Four iOS Safari Extensions to Make the Web Less Annoying

[MacRumors]

Constant pop-ups, annoying forms, and frustrating website behaviors can make browsing and using the web an unpleasant experience. Thankfully on iOS, iPadOS, and macOS, several Safari extensions help turn the experience around.

We've listed some Safari extensions that you may not have known about that can help remove annoyances and make a pleasant Safari experience.

No More Cookies

Perhaps the most universally dreaded web pop-up is: "This website uses cookies. Accept or Reject?" Virtually every website shows users a form to consent to using cookies as they browse that website. While it may be helpful for some to have granular controller over the use of cookies on each website they visit, there is likely to be a better solution for many.

Super Agent for Safari is an extension that automatically fills out the cookies consent form on each website you visit, meaning you'll no longer see those annoying pop-ups. The Super Agent for Safari app lets you customize how you would like websites to use cookies.

Users can choose whether they want to accept or reject advertising, functional, performance, and other cookies. The settings are applied universally to all websites.

Super Agent for Safari is free with no in-app subscription and can be found in the App Store.

'Open in App?' No Thanks.

Some websites with accompanying apps on the App Store love to bombard users with pop-ups and banners to push them to use their app rather than the website.

Banish, a relatively new Safari extension on the App Store gets rid of such website notifications. Banish is a one-time purchase of $2 with no in-app subscription and can be found in the App Store.

StopTheMadness, Literally

StopTheMadness, as the name suggests, is a general-purpose privacy protection extension with several nifty features. Within the extension's settings page, StopTheMadness includes several toggles that users can enable and disable, including:

• Bypassing Google's AMP webpages
• Protects the ability to copy, cut, and paste on websites
• Gets rid of link trackers and clickjacking in Google search results, and others
• Stop autoplaying videos
• Stop all audio and video on websites

StopTheMadness is a one-time purchase of $7.99 with no in-app subscription and can be found in the App Store.

Dark Mode For All

Spearheaded by the introduction of systemwide dark mode in iOS 13, many websites on the web now have the option of light and dark themes. For those websites that don’t have a dark mode option, however, there is a solution.

Noir is a Safari extension that automatically turns a website into dark mode, even if it doesn’t support it. Noir only kicks in if the website doesn’t have a native dark mode theme built-in. This can be especially helpful when your phone is in dark mode, but a website isn’t and you’re suddenly blinded by a bright white webpage.

Noir is a $2.99 purchase with no in-app subscription and can be found in the App Store.

Article Link: Four iOS Safari Extensions to Make the Web Less Annoying

 

[DMG35]

Awesome stuff; thank you for this!

 

[ct2k7]

If you use YouTube on Safari, use the Vinegar.app to make the video element a <video> one. Kills adds, and adds useful options. (Also works on Mac)/

 

[USB-Adapter]

Does StopTheMadness really work?

I hate Facebook, because I cannot select and copy text from there.

I hate Facebook, again, for no controls in videos, and if I tap a playing video, it starts from the beginning.

 

[maktaba]

My biggest concern with Safari extensions is that these can collect your browser data. Content blockers are fine - no data is sent back to the app. But with extensions, everything is sent.

 

[1557750]

Noir wasn’t complete enough for me when I tried it. Got refunded. Hope they’ve polished it some.

I use extensions, then don’t. Can’t decide if I like them or not.

StopTheMadness looks interesting. Wonder if it slows things down or speeds them up.

 

[Howyalikdemapls]

My biggest concern with Safari extensions is that these can collect your browser data. Content blockers are fine - no data is sent back to the app. But with extensions, everything is sent.

I’m a bit confused by Banish. In the App Store it says it doesn’t send any data back to the developer but when enabling the extension it says the app can read my credit cards and passwords… what does that mean?

 

[JM]

ooooo… targeted app promotion. Me like.

 

[1557750]

I’m a bit confused by Banish. In the App Store it says it doesn’t send any data back to the developer but when enabling the extension it says the app can read my credit cards and passwords… what does that mean?

Me too. Hit the “Learn More” link and it gets confusing. It’s as if the developer and 3rd party apps it goes through may collect data.

