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Best ad blockers for iPhone and iPad in 2022

If you're tired of all the ads but don't want to use Reader View every time you surf the web, you can add content blockers to your iPhone or iPad, which will put them out of sight and help keep your activities private while you're online.

Ad blockers work in Safari and are only available on devices that support 64-bit architecture. In order to use an ad blocker after you've downloaded it, you'll need to enable it in Settings on your iPhone or iPad.

How to block ads on your iPhone and iPad

Here are the best ad blockers for iPhone and iPad.

• AdBlock Pro

1Blocker is really customizable. You can set different rules for blocking ads, trackers, cookies, website comments, Twitter and Facebook widgets, adult websites, and more. Plus, you can add your favorite sites to the Whitelist ( ahem , iMore) and block specific websites from access at all. You can also customize whether to block or allow cookies and page elements from specific sites.

1Blocker is free to download, but it's really more of a trial version. For a $4.99 in-app purchase, you'll be able to unlock the ability to use more than one feature at a time. If your ad-blocking needs are minimal, you'll have a great experience with the free download and just blocking ads or trackers. But if you're looking at 1Blocker, it's probably because you want the advanced features, like custom rules, a Whitelist extension for Safari, and iCloud syncing so your ad block settings are synced across all your iOS devices.

If you really want to customize your web browsing experience, and like the idea of being able to set up rules for different websites, the full, in-app purchase of 1Blocker is worth it.

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AdGuard blocks dozens of different types of ads to speed up your Safari browsing on iPhone and iPad. You can set up rules for specific websites and manually block ads from sites as you visit them using the Share sheet in Safari. You can also use at least two dozen preset filter lists, like EasyList, Malware Domains, and EasyPrivacy, on top of the AdGuard filters. It blocks trackers from social media sites and basically cleans up Safari so your browsing experience is smoother.

With the pro version of AdGuard for $1.99, you can add the ability to use a local DNS proxy to block ads outside of Safari in other web browsers and apps.

Get AdGuard for a clean, fast web browsing experience in Safari.

Free - Download now

If you want a simple ad blocker for iOS Safari, then you should give Wipr a try. This lightweight blocker provides hassle-free blocking just by activating it. Wipr automatically updates itself to make sure that you don't see unwanted ads. However, due to the barebones simplicity that Wipr is known for, you won't find any customizable settings or whitelist options for the sites that you want to support. And best of all, Wipr does not take money in order to let certain ads show up, unlike some other ad blockers that have caused controversy in the past.

Wipr also has an active developer who is always available for support if you have issues.

$2 with in-app purchases - Download now

AdBlock Pro for Safari

If you're serious about blocking ads and want the best feature set, then AdBlock Pro for Safari is what you need. AdBlock will improve your overall Safari experience by blocking all ads, including normal ads and banners, autoplay ads, those pesky fake "x" button ads, scrolling banners, timed popups, redirects to "xxx" sites, YouTube ads in Safari, and no more online tracking. With all of these available ad-blocking options, you will get 2x faster browsing in Safari and over 50 percent lower data usage. AdBlock Pro can even bypass those anti-adblock detectors, sync your settings between devices via iCloud, and much more.

AdBlock Pro is a beefy ad-blocker that gives you a ton of options to improve your online experience. It may have a higher price tag than you would expect, but it's well worth the cost to have a little less annoyance in your online life.

$9 - Download now

Ka-Block! is an open-sourced content blocker for iOS that works with Safari through an extension. With Ka-Block!, you're going to find a fast and curated filter list that will eliminate pretty much all of those annoying ads you'll find on the Internet. The pesky trackers are also blocked with Ka-Block!, so you don't need to worry about those.

With Ka-Block!, you're getting a fast and lightweight content blocker that costs nothing and is constantly updated.

How do you block ads?

Do you have a favorite ad blocker for iPhone and iPad? Which one do you use and why does it stand out? Let us know in the comments.

November 2019: Added Wipr, AdBlock Pro, and Ka-Block! Removed Crystal and Purify due to lack of update.

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Best ad blocker for iPhone & iPad

Adverts can be an annoying distraction when online. It’s true that most of the ‘free’ sites you visit owe their continued existence to the revenues that advertising brings in, but sometimes these can cross the line and just become intrusive. If you find this to be the case, then good news is at hand:  iOS allows third-party apps to block ads when using Safari.

To save you time, we’ve put together a list of the best of the current ad-blocking crop, all of which halt the visual assaults and restore peace to your device once more.

Note that you will need to set up the feature in iOS. We show you the required steps in our How to block ads on iPhone and iPad guide.

AdGuard is one of our favourite free ad blockers due not only to its simplicity, but also how customisable it is. There are more than 50 filters built into the app, allowing you to see exactly what you want to see – and not the rest. Even if there’s not a premade filter that you require, you’ll be able to create it in the app with a few taps.

Trackers that are used to target personalised ads at you are also blocked when using AdGuard. Oh, and for all the social pariahs out there, there’s even an option to block social media widgets from any site accessed on Safari.

AdGuard claims that iOS users should see improvements in battery life, due to the lessened drag-factor of ads, plus an increase in performance on Safari by up to 400%.

There’s also a £1.99 Pro variant , which adds multiple DNS support, parental controls, and increased privacy protection.

AdBlock is the original iOS ad blocker, and has been the go-to for many iPhone and iPad users since 2012. Where AdBlock excels is in its ease of use – after installing the app, all you need to do is swipe up from the bottom of the display in-app to activate the service. It’ll refresh its databases with the latest info on every single app run, and promises not to send your traffic through a remote server like less reputable ad blockers do.

Like other ad blockers, AdBlock also blocks trackers from being able to see what you do online and use this information to target ads at you. There’s a whitelist that you can add to and edit, and there’s even a handy Today Widget that allows you to toggle the service on and off on-the-fly.

Oh, and all your settings will be synced between all iOS devices via iCloud. Nice and simple!

StopAd is a great, free, blocker that can handle the majority of pop-ups and banner ads that appear on Safari.

It’s also a dab-hand at preventing autoplay videos on sites, and can even block ads on YouTube. Those worried about privacy will like the various safeguards against trackers that follow you around the web, plus there’s malware protection if something should manage to slip through the net.

StopAd offers lots of useful features, all in a lightweight app that is simple to use.

When it comes to granular control over your ad blocking experience, 1Blocker X is the ultimate app for iPhone and iPad. Why? The app allows you to fully customise your ad blocking experience, allowing you to block specific elements that you might find annoying. These can be anything from particular ad types to Facebook and Twitter widgets that appear online, plus it blocks a huge amount of trackers from watching what you’re up to online.

In fact, 1Blocker X is now the first ad-blocking app that has more than 115,000 rules that can be employed to contend with the worst the web has to offer.

You can also hide annoying content directly within Safari without leaving the app. Simply activate 1Blocker in the Share Sheet and tap the content you’d like to hide.

It’s not free, costing £4.99/$4.99, but is worth every penny.

Purify is a simple yet effective ad blocker for iOS that provides something a little different to the apps mentioned above. As well as offering standard ad- and tracking-blocking capabilities, Purify allows users to block other features that can eat data or drain your device battery.

These include images, scripts and custom fonts that you may come across on websites on the web, each of which will eat your data and use up battery life. It should make loading pages speedier too (Purify claims up to 4X faster), which is ideal if you’re on a slow mobile or Wi-Fi connection.

Of course, Purify also allows you to whitelist websites that you wish to support, and this is done in a similar way to 1Blocker X – via the Share Sheet in Safari.

Author: Lewis Painter , Senior Staff Writer

Lewis Painter is a Senior Staff Writer at Tech Advisor. Our resident Apple expert, Lewis covers everything from iPhone to AirPods, plus a range of smartphones, tablets, laptops and gaming hardware. You'll also find him on the Tech Advisor YouTube channel.

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Introducing the All-New AdBlock for Safari

AdBlock’s Blog

We know that AdBlock for Safari has gone mostly untouched by our team for a few years. And that’s just changed! We’re excited to announce that the all-new AdBlock for Safari app is officially here. It’s been completely revamped and there are many changes we hope our users will enjoy.

These changes include:

A More User-Friendly Interface with Dark Mode

AdBlock for Safari has had a major face lift. It’s modern and easier to navigate, and now offers a new feature called “Online Health.” Online Health allows you to see how healthy your internet connection is in terms of online security . With this tool, you’re able to have more control over your internet connection by assessing your health score. You can up this score by using both ad blocking and VPN features to ensure that your connection is encrypted, private, and safe from snoops.

The new interface also comes with dark mode, reducing the amount of light coming from your screen while allowing the app to remain visible. And it’s perfect for those users that prefer darker shades as they use their Mac.

