Ad Blocker
Also known as: adblock, content blocker
A browser extension or app that prevents advertisements from being downloaded or displayed.
An ad blocker is software that filters out advertising before it ever reaches your screen. Most ad blockers work by comparing every network request the browser makes against a list of known ad and tracker domains, then cancelling the matches.
Good ad blockers also hide leftover empty containers using cosmetic rules, block in-page tracking scripts and clean up consent banners. Because the ads are never downloaded, pages load faster, use less data and consume less battery.
Examples
- uBlock Origin, AdBlock Plus, AdGuard, NovaBlock and Brave Shields are all ad blockers.
- iOS Safari uses 'content blockers', a sandboxed variant of the same idea.
Related terms
A regularly-updated list of URL patterns and CSS selectors used by ad blockers to decide what to block.
Apple's name for the sandboxed extension API on iOS Safari that returns blocking rules.
Code, pixel or request that collects information about a user across websites.