short videos show the steps for common tasks.
- How to install AdFender on Windows and get set up2:25
- How to open the AdFender dashboard1:20
- How to activate your AdFender license1:21
- Seeing a certificate warning? How to renew the AdFender root certificate0:58
- How to add a filter list in AdFender2:23
- How to send AdFender support a diagnostic report2:06
- A website isn’t working with AdFender? How to fix it4:43
- How to turn on the AdFender Privacy switches2:33
- How to filter another program with AdFender1:30
- How to see what AdFender blocked2:09
Other places to look
- To install or reinstall AdFender, download AdFender 3.0.
- To learn what AdFender sends us and what never leaves your PC, read our privacy policy.
- To read the agreement that the installer asks you to accept, see the license agreement.