Description
ZDN Adblock Detector is a lightweight plugin that detects when visitors are using ad blockers and displays a friendly message asking them to disable their ad blocker. The plugin features:
- Reliable adblock detection
- Clean and modern overlay design
- Customizable message and overlay content
- Flexible modal closing options – let visitors close easily or enforce page reload
- Multiple closing methods: X button, click outside, or main button
- Smart modal reappearance control – configure when the modal shows again after being closed
- NEW: Enable/disable toggle to turn popup detection on or off
- NEW: Front page only option to restrict popup to homepage only
- NEW: Popup logging system to track which users see the popup
- NEW: Admin dashboard with paginated popup logs and analytics
- Flexible JavaScript loading options (external or inline)
- Optional minified script for better performance
- Proper internationalization support
- Lightweight and fast
- Easy to install and use
Modal Closing & Reappearance Options
Version 1.0.5 introduces advanced modal control with flexible closing and smart reappearance behavior:
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Flexible Mode: Visitors can close the modal using multiple intuitive methods:
- Click the X button in the top-right corner
- Click outside the modal area
- Click the main button without forcing a page reload
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Force Reload Mode (Default): Maintains the original strict behavior where visitors must reload the page to continue
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Reappearance Control: When modal closing is enabled, choose how the modal behaves after being closed:
- No popup again (Default): Modal never appears again once closed
- Popup each visit: Modal appears on every new browser session
- Popup after N days: Modal reappears after specified days (1-365)
Administrators can easily configure these options in the plugin settings to match their site’s approach to adblock detection.
Popup Logging & Analytics
Version 1.0.6 introduces comprehensive popup tracking and analytics features:
- User Activity Tracking: Monitor which logged-in users encounter the adblock popup
- Detailed Analytics: View popup counts, timestamps, and user agent information
- Paginated Admin Dashboard: Browse logs with customizable page sizes (10, 25, 50, 100, 200 items)
- Privacy Controls: Enable or disable logging as needed
- User Management: Track individual users with display names, emails, and popup frequency
- Quick Access: User names in logs link directly to their WordPress profile for fast management
The logging system helps administrators understand:
* Which users are using adblockers
* How often the popup appears to specific users
* Browser and device information for better insights
* Trends in adblock usage across your user base
All logging respects user privacy and only tracks logged-in users when explicitly enabled.
Enable/Disable Controls
Version 1.0.6 also adds granular control options:
- Master Enable/Disable: Turn the entire popup system on or off instantly
- Front Page Only: Restrict popup detection to your homepage/front page only
- Logging Toggle: Enable popup tracking independently of the detection system
These controls allow administrators to fine-tune when and where the adblock detection appears.
JavaScript Loading Options
The plugin offers two methods for loading the detection script:
- External File (Default): Loads the JavaScript from a separate file
- Inline JavaScript: Embeds the code directly in the page
Some browsers like Chrome may block external JavaScript files that detect ad blockers. If the detector stops working, you can switch to Inline JavaScript mode in the settings.
Performance and Security
The plugin includes both regular and minified versions of the detection script. Using the minified version (enabled by default) provides:
* Better performance through reduced file size
* Additional protection against adblockers by making the code harder to detect
* Faster page load times
Plugin Images
Banner: banner-772×250.png
Icon: icon-256×256.png
Screenshots
Installation
- Upload the plugin files to the
/wp-content/plugins/zdn-adblock-detector
directory, or install the plugin through the WordPress plugins screen directly. - Activate the plugin through the ‘Plugins’ screen in WordPress
- Go to Settings > ZDN Adblock Detector to configure:
- Enable/disable popup detection
- Target specific pages (front page only option)
- JavaScript loading method (external or inline)
- Script version (minified or regular)
- Modal closing behavior (flexible or force reload)
- Popup logging and analytics (optional)
- Customize overlay text and messages
- Optionally enable popup logging to track user interactions
- View analytics in the “Popup Logs” tab with paginated results
- The plugin will automatically start working based on your settings
FAQ
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How does it detect ad blockers?
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The plugin uses multiple detection methods to reliably identify when ad blockers are being used, including bait elements and behavior analysis.
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Is it compatible with my theme?