Improved Ad Blocking Functionality

Along with a new look comes better ad blocking. AdBlock for Safari will now have more regular updates to its filter lists . This means we’ll be able to address any ads that circumvent our ad blocker more quickly, and be able to block more ads for our users overall.

And what’s even more exciting is that custom allow lists will now be part of basic ad blocking. That means they’re now free! With custom allow lists, you’ll be able to allow ads on specific sites of your choice, giving you more control over your browsing experience.

Integration with AdBlock VPN

You can now upgrade and manage AdBlock VPN right from the AdBlock for Safari mac app. And using AdBlock VPN will increase your Online Health score, giving you confirmation that your internet connection is well protected.

If you’re unsure of what a VPN is, it’s a great tool for your online security toolkit. VPNs (also called virtual private networks) allow you to connect to the internet privately. They create an encrypted connection, often referred to as a ‘tunnel,’ between your devices and the VPN servers. All of your internet traffic is routed through that secure tunnel, keeping your data encrypted and your personal information secure. This keeps your data safe from third party snoops and hackers.

With AdBlock VPN, you can:

• Browse the web anonymously. Your web traffic is routed through AdBlock VPN servers and each time you connect, your IP address is replaced with a new address from AdBlock VPN’s network of virtual locations, allowing you to hide your online identity .
• Access unblocked content. Need access to a website or content that’s blocked by location? Our VPN allows you to connect to the internet through different servers all over the world. This may allow you to avoid censorship in some regions, and access the content you want from wherever you are.
• Connect safely to public Wi-Fi. AdBlock VPN helps reduce the vulnerability associated with connecting to a public Wi-Fi hotspot by creating an encrypted connection between your device and the web, making it more difficult for anyone to track or monitor you without your consent.
• Connect up to six devices . Use up to six devices with AdBlock VPN, including Windows, MacOS, Android, and iOS devices. The AdBlock VPN interface makes it easy to connect, manage, and remove your devices.

We’re excited for you to give the new AdBlock for Safari a try! If you’re already a user, your app will automatically update as long as you’ve left the “Auto-update Apps” feature on in the app store. And if you’re not already a user, simply head to the Mac App store to download the app. We’re here for you if you have any questions or feedback at [email protected] .

Stay up to date with the latest news at AdBlock and sign up for our newsletter!

Written by AdBlock

AdBlock is the #1 extension for Chrome, and is also on Safari, Edge, Firefox & mobile. Block ads and more! Get help any time at https://help.getadblock.com .

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The best ad blockers in 2024

Say goodbye to intrusive online advertising with the best ad blockers

Best in-browser ad blockers

Best ad-blocking apps, best ad-blocking mobile apps, other privacy-focused extensions and apps.

The best ad blockers are crucial to survive on the modern internet. Not matter where you go, you're at risk of being harassed by pop-ups, tracker cookies, malvertising and countless other digital nasties that seem hell-bent on ruining your online experience. Even if all your browsing is above board, you're still at risk.

Thankfully there's no shortage of apps and browser extensions that can block ads and keep you safer when you're online. Combined with the best antivirus software and the best VPNs , a good ad-blocker gives you a perfect arsenal of tools to offer as much protection as possible. Even the FBI recommends using an ad-blocker for protection.

The only thing you need to figure out is which ad-blocker is right for you. There are so many to choose from, and whether you are willing to live with the downsides. Most free sites rely on advertising revenue to survive, including Tom's Guide. But if you're happy with the trade-off, we've got a thorough list of the best ad blockers and privacy tools — with options for every browser and platform.

The best ad blockers you can get today

1. adblock plus (chrome, edge, firefox, opera, safari, android, ios).

AdBlock Plus (ABP) is among the most popular ad blockers, with extensions available for Firefox, Chrome, Safari, Edge and Opera. ABP features a quick setup, loading preset filter lists that allow users to quickly block most ads, as well as the option to filter malware and social media buttons. 

Savvy users can chose additional block lists as well as set custom filters or whitelist their favorite sites to keep their ad revenue in the black. AdBlock Plus allows what it calls "non-intrusive advertising" through filters; that may irk some users, though this feature can be disabled in settings. 

On Android, the AdBlock Browser provides a Firefox-based browser that blocks incoming advertising, while on iOS, the AdBlock Plus app integrates with the content blocker system to seamlessly block advertising on Safari with minimal setup.

Download AdBlock Plus: Firefox , Chrome , Safari , Opera , Edge

2. AdBlock (Chrome, Firefox, Safari, Edge)

AdBlock (no relation to AdBlock Plus) is the other best ad-blocking browser extension of note, available for users of Chrome, Firefox, Edge and Safari. AdBlock uses a series of filter lists to automatically block ad content coming from known ad servers and providers. Users can stick with the default block lists, subscribe to additional ones, or even create their own, as well as whitelist their favorite websites. 

As one of the most downloaded Chrome and Safari extensions, AdBlock has the trust of many users worldwide.

Download AdBlock: Chrome , Firefox , Safari , Edge

3. uBlock Origin (Chrome, Firefox)

Ublock Origin is a browser-based ad blocker that focuses on simple, efficient blocking with a low resource overhead. The extension comes loaded with a number of filter lists for known advertising and malware sources, with extra filter lists available and the option to read and create your own custom filters from hosts files.

Download Ublock Origin: Chrome , Firefox

4. Poper Blocker (Chrome)

Rather than be an all-in one blocking solution, Poper Blocker (aka Pop Up Blocker For Chrome), is designed to complement other adblockers. 

In this case, Poper Blocker focuses on blocking pop-ups, pop-unders, overlays, timed and scroll pop-ups, and other varieties that might slip past other ad-blocking extensions. Small notifications tell you when pop-ups are blocked. You also can view your blocking stats, but otherwise, you can generally just keep Poper Blocker running in the background with minimal impact alongside other adblocker extensions.

Download Poper Blocker: Chrome

5. Stands Fair AdBlocker (Chrome)

For a fast and light ad-blocking plugin, Chrome users can turn to Stands Fair AdBlocker. The extension does precisely what it promises, blocking ads and pop-ups from cluttering up your browser view while also preventing any tracking from going on. 

Stand's Fair AdBlocker gives you control over the type of ads you can block, specifying everything from autoplay video ads, YouTube ads, expanding ads and more. It can even block Facebook ads if you want.

The "Fair" part of AdBlocker comes into play by giving you the ability to allow certain types of ads or even whitelist ad-supported websites you don't want to shortchange of badly needed revenue. This is one ad blocker that doesn't take a scorched earth approach to its stated purpose.

Download Stands Fair AdBlocker: Chrome

6. Ghostery (Chrome, Firefox, Opera, Safari, Edge)

Like the other extensions on our list of the best ad blockers, Ghostery can remove ads from webpages, so you can focus on content and browse more efficiently. But the real value in Ghostery lies in its privacy protection features. You can use Ghostery to view trackers, which lets you see who's trying to collect data on you. With Ghostery, you can also stop that tracking from taking place. If you really want to safeguard your privacy, you can turn to Ghostery's Enhanced Anti Tracking to anonymize your data.

Ghostery's a free download that offers basic web protection. More advanced protection starts at $4.99 a month and the $11.99 monthly tier comes with a built-in VPN. There are also versions of Ghostery that work with Android and iOS devices.

Download Ghostery: Chrome , Firefox , Opera , Safari , Edge

7. Adblocker for YouTube (Chrome, Firefox)

YouTube has gotten more aggressive with ads, so the makers of ad-blocking extensions have followed suit. Adblocker for YouTube is a Chrome extension that promises to automatically block YouTube ads, whether we're talking about the pre-roll ad appearing before your video or any text and banner ads that appear on the video itself.

If you prefer Firefox to Chrome, there's also an AdBlocker for YouTube extension that works on that browser. Same name, different developer apparently, but the functionality of stripping out video and display ads remains. This version works on Android devices too.

Download Adblocker for YouTube: Chrome , Firefox

1. AdGuard (Windows, Mac, Android, iOS)

Uses looking for a more robust experience can try out the subscription-based AdGuard, which provides desktop and mobile options to reduce the ads you see when surfing online. 

AdGuard on Windows and Mac covers popular browsers, with highly configurable options for ads, content, and tracker blocking, as well as a parental controls module for restricting adult content. AdGuard for Android is a no-root ad-blocker that blocks advertising on apps and games, though you’ll have to install it from AdGuard’s site instead of through Google Play. AdGuard for iOS works with Safari to effectively filter ads on the default browser.

Download AdGuard: Windows , Mac , Android , iOS

2. AdLock ($33 per year)

AdLock avoids the browser-based route, instead opting to run as a separate program to be able to block not only browser-based ads, but also advertising in other programs like Skype or games. 

