Apple brings Safari web browser extensions to iPhone and iPad with iOS 15 | Hacker News Reader

Apple brings Safari web browser extensions to iPhone and iPad with iOS 15

9to5mac.com

114 pointslaktak63 comments

I have iOS 15, and I can confirm that right now, I can install any Extension that is on the Safari Extensions Store for Mac. That doesn't mean they'll function great, or that the Safari Extension Store is the most complete place for extensions, but it will let me do it.

Hmm, how did you do this? AFAIK, Safari extension on a Mac required to be bundled with a macOS application, and there's no way to install Mac apps on iOS. The one listed in the "More Extensions" link in Settings right now are the one that uses Action Extension which has been available for a very long time (and not the new Web Extension support).

(On the other hand, I've seen 1Password people got their Web Extension version working on iPadOS, and it looks amazing[1])

[1]: https://twitter.com/firebeyer/status/1402085111424708612

Awesome. I hope its possible to write extensionen that can do redirection. I use a third party Reddit client (Apollo), but when searching on Google, Reddit URLs only opens in the official Reddit app, which I don't like. It would be cool to make an extension that would detect that you are loading a Reddit URL, and redirect you to an in-app URL for Apollo

It’s not automatic, but Opener (https://apps.apple.com/gb/app/opener-open-links-in-apps/id98...) works fairly well for me.

That's a very welcome addition, but I'm guessing these won't be available for third-party "browsers", just like content blocking extensions?

That decision makes absolute sense for most in-app browsers (that depend on WKWebView for functionality that isn't generic web browsing), but for actual browser apps, content blockers are sorely missing.

> but for actual browser apps, content blockers are sorely missing.

A simple, but functionally very basic app that does ad-blocking on iOS is Firefox Focus. This might cover most people's basic privacy needs, but not as a fully-functioning experience (I use this more for 'one-off' site visits, where I don't want to be tracked, see ads, or have any persistent record of my visit on the device).

But for a fully-featured browser with user-configurable content, JavaScript, CSS and ad-blocking, then the little-known iCab Mobile[0] does almost everything that a desktop browser can do in terms of privacy and content-control.

[0]https://apps.apple.com/us/app/icab-mobile-web-browser/id3081...

What, iCab is still around!? Amazing, thanks!

I use Firefox on iOS myself (which supports ad blocking under the name of "enhanced privacy protection") but might give it a shot.

FYI Firefox Focus can also be used as content blocker in Safari. Of course, this doesn't offer the full protection as using Firefox Focus directly.

> FYI Firefox Focus can also be used as content blocker in Safari.

Yes I know.

But my reply was in response to a question specifically about ad-blocking for non-Safari browsers on iOS.

A bit of a tangent, but does anyone have suggestion for the best ad or content blockers for MacOS and iOS Safari?

I have used iCab for over 20 years across Mac OS 8, Mac OS X, and iOS.

Prior to the built-in inspector with Firefox and later Safari/Chrome, iCab was the best web debugging tool I used. iCab lost many advantages (and disadvantages) when it transitioned from its own engine to WebKit, but it still is filled with power user features

All iOS power users should check out iCab

Content blockers do work for 3rd party browsers AFAIK. I use Firefox on iOS and to my understanding Magic Lasso content blocker is what’s blocking the ads. I think that since the Firefox browser is really safari and the blocker is implemented at a lower level, the content blocker just works.

No, Firefox for iOS has its own built-in ad blocker, as far as I know.

For example, iOS Chrome definitely does show ads for me on the same pages that Firefox manages to block them on, with the same content blocker iOS settings.

Thanks that’s interesting - I enabled enhanced strict tracking protection, which I thought was just related to tracking across sites. It is apparently good enough at ad blocking that I have not noticed.

AdGuard for iOS offers both Safari Content Blockers and a local VPN/DNS for 3rd party apps. The significant difference is that Safari can apply cosmetic filters, while other browsers like Chrome leave ugly placeholders where the ads would have been.

