Most apps on our phones can't function without an internet connection. Take Google Maps, WhatsApp or Spotify as an example. But some apps can. A file manager does not need it. An offline video player or a calculator definitely does not need it. Yet almost all of them ask for it, to serve a wall of ads on your phone.
However, One UI 9 has a fix, and it is called AI Network Guard. It cuts off internet access for selected apps, preventing any unannounced ad from popping up. I have been using it ever since I installed the One UI 9 beta on my Galaxy S26 Ultra, and it saved me from a bunch of unskippable ads.
Removing App Ads Is the Real Win
The AI Network Guard is one of the less fancy One UI 9 features. I don't know why Samsung isn't marketing it front and centre, because it has been a game-changer for me.
You see, I use RS File Explorer because it is a better option than the default Files app on Samsung phones. However, this free app is also relentless about ads. Any time I moved a bulk file from my phone to an SSD, I had to sit through an annoying unskippable ad first.
That changed after updating to One UI 9, as I have restricted internet access for it. No more ads whatsoever.
The logic behind it is simple. An ad has to be fetched from the internet. No access to the internet means nothing to fetch, and the app sticks to doing the thing it was built for.
The same goes for free video player and calculator apps that I use. Both look clean and get the job done better than most alternatives, at the cost of serving ads. So, I added them to Samsung's AI Network Guard, and poof! All ads gone for good.
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How You Can Block Internet Access for Apps in One UI
The AI Network Guard is not easily accessible, and I had to watch a YouTube video to find it. That is why I have jotted down the steps to turn on network restrictions so you can try them on your device.
- Open the Settings app on your Samsung phone and go to Connections > Wi-Fi.
- Here, tap on the 3-dot icon, select Intelligent Wi-Fi and tap on Intelligent Wi-Fi at the bottom seven times.
- Now, navigate to Connectivity Labs > AI Network Guard and create a new PIN.
- Tap on Manage restriction, enter the PIN, and select Restrict apps.
- Now, select the apps you want to cut off from the internet and tap on Confirm at the top right.
That is it. The selected apps lose their connection while everything else on the phone works as usual.
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It's Not Just Ads, There Are Other Benefits Too
Besides blocking ads on my Android phone, cutting off the internet also stops apps from sending your personal data for processing. A lot of apps do it, so adding them to Samsung's new One UI 9 feature shuts them off from sending anything anywhere, as long as the apps do not have network access.
There is also a Downtime option in the same menu that schedules restrictions for set hours. So, it can be used on daily apps like Instagram or WhatsApp to limit distractions from said apps. Since the apps won't connect to the internet, they won't show any new content or messages, helping you focus and also break the habit of doomscrolling.
However, the one use case I would push the hardest is for parents. My nephew downloads a bunch of free games he sees online, and the problem with free games is that they can show anything or everything that a child shouldn't be exposed to.
Restricting network access for those games means the game still runs, but ads don't. It removes both the sketchy banner ads and the accidental taps that lead to somewhere worse. It's because of all these reasons that AI Network Guard is more important than any new One UI 9 AI features that Samsung typically focuses on.
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I Wish Samsung Had Added it Sooner
As useful as AI Network Guard is on One UI 9, it is nothing new. MIUI had it years ago on almost every Redmi phone back in the day, and its newer sibling HyperOS still has it. But I like how you can lock access to restrict apps behind a PIN in One UI's implementation.
I wish this were a thing in earlier versions of One UI, but now that it is finally here, I couldn't be happier about it. It has quietly removed a daily irritation from the few apps I use constantly, and I would not go back. But I wish there was a strong push for it, rather than the company burying it so deep like a secret.
But if you have a One UI 9-eligible device, then I highly recommend you check it out.
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