How to Remove Banners in Your Browser: Simple Tips for a Better Experience

Banner ads have become an inseparable part of the modern internet experience. While they can be useful, showing discounts or interesting offers, they’re often more annoying than helpful, distracting from reading, slowing down page loads, and diminishing the overall browsing experience. Here, we’ll go over some simple and effective ways to remove banners from your browser.

Method 1: Use Built-in Ad Blockers

Many browsers, like Google Chrome and Mozilla Firefox, come with built-in ad blockers. You can enable them through the settings menu:

  • Open your browser’s settings menu.
  • Go to Privacy & Security or Site Settings.
  • Activate the ad-blocking feature if it’s available.

This method will block most intrusive banners, though not all of them may be blocked by built-in tools.

Method 2: Install Ad-Blocking Extensions

One of the most effective ways to remove banners is by using specialized ad-blocking extensions, such as:

  • AdBlock – one of the most popular ad-blocking extensions.
  • uBlock Origin – a lightweight yet powerful extension that blocks ads while saving system resources.
  • AdGuard – also effective for removing intrusive banners and providing phishing protection.

To install an extension, follow these steps:

  1. Open your browser’s extension store (for instance, Chrome Web Store for Chrome).
  2. Search for the desired extension, install it, and follow any on-screen instructions.

Method 3: Enable Reader Mode in Your Browser

Some browsers, like Safari, Microsoft Edge, and Firefox, offer a Reader Mode that removes all unnecessary content, including ads and banners, leaving only the article text and images. To activate Reader Mode:

  1. Open the article you want to read.
  2. Click on the Reader Mode icon in the address bar or find it in the menu.

This mode not only removes banners but also makes the text more readable, which is especially helpful for longer reads.

Method 4: Disable JavaScript on Specific Sites

If a particular website has especially intrusive banners, try disabling JavaScript for that site. This won’t work for every site and may disable other site features, but it can be effective for many pages:

  1. Open your browser settings.
  2. Navigate to Site Settings or Privacy & Security.
  3. Turn off JavaScript for the selected site.

Method 5: Use Standalone Ad-Blocking Apps

Beyond browser extensions, there are standalone ad-blocking apps that work across your entire system. For example, AdGuard and Blokada effectively block ads in various apps and browsers but may require additional certificates to work properly.