Ads are everywhere on Android. For most of us, the answer is either to sit through the ad, or pay up for a service's "premium" tier. While services like YouTube Premium can genuinely be worth it, they aren't for every app. Thankfully, there are options: All you need are free apps or extensions, easily available from the Play Store or alternative app stores, including one option that can block virtually all ads on Android.

Use BlockAds to block all ads on Android via a local VPN

Credit: Khamosh Pathak

If you want a single app that blocks everything, start with the aptly named "BlockAds." It’s a free, open-source app you can install directly from GitHub or via the F-Droid store. It’s not available on the Play Store, so the installation method will depend on where you live and when you’re installing it. If Google’s new rules are in place, you’ll need a 24-hour cooling-off period before you can sideload apps.

Once installed, activate BlockAds, giving it permission to add a VPN profile. When enabled, BlockAds will activate its own VPN profile that will stay enabled in the background. While it uses a VPN profile, it’s not a VPN service like Proton VPN in the traditional sense. Instead, it’s a local VPN that filters the traffic on your device itself. It uses DNS filtering to automatically block traffic to ad servers and trackers, quietly disabling them in the background. All your regular activity continues, but the annoying ads in any app disappear, without needing to root your device. There is one downside to using this method: Android only lets you enable one VPN profile at a time, so if BlockAds is taking up the VPN slot, you can’t use an actual VPN to protect your internet usage or to spoof your location.

Use private DNS to customize ad blocking across all apps

Credit: Khamosh Pathak

If you don't want to use a VPN profile, or a third-party app, DNS filtering is another path. This method blocks known advertiser domains, effectively blocking most ads you encounter on the web. Android OS comes with a built-in option that lets you change the DNS server to whatever you like, but there are also services that use DNS filtering to remove ads and trackers as you browse the internet, like AdGuard's free DNS filtering. All you have to do is change the DNS address. Go to Settings > Network and Internet > Private DNS and switch to the Private DNS provider hostname option, then enter the hostname. In this case, to use the free service, enter "dns.adguard-dns.co" and hit the Save button.

It's important to note that DNS filtering might break some sites or apps with full-screen ads. This is where a more flexible option like NextDNS can help. Once you create a NextDNS account, you get a personal DNS hostname URL, where you can customize which filters to use and add websites to a whitelist as well. Plus, you can enable or disable protection as needed. After you sign up for NextDNS, go to the Setup section to find your URL. NextDNS, though, isn't completely free. You get up to 300,000 queries for free per month, and the unlimited Pro plan costs $1.99 per month or $19.99 per year.

Get a desktop-class ad-blocking experience with Firefox and uBlock Origin

Credit: Khamosh Pathak

After Google’s new Manifest V3 changes, getting a full-fledged ad-blocker that updates in real time is becoming more difficult, even on desktop. On Mac and Windows, Firefox is perhaps the biggest champion of ad blockers, supporting the full uBlock Origin extension natively.

It’s the same story on Android as well. Firefox is the best way to run the full uBlock Origin extension, with its dynamic blocking and customizable filter support. If you want to use it, install the Firefox app on Android, tap the Menu button, and go to Extensions. Here, search for and install uBlock Origin. Once it’s installed, ads from websites will disappear automatically. The default setup is enough for most users. But if you want to customize it, you can go to uBlock Origin extension’s settings page to add extra filters.

Watch YouTube ad-free (with premium features) using NewPipe and DuckDuckGo

Credit: Khamosh Pathak

The most reliable way to block ads on YouTube these days is to pay for Premium, as Google makes it quite hard to block ads for free. That said, there are plenty of workarounds. The best way is to get out of Google’s system altogether using the NewPipe app, an alternative YouTube client that’s hosted on the open-source F-Droid app store (similar to the BlockAds app we discussed above). The app plays YouTube videos ad-free, and you can also access features like background playback and offline downloads (usually reserved for YouTube Premium subscribers). You can search for and play videos, but you can also subscribe to channels and build your own YouTube feed in the NewPipe app.

If you don’t want to install an app from third-party app stores, try using DuckDuckGo's browser. It has a built-in YouTube ad blocker, which uses the robust filters from the uBlock Origin extension discussed above. Just load up a YouTube video in the browser, and you should be good to go. If you still see ads, make sure that the feature is enabled from Menu > Ad Blocking > Block Ads on YouTube.

