AdGuard Mini for Mac: A new level of ad blocking in Safari

Those who used AdGuard for Safari — this release is for you. Those who never tried it — now’s the best time.

AdGuard for Safari has been completely reworked and is now AdGuard Mini for Mac. We made it faster, more powerful, and gave it a fresh interface and a new name. Don’t let the “Mini” confuse you — it’s packed with features. Here’s a short list of what’s new:

• AdGuard Extra: fights the trickiest ads and anti-adblock measures.
• Real-time filter updates: deliver new rules to you instantly.
• Custom rules constructor: lets you build your own filtering rules in a few clicks.
• Updated UI: provides simpler navigation, clearer settings, and quick access to updates and controls, consistent with other AdGuard apps.

If you already use AdGuard for Safari, the app will update automatically — nothing to do. If you’re new, just install it and watch the ads in Safari disappear.

Why “Mini”?

The core power of our lineup comes from apps with system-wide filtering: AdGuard for Mac, AdGuard for Android, and others. But we also make lighter products — browser extension–based blockers — and some users prefer them.
To make the difference clear at the product level, we gave those browser-based apps a new name: AdGuard Mini. That’s why AdGuard for Safari is now AdGuard Mini for Mac.

What’s new

AdGuard Mini keeps everything you liked in AdGuard for Safari — blocking banners, popups, autoplay videos, trackers and more — and introduces new features: Real-time filter updates to get the freshest filters quickly and AdGuard Extra for especially stubborn ads.

Filters update in real time, rules apply fast

Ad blocking is only as good as the filter lists behind it. Our filter developers improve them daily, but previously it could take a while before updates reached you. Now you don’t have to wait.

If you enable the Get real-time updates option, you’ll receive the moment they appear. That means pages stay cleaner and browsing stays smoother.

The rules in filter lists are large, so applying them can take time. We’ve improved Safari rule conversion: thanks to the updated SafariConverterLib, AdGuard filters now convert to Safari content-blocking rules faster. You will notice the difference especially when updating, enabling, or disabling filters and turning protection on.

See for yourself: in AdGuard for Safari, enabling protection and applying all rules took around 40 seconds.

In AdGuard Mini for Mac, it takes less than 15 seconds for everything to be up and running.

“Extra” against stubborn ads

Some websites — social networks, streaming platforms, and others — actively fight ad blockers. They reinsert ads or rely on other techniques that standard filters don’t always stop.

AdGuard Extra is built to fix exactly this. It’s an advanced script built to counter ads that fight back. Extra prevents reappearing banners, disables ad reinsertion technologies, and generally keeps pages as clean as they should be. If you still see an ad after enabling everything in Ad blocking, try turning on AdGuard Extra in Advanced settings.

A new UI, designed for clarity

Our design team reworked the interface to make it more consistent with other AdGuard apps. See for yourself — here’s how the app looked before and how it looks now.

Nobody likes when a familiar app changes and becomes confusing. We redesigned carefully: the new UI is cleaner and includes more explanations and tooltips.

Take the Safari protection section — the most important area for the app’s core purpose. Settings are grouped logically and explained in plain language so you can quickly see what each option does.

Advanced protection has its own place in the app. It’s optional, but when enabled it unlocks stronger filtering: for example, it lets us apply extended rules to block tough cases such as some YouTube ads. You decide whether to grant Safari the extra permissions and whether you want that extra power.

That’s where you turn on the AdGuard Extra userscript — if there’s a website where ads just won’t go, like Facebook or YouTube.

Build-a-Rule: create your rules the easy way

Filters and rules are the backbone of ad blocking and it’s what keeps the internet clean. But sometimes you want something personal: exclude a website from filtering, unblock requests, or allow scripts on a certain webpage.

Previously, doing this meant writing filtering rules yourself — not something most users are ready for. Now there’s a rule constructor: choose what you want to do, click through a few options, and you’re done. Block images, videos, scripts, or any other elements you’d rather not see on a page.

Want to go deeper and learn how to create your own filters? Check out our guide in the Knowledge Base.

Example of a tricky case — a cookie popup that resists filtering. Find it in the page code, then open User rules and create a rule to block it. User rules and create a rule to block it.

Updated popup for quick access and easy navigation

We redesigned the popup to keep essential tools at hand. Open the menu to check for updates, open Support, or toggle protection without launching the main app window. It also prompts if a content blocker is disabled.

The whole design is also aligned with other AdGuard products, so everything feels consistent.

Unlock everything with a universal license

All the core features in AdGuard Mini are free — just like they were in AdGuard for Safari. Ad blocking and tracking protection will stay with you at no cost.

If you want more flexibility and speed — like real-time filter updates or AdGuard Extra — you’ll need an AdGuard license. You can buy the license in the Mac App Store or on our website.

The license is universal: it works across AdGuard apps on different platforms. If you already have an AdGuard license, you can use it with AdGuard Mini.

Or try the 14-day trial to test the advanced features before you buy.

We’d really appreciate your feedback

If you find a bug or have an idea for improvement — please let us know on GitHub, on social media or by using the Support section inside the app. This will greatly help us make AdGuard Mini even better.