Advertising in Safari has become a real problem for many users Apple - from sudden pop-ups to intrusive banners that slow down page loading and distract from the content. Even though Safari is considered one of the most secure browsers, its standard settings do not always cope with aggressive advertising. In this article we will look at all available ad blocking methods - from built-in functions to third-party extensions that work on iPhone, iPad And Mac.

It is important to understand that not all advertising is equally harmful: some sites exist by displaying banners, and blocking them can disrupt the operation of the resource. However Intrusive pop-ups, auto-playing videos, and trackers that collect data about your preferences aren't just annoying—they can be security risks. We will show you how to filter out malicious advertising without breaking the functionality of useful sites.

Why do ads appear in Safari and can they be removed permanently?

Main sources of advertising in Safari are divided into three categories:

  • 📢 Built-in website advertising — banners that resource owners place for monetization (for example, Google AdSense). Blocking them may disrupt the operation of some services.
  • 🕵️ Trackers and retargeting — scripts that track your online behavior and show “personalized” ads (for example, products you recently searched for).
  • 🚨 Malvertising — pop-ups with viruses, phishing windows (“Your iPhone is infected!”) and auto-playing videos. They often appear on pirated sites or resources with dubious content.

It is impossible to completely get rid of advertising on the Internet - it is part of the web economy. However you can significantly reduce its amount, especially when it comes to annoying formats. B Safari There are several tools for this:

  • 🛡️ Built-in protection against cross-site tracking (Settings → Safari → Crossite Tracking Protection).
  • 🔍 "Prevent pop-ups" feature (Settings → Safari → Block pop-ups).
  • 🔗 Ad blocking extensions (only on macOS And iOS 15+).
  • 🌐 Alternative DNS servers (for example, AdGuard DNS or Cloudflare Family).
⚠️ Attention: some ad blocking methods may conflict with the operation of sites. For example, if, after activating the adblock, comments no longer open or the shopping cart in the online store does not work, try disabling the blocker for this resource.

Method 1: Enable Safari's built-in security features

Before installing third-party extensions, check if standard tools are activated Safari to combat advertising. They do not block all banners, but they effectively fight trackers and pop-ups.

On iPhone/iPad:

  1. Open Settings → Safari.
  2. Activate options:
    • 🔒 Cross-Tracking Protection — blocks scripts that collect data about your actions on different sites.
    • 🚫 Block all cookies — limits the ability of sites to save data about you (may break authorization on some resources).
    • 📋 Preventing pop-ups — removes pop-up windows with advertisements.

On Mac:

  1. Run Safari, open the menu Safari → Settings → Privacy.
  2. Check the boxes next to:
    • 🛡️ Prevent cross-site tracking
    • 🔍 Hide IP address from trackers (only in macOS Monterey and newer)
    • 🚫 Block all cookies (be careful - you may be logged out of your accounts on websites)

Tracking protection activated|Pop-up blocking enabled|Unnecessary cookies disabled (optional)|Browser updated to the latest version-->

These settings will reduce the amount of personalized advertising and will protect against most trackers, but will not remove banners completely. More radical measures will require additional tools.

Method 2: Using ad blocking extensions (iOS 15+ and macOS)

Starting from iOS 15 And macOS Monterey, Apple allowed to install extensions for Safari, including adblocks. They work more efficiently than built-in functions, but have limitations:

  • ✅ You can block banners, video ads and trackers.
  • ❌ Do not work in other browsers (for example, in Chrome on iPhone).
  • ⚠️ May conflict with some sites (for example, YouTube or VK may ask you to disable adblock).

The best extensions for Safari:

Expansion Platform Features Link
1Blocker iOS/macOS Blocks ads, trackers and malicious sites. There is a free version with restrictions. 1blocker.com
AdGuard for Safari macOS Powerful blocker with customizable filters. Free. adguard.com
Wipper iOS A simple adblock with a minimalistic interface. Supports custom rules. wipperapp.com
AdBlock for Safari macOS Classic adblock with filter database. There is a premium version. getadblock.com

How to install the extension on iPhone/iPad:

  1. Download the adblock app from App Store (For example, 1Blocker).
  2. Open Settings → Safari → Extensions.
  3. Activate the downloaded extension and configure it (usually there is a "Block ads" option).
  4. Return to Safari and refresh the page - the advertisement should disappear.
⚠️ Attention: some extensions require permissions to access browser history. Install only trusted adblocks (for example, AdGuard or 1Blocker), so as not to transfer data to third parties.

1Blocker|AdGuard|Wipper|AdBlock|I don’t use extensions|Other-->

Method 3: Configure DNS to block ads at the network level

If you don't want to install extensions or they don't work on your version iOS, you can block ads at the level DNS servers. This method works for all devices on your network (including Apple TV And Windows-PC), but requires changing settings Wi-Fi or router.

The principle is simple: instead of your provider's standard DNS servers, you connect to servers that filter requests for advertising domains. Popular options:

  • 🔒 AdGuard DNS — blocks advertising, trackers and phishing:
    • Main: 176.103.130.130
    • Alternative: 176.103.130.131
  • 🛡️ Cloudflare Family — filters malicious sites and adult advertisements:
    • Main: 1.1.1.3
    • Alternative: 1.0.0.3
  • 🌍 NextDNS — custom filter (there is a free plan):
    • Use their app or set it up manually via nextdns.io.

