Apple Brings Distraction Control To Safari To Improve Web Browsing

• Apple is adding a new feature to its Safari browser that will help users take more control over their browsing experience by removing distracting elements.
• While the Distraction Control feature is expected to remove certain elements from a webpage, users cannot use it as an ad blocker.

Apple is adding a new feature, “Distraction Control,” to its Safari browser. This feature is intended to give users more control over their web browsing experience by helping them remove distracting elements when they browse. The feature is available with the fifth iOS 18, macOS Sequoia, and iPadOS 18 developer betas.

See more: Apple Releases Public Betas for iOS 18, iPadOS 18, and watchOS 11; Holds off Releasing Apple Intelligence

What Distraction Control Can and Cannot Do

As mentioned, the feature is expected to remove distracting elements from web pages and articles, such as cookie preference pop-ups, sign-in windows, and autoplay videos. According to MacRumors, a website that reports Apple- and Mac-related news, information, and rumors, the feature is also expected to be able to hide static content on a page.

However, the feature is not an ad blocker and cannot be used to block ads or content that updates frequently permanently. Further, the Distraction Control settings are on-device and do not sync across devices. This means users need to hide distracting elements on each of their devices. It also seems that the feature is not powered by artificial intelligence (AI) but by some smart algorithms.

To access the Distraction Control feature, users should go to the Page Menu in the Smart Search field. They can then use the “Hide Distracting Items” to enable the feature. Users will then be prompted to select the item on the website they want to remove. The browser will remember to remove the elements the next time the user visits the website. To unhide the hidden page elements, users can click on the blue Hide icon in the search field and select “Show Hidden Items.”

The feature is expected to be released to the public beta testers this month and to the general public next month.

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