The app runs in the background, using filters to block ads, popups, and autoplaying videos, speeding up loading times and applying Safe Browsing features to automatically block sites that are known to be unsafe. 

For obvious reasons, the mobile version is unavailable on the Google Play Store, so you'll need to sideload the app if you want to get AdLock into your Android device. iOS users can download AdLock directly from Apple's App Store.

Download AdLock: Windows , Chrome ,  Android , Mac , iOS

3. Wipr (macOS, iOS; $1.99)

If you’re a Safari fan, Wipr may be the best ad blocker for both your Mac and iPhone. The app is available for both iOS and macOS — costing $1.99 from either Apple App Store — and it promises to work with Safari as well as apps that use Safari for displaying web pages.

You’ll find a full array of features with Wipr, which not only blocks apps and trackers, but cryptocurrency miners, EU cookie and GDPR notices and anything else that gets in your way of surfing the web. Its blocklist gets updated twice a week, and there’s little configuration; the idea is that you load Wipr and forget that it’s there while it does its job in the background.

With Wipr, pages should load faster in Safari, which will be particularly welcome if you’re surfing from an iPhone, where ads and trackers can bog down your browser’s speed.

Download Wipr: macOS , iOS

1. 1Blocker (iOS)

1Blocker was one of the first really good ad blockers on iOS when Apple opened up that functionality on iPhones and iPads; the apps has since been optimized for Safari. 

The app is designed to make browsing faster and more secure by blocking ads, popups, trackers and other online cruft. Rather than blocking content of a downloaded page, 1Blocker works with Safari's content blocker API to tell the browser what to block in advance, saving time and resources. 

1Blocker features more than 115,000 blocker rules, custom regional adblocking settings, and easy-to-use custom rules settings. The app is a free download, with premium features available as in-app purchases.

Download 1Blocker: iOS

2. Firefox Focus (Android, iOS)

Firefox Focus is another addition to Mozilla's family of browsers. This one's a privacy-oriented version of Firefox that bakes in ad-blocking and anti-tracking into a light and functional package. Firefox Focus blocks ads and speeds up browsing, while also working in privacy-friendly features like automatic history and cookie clearing. 

Users can selectively block ads, analytics, content and social trackers with easy toggles, turn on a "stealth" mode, and set a default search engine.

Our look at the best Android browsers has more on the various flavors of Firefox.

Download Firefox Focus: Android , iOS

3. AdClear (Android, iOS)

AdClear — or AdClear Plus if you're searching for the iOS version — offers the kind of mobile ad blocking in browsers that similar apps provide. But AdClear takes it one step farther by also blocking ads in apps. 

AdClear achieves this through a DNS changer feature that routes traffic through a VPN. AdClear doesn't catch everything in all apps, and in our experience, some apps ran a little slower. But this free download can put a stop to ads interrupting what you're trying to do whether in an app or a browser.

Download AdClear: Android , iOS

1. Decentraleyes (Chrome, Firefox)

Some times, blocking ads can also prevent websites fromn pulling needed resoruces and libraries from third-party sources, breaking web pages in the process. Decentraleyes tries to stop that from happening by acting as a local content delivery network emulator to serve up the files that websites need. By doing so, this extension can stop websites from sending out requests to the likes of Google Hosted Libraries.

Think of Decentraleyes as a complement to ad blockers. In fact, the extension specifically says it can work with uBlock Origin and AdBlock Plus, both of which we recommend up above.

Download Decentraleyes: Chrome , Firefox

2. Opera (Desktop, Android, iOS)

The Opera browser bakes in ad-blocking features into the browser without the need for an extra add-on, while also offering privacy-friendly tools such as an unlimited, built-in VPN service, incognito mode, fraud and malware warnings for suspicious links and pages, and more. In addition, you can further customize Opera's capabilities with a wide array of extensions. 

Mobile users need not fret, as the Android version comes with just about everything the desktop version has but built for touch-screen interfaces. On iOS, the mobile version of Opera is listed in Apple's App Store as Opera Touch. (Incidentally, we've got a guide on how you can use Opera to block ads on the iPhone .)

Download Opera: Mac or Windows , Android , iOS

3. Privacy Badger (Chrome, Firefox, Opera)

The Electronic Frontier Foundation's Privacy Badger browser extension was born from the EFF's concerns about the business models of some privacy tools and ad blockers. 

Privacy Badger functions similarly to extensions like AdBlock Plus (on which it was based), observing the various tracking tools that advertisers and other third parties might use to track your online activities and selectively blocking them from executing. Built-in learning algorithms adapt to the sites you visit and take any new tracking tools discovered into account. 

While not explicitly an ad blocker, Privacy Badger does also block some advertising, depending on how aggressively the ads track you across websites.

Download Privacy Badger: Chrome , Firefox , Opera

4. Tor Browser (Desktop, Android)

The Tor network helps anonymize your internet activity by bouncing the data you send and receive through a distributed anonymous network of routers to foil a common online surveillance technique called traffic analysis, which can reveal the sites you visit or who you're communicating with. 

The Tor Browser is an all-in-one package that includes everything you need to surf the net through the Tor network in an easy-to-install portable package. The package includes a modified version of Firefox with privacy aids such as NoScript baked in, and an automatic setup aid that makes it easy to connect to and create new Tor circuits. 

On the desktop, you can grab a version of Tor Browser for Windows, macOS or Linux. There's also a version of Tor Browser for Android, which replaces the previous OrBot + OrFox combination recommended for browsing Tor on Android.

Download Tor Browser: Desktop , Android

5. Onion Browser (iOS)

iOS users aren’t left out when it comes to browsing the Tor anonymizer network, with the Onion Browser among the more popular options on Apple’s mobile OS. 

Previously a premium app, Onion Browser has since moved to a donation model, opening up access to everyone who wants to download the app, without compromising security or features. The usual caveats apply: Browsing through Tor will slow down the web experience, and some features, like video streams and video files won’t work in order to preserve anonymity.

Download Onion Browser: iOS

How to choose the best ad blocker for you

Many of the best ad blockers are available for free, either as extensions or as standalone apps, though a few, like AdLock, charge a fee. Determine if the free services provide enough ad-blocking to meet your needs or whether a paid app delivers more for your money. You should also figure out if a browser extension will take care of your ad-blocking needs or whether you should consider switching browsers to one with more built-in privacy features.

You can narrow down your choice in ad blockers by deciding specifically what you're looking to accomplish with such an app or extension. Do you just want to stop annoying pop-up ads from appearing or do you want the full range of services, including privacy features and an end to ad-tracking? Grab the ad blocker that ticks off all the boxes on your wishlist.

Some ad blockers, such as AdBlock Plus include filters and the ability to let in non-obtrusive advertising. Others, like AdBlocker Ultimate, take a more aggressive approach. Find out which one best suits your needs and comfort level.

As we noted at the outset, there's also an ethical component to ad blockers. Do you feel comfortable keeping ad revenue out of the hands of sites you enjoy and use for free? As good as the best ad blockers are, that's still a trade-off you need to consider when deciding whether to install one as a browser extension or as a standalone app. 

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• kep55 I'm waiting for an ad blocker that will spoof the websites into thinking there is no ad blocker in place. More and more sites are incorporating code that disables the site entirely or many of the features if an adblocker is in use. Reply

kep55 said: I'm waiting for an ad blocker that will spoof the websites into thinking there is no ad blocker in place. More and more sites are incorporating code that disables the site entirely or many of the features if an adblocker is in use.

• View All 2 Comments

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• 5 Google Pixel 8a in Coral seems unlikely — but the color is tipped to reappear as an official case

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• iPhone Adblockers

5 Best Ad blockers for iPhone and iPad

If, like me, you’re getting increasingly annoyed by pop-ups appearing on your iPhone and iPad, you’ll be glad to know there’s a simple solution. Quality ad blockers for iOS will run silently on your device, preventing chatboxes, banners, pop ads, and other annoyances from bothering you.

Apple’s app store is full of free ad blocker options for iPhones, but in my experience, these are often less robust. Our recommended ad-blocking apps will intercept websites from spying, cookies from tracking, malicious connections and can even block ads on streaming sites like YouTube – features you’ll rarely find on a free app.

To help you cut through the notice, I’ve sifted through and tested ad blockers on the App Store to find the very best. If you don’t have time to read through the rest of the article, our results are summarized below.

