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Level 1

9 points

How To Block YouTube Ads In Safari 5.x (Solution)

In Safari Ver 5.x running in Snow Leopard one of the most annoying things is the fact that the AdBlock extension while doing a good job simply doesn't block those annoying banner/ pop up ads in YouTube videos... 😟

Happily it's now easy to fix with the following solution... 🙂

You will need or probably already have installed the AdBlock extensions for Safari if not you can find it here...

https://extensions.apple.com/

Now you will also need "GlimmerBlocker" which can be found here...

http://glimmerblocker.org/

(download the version fos OX 10.6 Version 1.4.16 for Safari 5 on Snow Leopard)

Simply download and install "Glimmer Blocker" which will set up a new "Preference Pane" for you...

Click on the "Glimmer Blocker" preference pane and then select "Filters" from the tab bar...

Un-tick/ deselect all the boxes in the "Filters" section then click on the "+" sign below the "Filters" window to add a new filter...

Give the filter a name (I simply called it YouTube)...

(Make sure only the new filter you create is ticked - you don't need the rest if your using "AdBlock" as well)

Now in the "Rules" window below click on the "+" sign below that to add a new rule...

Now simply set it up as shown in the following picture and click on "Save"...

(The most important bit to set is the "Host" section which must be set to "is in domain" and using "2mdn.net" in the text field)

Now you will find all those annoying pop up banner ads in YouTube videos are gone for good...

I suppose you could just use "Glimmer Blocker" as your only "Ad Blocker" but I prefer to use "AdBlock" as it's smaller and uses less resources but with "Glimmer Blocker" installed as well it finally means that you can get rid of YouTube video ads too when using Safari 5.x & Snow Leopard....

Tested on an iMac 27" i5 running Snow Leopard 10.6.8 and Safari 5.1.7 🙂

iMac (27-inch Mid 2011), Mac OS X (10.7.5)

Posted on Jan 16, 2013 9:21 AM

29 replies

andyBall_uk

Level 7

20,516 points

Nov 23, 2013 6:39 AM in response to MadFranko

Glimmerblocker says it can't block on https, as you've pointed out.

You may (works here) be able to usefully block certain domains via the /etc/hosts file - tpc.googlesyndication.com - for example ( & pagead2 )

although you're likely to see some 'image not found' symbols here & there without some other ad-blocking that removes all the ad areas (not adblock in this case, since that will then allow different ads in the Flash video)...

you may also find that something actually useful comes from that or other domains, if not now, then later.

andyBall_uk

Level 7

20,516 points

Nov 23, 2013 6:43 AM in response to andyBall_uk

If I use clicktoflash, the HTML5 version of the example video has no ads. It can be set to play automatically, rather than having to 'click'.

MadFranko Author

Level 1

9 points

Nov 23, 2013 6:13 PM in response to andyBall_uk

Thanks for yhat link confirming Glimmerblocker can't block on "https" sites (wish I'd discovered that earlier)... 😉

Looks like I'll have to find a way to try and stop YouTube from using and "https: page when vweing videos instead...

Course the simple answer is not to be signed into YouTube as then it only uses "http" and not "https" but as I have a YouTube channel to run I'm always signed in so the simple answer isn't much use to me... 😟

Wonder if I can somehow use Glimmer Blocker to redirect/ change the links to videos from "https" to "http" as that would work and allow Glimmer Blocker to block those annoying ads...

I really don't want to change from Safari as my browser as quite honestly even thought browsers like Chrome can easilly block all those annoying in video ads, I simply don't like the layout of any other browsers...

Mind you if I can't solve this problem of blocking in video YouTube ads then I'm going to have no choice but to change browsers as my YouTube channel is probably mosre important to me than anything else on the internet...

A couple more days of trying and then it looks like I'll just have to get used to suing another browser... sadly...

Nov 26, 2013 2:22 PM in response to MadFranko

Neither do I. I really like using Safari. I don't know what is happening to GlimmerBlocker. Now the in-video ads are invading the "IMDb" movie trailers I occasionally watch, and "IMDb" is an "http" URL.

Also, not every YouTube video I watch has in-video ads or banners. Neither of your links have ads in them. It's strange, but I have already seen it before, in time they will all have ads.

MadFranko Author

Level 1

9 points

Nov 26, 2013 5:00 PM in response to 1st.Gaucho

Well I've finally bitten the bullet and gave up with Safari 5 running under Snow Leopard and moved to Chrome...