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Yes, the plugin is designed to work with any WordPress theme.
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The detector stopped working in Chrome, what should I do?
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If the detector stops working in Chrome:
1. Go to Settings > ZDN Adblock Detector
2. Change the JavaScript Loading Method to “Inline JavaScript”
3. Make sure “Use minified version” is enabled
These settings will make the detection code harder for browsers and adblockers to block. -
Should I use the minified version?
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Yes, we recommend using the minified version (enabled by default) as it:
* Improves performance
* Makes the code harder for adblockers to detect
* Reduces bandwidth usage -
Can visitors close the modal without disabling their adblocker?
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Yes! Version 1.0.4 introduces the “Allow Modal Closing” setting that gives administrators full control:
When Enabled (Flexible Mode):
* Visitors can click the X button to close the modal
* Visitors can click outside the modal to dismiss it
* The main button closes the modal without forcing a page reloadWhen Disabled (Default – Force Reload Mode):
* Visitors must click the main button, which forces a page reload
* This maintains the original strict behavior for maximum effectivenessYou can find this setting in Settings > ZDN Adblock Detector > Overlay Content section.
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How do I view popup analytics?
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To access popup logs and analytics:
1. Go to Settings > ZDN Adblock Detector
2. Enable “Enable Popup Logging” in the main settings
3. Navigate to the “Popup Logs” tab to view detailed analytics
4. Use the page size dropdown to customize how many entries you see
5. Use pagination to browse through all logged popup events -
Does logging affect performance?
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No, the logging system is designed to be lightweight:
* Only tracks logged-in users when explicitly enabled
* Uses AJAX for non-blocking background logging
* Database queries are optimized with proper indexing
* You can disable logging entirely if not needed -
Can I restrict the popup to specific pages?
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Yes! Version 1.0.6 includes page targeting options:
* Front Page Only: Enable this to show the popup only on your homepage/front page
* Disabled: Turn off the popup completely while keeping settings intact
* More page targeting options may be added in future versions -
Is user data private in the logging system?
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Yes, privacy is prioritized:
* Only logged-in users are tracked (when logging is enabled)
* Data includes user ID, display name, email, and technical information
* No personal browsing data outside of popup interactions is stored
* Administrators can clear all logs at any time
* Logging can be completely disabled if privacy is a concern
Reviews
Contributors & Developers
“ZDN Adblock Detector” is open source software. The following people have contributed to this plugin.
ContributorsTranslate “ZDN Adblock Detector” into your language.
Interested in development?
Browse the code, check out the SVN repository, or subscribe to the development log by RSS.
Changelog
1.0.7
- Added direct profile links in popup logs for faster user management
1.0.6
- Added master enable/disable toggle to turn popup detection on or off
- Added “Front page only” setting to restrict popup to homepage/front page only
- Added comprehensive popup logging system for logged-in users
- Added admin dashboard with popup analytics and user tracking
- Added paginated popup logs with customizable page sizes (10, 25, 50, 100, 200)
- Added database table auto-creation for popup logging
- Added AJAX-powered logging with user agent and timestamp tracking
- Added privacy controls – logging can be enabled/disabled independently
- Added navigation tabs between Settings and Popup Logs
- Enhanced admin interface with WordPress-native styling and pagination
1.0.5
- Added modal reappearance control – choose when the modal appears again after being closed
- Three reappearance options: never again, each visit, or after specified days
- Smart localStorage-based tracking for persistent behavior across sessions
- Contextual settings that only appear when modal closing is enabled
1.0.4
- Added flexible modal closing feature – administrators can now configure whether visitors can close the modal without reloading
- New “Allow Modal Closing” setting with multiple closing options (X button, click outside, main button)
- Enhanced user experience with intuitive modal closing methods when flexible mode is enabled
- Fixed WordPress translation loading warning – translations now load at proper init hook
- Added proper internationalization support with POT template file
1.0.3
- Added customizable overlay text options in settings
- Improved adblock detection efficiency
- Fixed minor UI issues
1.0.2
- Update detection script for better detection (ublock origin lite)
1.0.1
- Added settings page for JavaScript loading method
- Added option to use minified version of the script
- Updated button text
- Improved overlay behavior with page refresh
1.0.0
- Initial release