The Best Ad blockers for iPhone and iPad List:

• Total Adblock : My best pick for an iPhone and iPad ad-blocker. Able to stop ads from streaming sites and prevent social media trackers too. 
• Adlock : Best budget adblocker or iPhone and iPad. Comprehensive blocking abilities and plenty of scope for customization. 
• AdGuard : An open-source ad-blocker for iOS. Packed with features and has a wide range of filters to choose from. 
• 1Blocker : One of the original ad-blocking apps for iPhone. One of the first companies to make a decent ad-blocker for iPhones and iPads. Still quality.
• Wipr : An easy-to-use ad-blocker for iPhone users. It will also block cookies and trackers but is easy on the wallet. 

How we picked the best iOS ad-blocking apps

As I was testing the ad-blocking apps on the App Store, I had a very strict criteria for adblockers:

• Value for money
• Blocks ads beyond Safari
• Customization
• Additional safety

If you’re interested in knowing more about our testing methodology I cover it in more depth later in this guide.

The Best iPhone and iPad ad blockers: In-depth analysis

Here’s a list of the best adblockers for iPhone and iPad:

1. TotalAdblock

TotalAdblock is a seemingly simple app that can nevertheless deal with all types of ads, notifications and trackers.  

It removes banners, video ads and pop-ups from Safari by default, and provides custom filters to block web elements that you don’t approve of. These don’t necessarily need to be ads, but anything that you’d rather not be there while you browse.  

TotalAdblock also stops ads from appearing on sites using free-with-ad models, such as YouTube and Crunchyroll.  Cookies and trackers are removed and TotalAdblock also provides a dedicated filter for preventing social media sites from tracking you and placing “like” and “share” buttons on the sites you visit. 

The app can speed up loading times by removing cookie and privacy warnings – though you don’t necessarily want to do this for privacy warnings. Simply removing ads should sufficiently speed up the time it takes for pages to load. 

TotalAdblock can be configured to block websites and webpages known to distribute malware, or whitelist sites that you want left alone.

The basic TotalAdblock app is free, but you’ll need to pay an annual subscription to get access to the features listed above. This will also give you access to TotalAV virus protection and PC Tune-Up software too. 

TotalAdblock is compatible with iPhones running iOS 11.0 or later and iPads running iPadOS or later. 

• Total ad-blocking
• Stops social media tracking
• Enables element blocking
• Stops ads on streaming sites
• Paid plan includes TotalAV antivirus
• Annual subscription only for premium plan

BEST AD-BLOCKER:  app for iPhone and iPad. It offers comprehensive blocking of all types of advert, together with malware and virus protection.

Adlock is a powerful ad-blocker that blocks all pop-ups, auto-play ads, banners and unwanted redirects on both Safari sites and in apps. It also stops video and audio ads on streaming services such as Youtube, Twitch, and Crunchyroll – thanks to being able to evade anti-ad-blocker detection. 

Adlock works by applying a series of advertising filters based on EasyList technology (the most popular list used by ad-blockers). The developers recommend using between three and five filters, though you’re free to test and apply new filters in the app’s settings. Using the filters, you can choose what should be blocked on the web pages you visit – pop-up chat boxes, for example.

Additional features include blocking all forms of online tracking scripts and warnings about malicious websites, viruses, phishing attacks, and other forms of online scam. Adlock also enables you to whitelist particular pages or entire websites as desired.

Adlock is compatible with iPhones running iOS 12.1 or later, and iPad’s running iPadOS or later. 

• Blocks all types of ads, including video
• Bypasses ad-block walls
• Spam and scam links warnings
• Free trial period
• Not the easiest for beginners

BEST BUDGET-FRIENDLY OPTION: ad-blocker that stops unwanted ads on both websites and apps. 

AdGuard is a veteran provider in the world of ad-blocking. The open-source app removes all kinds of ads in Safari, including banners, pop-ups and video ads. You can whitelist your favorite websites or use a manual blocking tool to hide any elements on a page.

There are a selection of filters aimed directly at stopping trackers and web analytics – with around 50 to choose from in total. AdGuard also enables protection against malicious or fraudulent websites. 

The user-rules module lets you create your own rules — anything from simple allow-listing of a website to something more sophisticated.

AdGuard is ostensibly free, though you’ll need to pay a subscription to access many of the features mentioned above. Prices are based on either a year’s subscription, or a lifetime’s subscription. 

All plans come with a 60-day money-back guarantee. Alternatively, you can try AdGuard for free with a 14-day trial. AdGuard is compatible with iPhones running iOS 11.2 or later, and iPads running iPadOS 11.2 or later. 

• Removes all types of ad 
• Supports manual blocking
• Plenty of filters to choose from
• Sixty-day money-back guarantee
• The app can sometimes freeze up
• No monthly subscription option

HIGHLY ADAPTABLE:  with features and provides a robust ad-blocking service for iPhones and iPads.  

4. 1Blocker

1Blocker is a powerful, independently built-and-maintained app specifically designed for the iOS operating system. As it’s a web extension, it won’t block anything outside of the Safari browser.

When you launch the app, it tells Safari what should be blocked in advance, rather than blocking filtered elements of the already-downloaded page. This improves display speeds and preserves battery life. 

Blocking ads, cookies, comments and the like is as simple as checking the right boxes. Frequent rule updates ensure that your choices stay blocked. 

There are two versions of 1Blocker, with the free option offering less functionality. The paid-for version provides system-wide firewall protection from in-app trackers, a whitelist extension, and the option to sync your settings across all iOS devices. 

It also allows you to tailor the app using custom rules. These rules are divided into several categories, including: allow list, block sites, block cookies, hide elements, and make site https-only. The website has all the information you need to get started with creating custom rules. 

The app is compatible with iPhones running iOS 14.2 or later, and iPads running iPadOS 14.2 or later. New customers signing up to the free version can take advantage of a two-week free trial of the app’s premium features. 

• Create custom rules
• Whitelist extension available
• Two-week free trial
• Only works within Safari
• Could confuse some users

PROVEN TRACK RECORD:  for iPhones and iPads, with plenty of scope for customization and a low subscription fee. 

Wipr is a straightforward and effective ad-blocker for Safari that can be set up in seconds. It blocks all ads, trackers , cryptocurrency miners, EU cookies and GDPR notices on web pages opened in Safari. That said, Wipr specifically states that it is not a security tool, so won’t block malicious, scam or phishing sites. 

Wipr can block ads on some apps, but only those that display websites using the Safari View Controller. This is essentially a screen managed by Safari that apps can use without needing to open the actual Safari browser. Apps like Tweetbot and some other social networking sites use it for all web links. 

If you find that opening sites such as YouTube still results in ads, you can try using the Wipr Extra extension. This provides blocking on a few sites where the Content Blocker API isn’t enough. Wipr Extra isn’t enabled by default as it requires full website access, which raises some privacy issues. If you do want to try it, you’ll need to be running at least iOS 15.

Wipr’s block-list is updated twice a week, which ensures few ads slip past it. You don’t need to do anything – the app will check for updates for you. Indeed, this is the beauty of Wipr on the whole – you don’t need to do anything beyond activating it. While this is great for some, it could be frustrating for those who prefer a little more control. 

The app is compatible with iPhones running iOS 12.0 or later, and iPads running iPadOS 12.0 or later. 

• No acceptable ads
• No custom rules
• No whitelist options

GREAT FOR BEGINNERS:  that’s simple to install and offers impressive blocking ability. 

Methodology: How we chose the 5 best ad-block apps for iPhone and iPad

Being able to block ads is all well and good, but it’s something many people have come to expect from free apps. So what might we expect from a paid-for ad-blocker? We considered the following areas:

• No acceptable ads: The whole point of an ad-blocker is to reduce your exposure to adverts. We don’t like those which allow paid adverts across their threshold. However, some do permit search ads, which are deemed helpful to the user. For example, contextual ads if you’re trying to buy something via a search engine. These types of advert are different to acceptable ads in that the ad-blocker isn’t receiving money for them.
• Value for money: There are plenty of free ad-blockers out there, so we ask that paid-for versions can prove their worth. If they charge too much for a so-so service, then we don’t include them.
• Blocks ads beyond Safari: Ad-blockers that can stop ads beyond just those displayed within Safari are preferred. Ideally, they should prevent ads in apps using free-with-ad models too, such as YouTube , Tubi, and Crunchyroll .
• Customization: We like ad-blockers that allow for the creation of custom rules, and also those that let us add sites to a whitelist.
• Additional safety: A good ad-blocker offers additional features, such as protection against malicious websites, viruses, and phishing attacks . 

Can I use a free ad-block for iPhone and iPad?

If you’ve already spent some time looking for an app to block ads, it’s likely you’ve already come across a number of free options. There are some free ad-block apps that do the job to a basic level. However, I found them to be not as robust as their paid counterparts. They were often employing less stringent blocking rules and came with a lot less customization.

