New Distraction Control Safari Feature Launches in Latest iOS 18, iPadOS 18, and macOS Sequoia Betas

[Westside guy]

Adguard for Safari already removes most of these website annoyances

The OSes for mobile phones and other devices have been quite mature for many years now. Cannibalizing third-party features from their existing ecosystems is about all Apple, Google, and Samsung can do at this point if they want to add "new" features.

Except for incorporating those all-important new emoji, of course.

 

[mansplains]

Does it work in private browsing? I've noticed that content blockers don't always behave as expected when using private browsing.

 

[Frosties]

Another take is that Google in a search with AI gives the content without you having to visit the bad website with banner ads that autoplay with sound.

 

[User #07242024]

This is good. Next, would love to see quick JS toggle from the address bar!

 

[Iwavvns]

This kind of feature is just unimaginably stupid. While some websites may be bloated with crap everywhere...just go to a different site. Users should not be able to hide random elements that the developer put there for a reason.

It is MY device, MY time, MY sanity and MY bandwidth, I should be able to hide anything I want. if the developer wants me to see all the useless garbage they place on web pages, then they can pay me.. otherwise they can pound sand.

 

[now i see it]

Isn’t Distraction Control on an iPhone like Sugar Pops without sugar?
The very essence of iPhone is to have as much distraction as possible. Thought derailment. That’s what they’re all about.

 

[platinumaqua]

The OSes for mobile phones and other devices have been quite mature for many years now. Cannibalizing third-party features from their existing ecosystems is about all Apple, Google, and Samsung can do at this point if they want to add "new" features.

Except for incorporating those all-important new emoji, of course.

oh, I my point was if this feature is neat for you (the generic you), then you can do it through 3rd party extensions now rather than wait.

I feel this new feature is of limited utility because they are being careful to not remove ads to prevent the wrath of ad companies

 

[MysteriousStain]

Why are Safari updates STILL tied to OS updates??

 

[Allen_Wentz]

This kind of feature is just unimaginably stupid. While some websites may be bloated with crap everywhere...just go to a different site. Users should not be able to hide random elements that the developer put there for a reason.

I disagree; if this works I am all in. Screw the site designers' wants. The number of crap site designs from essential sites (Kaiser Health and Home Depot to name just two) is huge. Users cannot simply "just go to a different site" when Kaiser's management is clueless to user needs, or "just go to a different site" when Home Depot's absurd UI crap fills the entire display such that one cannot review product on a 16" MBP..

Note that I am not ranting about ads, I am ranting about poor site design.

 

[Hogswarts]

What Page menu?

 

[TigerNike23]

StopTheMadness was created for this. It does these things and more, and does sync across devices using iCloud. I would recommend checking it out, but get StopTheMadness Pro as I believe it's actually a newer version and a superset of StopTheMadness.

It's good that this is built in, even in a limited form. Sad that it's increasingly necessary. This is one reason I still prefer the "open" web as opposed to very tightly controlled and closed apps. At least a little bit of end user control is still possible.

I roll with StopTheMadness. Can't recommend it enough.

 

[s_madushan]

Thank goodness, I can finally block all Google sign in prompts 😄

 

[svish]

Cannot wait to try this out later this year. A very good feature.

 

[zoozx]

Less Advertisement = Good

 

[Premium1]

Why are Safari updates STILL tied to OS updates??

Because apple wants to control every aspect. They need to break the apps out into the App store so they can be updated without needing to wait on a full OS update.

 

[VulchR]

This kind of feature is just unimaginably stupid. While some websites may be bloated with crap everywhere...just go to a different site. Users should not be able to hide random elements that the developer put there for a reason.

Can't tell if you're joking about this.

 

[Truben]

I have to congratulate Apple for this one. It works wonders against the paid walls. But I guess this relief will be brief.

 

[odysseus]

Two questions:

1. Can you print from Distraction Mode?
2. Is it available in the 18.1 betas as well?

 

[tutis]

I use ControlD on my home router and as a setting on iOS devices. I haven’t seen an ad in 2 years. It beats my previous Pi-Hole setup.

 

[danpass]

Works like a charm.

One site that comes to mind, the formula1.com website, would ask about cookies and you make your choices.

The problem with that site was (WAS ... <snicker>) that it would CONTINUALLY hound you with cookie popups, whenever you came back to the site.

Now in the left side of the Safari title bar is a small rectangle with two lines underneath.

When the cookie nonsense is up and active click on that portion of the webpage title bar and you'll have an option to 'Hide Distracting Items...'

When you click on it you can then hover around the webpage and various parts will be highlighted.

Click on the cookie popup and you will see it satisfactorily 'finger snapped' into oblivion (think Thanos in the Avengers movies).

I am curious how long it will take for the EU Commission to begin bleating about this feature.

-

 

[SnowPenguin]

I already use an ad blocker for this (including hiding ads & removing silly sticky headers), but more tools to help with that are always welcome

 

[SnowPenguin]

Deshttification?

Enflowering would be my term for that

 

[Hank001]

To use Distraction Control, go to the Page Menu and

There is no such thing as a Page Menu. It would be nice of you to write articles with 100% accuracy and instructions. Thank you very much.

 

[Hogswarts]

There is no such thing as a Page Menu. It would be nice of you to write articles with 100% accuracy and instructions. Thank you very much.

Sadly, a helpful description of this feature is commonly unavailable on most Mac sites. What apparently is called the Page Menu is a little icon located on the left end of the URL field (also called the Smart Search field) in Safari. The icon might be described as looking like a stylized version of a computer monitor with a tiny keyboard beneath. Clicking on that icon reveals a menu that includes "Hide Distracting Items...". Click on that, then click on any areas on the page you no longer want to see, then click Done. The feature only works to hide an object if the object never changes.

 

[Hank001]

Sadly, a helpful description of this feature is commonly unavailable on most Mac sites. What apparently is called the Page Menu is a little icon located on the left end of the URL field (also called the Smart Search field) in Safari. The icon might be described as looking like a stylized version of a computer monitor with a tiny keyboard beneath. Clicking on that icon reveals a menu that includes "Hide Distracting Items...". Click on that, then click on any areas on the page you no longer want to see, then click Done. The feature only works to hide an object if the object never changes.

Now THIS is a useful post! You ought to be writing for MR...can't thank you enough. With a clear discription of where to look, how to 'enable' the feature... props to you 'mam/sir.

And they've implemented it 'full Apple style' to boot! With the disappearing animation when tapping on a distracting popup. Love it. I'll set Safari as my default again (just bought a MacMini so I got macOS 15.0) A bit unwillingly, but that's another story.

Thanks again.