Block trackers and ads without any setup using Brave

Credit: Khamosh Pathak

If you just want an ad-free browsing experience without the need for installing and updating third-party extensions, try the Brave browser. It’s one of the best privacy-focused browsers out there, and the Android app is quite easy to use. It blocks trackers and ads by default. There are no switches to flip, and no extensions to enable. The default ad-blocking works for YouTube videos as well.

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Snap was in the smart glasses game from the jump. The company’s original camera-equipped Spectacles debuted back in 2016, beating Meta to the market by five years. Meta’s Ray-Bans and Oakleys captured massive consumer mindshare anyway, while Snap’s smart eyewear has been less visible.

With Snap Specs, though, the company is aiming to make up for lost time by delivering smart glasses that go beyond a hidden camera and voice-activated AI. At the Snapdragon 2026 Summit, I got my hands (and eyes) on a pair of Snap’s soon-to-be-released spatial-computing glasses that overlay digital graphics onto the physical world.

Specs are heavy on tech but light on your face

Credit: Stephen Johnson

There's a lot of tech packed into these black polymer frames. They're powered by two Snapdragon processors, with two full-color hi-res cameras facing outward; the tracking system supports 6DOF (six degrees of freedom) hand tracking for gesture controls; and it's all standalone, as there's no tether or wired puck handling the heavy lifting. With all that crammed into the frames, plus the battery to run it, you'd expect them to be heavy. At around 135 grams, they aren’t light, but Specs are surprisingly comfortable. The weight is distributed evenly, mainly across the frames, so for the brief time I used them, they remained ergonomically acceptable. Specs feel more like a pair of sunglasses than a bulky VR helmet. As for battery life, Snap promises four hours of mixed-use on a full charge.

Display quality on Snap Specs

In the interest of not alienating the people around you, Snap chose to make the lenses clear enough that your eyes can still be seen through them, but if you want to close out the world, there’s electrochromic dimming for quick transitions between clear and dark lenses. It both useful and a cool trick. Check it out:

Credit: Stephen Johnson

The in-glasses display is surprisingly bright. Specs' visuals are powered by a proprietary liquid crystal on silicon (LCoS) display system, and even when used in a light-filled conference room, I could still clearly see the UI and its various apps. I tested out YouTube under these borderline abusive conditions, and it streamed high-def video in 16 million colors suitably.

The display offers a 51-degree field of view. It feels like having a large floating window hovering in front of you. From there, you can use simple gestures to launch apps, watch movies, play games, and do most other tasks you can’t do from your phone. But it was the context-aware, real-world spatial computing tasks that I wanted to try—the things you can't do from a phone or PC.

What can you actually do with a pair of Snap Specs?

Snap plans to launch Specs with a full suite of both first-party and third-party apps that will do everything from improving your drawing skills to teaching you music. I tried out a golfing demo, and it made the possibilities of augmented reality glasses immediately clear. Instead of putting blindly toward a distant hole, Specs show you exactly which direction to swing the putter and adds a virtual flag to mark where the hole is. It’s anecdotal evidence, but my personal putting game improved immensely. Is it cheating? Probably, but it works.

Are Specs going to be useful in the real world?

A half-hour or so of testing a prototype isn’t enough time to really say whether these will be useful in a person’s real life, but I can say for sure that they’re very cool, and I’m looking forward to going more in-depth with them in the coming months as their release date approaches. Snap Specs are planned for release this fall and will retail for $2,195. 

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Apple caught my attention with their claim that the Apple Watch Series 12 and Ultra 4 have the “most accurate heart rate in a wearable.” It’s hard to make a really accurate heart rate sensor, and in my experience, Apple hasn’t had a great track record in that area. So I tested the Series 12 pretty intensively over the past week or so, and now I have results.

Apple Watch Series 12 (GPS, 42mm)

$399.00 at Amazon

$399.00 at Amazon

I’m picky about accuracy; longtime readers have seen me test watch after watch against my trusty chest strap to find out how good each one really is. That sometimes brings surprises: The Powerbeats Pro 2 are surprisingly bad at heart rate tracking if you have small ears, for example. I also discovered that the Garmin Forerunner 570 is shockingly good at heart rate accuracy, far better than any other device I had tested up to that point. (Garmin’s Forerunner 970 and the newest Fenix and Venu watches have the same sensor.)

