Known Issues

Everything about using Adblock Plus on Microsoft Edge
lewisje
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Joined: Mon Jun 14, 2010 12:07 pm

Known Issues

Post by lewisje »

It would be nice to have a forum sticky for the known issues with Adblock Plus for Microsoft Edge, both issues that can be worked around (like the filter-storage issue) and those that can't, like the inability to block ads inside plugin content (mostly Flash content), which has led to numerous complaints regarding streaming-video services: https://github.com/MicrosoftEdge/Micros ... webrequest

I realize that this query on the issue tracker was already linked to in the announcement, but by now, it's a bit obscure, and I believe it only shows those issues that can be worked around: https://issues.adblockplus.org/query?st ... tform=Edge
There's a buzzin' in my brain I really can't explain; I think about it before they make me go to bed.
BaronHK
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Joined: Tue Sep 13, 2016 8:25 am

Re: Known Issues

Post by BaronHK »

It's easy to block Flash ads despite the limitations in MSFT's content blocking API. Just go to Advanced Settings and turn off Flash in Edge. Good riddance. (At least for me. Your mileage may vary.) Most sites fall back to HTML 5 video these days.

I'm wondering why no ad blocker seems to block Bing ads no matter how you configure it. Did MSFT hardcode an exemption for themselves into Edge?

In fact, I might make the same question as a post of its own.
lewisje
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Joined: Mon Jun 14, 2010 12:07 pm

Re: Known Issues

Post by lewisje »

BaronHK wrote:It's easy to block Flash ads despite the limitations in MSFT's content blocking API. Just go to Advanced Settings and turn off Flash in Edge.
That's fine if the desired content is in HTML5 or has an HTML5 fallback (a significant amount of desirable content is in Flash without an HTML5 fallback, which is why Edge still supports Flash in the first place).
There's a buzzin' in my brain I really can't explain; I think about it before they make me go to bed.
BaronHK
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Joined: Tue Sep 13, 2016 8:25 am

Re: Known Issues

Post by BaronHK »

For most people, Flash was just an overglorified video player.

Fortunately, most sites fall back to HTML 5 now. Not only is Flash a security concern, with 315 security issues patched last year alone, it also lets sites set Super Cookies and most of the security issues come from the fact that it's not just a video player. It has the ActionScript engine, which basically duplicates the browser's scripting abilities in a far less secure or sane manner.

So the drawbacks of leaving it on, for me, far outweigh any possible benefits. The fact that it's really nifty for unscrupulous websites to make incredibly annoying and bandwidth hogging ads makes disabling it a nice bonus atop the huge security improvements.

The sooner browsers drop it and give lazy and unscrupulous Flash promoters a kick in the pants, the better.
lewisje
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Joined: Mon Jun 14, 2010 12:07 pm

Re: Known Issues

Post by lewisje »

BaronHK wrote:For most people, Flash was just an overglorified video player.
true
BaronHK wrote:Fortunately, most sites fall back to HTML 5 now.
I suspect "false", and definitely not such an overwhelming majority as to be able to get your video fix without Flash.

I for one hope Edge adopts another idea from Chrome: click-to-play for Flash. The fact that there's no way to make Flash load on-demand in Edge is probably what leads more security-conscious types to disable it altogether in Edge (a similar issue applies to all plugins, in IE).
There's a buzzin' in my brain I really can't explain; I think about it before they make me go to bed.
KCCoff
Posts: 9
Joined: Thu May 26, 2016 9:15 am

Re: Known Issues

Post by KCCoff »

Couple of things - and as always, my generic disclaimer: I am (VERY) low tech and hardly know what I'm doin'... so keep it simple for me. ;-)

First, reading through this thread, do I understand correctly that ABP has no (or little) effect on MS Edge? Because frankly, the jittery / motion / "live" ads don't play well with my macular degeneration (eyesight).

Second, do I further understand correctly that there are workarounds to reduce / eliminate the ads in MS Edge? and if so, how do I do this?

Any help would be much appreciated. I want to use Edge but usually it drives me back to Chrome or Firefox, simply because the constant movement of the ads is more than my brain can take in terms of visual input. :shock:

Kasey
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mapx
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Joined: Thu Jan 06, 2011 2:01 pm

Re: Known Issues

Post by mapx »

the same filters for chrome sometimes aren't enough for edge, so ... if you are sure your system is clean (scanned for virus / malware), report the pages with ads (provide links, eventually upload a screenshot - use imgur.com then post the pic link here)
KCCoff
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Joined: Thu May 26, 2016 9:15 am

Re: Known Issues

Post by KCCoff »

Thanks for replying...

The problem has been showing up on my Outlook email pages, so I'm reluctant to post a link to them. I will see if I can snapshot and hide any identifying information.

I checked (as best I know how, lol) for malware, virus, whathaveyou, and everything seems clean. The computer is fairly new, so I don't think there are any overhanging issues in terms of updates, conflicts, etc.

It doesn't seem to be down to certain websites or anything; the difference seems to be Edge (IE was the same, as I recall, though I seldom used it). I happen to have a subscription that works better on MS than on Chrome (or Firefox), hence my noticing the problem. I can always go back to Chrome, but I got this idea in my head that MS shouldn't be able to keep someone from using an ad-blocker if they want to. Thus how I ended up here. :-)
lewisje
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Joined: Mon Jun 14, 2010 12:07 pm

Re: Known Issues

Post by lewisje »

Please make a new thread for your specific problem; this thread is for issues we know ABP for Edge has in general, including aspects of the Edge extension platform that keep ABP for Edge from working as well as ABP for Chrome (which it was based on) does.
There's a buzzin' in my brain I really can't explain; I think about it before they make me go to bed.
Roninnin
Posts: 98
Joined: Thu Apr 09, 2015 11:14 am

Re: Known Issues

Post by Roninnin »

Just updated to 0.9.8.0 Whenever I close Edge, ABP adds the EasyList filter back that I had deleted (I don't need EasyList because I use EasyList+EasyPrivacy) when I open the browser again. It shows up as the last filter, and sometimes my previous last filter disappears. Worst of all, whenever I clear my browsing data through Edge itself, my filters get reset.
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mapx
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Re: Known Issues

Post by mapx »

workaround: subscribe easyprivacy from en/subscriptions
and remove the combo easylist + easyprivacy
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mapx
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Re: Known Issues

Post by mapx »

Roninnin
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Re: Known Issues

Post by Roninnin »

My biggest issue with the update is that my filters get reset (only EasyList repopulates) if I clear browsing data in Edge.
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mapx
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Re: Known Issues

Post by mapx »

Roninnin wrote:My biggest issue with the update is that my filters get reset (only EasyList repopulates) if I clear browsing data in Edge.
I added a custom filter, I cleared the browsing data, restarted edge: the custom filter was still there.
(same behaviour even clearing the data on browser exit)

my clear options:
Image
Roninnin
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Joined: Thu Apr 09, 2015 11:14 am

Re: Known Issues

Post by Roninnin »

I have all clear options checked, including the ones under "show more." Before this update I could clear all the data without resetting my filters.
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