Skip to main content

AdBlock Plus confirms Microsoft Edge extension is “coming soon”

windows 10 insiders will get their hands on microsoft edge extensions this month feature
Image used with permission by copyright holder
Microsoft originally said extension support for its new web browser, Microsoft Edge, would be available by November, but pushed that back to 2016. When it finally arrives, popular ad-blocking service AdBlock Plus will be one of the first extensions available.

In an announcement, AdBlock Plus said that the extension for Edge is “coming soon.” The extension lets users block almost all sites from showing adverts by default, and users are able to whitelist websites that they want to support. It is already available on Chrome, Firefox, Safari, Opera, and Yandex.

Recommended Videos

The extension shouldn’t take that long to port, since Microsoft Edge offers developers an easy way to port an extension from Chrome.

Please enable Javascript to view this content

AdBlock Plus whitelists a variety of websites by default, which go under the company’s acceptable ads list. This has caused some controversy, with reports Amazon, Google, and Microsoft pay Adblock Plus’ parent company Eyeo to get a place on the whitelist.

Mobile users are able to download the AdBlock Browser for iOS and Android as well to block ads on mobile. The app was surprisingly approved by both Apple and Google earlier in the year.

Blocking adverts has become a normal thing to do, with Apple endorsing the use of adblockers on iOS 9. Google chief executive Larry Page even said adblock is not the problem, but the adverts pushed by marketers and publishers. The only place where adblocking is not prevalent is inside mobile apps, and Apple is blocking apps that try and block in-app adverts.

There are still companies that disagree with adblockers, like Yahoo, which recently blocked users from their mail client if they used an adblocker. But most services are neutral towards adblocking, with Twitter, Facebook, and Pinterest not actively trying to persuade users to not use adblocking services.

David Curry
Former Digital Trends Contributor
David has been writing about technology for several years, following the latest trends and covering the largest events. He is…
Is Microsoft’s new PC cleaner just an Edge ad in disguise?
The new PC Manager app on a Windows 11 desktop

Microsoft really wants you to use the Edge browser, so much so that the company has tied it to PC optimization in a new settings app. Microsoft PC Manager does what you could always do by opening the settings menu, but the new app also prompts you to set Edge as your default browser.

Screenshots of the new app were posted on Twitter by @ALumia_Italia and appears to show what is a public beta of the app. The app performs basic maintenance functions. You can check startup apps, check for updates, run disk cleanup, and other minor optimizations.

Read more
Beware: Hackers are using a clever Microsoft Edge malvertising scam
The Microsoft Edge browser is open on a Surface Book 2 in tablet mode.

If you're still using Microsoft Edge, you need to beware -- a new malvertising campaign has just been discovered, and if you fall victim to it, your PC might be at risk.

According to Malwarebytes, the attackers are abusing Microsoft Edge's News Feed feature to target their victims. Here's what we know about this clever new scam.

Read more
Microsoft Edge has a new trick for increased performance
Edge Browser

The Microsoft Edge browser is now even more optimized and has a bit higher performance on Windows. That's thanks to changes in version 102 of the browser, which can now automatically compress disk caches.

Microsoft talked about this in a technical post, explaining that its overall goal is to "deliver the best performing browser possible on Windows and other platforms." In what seems like a shot at Google Chrome, Microsoft also mentioned that they're aware that when a web browser consumed too many resources, the system can be slowed down. That's where disk caching comes into play.

Read more