What Apple says about their heart rate sensor, and why I doubted it

Is the new Apple Watch really good enough to beat Garmin’s best sensor? Apple believes it is, but I doubted that claim, for a few reasons. The first is simply Apple’s track record. Early models of the Apple watch had better sensors than most wearables at the time, so Apple developed a reputation for good accuracy. For example, back in 2019 or so, the Series 4 watch performed far better for me than the Whoop 3.0. But time marches on, and devices have gotten better. Garmin has an excellent sensor, as I already explained; the Pixel watch is also impressively good. But Apple just didn’t keep up. 

You can see it in my comparisons over the years: here’s the Series 11 glitching where a Garmin did just fine, and here’s the Series 10 struggling alongside a Fitbit Charge 6. If I were to rank all the heart rate sensors I’ve tested for their accuracy, the Garmin 570 would be A-tier, the Pixel Watch and most good sports watches would get a B, and the Apple Watch (Series 10 and 11) would be a C. (S-tier would be reserved for chest straps.) Not long ago, I got downvoted to negative infinity for commenting on Reddit that Apple’s heart rate accuracy (up to the Series 11) is “mid at best.” Sorry, but it’s true. 

Garmin Forerunner 570 42mm Advanced GPS Smartwatch (Slate)

$549.99 at Amazon

$549.99 at Amazon

But, OK, perhaps it’s a new era. Apple redesigned its optical heart rate sensor to include larger LEDs and arrange them more closely in a circle. To support its claim that the new sensor is the most accurate on the market, it published a study that was extensive in its breadth (seven recent, competing devices were tested in a variety of activities) but limited in usefulness. Each pairing of a device and workout type was given, essentially, one number. We don’t get to see how each device behaves in use. The data feels cherry-picked, and in any case, it doesn’t give us enough information to say whether one sensor is truly better than another, or specifically what it does better. So I’m going to add my own data points. 

How I tested the Apple Watch’s heart rate sensor’s accuracy

I am just one person, so my experiments amount to a very small, informal study. That’s the case for any tech reviewer, no matter their qualifications—so feel free to compare my data to what others have found, but keep these limitations in mind for each of us. 

I took the Apple Watch Series 12 and the Garmin Forerunner 570 out for several tests during workouts. (I did not have a feasible way of testing background measurements outside of workouts.) I wore one device on each wrist, positioned according to manufacturer recommendations, and, at the same time, used an electrical chest strap to provide the reference values. 

I have relatively light skin, which may improve accuracy, and no wrist tattoos, so both sensors should get a clear signal on either wrist. I have six-inch wrists, on the small side of average, so I wore the 42-millimeter size of each watch (both are available in larger sizes for those who prefer it). A good fit is critical to getting good accuracy, and I feel I achieved that for both devices. I did my best to have both devices equally snug (but not uncomfortably tight) against my wrist. 

I tested both devices, together, on treadmill runs, outdoor trail runs, a rowing session, and a few strength sessions. Some of these workouts involved quick changes in intensity, leading to peaks and troughs in the graph. Others were more steady. Gripping objects such as dumbbells or rower handles can interfere with accuracy for some devices, which is why I included those workouts. Ambient light and temperature can affect accuracy as well, so I tested in a variety of weather conditions. 

The results

In my first set of tests, which I also shared here, the Apple Watch and the Garmin both performed well, but each had their flaws. The Garmin sometimes lagged a bit at the start of the interval, but quickly caught up. The Apple Watch didn’t have that problem, but sometimes missed the highest values on small spikes in heart rate. I’d call this one a tie. 

Apple Watch in red, Garmin in purplish, chest strap for reference in gray. Credit: Beth Skwarecki

In my other trail runs and treadmill runs, I saw a similar pattern: Both watches would be on track most of the time, but each had their quirks. Garmin was more likely to miss out on the beginning of spikes, but the Apple Watch was more likely to drop data points entirely, especially toward the beginning of a workout. 

