uBlock Origin is lightweight, effective, and liberated from shady endeavor practices. Unfortunately, Google's move to Manifest V3 for browser extensions has hobbled ad blockers somewhat. In response, uBlock has divided into two products—uBlock Origin and uBlock Origin Lite. The "Lite" type plant alongside most Chromium-based browsers and Safari for iPhone, iPad, and Mac. The complete type of uBlock Origin chiefly plant in Firefox for desktops, laptops, and Android. With those differences highlighted, current are the 10 uBlock Origin (and uBlock Origin Lite) hacks you should cognize about.
Use uBlock Origin Lite's essential filters to obstacle ads without giving it tab access
When you use uBlock Origin Lite in Chrome or Safari, it allows you to choose one of three filtering levels: Basic, Optimal, and Complete. The "Basic" filters won't obstacle as many ads as the others, but it additionally doesn't necessitate admission to your tabs and data. These days, most extensions necessitate admission to all one of your tabs, which makes uBlock Origin Lite's "Basic" filters an elimination that accesses as small of your data as possible.
Enable these filters to get rid of biscuit banners
uBlock Origin and its Lite type the two have built-in filters that let you block annoying biscuit notices on most websites. To admission this in uBlock Origin on any browser, click the extension's icon in the browser's toolbar, and choose the equipment icon. This volition open uBlock Origin's settings page. Under "Filter lists," allow EasyList/uBO - Cookie Notices. This should automatically conceal most biscuit banners on the internet.
Use the component zapper to eliminate distracting elements
If you see a distracting component on a webpage, you can use uBlock Origin's component zapper to quickly conceal it. To use it, click the extension's icon in any browser, and choose the lightning icon. You can now click the distracting element, and the expansion volition immediately conceal it from the webpage. In the Firefox type of uBlock Origin, you can additionally use the picker tool to choose an element, and choose from a catalog of elements to block. For instance, if you desire to obstacle a sponsored results widget, the picker tool lets you click the component and choose from distinct tags connected alongside the widget. This allows for additional exact blocking without having to click the exact place on the leaf anywhere the complete widget is highlighted.
To use it in Firefox, click the uBlock Origin icon in the toolbar, and choose the eyedropper tool. You can choose an element, and use the drop-down list in the blocker pop-up to choose from a catalog of classes to conceal on the page.
Use this clasp to disable JavaScript and enhance privacy on Firefox
In uBlock Origin for Firefox, you have a one-click method to disable JavaScript on any webpage. You can use this to obstacle trackers, annoying features that hijack scrolling, and in general, enhance your privacy. The hazard is that blocking JavaScript can additionally interrupt webpages, which is why you desire to try it on idiosyncratic webpages as opposed to disabling it at the browser level. To try this in uBlock Origin for Firefox, open a webpage and click the extension's toolbar icon. You can afterward click the > icon to disable JavaScript on the webpage. Reload the page, and Firefox volition burden it without JavaScript.
Try these shortcuts to disable uBlock Origin on a sole leaf in Firefox
In Firefox, you can disable uBlock Origin for a sole webpage. This is helpful whenever the ad blocker breaks a webpage or doesn't burden several elements correctly. To do this, click the extension's icon in the toolbar, and clasp the Ctrl key on the keyboard during clicking the power clasp icon. Reload the page, and uBlock Origin volition be impaired on that particular webpage.
Block ample media elements to decrease data use in Firefox
uBlock Origin for Firefox lets you obstacle ample media elements on all sites (or sole pages). This allows you to decrease data use on a metered connection. You can use it to obstacle media elements complete a tradition size threshold akin 10KB, 20KB, etc. To try this on a sole webpage, click uBlock Origin's toolbar icon, and afterward click the movie reel icon. Reload the page, and you'll notice that certain elements won't load. To set a tradition size threshold for these elements, go to uBlock Origin settings in Firefox. Visit the Settings tab, and scroll downward to "Default behavior." Enable Block media elements larger than, and use the content box next to it to set the size threshold (in kilobytes).
Try this blocklist to conceal Google's AI-generated hunt summaries
uBlock Origin and its Lite type have a built-in AI blocker, which includes Google's AI-generated hunt summaries. To allow this feature, click the uBlock Origin toolbar icon, choose the equipment icon, and go to Filter lists. You can allow EasyList — AI Widgets. Now, hunt for item in Google, and you'll notice that the AI-generated slop no longer appears up top.
Use the rear up characteristic to sync uBlock Origin settings throughout browsers and devices
uBlock Origin for Firefox has a built-in sync characteristic that uses your Firefox document to sync settings throughout devices, but it's not accessible in uBlock Origin Lite. In Firefox, you can go to uBlock Origin settings, and rotate on Enable haze retention support. Your uBlock Origin settings volition afterward sync to all equipment anywhere you're logged in alongside the identical Firefox account.
There's additionally a manual sync characteristic that plant in the two versions of uBlock Origin. Head to the extension's settings, navigate to the Settings tab, and choose the Back up button. This volition rear up your uBlock Origin settings to a document and preserve it to your device. You can use the Restore clasp on the identical settings leaf to burden saved settings to any browser operating uBlock Origin. The lone limitation is that you can sync uBlock Origin Lite settings alongside another browsers operating the Lite version, during the Firefox type of uBlock Origin can lone sync alongside another instances of Firefox.
Use uBlock Origin's tracking nexus blocker to halt sites from tracking your clicks
Many websites add trackers to links you copy. Sites akin Instagram, Facebook, and Threads use sharing links to trace which overview shared the links alongside you. Luckily, uBlock Origin can obstacle most of these types of trackers. In uBlock Origin settings, go to Filter lists, and allow AdGuard/uBO — URL Tracking Protection. That said, I propose that you inspect the URLs before sharing them alongside others. Sometimes, you may have to manually band tracking data since no anti-tracking characteristic is entirely foolproof.
Reduce tracking on global websites alongside region-specific blocklists
uBlock Origin additionally ships alongside region-specific blocklists that mark trackers from distinct locations throughout the world. If you discover yourself accessing many websites from abroad countries, you should allow these blockers from uBlock Origin's settings. In the Filter lists tab, click the Regions, languages clasp to develop the list. This volition disclose all nation or region-specific blocklists. Enable the ones you need, and you're all set.
Pranay Parab is an autonomous tech newsman based in Mumbai, India. He covers tech for Lifehacker, and specializes in tutorials and in-depth features.
