yeah but windows defender will wipe it clean evertime it updates.

Plus if you have a massive (>3MB) hosts file it causes other issues during bootup, which requiers disabling another service (dont remember which one off the top of my head, as I am using Pi-Hole these days)

In 2022, nobody should have a 3mb hosts file.

This is not the way...

Unfortunately running your own DNS isn't an option in every context. Not to mention, 3MB is nothing, it shouldn't struggle with that.

Is blocking on a DNS level even sufficient? I'd imagine there are hard coded fall back IPs involved at least sometimes.

A lot of IOT devices (including smart TV's), completly ignore DNS

Easy! Just set router level firewall rules to redirect DNS.

DoH and DoT are slowly changing that, it's getting troublesome to redirect.

It certainly helps, but it's not perfect, no.

I am blocking shy of 2 million domains with Pi-Hole, and in fairness, the file I was using is 3.11mb and if I open it in Notepad++ it contains 106369 lines (about 40 of the lines are comments / empty)

I am also not sure at what size the issue with the service appears.

Because then a load of stuff would stop working!?