Over a quarter of U.S. internet users now employ online ad-blocking software on their desktop computers, according to new research commissioned by the Interactive Advertising Bureau that was released Tuesday.

However, the online advertising trade body argued two-thirds of those ad-blocking users could be convinced to uninstall their ad-blocking software.

The research report, titled “Ad Blocking: Who Blocks Ads, Why, and How to Win Them Back,” was conducted on the IAB’s behalf by C3Research. Based on its findings, the IAB said the most effective ways publishers can convince consumers to disable ad blockers include limiting access to content for ad-blocking visitors, avoiding ads with autoplay video or autoplay sound, ensuring ads don't block access to content, and “guaranteeing” that ads don’t slow down their websites.

“These findings spotlight a path forward to regain users who currently use ad blockers and deter future consumer migration to ad blocking software,” Alanna Gombert, the IAB’s senior vice president of technology and ad operations, wrote in a statement.

The growth of ad-blocking software has become a major headache for U.S. publishers and media companies in recent years. What was seen as little more than a nuisance two or three years ago has escalated to pose a major threat to the business models of ad-supported online services.

Data on the adoption of ad-blocking technology have varied greatly, much to the frustration of publishers and media companies attempting to better understand the scale of the problem. In April, online measurement specialist comScore estimated 10% of desktop internet users in the U.S. employed the technology.

Website owners have been experimenting with various tactics designed to quell the use of ad-blocking technology. Some have opted to completely prevent ad-blocking users from accessing their sites or tried pleading with users to switch their ad blockers off, while others have offered access to ad-blocking users in exchange for information such as an email address.

The IAB issued a set of principles it believes website operators should follow to help prevent further growth in ad blocking. Those principles, called “LEAN,” suggest website owners should only use lightweight, encrypted and non-invasive ads on their properties.

Respondents to the IAB’s survey who use ad blockers stated that the adoption of the LEAN principles would be a positive influencer, the IAB said.

The research also found 15% of respondents claimed to use ad-blocking software on their mobile devices, and that men aged 18-34 are the main ad-blocking demographic on desktop devices.

The online ad formats users found most “annoying” were those that block access to content, video ads before a short video clip and video ads without a skip button, the survey found.

Write to Jack Marshall at Jack.Marshall@wsj.com