One day, I did three mini workouts at the gym: a treadmill run, a rowing session, and a strength session. The strength work included a few sets each of overhead barbell press, front squats (with my arms in a clean grip), and dumbbell curls. Here are those graphs, again with the Apple Watch in red, the chest strap in gray, and the Garmin this time in purple: 

Apple Watch in red, Garmin in purplish, chest strap for reference in gray. Credit: Beth Skwarecki

Both devices performed equally on the treadmill run, with their own minor glitches but both getting the job done pretty well. On the rower, the Garmin struggled more, missing almost half of the second interval. The Apple Watch wasn’t perfect, though, overestimating in a few places and not always picking up the lowest value between intervals. 

The strength workout was a mess for both devices. The Garmin often read low, but the Apple Watch sometimes read high and reported fewer values in total. This view shows it a bit better (each data point is a dot): 

Apple Watch in red, Garmin in purplish, chest strap for reference in gray. Credit: Beth Skwarecki

So, is Apple’s sensor really the most accurate in a wearable? 

Looking at my data, I think the biggest news is that Apple is no longer lagging when it comes to heart rate accuracy. The Series 12 is a lot more accurate in my tests than the Series 10 or 11 ever were. Apple has built a very good heart rate sensor, and they deserve huge credit for that. I will no longer have to tell people Apple's sensor is mid.

But does it have the best heart rate sensor? I’m not so sure I’m convinced. It is holding its own against Garmin’s best sensor, for sure, and that’s impressive. In the rare cases the Garmin struggles, the Apple is usually there with a more-or-less correct value. But I have seen near-perfect graphs from the Garmin on its best days (admittedly, outside of this testing week); I've never seen one quite like that from Apple. The Apple Watch's sensor sometimes has trouble ramping up to correct values at the beginning of a workout; it overestimates on occasion; it doesn’t get all the way down to low values when intervals change quickly; and I’m concerned about the sparseness of the data points. It almost seems like the Apple Watch won’t report a value it’s not sure of, which is arguably better than recording a data point that could be wrong, but leaves odd gaps in some of the charts. 

This leads me to over-analyze the claim of  “most accurate in a wearable.” If Apple’s sensor fails to report a data point where another device reports an incorrect one, does that make Apple “more accurate” because more of its data points were on the right line? That’s probably a fair claim, but it still doesn’t feel great to award that device the “best” title. And if we truly want to compare the Apple Watch to all wearables, shouldn’t we consider chest straps, which are also worn, and which are objectively more accurate than any optical sensor in a watch? 

After all this analysis, I have a hard time awarding the Apple Watch a definitive title of being the “best” at wrist heart rate accuracy. But it’s damn good, and I have to put it up in the A tier with the Garmin. Congratulations, Apple. You managed to tie the best watch sensor out there, and I can’t claim there’s another one that’s better. 

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Meta hosted its annual "Connect" event on Wednesday. Curiously, the company kicked things off at 7 p.m. ET (4 p.m. PT), following "Made by Google" as the second major tech event of 2026 to take place in the evening. While that might have reduced the usual visibility of the event, it certainly wasn't an unremarkable presentation: Meta CEO Mark Zuckberg laid out the company's big hardware and AI plans and sold us a pitch for Meta's vision for the future of work, entertainment, and social connectivity. Here's what the company announced.

Meta's next smart glasses don't have cameras

Credit: Meta

Meta makes some of the most popular smart glasses on the market. That doesn't mean it has a great reputation. As it turns out, many of us aren't keen on walking past a deluge of glasses with embedded cameras wherever we go. While smart glasses fans have their arguments for why the tech is useful, many others are simply put off by the privacy invasion.

I can't think of a better reason to explain the direction Meta is taking with its latest smart glasses line: Ray-Ban Meta Audio glasses. As the name suggests, these glasses do not have cameras. Instead, Meta says they have open-ear audio, designed for "true all-day wearability." The new glasses have a reported 12 hours of battery life, while the charging case can add an additional 48 hours of use.

These glasses also have adjustable temple tips and swappable nose pads. You can use them to listen to music, access Meta AI, and take phone calls—all without having to fend off accusations of unsolicited video recording. Meta says that Meta Audio glasses will come in 23 different color and lens combinations in either "Clubmaster" or "Burbank" frames. They will ship Oct. 13, and you can pre-order them today for $349.

