How to block ads in Firefox by using Adblock Plus

Over the years it has become increasingly hard to browse the internet without being bombarded with flashing images and annoying pop-ups, but what many web users don't realize is there is an easy solution that makes these distractions disappear. By simply installing Adblock Plus, sites can go from banner filled disasters to refreshingly clean gems. You can see the difference in these before and after shots:






As you can see, the difference is incredible, and sadly there were many more ads on that page that you can't see in the screenshot.

How to Install
Adblock Plus is just another extension for Firefox, so it's really easy to install. Simply go to https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/1865 and click the "Add to Firefox button."



A pop-up will appear asking you if you want to install the extension, click the "Install Now" button.



The extension will be downloaded to Firefox and an Add-ons box will appear letting you know that you will need to restart before using it. Click the "Restart Firefox" button to restart firefox.





Once Firefox has restarted, Adblock Plus will ask you to pick an adblock filter list to subscribe to. The lists contain the information used to block the ads and choosing the right one is important. To make this easy, they are broken down by country, so pick the one that best fits yours. Once you have selected a list, click the subscribe button.



You're basically done! Adblock Plus will immediately start downloading the list you subscribed to and within minutes you will notice the ads have disappeared from the sites you visit. You can try it out by visiting htttp://www.icanhazcheeseburger.com and comparing it to the before and after images I posted.




Unblocked Images
Rarely, but sometimes you will visit a site that has a pop-up or banner that is not on the block list. If you ever come across such a banner or pop-up, Adblock Plus allows you to add your own custom filter to block the image. For example, on the site in the image below there is an ad that is not being blocked.



In order to block an image, right click on the image and select "Adblock Plus: Block Image...".



Adblock Plus will prompt you with filtering options that allow you to customize which images are blocked. By default, it tries to match images that are located in the same path as the one you clicked on. I'm going to simply block the exact image instead. Once I click "Add filter", the image disappears.





This is all you really need to know to begin using Adblock Plus. I hope this helps to enrich your internet browsing experience.