How to change DNS to iPhone/iPad:

  1. Open Settings → Wi-Fi.
  2. Click the ⓘ icon next to your network.
  3. Scroll down and select Configure DNS → Manually.
  4. Remove old servers and add new ones (for example, 176.103.130.130 And 176.103.130.131 for AdGuard DNS).
  5. Save the settings and reboot the device.

On Mac:

  1. Open System Settings → Network → Wi-Fi → Advanced → DNS.
  2. Add new DNS servers (for example, 1.1.1.3 for Cloudflare Family).
  3. Click OK and restart Safari.
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If after changing the DNS some sites no longer open, try a different server (for example, instead of AdGuard DNS use Cloudflare).

Method 4: Block ads using Screen Time (iOS/iPadOS only)

Function Screen time in iOS allows you to restrict access to certain sites, including advertising networks. This method does not block banners directly, but it may prohibit loading advertising domains, which will reduce the number of impressions.

Instructions:

  1. Open Settings → Screen Time → Content and Privacy Restrictions → Content Restrictions.
  2. Select Web Content → Limit Adult Sites.
  3. In the section DO NOT ALLOW add domains of popular advertising networks: 
    doubleclick.net

    googleads.g.doubleclick.net
    

    googlesyndication.com
    

    scorecardresearch.com
    

    adservice.google.com

  4. Save changes and restart Safari.

This method will not remove all advertising, but will reduce the number of banners from Google Ads and other large networks. The downside of this method is that you will have to manually add new domains if the ads continue to appear.

⚠️ Attention: blocking advertising domains via Screen time may break the operation of some services (for example, YouTube or Facebook may not display correctly). If a site stops working, remove restrictions on its domain.

Method 5: Alternative browsers with built-in ad blocking

If none of the above methods help, consider using alternative browsers to iOS/macOS, which are initially focused on privacy and ad blocking. They run on the same engine as Safari (WebKit), but have additional security features.

The best browsers with adblock:

  • 🦊 Firefox Focus — automatically blocks trackers and ads, erases history after closing. Free, but without account synchronization.
  • 🛡️ Brave — blocks advertising and replaces it with its own “private” banners (can be disabled). Supports torrent client and cryptocurrency wallets.
  • 🌐 DuckDuckGo - a browser from a search engine that does not collect user data. Built-in protection against trackers.
  • 🔒 Orion Browser - lightweight browser with ad blocking and VPN (only for iOS).

How to transfer data from Safari to the new browser:

  1. Export bookmarks: Settings → Safari → Export Bookmarks (on Mac) or use iCloud for synchronization.
  2. Import bookmarks into the new browser (usually through the menu Settings → Import).
  3. Set up ad blocking in your browser settings (for example, Brave this is Settings → Brave Shields).
Why does Brave show its ads?

By default, Brave replaces third-party banners with its own “private” ads, for which users receive BAT tokens for viewing. This can be disabled in Settings → Brave Rewards → Disable Ads.

What should I do if the advertisement still appears?

If, after all the settings, advertising in Safari has not disappeared, check the following points:

  1. Update your browser and iOS/macOS:

    Outdated versions may contain vulnerabilities that ad networks exploit. Check for updates at Settings → General → Software Update.

  2. Check your device for viruses:

    Some pop-up advertisements (such as “Your iPhone is infected!”) may be a symptom of an infection. Install an antivirus (for example, Malwarebytes) and scan the system.

  3. Reset Safari settings:

    Sometimes your browser settings get corrupted. To reset them: 

    Настройки → Safari → Очистить историю и данные сайтов → Сбросить все настройки

  4. Use a VPN with ad blocking:

    Some VPN services (eg. ProtonVPN or Windscribe) have built-in filters for advertising. This will help if the problem is with your Internet provider.

If advertising appears only on specific sites, it may be embedded in their content. In this case, only manual blocking of elements through extensions like 1Blocker (there is a function "Select element to block").

💡

Intrusive pop-ups with virus warnings are almost always a scam. Never click on them - close the tab through the task manager (double tap on Home on older iPhones or swipe up on new ones).

FAQ: Frequently asked questions about ad blocking in Safari

❓ Why do some sites not work after blocking ads?

Many resources (eg YouTube, Twitch or news portals) identify adblocks and ask them to disable them. In this case:

  • Add the site to the extension whitelist (for example, in 1Blocker There is an option "Allow on this site").
  • Use alternative methods (eg DNS filtering, which is less noticeable to sites).
❓ Is it possible to block ads in Safari on iPhone without jailbreak?

Yes, all methods described in the article (extensions, DNS, Screen time) work without jailbreak. Jailbreak is not required for alternative browsers like Firefox Focus.

❓ Why do ads appear even with AdGuard enabled?

Possible reasons:

  • The extension is not updated (check the version in App Store).
  • The site uses anti-adblock (try another filter in settings AdGuard).
  • Advertising is embedded in the content (for example, "native ads" in articles).
❓ How to block ads in Safari on Mac if extensions don’t help?

Try a combination of methods:

  1. Install AdGuard for Safari + configure DNS filtering (For example, NextDNS).
  2. Use Brave Browser for sites with aggressive advertising.
  3. Check your system for viruses (for example, via Malwarebytes).
❓ Is it legal to block ads in Safari?

From a technical point of view, yes, you have the right to customize your browser as you wish. However, some sites may restrict access users with adblocks, citing violation of their rules. In most countries, ad blocking is not punishable by law.