You can't stop ads on Facebook completely: Meta's own help centre says you can't opt out of or block seeing ads. What you can do is hide individual ads, hide every ad from an advertiser and choose to see less of whole ad topics, which changes which ads you see but not how many.
That second half matters, and it comes straight from Facebook's Ad preferences page: changing your ad preferences influences which ads you see, but it won't change the total number of ads you see. So the goal here is better ads, not fewer. Here's every control Meta gives you, in the order I'd use them.
What each Facebook ad control does
| Control | Where to find it | What it changes |
|---|---|---|
| Tell Facebook you don't want to see an ad | Options on the ad itself | Tells Facebook you don't want that ad and lets you ask for fewer ads like it |
| Hide ads from an advertiser | Options on the ad, Why am I seeing this ad?, or Ad preferences | Stops ads from that advertiser |
| See less of an ad topic | Ad preferences, Customize ads, Ad topics | Fewer ads about a whole subject, and advertisers can't target you on an interest in it |
| Manage info | Ad preferences, Manage info | Controls information Meta can use to show you ads |
Step 1: hide an ad you don't want
- Click Options in the top right of the ad.
- Select the option to tell Facebook you don't want to see the ad, or to see fewer ads like it.
- Follow the on-screen instructions.
It's the quickest fix, and Facebook says it uses your feedback to improve the relevance of the ads you see.
Step 2: hide every ad from one advertiser
If the same company keeps turning up, go one level higher. From the ad:
- Click Options in the top right of the ad and select Why am I seeing this ad?
- Look for the option to hide ads from this advertiser, then follow the on-screen instructions.
Or clear several at once from your settings:
- Click your profile picture in the top right of Facebook.
- Select Settings & privacy, then click Settings.
- Click Meta Account, then Ad preferences.
- Click the Customize ads tab, then See all next to Advertisers you saw ads from.
- Click any advertiser you want to hide ads from, then click Hide ads.
Facebook says this list shows the advertisers it has shown you ads from most recently, and you can also see which ones you've already hidden.
Step 3: see less of a whole ad topic
This is the most powerful control on the list, because it works on a subject rather than one brand. Facebook names alcohol, parenting, pets and social issues, elections or politics among the topics, though the social issues, elections or politics option isn't available in every country.
- Click your profile picture in the top right, then Settings & privacy.
- Click Settings, then Meta Account, then Ad preferences.
- Next to Ad topics under the Customize ads tab, click See all.
- Search for the topic you want to see less of and select See less.
You'll then see that topic under Your ad topic choices, and you can undo it any time by choosing No preference. Facebook also lists the topics it added you to based on your activity, under Ad topics advertisers can use to reach you, so you can switch off the ones that don't fit.
What See less does and doesn't promise
- You won't get as many ads about that topic, and advertisers can't target you based on an interest in it.
- You may still see some ads related to the topic. If one appears, hide it and Facebook uses that as feedback.
- If your Facebook and Instagram profiles are in the same Meta Account, your topic choices apply across both.
- Until you turn 18 (20 in Thailand), certain topics are automatically set to show fewer ads and can't be changed.
If the menu path doesn't match what you see, Facebook says not everyone can access this setting in Meta Account or Accounts Center yet, and suggests updating your app or using accountscenter.facebook.com in a web browser.
If you're in Europe or the UK
Facebook's help pages carry a note that your ad choices are different if you're in the European Region or the United Kingdom. In the European Region, for example, people who use Meta's products free of charge with ads can choose between personalized and less-personalized ads under Ad preferences, Manage info, Ad experience. Facebook warns that with less-personalized ads your browsing may be paused by ad breaks and your ability to advertise and monetize with ads will be limited.
There's also a paid route there. My guide to the Facebook ad-free subscription explains who can get it and what it does.
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What about ad blockers?
Facebook's help centre doesn't cover them, and I won't guess at what works inside the app. What the help centre does make clear is that the built-in controls above are the ones Meta supports. If you'd like the bigger picture of why your feed feels heavier with ads than it used to, I've unpicked that in why your Facebook feed is all ads now.
Doing the same on Instagram
Because topic choices carry across profiles in the same Meta Account, some of this work is already done for Instagram. For the Instagram-only steps, see how to stop ads on Instagram.
My verdict
Stop trying to switch Facebook ads off, because Meta says plainly you can't. Spend five minutes in Ad preferences instead: see less of the topics you're sick of, hide the advertisers that keep following you, and hide anything irrelevant as it appears. You'll see the same number of ads, but more of them should match what you care about, and that's the only win on offer.
Frequently asked questions
Can you turn off ads on Facebook completely?
No. Facebook's help centre says you can't opt out of or block seeing ads, but you can influence which ads you see with feedback and ad preferences.
Does changing ad preferences reduce the number of ads?
No. Facebook says changing your ad preferences influences which ads you see, but it won't change the total number of ads you see.
How do I hide all ads from one company on Facebook?
Click Options on one of its ads, select Why am I seeing this ad?, and choose to hide ads from this advertiser, or use Advertisers you saw ads from in Ad preferences.
Where are ad topics on Facebook?
Go to Settings and privacy, Settings, Meta Account, Ad preferences, then See all next to Ad topics under the Customize ads tab.
Do Facebook ad topic choices apply to Instagram?
Yes, if your Facebook and Instagram profiles are in the same Meta Account, Facebook says your ad topic choices apply across both.
