AdAway blocks ads using hosts files from various locations and combines them automatically. The user is able to block or trust additional domains, or add a new hosts file altogether. There is an option to log DNS requests to help in this task. AdAway requires in the actual version 5.10.0 either root access or the use of a local VPN on non-rooted devices, which is provided by AdAway itself. It is mainly used to remove ads on apps completely for free.