The developers behind the popular Adblock Plus browser extension that blocks online advertisements has just released the first version compatible with Internet Explorer (IE).
The six-year old ad blocking software started life as a Firefox extension but has gradually made its way across to the Chrome and Opera browsers, too, and now it’s Internet Explorer’s turn.
Wladimir Palant, the developer behind the add-on, has made sure that it will play nicely with all versions of Internet Explorer all the way back to IE6 and up to IE10.
The beta release is available to download now for 32-bit or 64-bit Windows machines, although the company notes that as a result of Windows 8’s locked down ‘Metro’ (Windows 8) mode, using Internet Explorer on a Surface RT or in ‘Windows 8 mode’ will stop the ad blocker from working.
While still in beta, it’s obviously a work in progress so it’s not perfect quite yet. There are two different installers depending on whether you have a 32-bit or 64-bit machine, and in order to see the software once installed (at least in newer versions of IE) you need to enable the ‘Status Bar’, which isn’t an ideal solution.
While online ads are a necessary part of the online experience – they pay peoples’ wages – Palant’s Adblock Plus software has gathered quite a fanbase, with more than 200,000 million downloads overall and more than 50 million unique users.
Adblock Plus for IE’s timing is spot on. In recent years, the dominant browser’s position has been slipping against rivals like Chrome and Firefox, but in the last few months the Microsoft browser has been clawing back market share and still accounts for around 55 percent of overall usage.
The company also offers an Android app that blocks unwanted ads in the browser and in apps on Android devices. You can download the IE version from the links below, just be aware that there are still a few glitches in this beta release yet to be fixed.
➤ Adblock Plus | Chrome | IE | Firefox | Opera | Android
Image Credit – AFP/Getty Images
Get the TNW newsletter
Get the most important tech news in your inbox each week.