How to Turn Off AdBlock on Mac

This article teaches you how to turn off AdBlock on your Mac's preinstalled browser—Safari. It also helps you understand what AdBlock does when active.

Where Is the AdBlock Button on Mac?

There are two different methods of using AdBlock on your Mac. Both are within the default browser—Safari. Here's where to find it for individual websites and adjust it.

1. Open Safari on your Mac.
   

2. Right-click the address bar at the top of the screen.
   

3. Left-click Settings for website name.
   

4. Untick Enable content blockers to remove the Adblock feature from that particular site.
   

5. The site will now reload without the AdBlock feature enabled.

How Do I Disable AdBlock?

If you want to disable AdBlock across all websites on your Safari browser, the process is a little different. Here's where to look. 

1. In Safari, click Safari.
   

2. Click Preferences.
   

3. Click Websites.
   

4. Click Content Blockers.
   

5. Click the name of the website you wish to switch the AdBlock or content blocker off on.
   

6. Click Remove.
   

7. The AdBlock is now removed.
   

What Does AdBlock Do?

Enabling the Content Blocker or AdBlock tool prevents ads such as pop-ups or banners from loading on websites you visit. It can also disable cookies and scripts that websites try to load. 

Can I Use Other AdBlock Software? 

Mac users are not restricted to using Safari's Adblock tool. It's also possible to download third-party apps or extensions. That means you can use adblocking software on other browsers such as Google Chrome or Mozilla Firefox. 

Why Would I Enable or Disable AdBlock?

It's straightforward to switch AdBlock on or off through Safari, but it's important to know why it's worth using and why it's worth switching off sometimes. Here's a look at the main reasons. 

• AdBlock protects you from unwanted content. If you browse a website full of ads, you may want to avoid looking at them. Switching on AdBlock is helpful here.
• AdBlock stops the website from benefiting from your visit. Ads on websites are there to provide limited funding in some places. Cutting off this form of income can make it more challenging for the website to operate. 
• AdBlock can limit the risk of malware. It's not widespread, but web ads can contain some browser exploits. More commonly, a site full of ads can confuse you into clicking on a link or an ad you didn't mean it. That's only the case with less reputable sites, though.
• AdBlock improves the user experience. Some websites clutter their site with ads, making it a less enjoyable experience to browse and much harder to read the information contained on the page.