Meta introduced the Ray-Ban Meta (Gen 3)

Credit: Meta

Meta isn't completely ditching its camera-embedded smart glasses, of course. In fact, it also introduced the next devices in its Ray-Ban Meta line. According to the company, these glasses run an hour longer than the previous generation on a charge (nine hours as opposed to eight) and come with new adjustable temple tips. There's a new array of six microphones that Meta says cuts out over 90% of background noise.

Meta did make a point to note that the "3K Ultra HD" camera embedded in the frames does engage an LED light whenever you are recording, so the people around you are aware. Meta says those cameras will soon be able to shoot videos with Dolby Atmos spatial audio. These glasses are available now, in both "Avaitor" and "Zena" frames, starting at $449.

Meta VR Glasses

Credit: Meta

The device that is generating the most headlines is the Meta VR Glasses, the company's new virtual reality headset. Unlike other headsets, like Meta's Quest line or Apple Vision Pro, this device looks more like an oversized pair of glasses than a full headset. Meta says that, "thanks to a breakthrough glasses-like form factor," the product doesn't need to rely on straps or bulky hardware to run, and is five times lighter than the Meta Quest 3. That's due, in part, to the "puck," a clip-on external device that handles compute, battery, and storage.

The Meta VR Glasses have a 5K micro-OLED "Infinite Display" that supports both Dolby Vision and Dolby Atmos. They run on Qualcomm's new Snapdragon Reality Elite chip, while the puck's battery can stream high-resolution media for three hours at a time. It also supports 45W fast charging.

As a movie nerd, I'm intrigued by Meta's claims that this is the first VR device that's IMAX Enhanced certified. Meta says it's one of the only ways to experience "select films" in IMAX's expanded aspect ratio—at least, at home. That exclusivity extends to non-IMAX video formats as well: Avengers: Infinity War and Star Wars: A New Hope will be available in VR Enhanced versions. In addition, Disney+ subscribers will be able to watch select films in 3D, and sports apps like NBA, MLB, and ESPN will support 8K "Immersive Sports" streaming with 180-degree views.

Like other headsets, the Meta VR Glasses support multiple virtual screens, which Meta envisions as a useful tool for work. This device uses hand gestures for all controls, which means you can type using a virtual keyboard and control the UI with a virtual trackpad. You can work without any additional hardware, but Meta says you can connect your Mac or PC to the glasses for added productivity.

The biggest selling point is Meta's "hologram" feature, which lets you see a virtual representation of another person while on a call with them, creating the illusion you're actually having an in-person conversation. These are full-body holograms, too—a first for VR according to Meta (they even have legs!). Of course, since this is a Meta product, you can also talk to Meta AI while wearing the glasses. Meta VR Glasses will start at $1,299.99 and will be available in spring 2027.

New features for existing Meta AI glasses

Connect wasn't just about new hardware. Meta also announced a series of new features available across its new and existing glasses lines. One of the most intriguing is onboard hearing assistance, an FDA-cleared feature that helps adults with mild to moderate hearing loss, but this helpful feature won't be free: Users looking to add hearing assistance to their glasses will need to pay a one-time $149.99 upgrade fee, or subscribe to Meta One. (If you opt for the former, you can use HSA or FSA funds to pay for it.)

Meta also announced new exercise and health features, including guided workouts for running and cycling as well as nutrition tracking and dietary advice. A new AI shopping tool looks for reviews and price drops on products you've identified, and lets you make purchases with your voice. In addition, Meta says that there are a host of new ways to customize your experience with your Meta glasses, including personalized audio, custom gestures, and new visual AI. For example, you can now set a frequently used tool to the touchpad press-and-hold shortcut.

Going forward, your walking directions should be a bit more "human," the company says, as directions can use landmarks instead of street names (e.g., "turn left at the supermarket" instead of "turn left at Broadway.) I'm not sure that will be a helpful change, especially if the street signs are more obvious than the landmarks, but we'll have to see. Later this month, you'll also be able to ask for biking and public transit directions using your voice with Meta Ray-Ban Display.