If you come across one that seems to be providing a premium-level service without charging, it’s likely they will be generating an income through other means. Namely your data, or by gatekeeping your ad viewing experience. By limiting the ads you do see to only their “acceptable ads”, they can generate money from advertisers directly. But, this defeats the whole purpose of an ad blocker.

How to enable content blockers on iPhone and iPad

• Download your chosen ad blocker to your iPhone.
• Launch the Settings app.
• Scroll down and tap Safari .
• Under General , tap Content Blockers .
• Activate your chosen content blocker by toggling the switch next to it to the green ON position.

Will these ad blockers work on streaming sites?

Yes, but blocking ads on streaming sites like YouTube is a little more complex. However, some of my recommended ad-blocking apps are up to the task. When testing I had the most success with Total Adblock extension for the Chrome browser.

It does require some setup, but we provide a step-by-step guide in our how to block ads on YouTube guide, so head over there for more information.

FAQs: Best ad-block for iPhone and iPad

Does apple allow ad-blockers.

Yes – Apple first announced that ad blockers would begin working on iPhones in 2015. Developers were quick to react, with the result that the App store now has hundreds to choose from. If you haven’t yet decided on a third-party ad-blocker to use, you can make a start by stopping pop-ups using the iOS built-in pop-up-blocker. Follow these instructions:

• Under General , toggling the switch next to Block Pop-ups to the green ON position.

What are ad-blocking filters?

Ad-blocking sites make frequent reference to filters , which are how ad blockers are told to recognise exactly what an advert – or other element to be blocked – looks like. Filtering rules help them to do this. 

A filtering rule is a line of code that can block an element on a website, or prevent ads from loading. Similar rules are combined into a group called a filter. Example filters include those that remove analytics tags, or one that blocks ads in a particular language. 

Do ad-blockers slow websites down?

No – in fact, they almost always speed things up. Adverts fund a great deal of the content we see online. Research suggests that the code used to generate ads – and also to gather analytical data – is responsible for between 50% and 60% of the total loading time of a page.

A decent ad-blocker – such as TotalAdblock – removes all the offending elements that your computer would otherwise waste time downloading. This includes web banners, pictures, pop-up windows and – worst of all – autoplay audio and video ads. This makes pages easier to read, as well as reducing the amount of bandwidth needed to access them. 

Ad-blockers have the additional benefit of improving online privacy by removing the number of cookies and stopping other behavioral tracking code from running. They can also protect you from malicious content, and will ultimately provide a better user experience overall. 

Do iPhones and iPads have a built-in ad-blocker?

Technically yes, IOS devices come with a built-in ad-blocker. So you might be wondering why you would invest in another. The truth is that these built-in solutions do the bare minimum. They might prevent some pop-ups and banners, but some fall through the cracks. There is also a lot less flexibility with the IOS ad-blocker, as you can’t set specific filters and exceptions like you can on a premium product. This is why we still recommend considering external software to protect your IOS device from ads.

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Roundup - best VPNs for iPhone Adblocker

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We recommend using NordVPN - #1 of 72 VPNs in our tests. It offers outstanding privacy features and is currently available at a discounted rate.

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Ads are the most annoying part of accessing the internet from your iPhone. I get it! If you are tired of stumbling upon an ad every few seconds, I have curated a list of the best ad blockers for iPhone and iPad. They will not only enhance your surfing experience but also prevent tracking of your online activities. But before you get to the list, let’s learn more about these blockers.

Where can I block ads using ad blockers on iPhone?

You can block ads on iPhone and iPad for Safari browser only. The feature is supported for devices with 64-bit architecture. Here’s how you can block pop-up ads using Safari settings on iPhone and iPad.

• In the Settings app on your iPhone and iPad, locate and tap Safari .
• Now toggle on Block Pop-ups and Fraudulent Website Warning .

Note : The setting, as it says, will only help you block pop-up windows and prevent fraudulent websites. This doesn’t completely block ads from your online journey.

Hence, if you want to block all forms of ads on iPhone and iPad completely, you’d need third-party apps to do so. To help you learn about the same and install them on your device, I have prepared a list of the 5 best iPhone adblocker apps. Let’s have a look.

What are the best ad blockers for iPhone and iPad?

• Ad Blocker: Safari Adblock
• Adblock Plus
• Avast Secure Browser

1. 1Blocker: Privacy & Ad Blocke‪r

The application has proven its expertise in blocking ads, trackers, and other annoying elements on sites you visit. Being a native app, 1Blocker serves you impeccably and getting rid of all of them, and offers a smooth experience while surfing the web. It also delivers a range of customization options to empower your security and privacy further.

While there’s a premium version, as part of its free services, you can use features like enabling anyone blocking category, allowlist sites through Safari extension, and sync devices using iCloud.

Price : Free (In-app purchases starting $1.99)

Compatibility : iOS/iPadOS 13.0 or later

2. AdGuard: adblock&privac‪y

The app allows you to remove all forms of ads from your Safari browser and eventually boost its performance by making it 4x faster. You’ll also experience a significant increase in battery life by blocking banners and ads from your Safari browser and reducing data consumption.

All of this and much more is attained using more than 50 subscriptions, including easylist, easyprivacy, etc., combined with AdGuards in-house robust ad-filters. The app also offers a premium version, which further adds features like custom filters, DNS privacy, security filters, etc.

Price : Free (In-app purchases starting $0.99)

Compatibility : iOS/iPadOS 11.2 or later

3. AdLock: Ads & Adware removal

AdLock is a comprehensive ad-blocker for your iPhone and iPad that prevents all kinds of ads on Safari while being resource-efficient. It’s a breeze to set up and use with minimal effort needed on your part.

You can enjoy a distraction-free reading experience on the web and get rid of annoying video and audio ads on services like Youtube, Twitch, Crunchyroll, etc.

It can even bypass ad-block walls that prevent you from viewing content if using a generic ad-blocking tool. Pretty nifty! 

Further, AdLock keeps you safe from third-party trackers, adware/malware attacks, all forms of online tracking scripts, and bugs run by advertisers like Google, Facebook, and others.

It stops you from visiting malicious websites and protects against viruses, phishing attacks, and scammers. 

What’s more? You can fully customize it to allow ads on specific sites and select which kind of ads to block. All this makes it well worth the small annual price. 

Price : Free (Yearly subscription for $4.99)

Compatibility : iOS/iPadOS 12.1 or later 

4. Ad Blocker: Safari Adblock

AdBlocker lets you enjoy browsing Safari and work efficiently without ads and pop-ups. Also, you can have peace of mind as all web trackers will be blocked, thereby ensuring protection for your data. You can also use the feature on websites in various languages, and not just English. Besides, it boosts web surfing by using minimal device resources and conserves battery life and Wi-Fi/cellular data.

Moreover, parents can use it to prevent teenagers from visiting restricted sites. If you don’t want to block ads on any particular site, you may add that to the white list. Other than blocking ads and trackers, the app bans malicious websites that may affect your device. If you want the advanced features, you may purchase the premium versions.

Price : Free (In-app purchases starts from $1.99)

Compatibility : iOS 13.0 or later

5. Adblock Plus for Safari (ABP‪)

The ad-blocking app for iPhone and iPad is free of cost and has no hidden price with it. However, this doesn’t let it compromise with features and user-privacy. It boasts more than 50 million users worldwide.

Perhaps this is why it offers a custom language setting to block region-specific ads. The app is easy to set up and helps you save battery life by blocking ads and other hindrances in your online experience. Also, you get to take the benefit of its in-built privacy protection using anti-tracking.

Price : Free

Compatibility : iOS/iPadOS 10.0 or later

The app is designed to block trackers, ads, GDPR notices, EU cookies, cryptocurrency miners, and everything else that may compromise your privacy and hinder your online experience. It utilizes an enhanced blocklist to prevent trackers from fetching your data and other activities.

The best part about the app is they allow nothing from anyone (even against money) and follow a strict ‘No ads’ policy. Not just this, the blocklist gets updated every quarter to enhanced protection and privacy in the consistently changing webspace.

Price : $1.99

Compatibility : iOS/iPadOS 12.0 or later

7. Avast Secure Browse‪r

Most of us have heard or used the app at least once. However, we’ve known it for its protection against viruses and malware. This Avast app offers all-around protection, including VPN , ad-blocker, and data encryption. It boasts more than 400 million users and offers features including automatic privacy, faster browsing without ads, robust encryption, built-in VPN, custom browsing modes, private video downloader, cross-platform sync, etc.

Price : Free (In-app purchases starting $1.49)

Most ad blocker apps offer the same features. However, the difference comes with some new features, price, and interface. If I have to name one, I’ll count Avast considering its additional features and vivid price range.

This is one misconception many people have. Ad blockers neither track you nor record your browsing history or fetch your data.

