Safari's latest feature, Distraction Control, lets you remove distracting elements from websites. It follows Browser Company Arc Browse's Boosts addition last year, which also let users remove features from sites to further customize their appearance.
Apple is rolling out an early version of the feature this week via new developer betas of iOS 18, iPadOS 18, and macOS Sequoia.
Users can access the Distraction Control tool from the page menu in the Smart Search field. They then select the items on the website they want to remove. Safari will remember to remove the element the next time they visit the site. However, the selection doesn't currently sync across hardware, so users will need to hide elements on each new device.
Users can unhide the web page elements by clicking the blue hidden icon in the search field and selecting “Show hidden items.”
Apple says the feature won't remove ads or sections that change frequently. It's unclear whether the tool will be able to remove sections like “People to Follow” or “Explore X,” for example, because those elements appear in the same place on the homepage but the content inside the boxes is dynamic.
Arc Browser's Boost tool was able to remove these sections when last tested last year.
With iOS 18, Apple also introduced a redesigned Reader for improved listening and font control, and launched Highlights, a feature that surfaces important information on a page, like driving directions, call information, or quick links to summaries of TV show reviews mentioned on the page.