Gaming on Meta VR Glasses

Credit: Meta

Meta clearly has big plans for gaming on Meta VR glasses. Beat Saber is getting an update for Meta VR Glasses and Meta Quest. There's a new single-player campaign, "Flux," that lets you punch and slice notes with your hands, and a refreshed "Campaign" mode with new reward and progression systems. Meta says, in total, there are 75 games coming to Meta VR Glasses, including Cardmada, Dice Throne Digital, Dragon Grove, Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney – Dual Destinies, Supernatural, Tetris Effect: Mixed Realities, and Two Point Hospital. These games, including Beat Saber, can be played with hand-tracking alone, so there's no need for controllers.

Meta's "Muse" updates

Meta released Muse, its agentic AI assistant, a few weeks ago. While the company took time to summarize its new bot, it also announced a handful of new Muse updates. First, Muse is getting a cute cartoon avatar, which Meta thinks will make Muse's voice mode a bit more interactive. Muse is also coming to AI glasses in the coming months, and will get its own email address, so it can perform tasks on your behalf without using your personal email.

Meta says computer use is now available on the Muse for Mac app, meaning Muse can now use any app on your computer, even if you leave your desk. (Give Muse control over your machine at your own risk.) The company is also rolling out more connectors for Muse, so it can work with the following retailers and services: Walmart, Best Buy, American Eagle Outfitters, DICK'S Sporting Goods, Fanatics, Gap, Michael Kors, Sephora, Ulta, Wayfair, Shop Pay, and PayPal.

Finally, the company teased "Muse Charm," a Tamagotchi-like device for the agentic AI. This seems a bit more of a novelty than a useful tool, since I imagine you could achieve the same with the Muse app on your phone, but we'll learn more about this product in the future.

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Apple released a bunch of new devices last week. The Apple Watch Series 12 and Ultra 4 support new health-tracking features and Siri AI, while the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max introduce the A20 chip and variable aperture for the first time on Apple's smartphones. But while all these new products are objective upgrades over their predecessors, they all have one issue in common: They keep randomly rebooting.

What is Apple's rebooting problem?

As reported by 9to5Mac, some iPhone 18 Pro users are noticing that their smartphones are freezing up after a failed Face ID scan. When this happens, you won't be able to interact with your iPhone, even if the "Try Face ID Again" button appears on-screen. After a few moments, the iPhone will reboot. It's not a catastrophic issue, but it is annoying, and it's affecting a number of users, as this Reddit thread shows.

It's a similar story with the latest Apple Watches. While the Series 12 and Ultra 4 obviously don't use Face ID, users are still experiencing random reboots—emphasis on "random." Unlike the iPhone 18 Pro users, affected Apple Watch users aren't doing anything in particular when their watches reboot. They could be in the middle of a workout, chatting with Siri AI, or using the Maps app, when all of a sudden, the Apple logo appears. Some analyses showed that the Neural Engine was at fault, but Apple never confirmed the exact issue.

Apple has fixes in the works for iPhone 18 Pro users

That said, Apple did find solutions to the reboot issues on all of these devices, though only the Apple Watch has a current fix. Apple released watchOS 27.0.1 exclusively for Series 12 and Ultra 4 users on Wednesday, which it says should fix random reboots going forward. And while iPhone 18 Pro and 18 Pro Max users don't have a fix yet, Apple confirmed to 9to5Mac that an update is in the works.

As such, don't feel the need to take your new iPhone 18 Pro to the Apple Store if your only issue is random rebooting. While some Apple Store employees have swapped out affected units, the upcoming software update should be enough to take care of the issue. While we don't have an exact ETA for the update, expect it to be called something like iOS 27.0.1, similar to watchOS 27.0.1. And if you want to ensure you update as soon as it's available, regularly check for it in Settings > General > Software Update.

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Apple's latest updates are all about AI—Apple Intelligence, that is. When you update to iOS 27 and macOS 27 Golden Gate, Apple will invite you to try Siri AI and other new Apple Intelligence features. (Assuming your iPhone supports Apple's AI features.) But whether you use the new AI-powered Siri all the time or find yourself frequently scrolling past the AI additions, Apple Intelligence is taking up space on your device—perhaps requiring more storage than you bargained for.

I'll admit, I didn't think much of it when I updated my iPhone and Mac to the latest versions. I gave Siri AI a shot, adjusted Liquid Glass, and went back to doing pretty much the same things I was doing before I made the update. But once I saw headlines about how much storage Apple Intelligence actually takes up on these new updates, I had to see for myself. And, wow, were the headlines right: On my iPhone 17 Pro, Apple Intelligence alone takes up 20.65GB. On my M3 MacBook Pro, it takes up a solid 30GB.