Ad-blockers don’t do it directly. However, they prevent you from viruses and malware that may attack your device through ads.

If you are accessing YouTube through your Safari browser and have an ad blocker installed, you can block the ads. However, for the YouTube app, ad blockers can’t help. To block ads in the YouTube app, you need to subscribe to YouTube Premium.

You can use third-party apps like adblocker to block ads on your iPhone apps. I would suggest you check the app description first, as not all ad-blocking apps offer mobile apps functionality. You may also have to pay an amount to unlock this feature.

Ready for an ad-free experience?

I have tried covering all possible ways you can block ads on iPhone and iPad. It’s important to acknowledge that the new iOS privacy policy refrains apps and websites to track your online activities. It does not stop them from showing ads. For an ultimate experience, you’ll have to install a third-party app. I hope one out of the listed five will match your expectations.

Let me know which worked out for you or if you have any questions in the comments below.

For additional insights:

• Best security apps for iPhone and iPad
• How to Enable Safari Popup Blocker on iPhone, iPad, and Mac

Ava is a die-hard Apple aficionado and seasoned writer with a knack for breaking down complex tech concepts into easily digestible content. Having honed her writing and editing skills over 3 years at renowned media houses like TechBurner, Ava crafts informative and engaging articles including troubleshooting guides, product reviews, editorials at iGeeksBlog. When not typing, you can find her exploring the latest Apple releases or pondering the future of tech innovation.

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🗣️ Our site is supported by our readers like you. When you purchase through our links, we earn a small commission. Read Disclaimer .

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How to Block Ads in Safari on the iPhone

There are some built-in tools, but you'll likely need a content blocker plug-in

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In This Article

Jump to a Section

• Block Ads on iPhone
• Install Content Blocking Apps
• Choose an Ad-Blocking Plug-In
• Block Pop-Ups

Why You Should Block Ads

• Why You Shouldn't Block Ads

What to Know

• Download and set up an ad blocker app. Then, on iPhone: Settings > Safari > Content Blockers ( on ).
• Suggested ad blockers: 1Blocker, Crystal Adblock, Norton Ad Blocker, Purify.
• Natively block Safari pop-ups on iPhone: Settings > Safari > Block Pop-ups ( on ).

This article explains how to use content blockers to block ads in Safari on iPhones with iOS 9 or higher.

Your phone must have iOS 9 or higher to use content blockers. Update the iPhone OS to ensure it has the most up-to-date version with current security patches.

How to Block Ads on iPhone With Safari

Using an ad blocker for your iPhone means your browser won't download ads. This usually means faster page loads, a longer-lasting battery, and less wireless data usage. If you don't want to see pop-up ads, there is a way to block these ads. Here's how to do so using the Safari web browser for iPhone.

Content blockers are apps that add new features that your default web browser doesn't have. These are like third-party keyboards —separate apps that work inside other apps that support them. This means that to block ads, you need to install at least one of these apps.

Most iPhone content blockers work the same way. When you go to a website, the app checks a list of ad services and servers. If it finds these on the site you're visiting, the app blocks the website from loading those ads on the page. Some apps take a comprehensive approach by blocking the ads and tracking the cookies used by advertisers based on those cookies' URLs .

How to Install Content Blocking Apps

To block ads with Safari content blocker apps, install the app, and then enable it from the iPhone Settings app.

Go to the App Store and download a content-blocking app to your iPhone. The example here is Norton Ad Blocker, but all ad-blocking apps work similarly. See the list below for other suggested apps.

Open the ad blocker app and follow the instructions to set it up. Every app is different, but each offers instructions to turn on the ad-blocking abilities.

On the iPhone home screen, open the Settings app.

Select Safari > Content Blockers .

Move the toggle switch next to the ad-blocker app you installed to On (green).

Choose an Ad-Blocking Plug-In for Safari

There is a sizable market for ad-blocking Safari plug-ins. The following options can get you started:

• 1Blocker : Free, with in-app purchases. In addition to more than 50,000 built-in blocker rules, this app supports custom rules to block sites and cookies and to hide other elements.
• Crystal Adblock : At $0.99, the developer claims that this ad blocker loads pages four times faster and uses 50 percent less data. This app also lets you opt to view ads on some sites to support those sites.
• Norton Ad Blocker : This free ad-blocking app from the company behind the popular and long-running antivirus software also lets you add exceptions.
• Purify : Grab this content blocker for $1.99 to block ads and tracking software. It includes a list (typically called a whitelist) to allow you to see ads on some sites if you like. According to the developer, after blocking Safari ads with this app, you can expect a fourfold increase in page load speeds and your web browsing data usage to be cut in half.

How to Block Pop-Ups on the iPhone Using Built-In Tools

Ad-blocking apps can block all kinds of ads and trackers used by advertisers. If you only want to block intrusive pop-ups, you don't need to download an app because pop-up blocking is a built-in feature in Safari. Here's what you need to do:

On the iPhone home screen, select Settings > Safari .

Toggle the Block Pop-ups switch to On (green), if it isn't already.

You can enable the Safari pop-up blocker on your computer, too.

The main benefit of blocking ads is that you don't see advertising. However, there are other key benefits to using these anti-advertisement apps:

• Websites load faster : Ads are extra elements on the page that have to load, and ads often stream video or play animations. It takes time for the page to fully download and often causes other things like non-ad images and videos to take longer to display.
• You'll be more secure : Many ads are vectors for malware. Infected ads hit a network, even a legitimate one, to disrupt your device.
• You use less data : When you no longer see ads, you won't use your monthly data allowances to load ads. Some ad-blocking apps claim to save you lots of data. While their numbers may be inflated, you'll reduce your data usage to some degree because ad images and videos don't download to your phone.
• A longer-lasting battery : Downloading ads, just like downloading anything in Safari, requires energy. One way to have a longer-lasting battery is to stop downloading so much data, which is what happens when you use an ad blocker.

Why You Shouldn't Block Ads

One downside you might encounter when you block ads on your iPhone is that some websites don't load properly. Some sites detect whether their ads load, and if ads don't load, you can't use the site until you unblock their ads.

Almost every site on the internet makes the majority of its money by showing advertising to its readers. If the ads are blocked, the site doesn't get paid. The money made from advertising pays writers and editors, funds server and bandwidth costs, buys equipment, pays for photography and travel, and more. Without that income, it's possible that a site you visit every day could go out of business. Consider supporting your favorite sites by whitelisting them, so ads on those sites still display.

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How are you currently blocking ads on YouTube from safari on iPad?

• Thread starter Hori
• Start date May 30, 2021
• Sort by reaction score
• iPhone, iPad, and iPod Touch
• iOS and iPadOS
• Older iOS Versions

macrumors newbie

• May 30, 2021

Ad block plus has completely stopped working for everybody.  

macrumors member

ad block plus or better way without safari is use altstore and download cercube ipa  

macrumors 68020

I subscribed YouTube premium instead of Apple Music / Spotify due to this reason.  

macrumors 68000

• May 31, 2021

Adguard, google dont need more money..  

YouTube ads in Safari: why do you see them and can they be removed?

macrumors 6502a

Brave browser works great for avoiding ads  

macrumors 603

EM2013 said: AdGuard but it seems like google is going to war against adblockers or something. I don’t know but they’ll never get a dime from me for YT. YouTube ads in Safari: why do you see them and can they be removed? Content blocking in Safari is a thing in and of itself, and it's not good. One of the consequences is ads appearing in YouTube. Why does it happen and can it be prevented? adguard.com Click to expand...

macrumors 6502

• Jun 1, 2021

Gave up on yt on mobile, when I can I use a computer. Not much for the ads, but for the subtitles that just won't stay off. Now, I'm looking for a browser plugin that disables the auto translation of video titles...  

biffuz said: Gave up on yt on mobile, when I can I use a computer. Not much for the ads, but for the subtitles that just won't stay off. Now, I'm looking for a browser plugin that disables the auto translation of video titles... Click to expand...

macrumors 601

PhillyGuy72

Macrumors 68040.

• Jun 2, 2021

Yeah, both iMac Safari and iPadOS Safari, seems like YouTube / Google figured out bypassing the AdBlock. Ugh. I am running Google Chrome on my older iMac and AdBlock, AdBlock for Youtube still works great though.  

Similar to others, I have YouTube Premium via Mexico - $9 USD/month for a family subscription.  

How to efficiently block YouTube ads in Safari

ghostface147

Sucks for the Mac that AdGuard isn’t free like iOS. Wish 1Blocker would figure it out.  

• Jun 4, 2021

ghostface147 said: Sucks for the Mac that AdGuard isn’t free like iOS. Wish 1Blocker would figure it out. Click to expand...