I've never liked Chrome but after a couple of day of tweaking I now have it looking and running just like Safari 5 and best of all it can use the latest "AdBlock" which totally eliminates ALL in video ads on YouTube, Daily Motion and anywhere... 🙂

I now have a modern browser that looks like, performs like and give me the comfortable feel of Safari but with the ability to block all ads and fix the "bugs" of things like in FaceBook of the Blue title/ navigation bar disappearing every time you click on a video... :-)

Wish I'd spent those couple of days doing this quite some time ago... 🙂

So it's goodbye to the old Safari 5 and it's ever increasing problems with every change websites make to their layout and welcome to the new Safari 5 running inside chrome and having the internet back the way it should be... ie: Working properly... 🙂

Nov 26, 2013 8:20 PM in response to MadFranko

Well that's good 🙂 I'm stuck with what I have because I'm running on Leopard. I know, I need to upgrade... eventually hahaha. I'm just so accustomed to my MacBook that it doesn't cross my mind to upgrade. I don't really care for the latest technology, which is why I still use an iPhone 3GS. Once it finally breaks, then I'll upgrade my iPhone 😁

ansolas

Level 1

20 points

Dec 9, 2013 10:34 AM in response to andyBall_uk

How do you find out the domains to block for usage in the hosts file ?

andyBall_uk

Level 7

20,516 points

Dec 9, 2013 11:00 AM in response to ansolas

I used Safari's activity window or web inspector to see what url's came up when the ads showed.

Dec 9, 2013 11:37 AM in response to MadFranko

The problem with Chrome is it constantly wants permission to access your passwords and insert them into the keychain. I have problems with google's spying. I hope there is a way in safari instead.

ansolas

Level 1

20 points

Dec 10, 2013 2:50 AM in response to andyBall_uk

How do you open the Activity Monitor in Safari Version 7.0 ?

ansolas

Level 1

20 points

Dec 10, 2013 4:12 AM in response to ansolas

This soution works perfect:

https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/youtube-options/bdokagampppgbnjfdlkfpp hniapiiifn

Downside is that it requires Chromium.

Lukily there are people who compile Chomium without the Google based custom code:

http://www.srware.net/en/software_srware_iron_chrome_vs_iron.php

[EDIT]

YopuTiube Options seams to be available for Safari either:

https://spoi.com/software/yto/

MadFranko Author

Level 1

9 points

Dec 10, 2013 5:23 AM in response to ansolas

"YouTube Options" is buggy and not required... 😉

I was just about to post the best way to set up Chrome for those like me whom have had no choice but to move to Chrome from Safari, so here it is... 🙂

Well as I finally bit the bullet about two weeks ago and dumped Safari in favour of Chrome I have to say it was well worth it in the end, after finally going through all the tedious set up procedures to get Chrome looking and working more like Safari than Chrome... 🙂

Main problem for me was the adverts in YouTube videos & the changing of some videos to display in the useless HTML5 player format, which due to the recent link up between YouTube and Google+ meant that "Glimmer Blocker" could no longer block those annoying in video ads on YouTube videos.... 😟

It's all sorted now however and now I can browse and more importantly I can once again watch YouTube videos totally advert & HTML5 free... 😀

If anyone else feels like switching to Chrome then here's the best way to do so and at least retain a similar look/ feel of using Safari... 🙂

First of all download Chrome for your Mac... (OSX 10.5 & Later Required "Intel Only")

http://www.google.com/intl/en_uk/mac/

Apply this "Theme" I made that gives you as best as possible a "Safari" look for your browser...

http://www.themebeta.com/node/69300

Add the following "User Agent Switcher" extension...

https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/user-agent-switcher/ffhkkpnppgnfaobgih pdblnhmmbodake

And set it to use the "Safari" user agent instead of "Chrome" as follows...

Click on the "User Agent Switcher" that should now be in the toolbar...

On the "User-Agents" tab, change the "Group" setting to "Safari"...

On the "Settings" tab, make sure you click/ select the "Remember last used" setting...

This is important as the "User Agent Switcher" when set up to "Safari" prevents YouTube from using HTML5 videos and makes all videos default to "Flash" they way I prefer it and like it... 🙂

Now add the "AdBlock" extension to banish all those ****** annoying in video ads forever... 🙂

https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/adblock/gighmmpiobklfepjocnamgkkbiglid om

This is a handy extension to add which will allow you to change which page a new browser tab open up on rather than "googles" default one...

https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/new-tab-redirect/icpgjfneehieebagbmdbh nlpiopdcmna

Don't forget to add any other Extensions you might need like "Checker Plus For Gmail" etc...

https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/new-tab-redirect/icpgjfneehieebagbmdbh nlpiopdcmna

After doing this you will now have a modern browser with the look and feel of Safari but more importantly no annoying in videos ads and no annoying HTML5 videos players being forced upon you...

Only gripe left which no one has solved yet it you'll have to get used to the close tab button being on the right hand side of tabs instead of the left. Afteer a couple of hours however I got used to this but more importantly like I have said for me is, in video ads & HTML5 videos are gone now... 😀

Zangoti

Level 1

0 points

Jan 7, 2014 3:43 PM in response to MadFranko

Unfortunately, I think YouTube has blocked this trick. I have been blocking youtube ads for 3 months, and today, It's not working. 😟

any idea? 😢

ansolas

Level 1

20 points

Jan 7, 2014 3:51 PM in response to Zangoti

use:

https://spoi.com/software/yto/

done

How To Block YouTube Ads In Safari 5.x (Solution)