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Consumer Products => Avast Secure Browser => Avast Secure Browser for Windows => Topic started by: CTWarmbrodt on April 14, 2019, 06:28:45 AM

Title: Disable Shortcuts
Post by: CTWarmbrodt on April 14, 2019, 06:28:45 AM
I've recently downloaded Avast Secure Browser, and I was wondering if there was any way to do it where you can disable shortcuts' thumbnails from appearing on the homepage?  I know I was able to do this sort of thing on Google Chrome at one point, but I don't think I'm able to do so with this browser.  Nothing crucial or anything like that, but I personally don't like to see those things on my home screen.

If there's any way to do this, I'd truly appreciate it.  Thanks!
Title: Re: Disable Shortcuts
Post by: rocksteady on April 15, 2019, 06:44:55 PM
It is now possible to delete the shortcuts one-by-one from the 3dots menu that appears when you click an individual shortcut.
Title: Re: Disable Shortcuts
Post by: kw.security on April 16, 2019, 09:09:00 PM
I have a short cut from bookings.com on my Tab Page - tried to delete it using the three dots command.  No luck.  I did not access the bookings.com web page before today - it just showed up.  I scanned thru my History to verify - no entry from booking.com.  Any suggestions???
Title: Re: Disable Shortcuts
Post by: Asyn on April 17, 2019, 08:32:43 AM
I have a short cut from bookings.com on my Tab Page - tried to delete it using the three dots command.  No luck.  I did not access the bookings.com web page before today - it just showed up.  I scanned thru my History to verify - no entry from booking.com.  Any suggestions???
-> https://forum.avast.com/index.php?topic=226342.0
Title: Re: Disable Shortcuts
Post by: mchain on April 17, 2019, 09:10:49 PM
Newest ASB version Aspen (thanks Asyn) still brings up two unwanted shortcuts after running Ctrl+Shift+Delete.  Reproducible. 

TurboTax has been replaced by Booking.com

See attached below: 
If advertising, seems counter intuitive to produce these at the end of a web session.   ???
Title: Re: Disable Shortcuts
Post by: bob3160 on April 18, 2019, 12:55:46 AM
(https://screencast-o-matic.com/screenshots/u/Lh/1555541412136-51508.png)
Simple way to get rid of what you don't want to appear:
Hover your mouse over the Ad shortcut and click on the X to close (delete) it.
That's what I did and I've restarted the browser and the "ad" icons are still gone.
(Don't tell Avast, they might put them back. :) )
Title: Re: Disable Shortcuts
Post by: bob3160 on April 22, 2019, 11:43:53 PM
Removing the Advertising Shortcuts in the Avast Secure Browser
https://forum.avast.com/index.php?topic=93544.msg1503236#msg1503236
Title: Re: Disable Shortcuts
Post by: Asyn on April 23, 2019, 07:00:57 AM
Thanks Bob, but no luck. They keep coming back here.
Title: Re: Disable Shortcuts
Post by: bob3160 on April 23, 2019, 02:00:21 PM
Thanks Bob, but no luck. They keep coming back here.
As you can see, that 's not my experience. Don't know if it's different in the EU ???
(https://screencast-o-matic.com/screenshots/u/Lh/1556020733399-94009.png)
Title: Re: Disable Shortcuts
Post by: Asyn on April 23, 2019, 02:05:07 PM
Thanks Bob, but no luck. They keep coming back here.
As you can see, that 's not my experience. Don't know if it's different in the EU ???
The start page is also "clean" here, but when I open a new tab, they're back.
Title: Re: Disable Shortcuts
Post by: bob3160 on April 23, 2019, 02:23:33 PM
Thanks Bob, but no luck. They keep coming back here.
As you can see, that 's not my experience. Don't know if it's different in the EU ???
The start page is also "clean" here, but when I open a new tab, they're back.
Here, that's not the case. I can open a new tab or I can open the home page it shows the same as my screenshot.
Title: Re: Disable Shortcuts
Post by: Asyn on April 23, 2019, 02:30:31 PM
Thanks Bob, but no luck. They keep coming back here.
As you can see, that 's not my experience. Don't know if it's different in the EU ???
The start page is also "clean" here, but when I open a new tab, they're back.
Here, that's not the case. I can open a new tab or I can open the home page it shows the same as my screenshot.
Lucky you..!! :)
Title: Re: Disable Shortcuts
Post by: bob3160 on April 23, 2019, 02:39:53 PM
Highly doubt that luck has anything to do with it. :)
Title: Re: Disable Shortcuts
Post by: Asyn on April 23, 2019, 02:45:13 PM
Highly doubt that luck has anything to do with it. :)
Probably not, but if they treat US and EU differently, it would be good to know (from the source). ;)
Title: Re: Disable Shortcuts
Post by: rocksteady on April 23, 2019, 06:30:58 PM
@Asyn,
I manually installed Version 73.0.1270.87. I have a specific home page set, so I do not see shortcuts on that page. I deleted all page shortcuts leaving only the search bar and +Add Shortcut. So far shortcuts do not reapper on new tab pages. I am also within EU.
Title: Re: Disable Shortcuts
Post by: midnight on April 23, 2019, 07:47:01 PM
I like the shortcuts because that's how I get on Avast and Facebook
Title: Re: Disable Shortcuts
Post by: mchain on April 23, 2019, 08:50:58 PM
Thanks again Bob, but doesn't work out that way here. 

Open/Close browser after removing ad shortcuts and then opening browser again results in same two shortcuts popping back in again.