• Jun 6, 2021

Hori said: Ad block plus has completely stopped working for everybody. Click to expand...

Samdh90 said: It still is not free but adguard is running a 40% off of all licenses right now. Can't advise how long it will be like this but if you want to act, now would be the best time. Click to expand...

• Jun 7, 2021

BeatCrazy said: Is there a paid solution that works across both macOS and iOS? Preferably one-time purchase. Click to expand...

Bubble99 said: You could look at adblock guard app or use the Brave browser is other option. Click to expand...

macrumors regular

• Jun 21, 2021

I'm having the same problem with Youtube.  

macrumors 65816

• Jun 22, 2021

minimo3 said: Brave browser works great for avoiding ads Click to expand...

Flight Plan

YouTube has demonitized and even shut down people for putting bonafide TRAINING videos up, or just for having a not-so-politically-correct viewpoint on life. So I've demonitized YouTube by blocking ads. And I skip any that might come through. To Google: Your interpretation of copyright law sucks. Your automatic methods suck for copyright demonitization and shutdowns. You get it wrong more than you get it right. I could play a sequence of chords for a Led Zep song and you'd block it. It's not even the melody. You and your methods suck, and that hurts good people trying to do good things. So come at me, bro. I'll respond by helping all of my friends and family demonitize you back! You've already p*ssed me off more than enough for a lifetime. I'm ready to tear it all down and I'm ready to change copyright law so that public domain is eligible after 10 years, not the stupid 70 that's currently in place. THIS is where we are right now and I'm ready to start hassling my legislators to do this. When I'm done, EVERY DAMNED THING MADE OLDER THAN 2012 WILL BE FREE TO PLAY IN PUBLIC AND FREE TO POST ON YOU*TUBE. Tell me, Google, what will you do when there are suddenly 452,000 versions of "Stairway to Heaven", and half of them are mine? Things that make you go "hmmmm...." ?  

You are using an outdated browser. Please upgrade your browser to improve your experience.

Apple to unveil AI-enabled Safari browser alongside new operating systems

Safari getting new AI tools in iOS 18

The software — expected to debut as Safari 18 later in 2024 — is currently undergoing evaluation alongside internal builds of Apple's next-generation operating system updates, namely iOS 18 and macOS 15, according to people familiar with the matter. Should all of the new features make it to the release candidate stage, users will be treated to a new user interface (UI) for customizing popular page controls, a "Web eraser" feature, and AI-driven content summarization tools.

Intelligent Search - AI-enhanced browsing and text summarization

Engineers evaluating the latest builds of Safari 18 can find a toggle for the new page controls menu within the browser's address bar. The menu consolidates — and provides quick access to — old and new page control tools, among them being the browser's new "Intelligent Search" feature.

This feature is not automatically enabled in test builds of Safari 18 and instead requires manual activation from the page controls menu. Once enabled, it's believed the tool leverages Apple's on-device AI technology — specifically the Ajax language-learning model — to identify topics and key phrases within a webpage for which to base the summarization.

In selecting key phrases, Apple's LLM software identifies sentences that provide explanations or describe the structure of objects, depending on the text in question. Words repeated within a text and key sentences are recognized as text topics.

These early indications suggest Apple is striving to deliver text summarization alongside Safari 18 later this year, though the exact implementation of this feature remains fuzzy.

Apple's text summarization features could be a response to rival generative AI tools, such as OpenAI's ChatGPT. But Apple's on-device models and technologies like Private Relay could make the experience much more secure for users. Intelligent Search is also likely to be the same AI browser assistant that one X user hinted at a couple of weeks back.

Web Eraser for better content-blocking

Also accessible from the new page controls menu is a feature Apple is testing called "Web Eraser." As its name would imply, it's designed to allow users to remove, or erase, specific portions of web pages, according to people familiar with the feature.

The feature is expected to build upon existing privacy features within Safari and will allow users to erase unwanted content from any webpage of their choosing. Users will have the option to erase banner ads, images, text or even entire page sections, all with relative ease.

The erasure is said to be persistent, rather than limited to a browsing session. This means that Safari will remember the changes even after the original tab or window has been closed.

When visiting a web page with previously erased content, Safari will inform the user that the page has been modified to reflect their desired changes. The browser will also give the user the option to revert changes and restore the webpage to its initial, unaltered state.

As for where Apple got the inspiration for Web Eraser, the company could have Sherlocked the feature from the third-party app 1Blocker. The application features a similar way of erasing ads, where users would tap ads to make them disappear.

Updated UI will move key tools into one easy location

The new page controls menu referenced throughout this article will attempt to offer Safari 18 users quick and easy access to several options previously located across different menus and the Share Sheet. Running on pre-release versions of macOS 15, for instance, the menu also pulls in the "Aa" menu common on existing iPadOS versions of the browser. These include zoom options, webpage settings for privacy controls, content blocking options, extension shortcuts, and access to the new AI and erasure tools.

These various options existed previously on macOS, but were found by navigating through the Safari settings menu. Having all of these controls in one central location in the Address Bar will make these options more discoverable for end users. Other options like on-page text search and reader mode are also in this menu.

This all suggests Apple intends to unite the iPadOS and macOS Safari UI paradigms when it unveils its new OS releases during its Worldwide Developers Conference in June.

AI-enhanced Visual Lookup feature could be available in 2025

Simultaneously, Apple is also working on a much more powerful visual search feature scheduled for integration sometime in 2025 that will allow users to obtain information on consumer products when browsing through images. People familiar with the tool say it's similar to the Visual Lookup feature, through which Siri can identify plants, pets and landmarks from photos.

Visual Search could be implemented as a system-wide feature. So, instead of surfacing search results in the Photos app, the user may be able to use Visual Search directly in Safari by selecting an image.

Given development of this tool is in the earlier stages, it remains unclear how Apple will ultimately go about implementing it. It also remains to be seen whether or not the feature will make it through internal testing.

The iPhone maker has expressed significant interest in artificial intelligence and more recently published research related to on-device language learning models. This goes hand in hand with widespread rumors about several other AI-powered software features, many of which are expected to make their debut later this year with iOS 18.

Another big year for Safari

From its inception, Safari was always meant to rival existing web browsers.

Safari was originally added to macOS as a means of replacing Microsoft's Internet Explorer for Mac, which was the default browser. Over the years, the app made its way to the iPhone , and has since received various upgrades over the years.

More recent versions of Safari provide users with personalized web suggestions, and allow for greater privacy protection with features such as iCloud Private Relay.

This latest set of enhancements only serves to better position Safari against the competition, in an ever-increasing landscape of generative AI tools and third-party ad-blockers.

While Apple tests many such features during different development stages, it is important to remember that not all of them make it to release. Apple has been known to delay features or cancel them entirely, so there's always a chance we may not see these new Safari features after all.

Along with Safari 18 and its associated improvements, we should also see a revamped Calculator with Math Notes make its way to iPadOS 18. Freeform Scenes and Adaptive Voice Shortcuts are new OS features, which are also expected to debut later this year.

Apple is expected to introduce various AI-related enhancements as part of iOS 18 and macOS 15, both of which should be announced at the company's annual WWDC on June 10.

35 Comments

"As for where Apple got the inspiration for Web Eraser, the company could have Sherlocked the feature from the third-party app 1Blocker. The application features a similar way of erasing ads, where users would tap ads to make them disappear." They may also have been inspired by Simplified Page....

As long as I can turn it off/hide it they can knock themselves out. 

Will the web eraser feature remove pop up videos, such as the ones that appear on this site?

I use the 'Reader' function in Safari quite a bit, but sometimes it doesn't work very well. Seems like something that AI could help make better. 

Web ads suck but how else do you think your favorite websites will stay in business? Are you prepared to pay a subscription to every site? I doubt it…

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Apple's 'incredibly private' Safari is not so private in Europe

Infosec eggheads find igiant left eu ios 17 users open to being tracked around the web.

Apple's grudging accommodation of European antitrust rules by allowing third-party app stores on iPhones has left users of its Safari browser exposed to potential web activity tracking.

Developers Talal Haj Bakry and Tommy Mysk looked into the way Apple implemented the installation process for third-party software marketplaces on iOS with Safari, and concluded Cupertino's approach is particularly shoddy.

tl;dr: The way Apple has added support for third-party app stores lets any website, when visited by Safari on iOS at least, to ping a chosen approved software marketplace with a unique per-user identifier. That means as users move from website to website, or use a website, these sites can quietly disclose that activity to a non-Apple app store – revealing the sort of things individual netizens find interesting. That info can be used for targeted app promotions, ads, and so on. This appears to apply to iOS 17.4 users in the EU. Whether anyone will exploit this in the wild remains to be seen – but the potential is there.