These numbers will vary by device: My M1 iMac, for example, only has 13.88GB allocated to Apple Intelligence. But still, these are large slices of my overall storage. Anyone with a small SSD knows how valuable each gigabyte really is, and upwards of 30GB for Apple Intelligence is a lot. Not only that, it's often more space than Apple's own metrics suggest: As MacRumors highlights, Apple says that Apple Intelligence should only take up to 14GB of storage at most, and even less for certain devices. So why is my MacBook Pro allocating more than double that space for Apple's AI?

Why does Apple Intelligence take up so much storage on iPhone and Mac?

I can't answer why Apple Intelligence is taking up so much more storage space than Apple says it should. But I can explain why Apple says its AI is supposed to occupy as much as 14GB on certain devices: Apple Intelligence is designed to run on-device whenever possible. While Apple does push certain tasks to its Private Cloud Compute platform, the company wants its AI models to run on your iPhone or Mac whenever possible. This safeguards your privacy, as none of your data has to leave your device to achieve the task—though Apple says Private Cloud Compute also protects your privacy throughout the entire process.

Regardless, for this reason, your iPhone or Mac will download Apple Intelligence models directly onto your device, so it can run processes on-device when it makes sense to do so. If you have a newer or more powerful device that supports Apple's more demanding AI features, like personalized Siri voices, you may need to store more Apple Intelligence data on-device to run those processes—up to 14GB for certain devices—yet it's not clear why Apple Intelligence takes up more than double that storage limit on some devices, like my MacBook Pro.

Check how much storage Apple Intelligence takes up on your devices

It's easy to check how much storage Apple Intelligence is taking up on your device, though Apple doesn't make it obvious. To start, head to System Settings > General > Storage (macOS) or Settings > General > iPhone Storage (iOS). Scroll down and choose either "macOS (i)" or "iOS," respectively. Here, you'll see your system storage breakdown, including a figure for "Apple Intelligence."

There's no solution at this point

Unfortunately, there doesn't appear to be a way to tell iOS or macOS to remove some Apple Intelligence models while leaving others intact, or to run all processes through Private Cloud Compute. In fact, it doesn't seem like there is any reliable way to disable Apple Intelligence on a device running iOS 27 or macOS 27 at all. The closest option I can find is to disable Siri (Settings or System Settings > Siri > Turn Off Siri), but while this disables a host of Apple Intelligence options, I still see the models taking up storage on my device, even after a restart. This might be one for Apple to fix in a future software update—hopefully as part of iOS 27.2.

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uBlock Origin is lightweight, effective, and free from shady business practices. Unfortunately, Google's move to Manifest V3 for browser extensions has hobbled ad blockers somewhat. In response, uBlock has split into two products—uBlock Origin and uBlock Origin Lite. The "Lite" version works with most Chromium-based browsers and Safari for iPhone, iPad, and Mac. The full version of uBlock Origin primarily works in Firefox for desktops, laptops, and Android. With those differences highlighted, here are the 10 uBlock Origin (and uBlock Origin Lite) hacks you should know about.

Use uBlock Origin Lite's basic filters to block ads without giving it tab access

Credit: Pranay Parab

When you use uBlock Origin Lite in Chrome or Safari, it allows you to choose one of three filtering levels: Basic, Optimal, and Complete. The "Basic" filters won't block as many ads as the others, but it also doesn't require access to your tabs and data. These days, most extensions require access to every one of your tabs, which makes uBlock Origin Lite's "Basic" filters an exception that accesses as little of your data as possible.

Enable these filters to get rid of cookie banners

uBlock Origin and its Lite version both have built-in filters that let you block annoying cookie notices on most websites. To access this in uBlock Origin on any browser, click the extension's icon in the browser's toolbar, and select the gear icon. This will open uBlock Origin's settings page. Under "Filter lists," enable EasyList/uBO - Cookie Notices. This should automatically hide most cookie banners on the internet.

