Apple will release the iOS 18 this fall with tons of features that users can utilize soon including RCS messaging support and Apple Intelligence functionalities.
One of the best features you could soon use is the Distraction Control feature in Safari. This simple feature will help you eliminate annoying elements swimming on a web page.
Safari's Distraction Control: A Smarter Browsing Experience
As part of the updates coming with iOS 18, Safari Distraction Control is a fresh feature that lets users remove unnecessary or annoying items from websites. This functionality gives users more control over their browsing by enabling them to manually hide items like pop-ups, images, or navigation bars that might interrupt the flow of reading or browsing.
Unlike Reader mode, which reformats an entire page to display only text and images, Distraction Control gives you selective control over what you see without permanently blocking ads or other content. This feature is not an ad blocker per se but helps manage the appearance of ads during your browsing session.
How Does Distraction Control Work in Safari?
As per Wired, the new Distraction Control feature was introduced quietly with one of iOS 18's beta updates, without much fanfare from Apple. Users can hide distracting items on a page manually on iOS 18, iPadOS 18, and macOS 15 Sequoia.
To use it, open a webpage in Safari, scroll to the item you want to hide, and tap the icon to the left of the address bar. Select Hide Distracting Items, then tap on specific elements to make them disappear. A small animation accompanies the hiding process, giving users real-time feedback. Once you're satisfied with the changes, tap Done to continue browsing.
It's worth noting that this tool only hides elements temporarily. While it won't block ads permanently, it can reduce distractions by hiding certain elements for the current session. However, ads and other dynamic elements may reappear when refreshed.
The Impact on Publishers and Advertisers
Introducing Distraction Control raises concerns among publishers, especially regarding ad revenue. Many websites rely heavily on online advertising to remain free for users, and ad blockers already represent a significant challenge. While Distraction Control is not a full-fledged ad-blocking tool, publishers worry that users may still use it to hide ads, even temporarily, impacting revenue streams.
Earlier reports suggested Apple was working on a more powerful ad-blocking tool called Web Eraser, which alarmed publishing groups worldwide.
As per Fast Company, the updated version of Distraction Control has a more modern take by not permanently blocking ads. However, you can still temporarily remove the unwanted ads from your view. This can concern some users, but the tool will be under scrutiny as more people use it.
How Distraction Control Benefits Users
Engaging with content will be easier with Distraction Control. This is made for users who find website clutter annoying. The feature paves the way for smoother navigation by reducing unnecessary pop-ups. This would allow them to focus more on things they mostly care about.
Elderly users will benefit from it, especially those with visual problems. Screen readers get easily distracted with on-screen distractions but with Distraction Control, things like this will be solved in a snap.
This article is owned by Tech Times
Written by Joseph Henry