"Our testing shows that Apple delivered this feature with catastrophic security and privacy flaws," wrote Bakry and Mysk in an advisory published over the weekend.

Apple – which advertises Safari as " incredibly private " – evidently has undermined privacy among European Union Safari users through a marketplace-kit: URI scheme that potentially allows approved third-party app stores to follow those users around the web.

A URI scheme is a way of determining how a particular network request gets handled. A website offering an alternative software marketplace can include a button that, when tapped in Safari, launches a marketplace-kit: request that is handled by a MarketplaceKit process on the EU user's iPhone. This process, built into iOS 17.4 by Apple, then reaches out to the back-end servers of the approved marketplace to complete the installation of that store's app on the phone.

The trouble is, any site can trigger a marketplace-kit: request. On EU iOS 17.4 devices, that will cause a unique per-user identifier to be fired off by Safari to an approved marketplace's servers, leaking the fact that the user was just visiting that site. This happens even if Safari is in private browsing mode. The marketplace's servers can reject the request, which can also include a custom payload, passing more info about the user to the alternative store. This is all illustrated in the video below.

Youtube Video

In addition to Apple's Safari, two other iOS browsers currently support third-party app stores in Europe: Brave and Ecosia.

Apple doesn't allow third-party app stores in most parts of the world, citing purported privacy and security concerns – and presumably interest in sustaining its ability to collect commissions for software sales.

But Apple has been designated as a "gatekeeper" under Europe's Digital Markets Act (DMA) for iOS, the App Store, Safari, and just recently iPadOS .

That designation means the iBiz has been ordered to open its gated community so that European customers can choose third-party app stores and web-based app distribution – also known as side-loading .

But wait, there's more

According to Bakry and Mysk, Apple's URI scheme has three significant failings. First, they say, it fails to check the origin of the website, meaning the aforementioned cross-site tracking is possible.

Second, Apple's MarketplaceKit – its API for third-party stores – doesn't validate the JSON Web Tokens (JWT) passed as input parameters via incoming requests. "Worse, it blindly relayed the invalid JWT token when calling the /oauth/token endpoint," observed Bakry and Mysk. "This opens the door to various injection attacks to target either the MarketplaceKit process or the marketplace back-end."

And third, Apple isn't using certificate pinning , which leaves the door open for meddling by an intermediary ( MITM ) during the MarketplaceKit communication exchange. Bakry and Mysk claim they were able to overwrite the servers involved in this process with their own endpoints.

The limiting factor of this attack is that a marketplace must first be approved by Apple before it can undertake this sort of tracking. At present, not many marketplaces have won approval. We're aware of the B2B Mobivention App marketplace , AltStore , and Setapp . Epic Games has also planned an iOS store . A few other marketplaces will work after an iThing jailbreak, but they’re unlikely to attract many consumers.

The two security researchers argue that scam apps regularly find their way through Apple's review process, meaning rogue app stores could be allowed through. And they claim the privacy problems arise from Apple wanting to track third-party store usage.

"The flaw of exposing users in the EU to tracking is the result of Apple insisting on inserting itself between marketplaces and their users," asserted Bakry and Mysk. "This is why Apple needs to pass an identifier to the marketplaces so they can identify installs and perhaps better calculate the due Core Technology Fee (CTF) ."

They urge iOS users in Europe to use Brave rather than Safari because Brave's implementation checks the origin of the website against the URL to prevent cross-site tracking.

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Back when Apple planned not to support Home Screen web apps in Europe – a gambit later abandoned after developer complaints and regulatory pressure – the iGiant justified its position by arguing the amount of work required "was not practical to undertake given the other demands of the DMA." By not making the extra effort to implement third-party app stores securely, Apple has arguably turned its security and privacy concerns into a self-fulfilling prophecy.

In its remarks [PDF] on complying with the DMA, Apple declared, "In the EU, every user's security, privacy, and safety will depend in part on two questions. First, are alternative marketplaces and payment processors capable of protecting users? And, second, are they interested in doing so?"

There's also the question of whether Apple is capable of protecting users – and whether it's interested in doing so.

Apple did not respond to a request for comment. ®

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Apple Watch

Apple health, apple watch afib feature gets new fda seal of approval.

The Apple Watch AFib feature – which detects abnormal heartbeat patterns indicative of atrial fibrillation – has received a new tick of approval from the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Doctors have already credited the health feature with saving lives.

While the FDA had previously granted clearance for AFib detection, that was a limited endorsement …

The Apple Watch previously had FDA ‘clearance’

When the FDA first cleared Apple to include atrial fibrillation detection by the Apple Watch, that was the lowest hurdle. Specifically, the 510(k) clearance granted to Apple effectively said that the device is “substantially equivalent” to some existing device.

In other words, there were already existing optical pulse oximeters which worked in the same way as the one fitted to the Apple Watch, and those had already been shown to detect AFib.

Since usage of those earlier devices was already permitted, then the new device is effectively grandfathered in by a 510(k) clearance.

Now qualifies under MDDT program

The FDA has now announced that the Apple Watch AFib feature has now qualified as a Medical Device Development Tool (MDDT).

It says that this is the first ever digital health tech to qualify under the program.

The FDA is announcing the qualification of a new tool to assess atrial fibrillation (a type of arrhythmia, or abnormal heartbeat) burden estimates within clinical studies through the Medical Device Development Tools (MDDT) program. The Apple Atrial Fibrillation History Feature is the first digital health technology qualified under the MDDT program, providing a non-invasive way to check estimates of atrial fibrillation (AFib) burden within clinical studies.

What does this mean?

It means researchers carrying out clinical studies into atrial fibrillation are now allowed to rely on Apple Watch AFib data as part of their findings.

Specifically, an Apple Watch can now be used to determine the severity of AFib (known as the AFib burden) in order to determine whether treatment is needed, and then to measure the effectiveness of that treatment afterwards.

The MDDT qualification determines that the device creates “scientifically plausible measurements.” Effectively, the FDA is stating that it is sufficiently confident in the reliability of the feature to determine its results safe to use in research studies.

I’ve previously argued that AFib History is the quiet beginning of a huge Apple Health revolution .

• Apple Watch user discovers A-fib heart issue with new ECG app, ‘this probably saved you,’ says doctor
• Apple Watch skeptic discovers Afib days after ECG app reaches Europe
• Apple Watch customer identifies A-fib heart condition after dismissing symptoms as ‘holiday anxiety’
• Apple Watch credited with alerting Seattle man his A-fib had returned, potentially preventing stroke
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• Tim Cook shares story of user who discovered A-fib and other health issues with Apple Watch

Via MyHealthyApple and Macrumors . Image: Apple .

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Check out 9to5Mac on YouTube for more Apple news:

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Ben Lovejoy is a British technology writer and EU Editor for 9to5Mac. He’s known for his op-eds and diary pieces, exploring his experience of Apple products over time, for a more rounded review. He also writes fiction, with two technothriller novels, a couple of SF shorts and a rom-com!

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Tips & Tricks

Troubleshooting, how to convert photos to videos on iphone & ipad.

One of the more interesting tricks available for the Photos app on iPhone and iPad is an ability to convert a series of selected photos into a video. This can be particularly useful for action photos and burst photos that are a series of similar images, but you can select any number of photos of any subjects you want and turn them into a video with this trick, even if the photos are not related to each other at all. Maybe you want to use the outputted video as a portable slideshow, for importing into a video editor app, for converting to a gif, or for social media, for example. The possibilities are many, but first you’ll want to learn how to convert photos into a video using just your iPhone or iPad.

You’ll need a modern iPhone or iPad with a modern version of iOS or iPadOS to have this feature, since earlier devices and system software versions do not have the functionality.

How to Convert Multiple Photos Into a Video on iPhone & iPad

You can transform any number of Live Photos into a video quickly and easily right from your device, here’s how it works:

• Open the Photos app on iPhone or iPad

• Choose “Select” and then tap on the photos you want to convert into a video

• With multiple photos selected, tap on the (…) three dots button

• Choose “Save as Video”

• You’ll see a “Saving…” message appear on screen, and when finished the video of your selected photos will be made and located in your Camera Roll in the Photos app

Your video created from photos will be in your Photos camera roll at this point on your device, and you can do whatever you want with it.

Maybe you want to go a step further and convert that video into an animated GIF with Shortcuts or a third party app (like the example below), or maybe you want to put the video onto social media like TikTok, Instagram, X/Twitter, Facebook, WhatsApp, or whatever else strikes your fancy.

As you can see this is not particularly complex, but like so many features and capabilities available on iPhone or iPad, you may not know about them unless you learn about them directly. A native function to convert photos into a video is certainly one of those features, so now that you know it exists, utilize it, and have some fun.

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