Interestingly, AdGuard for Android allows full ad-blocking + cosmetic filtering in Chrome by installing a certificate that enables local MitMing of your TLS connections. I am both impressed and creeped out by this hack and how reliable it seems to work. :)

How is this not anti-competition? "My browser can enjoy extensions but third-party browsers cannot because we care about the privacy of our users".

As you probably know, other browsers are just shells around Safari - so there has never even been a pretense of competition in iOS browsers.

Isn't there a Safari Webview that has access to most of the features of regular Safari?

https://developer.apple.com/news/?id=trjs0tcd

Yes, but the API to interact with it is fairly limited.

As an alternative, I’ve been using nextdns with great success to block most ads in any browser and most apps (but not YouTube sadly)

I usually give Google shit for copying everything Apple does, but I sincerely hope that they (and Microsoft) copy this feature. I'd love to have extensions like Stylus and Microsoft Editor on my phone. Plus this would open up a massive audience of users, which would hopefully further inspire developers to build interesting and useful extensions.

Extension support was probably the biggest mistake Google made. Ads mean a lot to them, I dont think they'd want to repeat that.

When ideals contradict the business model.

This so much. uBlock origin is fiercely missed for my mobile browsing experience.

Unfortunately uBlock origin isn't available with web extensions

https://www.reddit.com/r/uBlockOrigin/comments/hdz0bo/will_u...

Firefox on Android or Chrome on a Chromebook with detachable screen seems to be the only way to get it on a non-Windows tablet.

The mobile web is nearly unusable for me without Firefox + uBlock Origin. I haven't even opened Chrome on my Android phone in a very long time.

There are barely any useable Safari extensions even on desktop (Mac) Safari besides maybe content blockers and we already got those on iOS. The extensions I use are all on Firefox or Edge (Chromium).

Any examples of Safari Extensions you're looking for on iOS?

I am hoping this improves certain business tooling on mobile where their existing apps are subpar. For me specifically, I am thinking about HubSpot w/ Gmail.

Maybe a javascript blocker?

You can already disable JS

>Any examples of Safari Extensions you're looking for on iOS?

Ad-Guard: Works very well, including ability to block YouTube ads.

LastPass: A password manager, useful for cross platform password storing.

PiPifier: Enables PiP in any video player.

Tab Suspender: Suspends tabs after a period of inactivity. Helps with websites that tend to use resources in the backgroud.

I’m trying to understand why someone would install the last pass browser extension when they could install the last pass app. The app provides passwords in all contexts, not just the browser.

I don't use other contexts that require frequent sign-in procedure on my Mac.

To be honest, since I stopped using a Windows machine I almost completely switched to Apple's own keychain. That said, I still have the LastPass because it is easier to use for storing private data that does not strictly conforms to the "username and password" convention.

> The app provides passwords in all contexts, not just the browser.

I don't care what the app does, at some point the extension might have forced me to install it but I don't use it and don't care about it.

Many of these are already usable via other OS features:

Ad guard: download the app and integrate it as a content blocker in safari options. I’ve been using it for a long time. It offers a lot of features.

Password managers: can also be integrated in the OS itself by installing the app and set the config.

PiPifier is already on iOS https://apps.apple.com/us/app/pipifier/id1234771095

Good to know but I do it with a script in the Shortcuts on iOS. The app seems to be working exactly the same as the script I use.

On my script and on the Pipifier, YouTube would stop playback when you lock the device but you can resume it through tapping the play button in the control center.

Would love to see WebMIDI, but I suspect the options are alternate browsers in the App Store that are WKWebView's implementing it as a shim, or it will have to be added by Apple. I don't think they're letting extensions actually see the DOM.

Tamperish is tamper monkey for Safari and I love it for Safari on MacOS. Excited to see same website custom styling on phone too.

https://github.com/username0x0a/Tamperish

Since it needs local file access (to get the custom stylesheets), I'd guess it will need to be re-architected for iOS though.

http://cascadea.app is a similar app for MacOS, I wouldn't be surprised if the author takes a crack at porting it.

Tampermonkey itself works with desktop Safari now. It’s amazing.

StopTheMadness would be a great addition to iOS Safari.

https://lapcatsoftware.com/articles/StopTheMadness.html

I'm going to write one that bypasses Google AMP pages in favor of the real thing.

