Shift Browser has launched an ad-blocking tool.
The Victoria-based startup, which unveiled its specialty Browser in 2025, says that the configurable Shift Blocker does not require an extension but rather is built in to the app.
“Our users come to Shift because they want more say in how they browse,” says chief executive officer Neil Henderson. “Blocker brings that same idea to privacy and advertising.”
Blocker, comes standard in Shift and allows users to select trusted filter lists and favourite sites, though Shift Advanced is required to tap into Blocker’s video ad-blocking abilities.
“It’s built directly into the browser, is upfront about what it’s doing, and is customizable,” Henderson says, “so users can decide exactly what they want to block or allow.”
Under the hood, Henderson says Blocker runs on adblock-rust, an open-source ad-blocking engine used by other privacy-focused browsers that works quietly in the background to track scripts before they reach the screen.
Instead of fixed layouts and generic toolbars, Shift users build a browser that mirrors their personal productivity style.
Curated templates jumpstart workflows with drag-and-drop configurability across every element, according to Henderson.
“People should get to decide what their browsing experience looks like,” he said. “That means real choices, not a one-size-fits-all default.”
“Blocker is one more way we’re handing that control back to our users,” Henderson stated.
Shift was founded through Redbrick in 2016.
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