In historic instances (i.e. the early 2000s) scammy web sites would robotically open a number of home windows with adverts, which you then needed to shut one after the other. It was obnoxious, which is why now each main browser stops websites from opening new home windows by default.
However web sites discovered a workaround to point out you adverts or get you to signal to their publication: the overlay.
You’ve certainly seen them, even if you happen to by no means had a phrase for it earlier than. Overlays cowl up what you’re attempting to learn, watch, or entry, usually asking you for an electronic mail deal with or another piece of private data. Most instances their goal is comparatively innocent, however typically these bins have darkish patterns: intentionally complicated design that manipulates customers to gather their private data.
Happily, you may take away overlays by modifying the HTML code of a webpage. You are able to do this manually in your browser if you’d like, but it surely’s loads simpler to make use of an extension particularly designed for the job.
The only-click choice: BehindTheOverlay
BehindTheOverlay is free and works on Firefox and Google Chrome, which must also enable Edge and Opera customers to obtain and set up it. The extension is extraordinarily straightforward to make use of: simply click on its icon everytime you see an overlay and it ought to disappear.
If you happen to want, you may also use the app’s keyboard shortcut to set off the extension: Ctrl + Shift + X on Home windows, or Cmd + Shift + X on MacOS. If you happen to’re a Chrome consumer, you may ditch the default key combo and arrange your individual. Head over to the extension settings web page by clicking on the puzzle piece icon within the prime proper nook of the interface and selecting Handle extensions, or by typing Chrome://Extensions into the deal with bar. Click on the three-line menu within the top-left nook of the display screen and within the rising sidebar, select Keyboard shortcuts. Discover the BehindTheOverlay extension and click on the pen icon below it to edit the shortcut.
This can be a minimalistic software however this degree of simplicity has its downsides. There’s no approach to robotically take away overlays, and if the extension doesn’t work on a specific web site there’s not loads you are able to do. Nonetheless, BehindTheOverlay works typically, which is why it’s price attempting out first.
The automated however finicky choice: PopUpOff
PopUpOff can also be free and works on Chrome, Edge, Opera, and Firefox. It requires extra configuration than BehindTheOverlay, however rewards you by robotically disabling these obnoxious layers. This extension additionally means that you can set a default method for each web site you go to: Aggressive, Reasonable, or Dormant.
The Aggressive mode will take away principally something that follows you as you scroll. In some instances, this might even take away web page components equivalent to headers, which is why there’s additionally a Reasonable choice. That is the extension’s default and tries to solely take away the annoying layovers. Lastly, there’s Dormant mode, which does nothing and it’s helpful when the extension appears to be breaking the web site you’re .
PopUpOff is definitely the form of software you’ll must spend a while tweaking, however when you’re performed overlays will likely be a factor of the previous and also you gained’t even take into consideration them anymore.
Studying mode or Postlight ReaderMost fashionable browsers have some type of reader mode: Firefox, for instance, affords Reader View, whereas Microsoft Edge affords Immersive Reader, and Safari has Reader. This characteristic extracts the article from no matter web site you’re , permitting you to learn with out seeing any ads, sidebars, or different distractions. That features overlays, which means that reader modes are an general useful gizmo for avoiding them.
Google, an promoting firm, doesn’t provide a reader mode in Chrome—not less than, not with out doing a little digging by hidden settings. If you happen to use the Large G’s browser, the Postlight Reader extension can add a reader mode to Chrome and even mean you can configure the font and textual content measurement of the article you’re studying.
