How to Block Pop-Up Windows in Chrome and Other Major Browsers

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Ever feel like you’re playing whack-a-mole with pop-up windows while browsing the Internet? It’s time to put that mallet down and block those annoying pop-ups for good. This tutorial shows how to block pop-ups in Chrome, Firefox, Safari, Opera, and even Internet Explorer.

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The Dangers of Enabling Pop-Ups

Completely cutting yourself off from pop-up windows can potentially limit browsing on some websites. It causes you to miss out on important information. However, some pop-up windows really do pose major security risks, especially if they come from untrusted or unauthorized sites.

Here’s a quick look at potential security threats and possible outcomes from enabling all pop-up windows:

  • Delivery of Malware: clicking pop-up windows from unauthorized sites can trigger the download of malicious files without your consent, instantly spreading malware on your PC. It can also infect your connected devices with random viruses, ransomware, or Trojans.
  • Phishing Scams: hackers often use pop-ups to steal your sensitive data, such as credit card details, passwords, and other personal information. They imitate legitimate login pages or create fake surveys to trick you into entering your actual information. Later, they use this information to steal your money or misuse it for fraudulent activities.
  • Ad Fraud: pop-ups can display fake ads to deceive you into clicking them, either by generating revenue for cyber criminals or redirecting you to malicious websites that can install malware and infect your PC.
  • Exploit System Vulnerabilities: If you click or download an attachment from a pop-up window of an untrusted or unknown site, it can take advantage of your system’s security weaknesses. Cybercriminals hide malware in common file types that are downloaded from the Internet, then install other malicious files on your PC. These files allow hackers to gain unauthorized access to your devices or get into personal accounts to steal your information or money.

Blocking Pop-Up Windows in Major Browsers

Listed below are the steps to blocking these potential malicious pop-ups in Chrome, Firefox, Safari, and more.

Google Chrome

  1. Launch Google Chrome, click the three vertical dots in the upper-right corner, then click “Settings.”

  1. Under “Privacy and security,” select “Site settings.”

  1. Scroll down and select “Pop-ups and redirects.”

  1. Check the “Don’t allow sites to send pop-ups or use redirects” option.

FYI: learn how to customize Google Chrome by adding dark mode.

Mozilla Firefox

  1. Open Mozilla Firefox on your PC, click on the Applications menu (three horizontal lines) in the upper-right corner, and select “Settings” from the drop-down menu.

  1. Click on “Privacy & Security” in the browser’s left pane.

  1. Scroll down the right pane, and check the “Block pop-up windows” checkbox under “Permissions.”

Tip: follow these steps to Inspect Elements in Safari, Chrome, and Firefox on Mac.

Opera

  1. Open Opera on your PC, and click the gear icon in the left sidebar to open “Settings.” Alternatively, press Alt + P.

  1. Toggle on the “Block ads and surf the web up to three times faster” option under “Privacy protection” In the right pane.

Safari

  1. Open Safari on your Mac, click “Safari” in the top menu, then select “Settings” from the drop-down menu.

  1. Navigate to the “Websites” tab, then select the “Pop-up Windows” option in the left navigation bar.

  1. Remove websites that appear in the “Allow pop-up windows on the websites below” list by clicking “Allow” in front of the website, then “Block” from the drop-down menu.

  1. Click the “Remove” button at the bottom to remove the website from the list of sites that are allowed to show pop-ups.

Good to know: sure, it’s the Apple browser, but it’s possible to install Safari on Linux.

Internet Explorer

Since Microsoft no longer supports Internet Explorer and advises switching to the more recent Edge browser, these instructions only apply to Internet Explorer 11 on Windows.

  1. Open Internet Explorer 11, and tap the gear icon in the top-right corner.

  1. Select “Internet options” from the menu.

  1. Select the “Privacy” tab in the window.

  1. Check the box next to “Turn on Pop-up Blocker” under “Pop-up Blocker.”

  1. Click “OK” to save the changes.

Tip: if you just can’t bear to give up IE, this guide shows you how to run Internet Explorer on Windows 11.

Microsoft Edge

  1. Open Microsoft Edge, click the three horizontal dots in the top-right corner, and select “Settings” from the menu.

  1. Select “Cookies and site permissions” in the left sidebar.

  1. Scroll down the right pane, and click on “Pop-ups and redirects.”

  1. Toggle on the “Block (recommended)” option.

FYI: Make everything work more smoothly with these Microsoft Edge Keyboard Shortcuts.

Frequently Asked Questions

Are pop-ups and popovers the same thing?

No. Pop-ups suddenly appear, annoyingly, on your screen without prompting. Alternatively, popovers appear only when you hover your cursor over a certain button or element on a webpage. Instead of cold advertising, they inform what will happen if you take a certain action.

How can I allow pop-up windows only from certain websites?

Add the URLs of those websites to the allowed list in your browser’s settings. The process varies by browser, but generally involves going to your browser’s settings, finding the section related to pop-ups or site permissions, then adding the URL of the sites you want to allow in the whitelist. This applies to popular browsers like Google Chrome, Mozilla Firefox, Microsoft Edge, and Safari.

How can I disable my pop-up ad blocker in Chrome?

Open Chrome on your computer and navigate to “Settings -> Privacy and Security -> Site Settings.” Scroll down and click “Additional content settings.” Click “Ads” in the new set of options. If your Chrome ad-blocker is active, “Block ads on sites that show intrusive or misleading ads” will be enabled. Click the “All sites can show any ads to you” option to disable it.

What are the best external ad blockers?

AdBlock Plus is one of the best external ad blockers and privacy extensions that you can install on your browser. It works with desktop browsers as well as Android and iOS devices. But if you want ad-blockers for desktop browsers only, AdBlock and Ghostery are excellent options.

Image credit: Pixabay. All screenshots by Ojash Yadav.

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Ojash Yadav

Ojash has been writing about tech back since Symbian-based Nokia was the closest thing to a smartphone. He spends most of his time writing, researching, or ranting about Bitcoin. Ojash also contributes to other popular sites like MakeUseOf, SlashGear, and MacBookJournal.

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