AdBlockMaxxer — iPhone setup

The AdBlockMaxxer browser extension cannot run on iOS. Apple blocks every iOS browser (Safari, Chrome, Brave — they're all Safari underneath) from running the page-level JavaScript that ad blocking needs. So your iPhone uses a different stack. This is the genuine best-available setup, with honest notes on what each piece can and can't kill.

The one-move fix: a blocking DNS do this first

A blocking DNS filters ad & tracker domains system-wide — every app and browser on the phone, not just Safari. Five minutes, free, no app required. This is what kills most of your Spotify ads.

Option A — NextDNS (recommended, most control):

Make a free account at nextdns.io.
In your config → Privacy, enable these blocklists: AdGuard Mobile Ads, OISD, and HaGeZi Multi.
Go to the Setup tab → Apple devices → download the configuration profile.
iPhone: Settings → General → VPN & Device Management → install the profile.

Option B — AdGuard DNS (zero signup): install the profile from adguard-dns.io (the "Default" server blocks ads + trackers).

Why this works for Spotify: Spotify's audio ads are requested from ad/tracking hostnames that these lists block, so the ad call fails and the app moves on. The "always one ad slips through" you get today is just your current filter list missing a domain — these phone-wide lists are broader and update constantly.

Add the AdGuard app for cosmetic + Safari blocking recommended

AdGuard for iOS (free) — App Store. Two things it adds on top of DNS:

Safari content blocker — strips banner/display ads and trackers while you browse in Safari.
Its own DNS filtering toggle if you'd rather not use NextDNS — you only need one DNS provider, don't stack two.

Run NextDNS (system DNS) or AdGuard's DNS, plus AdGuard's Safari content blocker. That combo covers in-app ads (via DNS) and on-page web ads (via the content blocker).

YouTube on iPhone — the honest part hardest to block

This is the one DNS can't fully solve, and it's exactly why your mobile YouTube gets stuck and needs a refresh today. YouTube serves its video ads from googlevideo.com — the same hostname as the actual video. Block that domain and the video itself stops loading; that broken half-state is the "stuck, hit refresh" bug. Aggressive script blockers on iOS cause it.

Realistic options, best to worst:

Option	Kills video ads?	Notes
YouTube Premium	Yes, fully	The only clean, stable, no-stutter fix on iOS. Also kills app ads + background play.
Brave Browser app (watch in-browser, not the YT app)	Mostly	Brave's built-in shields strip most YouTube ads on iOS and give background play. Best free option — use it instead of the YouTube app.
Safari + AdGuard content blocker	Partly	Removes some ads but not all video ads, and can trigger the stuck-player state. Brave is better.
DNS alone	No	Can't block `googlevideo.com` without breaking playback.

Bottom line: install the Brave app and watch YouTube inside it instead of the YouTube app — that fixes both the ads and the stuck-refresh bug for free. If you watch a lot, Premium is the only zero-friction answer iOS allows.

What you'll end up with

● Spotify ads → gone (NextDNS/AdGuard DNS blocklists).
● In-app + web banner ads everywhere → gone (DNS + AdGuard Safari blocker).
● YouTube → watch in the Brave app (ad-free + no stuck-refresh), or Premium for the YouTube app itself.

On your Mac/PC the AdBlockMaxxer extension handles all of this directly — this page is only for the iPhone, where Apple forces the DNS/app route.