Will probably also write one for personal use that bypasses basic paywalls and GDPR prompts.

I have traffic to most known Facebook servers blocked on my Mac hosts file, perhaps I can't get to hosts on iOS but an extension would be the next best thing.

Finally, there are a couple bookmarking websites like verygoods.co that rely on antiquated bookmarklets that no longer function with modern browser privacy settings, I'd like to try to reverse engineer a replacement, but I'm unsure if that's possible.

"barely any usable extensions on desktop safari" I'm quite fond of 1Password, Cascadea https://cascadea.app, and KeySearch http://www.macosxtips.co.uk/keysearch/.

> I have traffic to most known Facebook servers blocked on my Mac hosts file, perhaps I can't get to hosts on iOS but an extension would be the next best thing.

Content blockers can match on URL patterns, either for all only a subset of content types, and cause Safari to cancel any requests for those resources. https://developer.apple.com/documentation/safariservices/cre...

Hm, I wasn't aware of that, I've only seen content blockers that provide kind of vague "block ads" checkmarks. I'll look into that, thank you.

Tampermonkey and Dark Reader are a couple.

I have three extensions on Chrome/Firefox that I briefly thought about porting to Safari. It didn't work out of the box, and very few people have ever requested this (most people who use extensions on desktop computers do not use Safari, though there are some).

But now that Safari mobile extensions are a thing, we are moving rapidly to make this happen. We have had a dedicated iOS app for years, but allowing people to access our functionality from within existing iOS apps has always been our goal.

I don't know how many other companies have been waiting in the wings, but I'm sure we're not the only one for whom this announcement is big news.

I'll be looking forward to Cascadea coming to iOS (hopefully).

https://cascadea.app

I’d like to have VisBug on iOS; already works on macOS: https://visbug.web.app/

Ok, so only Apple can have sub-app-market in their apps inside iOS?

Here's to hoping that the extension list will grow soon.

All 6 of them?

No no, I kid.

But for real, it'd be nice if Apple had some good working extensions on MacOS before porting them over to iOS.

Like nothing works right. I use Firefox mostly, with about 40 extensions. 95% of those work on Chrome / there's the exact same tool for Chrome. On MacOS... like I think literally 1 of them sort of works.

Password managers are funky. Ad blockers don't work. Wappalizer for Safari? Reddit Shine for Safari? Lighthouse for Safari? Wave or Axe for Safari? ClearURLs for Safari? Nope... none of those work. So what do you get again that does work on Safari?

I use: Tampermonkey, Dark Reader, 1Password, Adguard, Raindrop, and an extension that prevents right click hijacking (I forget the name). All work fine. Granted more need to be ported I agree. Maybe this is the perfect incentive for that to finally happen.

I am very interested in knowing what extension prevents right click hijacking. Please share what it's called.

Not the same commenter, but I’m 99% sure what they’re talking about is “Stop The Madness”. I love it on mac — and it comes with a Firefox extension as well. Does a lot more than block hijacking, but you can enable and disable all the features individually. Highly recommended!

Its this one: https://apps.apple.com/ca/app/right-click/id1364038646?mt=12

Though I am keen to try the extension the other commenter mentioned.

has anyone tested if arbitrary third party extensions (non mac store ones) are installable? and if not, how are developers expected to write & test mobile safari extensions?

i'm pretty skeptic of the prospects that apple would open up a hole in their walled garden on their own initiative. it's not like they're (currently) under any pressure or competition there.

Using Xcode.

Chrome may be the dominant browser due to performance and UI/UX, but it's gonna be interesting seeing users flock to Safari now that they'll have ad block support. Of course on iOS all browsers are using Safari anyway.

Google was smart enough to leave extensions out of Android Chrome. I don't see anything stopping Apple from porting Safari other than the fact that it's not really their style to do so. They also have very little to gain other than browser market share. That probably doesn't concern them anymore than Google having something over them.

android users can get extensions/ad blocking via firefox already anyway

Honestly this is probably the biggest announcement at wwdc 2021. They added so much stuffs you can do without.

Anybody here have experience with the new tabs design in macos monterey? How's usability?

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