One of my main sites on Edge is broken, does using adblock on a individual site impact Points/rewards?

Bo Andre Ingvarsson 0 Reputation points
2026-09-12T19:06:33.59+00:00

I don't know why but for some reason when it comes to Edge using https://siftd.net/ has a problem when lets say I want to read this review and engage with it's comment section https://siftd.net/content/164056/marvels-wolverine-the-kotaku-review Instead of showing up like normal some weird full video that blots out the entire screen and its not just a 30 sec video that you can then get to it like normal. The videos are between 2-5 minutes in length and they just loop when they are done so you can't actually get to the article or the comment section for several pages. I decided that I would just have to use Chrome when using the site and certain others.

But then I downloaded the latest windows update and Edge update. Have no idea why but the ad block extension installed itself on Edge even though I had never been to the extension page on Edge ever.

And when I then actually used it on SIFTD the site thanks to adblock it worked like normal. But I also know that adblock can cause issue when it comes to earning points, complete streaks, and various things. Also I don't know how the Bing Star Bonus views having the extension installed. So I've gone and turned off the adblock on microsoft connected sites, bing, and the news pages recomendations that show up which I'll check out.

Should I be safe having ad block be turned on just for the SIFTD site. Or will having it be turned on in any way risk my chance of reaching the max Bing Star Bonus for the month along with causing issues for rewards in general?

Out of fear that it would impact the reward system I've not installed any extensions until now. So I'd like some guidelines on what is and isn't safe.

Bing | Microsoft Rewards
Bing | Microsoft Rewards

A program that grants points for using Bing search, which users can redeem for gift cards, sweepstakes entries, or charitable donations.

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  1. Vikki-T 10,375 Reputation points Microsoft External Staff Moderator
    2026-09-15T08:37:36.78+00:00

    Hi Bo Andre Ingvarsson,

    It is understandable to be cautious when your Microsoft Rewards progress and Bing Star Bonus are involved.

    Please note that this is a user-to-user support forum. Moderators, contributors including external Microsoft employees cannot directly intervene in Microsoft product features or access back-end systems. My role is limited to providing technical guidance on reported issues, requests, or ideas.

    Using an ad blocker only on SIFTD should not, by itself, affect your Rewards account. The main concern would be allowing the extension to run on Bing, the Rewards dashboard, or pages where an activity is being completed, since blocking cookies or page scripts could prevent progress from being recorded correctly. Keeping those Microsoft pages excluded and checking that each activity registers normally would therefore be the sensible approach.

    One detail worth checking is that the extension appeared without you intentionally installing it. Open edge://extensions and verify its name, developer, permissions, and source. If you do not recognize or trust it, remove it and install a reputable extension directly from the Microsoft Edge Add-ons store instead.

    You can also limit the extension so that it only has access to SIFTD by following Microsoft’s guidance for changing extension site-access permissions.

    If Rewards activities stop registering even while the blocker is disabled on Microsoft pages, please turn the extension off completely for testing and contact Microsoft Rewards Support, as only the Rewards team can review account-specific activity and point tracking. Thank you so much for your understanding.     

    Note: Please follow the steps in our documentation to enable e-mail notifications if you want to receive the related email notification for this thread.

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  2. AI answer

    2026-09-12T19:06:54.5866667+00:00

    There is support in the provided material for two safe conclusions:

    1. An ad blocker or privacy-related setting in Edge can change how a site behaves.
      • Edge guidance says ad-blocking extensions can block website access or affect page appearance.
      • If a site works normally after disabling or changing extension behavior, the extension is likely involved.
    2. Extensions can be limited per site in Edge.
      • Open Extensions > Manage Extensions.
      • Select the extension’s Details.
      • Under Site access, choose either:
        • On specific sites to allow it only on selected sites, or
        • On click to activate it only when manually enabled.

    For the SIFTD scenario, the safest supported setup is to keep the ad blocker restricted to that site only, or set it to On click so it runs only when needed there.

    The provided material does not state that using an ad blocker on one non-Microsoft site affects Microsoft Rewards, Bing Star Bonus, streaks, or monthly point limits. It only shows that ad blockers or privacy tools can interfere with some Microsoft web experiences, and one accepted answer specifically recommends disabling ad blockers if a Rewards activity is not completing correctly.

    Practical guidance based on the available material:

    1. In Edge, restrict the ad blocker to the problem site only:
      • Extensions > Manage Extensions > extension Details > Site access > On specific sites.
    2. Keep Microsoft-connected pages where points or activities are tracked free of ad blocking if completion issues appear.
    3. If a Microsoft Rewards activity does not register, temporarily disable the ad blocker for that Microsoft page and retry.
    4. If a site shows anti-adblock warnings even without an extension, check Tracking prevention settings because those can also trigger similar behavior.

    No supported evidence in the material says that merely having the extension installed, while disabled on Microsoft pages, reduces Rewards eligibility by itself.

    AI-generated content may be incorrect. Read our transparency notes for more information.

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