So just downloading it means you’re safe. But be careful if you start using it, you might not be. 😂

I’m sure someone will come along that knows more.

 

[WiiDSmoker]

Why does No More Cookies need access to credit cards, passwords, and phone numbers?

 

[George Dawes]

Any way of turning the little jigsaw piece icon off ?

I keep tapping it accidentally and having no extensions it’s really quite annoying

 

[maktaba]

I’m a bit confused by Banish. In the App Store it says it doesn’t send any data back to the developer but when enabling the extension it says the app can read my credit cards and passwords… what does that mean?

When the App Store says the app doesn’t collect any data, that’s merely what the developer has claimed as part of his Privacy Policy. That doesn’t mean the developer won’t be able to see the data. It’s just that he has promised he won’t do anything with it. That’s my understanding.

 

[shenfrey]

Avoid any add-on that blocks cookies imo

They cause more bother than they’re worth. Some websites are fine, they completely break others.

 

[Mirachan_007]

Ghostery ans Firefox Focus is the best.

 

[Brain Damage]

Used Noir for 6 months or so. Bought Dark reader a week ago. And it’s so much better then Noir.

More custom options, better dark mode overall in every element on sites. It’s really is better then Noir in every way.

 

[VSMacOne]

1Blocker has been the most reliable content blocker in recent memory for me and I’ve usually avoided extensions due to the privacy concerns. I wish Apple would add some more layers of protection for Extensions.
The thing that concerns me the most are the free extensions. Like Super Agent, how do they make money?

 

[Smigit]

Me too. Hit the “Learn More” link and it gets confusing. It’s as if the developer and 3rd party apps it goes through may collect data.

So just downloading it means you’re safe. But be careful if you start using it, you might not be. 😂

I’m sure someone will come along that knows more.

View attachment 2041298

Every extension that can read or modify a page has the same templated warning put out there by Apple. It’s a notice that the extensions are being given access to view your pages and modify them, which is what many extensions do need to perform their function.

It’s important to trust the app that you’re giving the access to. Many will note no data is sent and in some cases that’s probably verifiable by monitoring network traffic if they truly send no data to their servers. Some apps that do have network components might be harder to monitor but.

I think it’s worth being weary with extensions, but at the same time be mindful that the Apple warning is very nuclear in its wording and that apps that don’t send data off your device at all will still have that notice.

 

[Seanm87]

That no more cookies app is a game changer! Thank you very much!

 

[neuropsychguy]

The thing that concerns me the most are the free extensions. Like Super Agent, how do they make money?

The developer(s) doesn’t. https://www.super-agent.com/faq

Sometimes people do things as a public service in spare time (like working on Linux). I don’t know if that’s the case here but it’s a possibility.

 

[Nozuka]

On this article i got this:

"MacRumors Forums would like your permission to enable push notifications."

When i clicked it away, i got this:
"We strongly recommend enabling push notifications on this device so that you can be kept up-to-date with site activity."


I wonder if any of these extensions would prevent this annoyance 😂

 

[GuruZac]

Have Noir installed on all my devices. Can’t imagine reading webpages with white background all day. Awesome extension.

 

[jonnysods]

I can’t believe I’m admitting this but I switched to Edge. For some reason certain website functions didn’t work on Safari so I had to bail after years of faithful service….

 

[AppleMango]

I just downloaded SUPER AGENT and tried it and it seems quite cool but now reading some posts here warning, I’m getting scared. What do you think of the app? Are they now basically listening to everything I do in safari?

 

[the.burn]

Neo Noir is free

‎Dark Night - mode for Safari

‎Diese Safari-Erweiterung bietet den Dunkelmodus Surfen in Safari. Dark Night Nachtmodus fügt hinzu ein schönes Thema für jede Seite, die Sie besuchen. Es basiert auf dem Dark Reader-Projekt von über 4.000.000 Benutzern verwendet. So sieht der Dark Mode auf jeder Website aus wurde sorgfältig...

apps.apple.com

 

[aroom]

is SUPER AGENT the same as HUSH ? https://oblador.github.io/hush/