Come to think of it, this is not unlike remote clicking of the links, (Click Fraud) thus monetizing the start page.  Else, why have the links return every time they are removed by the user?

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Click_fraud (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Click_fraud)

Another way to return is by using Ctrl+Shift+Delete after removing ad shortcuts.  Seems doing a simple clean is enough to make these things re-appear.  Reproducible.   ???
Title: Re: Disable Shortcuts
Post by: bob3160 on April 23, 2019, 11:40:16 PM
If it's not working for you, are you using the stable version or, the beta version ???
I'm on the stable version.
Title: Re: Disable Shortcuts
Post by: mchain on April 24, 2019, 05:41:56 AM
Here you go:

I believe this is the stable version.
Title: Re: Disable Shortcuts
Post by: Asyn on April 24, 2019, 11:14:22 AM
If it's not working for you, are you using the stable version or, the beta version ???
For the record, I'm on ASB beta-channel. (Currently on V73.0.1270.87)
Title: Re: Disable Shortcuts
Post by: bob3160 on April 24, 2019, 02:29:15 PM
Here you go:

I believe this is the stable version.
You're also not up to date. :)
(https://screencast-o-matic.com/screenshots/u/Lh/1556108905928-80782.png)
Title: Re: Disable Shortcuts
Post by: mchain on May 05, 2019, 04:35:50 AM
May 3, 2019 ASB got another shortcut:  See attached below.

New one is Overstock, old are Amazon, and Booking.com.  So, instead of two, we now have three, and I suppose, over time, they will continue to multiply.   :P
Title: Re: Disable Shortcuts
Post by: Asyn on May 05, 2019, 09:44:36 AM
May 3, 2019 ASB got another shortcut:  See attached below.

New one is Overstock, old are Amazon, and Booking.com.  So, instead of two, we now have three, and I suppose, over time, they will continue to multiply.   :P
:o :(
Title: Re: Disable Shortcuts
Post by: bob3160 on May 05, 2019, 03:17:55 PM
May 3, 2019 ASB got another shortcut:  See attached below.

New one is Overstock, old are Amazon, and Booking.com.  So, instead of two, we now have three, and I suppose, over time, they will continue to multiply.   :P
Hover your mouse over the shortcut and click on the X to close it.
I closed Overstock that way the first day it came out and haven't seen it since.



Title: Re: Disable Shortcuts
Post by: mchain on May 05, 2019, 05:52:00 PM
Lucky you!!!

I assume you don't clear your ASB of webdata after every session, as I do, using ASB Privacy Cleaner?
Title: Re: Disable Shortcuts
Post by: Asyn on May 05, 2019, 06:08:26 PM
As said (Reply #7), it doesn't work for me either - no matter if I clean data or not.
Title: Re: Disable Shortcuts
Post by: bob3160 on May 05, 2019, 06:22:50 PM
Lucky you!!!

I assume you don't clear your ASB of webdata after every session, as I do, using ASB Privacy Cleaner?
I don't clear the web data after every session. I highly doubt that closing the shortcuts only working for me.
Title: Re: Disable Shortcuts
Post by: Asyn on May 05, 2019, 06:34:50 PM
I highly doubt that closing the shortcuts only working for me.
Hi Bob, no idea, but it doesn't work here. Cheers
Title: Re: Disable Shortcuts
Post by: Asyn on May 18, 2019, 06:27:24 PM
I highly doubt that closing the shortcuts only working for me.
Hi Bob, no idea, but it doesn't work here. Cheers
Fixed for me in V74, thanks to the devs..!! :)
Title: Re: Disable Shortcuts
Post by: mchain on May 20, 2019, 08:59:33 PM
Sorry to report, but shortcut issue is still live for me.

ASB version 74.0 seems to have introduced a new setting -- dark themed windows -- with no way to revert to white or light theme windows?
Title: Re: Disable Shortcuts
Post by: bob3160 on May 20, 2019, 09:27:02 PM
Sorry to report, but shortcut issue is still live for me.

ASB version 74.0 seems to have introduced a new setting -- dark themed windows -- with no way to revert to white or light theme windows?
I told you not to break the lightbulbs. :)
Title: Re: Disable Shortcuts
Post by: mchain on May 20, 2019, 09:52:05 PM
It's avast that broke the lightbulbs, not I.  Just reporting the facts.

 
Title: Re: Disable Shortcuts
Post by: Asyn on May 21, 2019, 06:31:37 AM
Interesting, no dark theme here.
Title: Re: Disable Shortcuts
Post by: mchain on May 22, 2019, 07:05:12 AM
Interesting, no dark theme here.
After Bob posted, aha! it's the Windows light/dark theme that ASB is using.  So I changed from Windows dark theme to light and bingo!  Light colored window desktop for ASB.

Which is why there are no settings for light/dark theme for ASB, you've to change Windows' settings now.  It was Windows dark themed before, and that did not affect ASB 73.0 but ASB 74.0 decided to change to dark using my current Windows theme colors.

(It would be great if a changelog could be posted at every ASB upgrade....security improvements included.)
Title: Re: Disable Shortcuts
Post by: Asyn on May 22, 2019, 07:42:47 AM
(It would be great if a changelog could be posted at every ASB upgrade....security improvements included.)
+1
Title: Re: Disable Shortcuts
Post by: rocksteady on May 23, 2019, 12:29:42 PM
(It would be great if a changelog could be posted at every ASB upgrade....security improvements included.)
+1

+1
But would be even better if it updated automatically and then showed a "whats new this version" screen.