Use the element zapper to remove distracting elements

If you see a distracting element on a webpage, you can use uBlock Origin's element zapper to quickly hide it. To use it, click the extension's icon in any browser, and select the lightning icon. You can now click the distracting element, and the extension will immediately hide it from the webpage. In the Firefox version of uBlock Origin, you can also use the picker tool to select an element, and choose from a list of elements to block. For instance, if you want to block a sponsored results widget, the picker tool lets you click the element and choose from different tags associated with the widget. This allows for more precise blocking without having to click the exact spot on the page where the full widget is highlighted.

To use it in Firefox, click the uBlock Origin icon in the toolbar, and select the eyedropper tool. You can select an element, and use the drop-down menu in the blocker pop-up to choose from a list of classes to hide on the page.

Use this button to disable JavaScript and enhance privacy on Firefox

In uBlock Origin for Firefox, you have a one-click method to disable JavaScript on any webpage. You can use this to block trackers, annoying features that hijack scrolling, and in general, enhance your privacy. The risk is that blocking JavaScript can also break webpages, which is why you want to try it on individual webpages as opposed to disabling it at the browser level. To try this in uBlock Origin for Firefox, open a webpage and click the extension's toolbar icon. You can then click the > icon to disable JavaScript on the webpage. Reload the page, and Firefox will load it without JavaScript.

Try these shortcuts to disable uBlock Origin on a single page in Firefox

In Firefox, you can disable uBlock Origin for a single webpage. This is useful when the ad blocker breaks a webpage or doesn't load some elements correctly. To do this, click the extension's icon in the toolbar, and hold the Ctrl key on the keyboard while clicking the power button icon. Reload the page, and uBlock Origin will be disabled on that specific webpage.

Block large media elements to reduce data usage in Firefox

uBlock Origin for Firefox lets you block large media elements on all sites (or single pages). This allows you to reduce data usage on a metered connection. You can use it to block media elements above a custom size threshold like 10KB, 20KB, etc. To try this on a single webpage, click uBlock Origin's toolbar icon, and then click the film reel icon. Reload the page, and you'll notice that certain elements won't load. To set a custom size threshold for these elements, go to uBlock Origin settings in Firefox. Visit the Settings tab, and scroll down to "Default behavior." Enable Block media elements larger than, and use the text box next to it to set the size threshold (in kilobytes).

Try this blocklist to hide Google's AI-generated search summaries

Credit: Pranay Parab

uBlock Origin and its Lite version have a built-in AI blocker, which includes Google's AI-generated search summaries. To enable this feature, click the uBlock Origin toolbar icon, select the gear icon, and go to Filter lists. You can enable EasyList — AI Widgets. Now, search for anything in Google, and you'll notice that the AI-generated slop no longer appears up top.

Use the back up feature to sync uBlock Origin settings across browsers and devices

uBlock Origin for Firefox has a built-in sync feature that uses your Firefox account to sync settings across devices, but it's not available in uBlock Origin Lite. In Firefox, you can go to uBlock Origin settings, and turn on Enable cloud storage support. Your uBlock Origin settings will then sync to every device where you're logged in with the same Firefox account.

There's also a manual sync feature that works in both versions of uBlock Origin. Head to the extension's settings, navigate to the Settings tab, and select the Back up button. This will back up your uBlock Origin settings to a file and save it to your device. You can use the Restore button on the same settings page to load saved settings to any browser running uBlock Origin. The only restriction is that you can sync uBlock Origin Lite settings with other browsers running the Lite version, while the Firefox version of uBlock Origin can only sync with other instances of Firefox.

Use uBlock Origin's tracking link blocker to stop sites from tracking your clicks

Many websites add trackers to links you copy. Sites like Instagram, Facebook, and Threads use sharing links to trace which profile shared the links with you. Luckily, uBlock Origin can block most of these types of trackers. In uBlock Origin settings, go to Filter lists, and enable AdGuard/uBO — URL Tracking Protection. That said, I recommend that you check the URLs before sharing them with others. Sometimes, you may have to manually strip tracking data because no anti-tracking feature is completely foolproof.

Reduce tracking on international websites with region-specific blocklists

uBlock Origin also ships with region-specific blocklists that target trackers from different locations across the world. If you find yourself accessing many websites from foreign countries, you should enable these blockers from uBlock Origin's settings. In the Filter lists tab, click the Regions, languages button to expand the list. This will reveal all country or region-specific blocklists. Enable the ones you need, and you're all set.

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