iOS18 has a lot of cool features, including Reader Mode, Safari’s own personal ad blocker.
Adpocalypse survival guide
ChatGPT
“Kim, I am so sick and tired of all the ads on websites. It feels like they’ve gotten worse since ChatGPT is taking away site traffic from Google. How do I block the annoying ads?” — Terry in Ohio
Terry, you’re right. Websites are loading up with more ads than ever.
Pop-ups, auto-playing videos, banners that dance around while you’re just trying to read a recipe or check the news. It’s digital chaos.
Why? Because many sites are losing tremendous ad revenue in the 60% range from fewer clicks and fewer visitors. So they’re cramming in even more ads, hoping to squeeze out one more buck before you give up and close the tab.
But you don’t have to live like this. Here’s how to shut down the noise.
🔧 Start with your browser
Fight back, one browser setting at a time.
Chrome:
- Click the three dots (top right) > Settings > Privacy and security > Site Settings
- Scroll down and block pop-ups and redirects
Safari (Mac):
- Safari > Settings > Websites > Content Blockers
- It tries to get rid of pop-ups, trackers, auto-play videos and more
Firefox:
Tech how-to: Switch to a beta browser
play.google.com, google.com, mozilla.org, microsoft.com
Let me tell you a secret: I’m all about staying tech-ahead and not trailing behind, so I’m constantly tapping into apps, programs, hardware and more before they’re released to the public. You can do the same thing in one way, even if you’re not a Digital Goddess®.
🔒 Friendly reminder: Browser extensions lose support and change developers. Take a minute to review what’s installed and ditch anything you don’t use. On Chrome, tap the three dots near your profile icon, hover over Extensions, then select Manage Extensions. On Safari, go to Preferences > Extensions.
How to clear your browser cache in Chrome, Firefox, Edge, Safari and Brave
Photo © Nightunter | Dreamstime.com
Not sure how to clear the cache and cookies in your web browser? Use this easy, step-by-step guide. We’ll show you how to clear the cache on any browser, from Firefox to Brave.
To be clear, these tips are for your computer. If you want to clear your smartphone browser’s cache, we’ve got another article that can help. Tap or click to delete all the annoying tracking cookies from your phone.
Tech tip: What really happens when you unsend a text on your iPhone
If you have an iPhone 8 or later, you’ve probably already updated to iOS 16. The latest operating system has many new security features you should be using.
A super-secure mode was designed for politicians, activists, and journalists. I think there’s a great case to suggest this iPhone option for the elderly and vulnerable people in your life. Tap or click here for a closer look at Lockdown Mode.
Best internet browsers: Comparing Chrome, Firefox, Safari, Edge | Digital Life Hack from Kim Komando
The biggest privacy feature coming to your iPhone is delayed - here's why
© Sergey Gurin | Dreamstime.com
Now that fall is right around the corner, Apple fans have a lot to look forward to. Despite the COVID-19 pandemic, a new iPhone is still on the way — as well as a plethora of new features and software updates in iOS 14, Apple’s upcoming release.