Browser pop-ups are pretty annoying and sometimes dangerous. They are meant for displaying advertisements. But sometimes, it can contain malware. Also, blocking pop-ups keeps your activity private and allows you to run your computer smoothly. Most modern web browsers offer you the option to block pop-ups. So you don’t have to deal with annoying pop-ups. So the question is, how to block pop-ups in Microsoft Edge, Chrome, and Firefox?
What Are Popups?
When you open a new window in your browser, some smaller windows popups automatically without your permission. These little windows are designed to serve ads or contain malware that can potentially harm your computer.
However, most modern-day browsers automatically block popups by default. But sometimes, some popup ads are unstoppable. So blocking popups would be a great idea.
But do remember that some websites, like baking sites, use pop-ups. So you can enable allow popup feature for those websites and block popups for all the other sites.
How to Block pop-ups in Microsoft Edge, Chrome, and Firefox?
We will use the following methods for each of the browsers to block pop-ups.
- Regular Method
- Registry
- Group Policy
Before making any changes in the Registry, create a system restore point.
1] Microsoft Edge
Regular Method
- Launch Microsoft Edge and go to Settings by clicking on the three dots icon from the top-left.
- Go to Settings > Cookies and site permissions.
- Under All permissions, click on Pop-ups and redirects.
- Turn on the Block (recommended) toggle.
Also, over here, you will find an Allow area where you can add websites for which you wish to allow pop-ups. Such as banking websites and more.
Registry
- Press Windows Key + R to launch R.
- Type regedit and press enter.
- Go to the following path:
Computer\HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Policies\Microsoft\MicrosoftEdge\Main
- Right-click on the blank space, select New > String value, and give it a name as AllowPopups
- Open the string, and set the value as Yes.
Group Policy
- Go to Windows search and type Edit Group policy and launch it.
- Expand User configuration.
- Go to Administrative Templates > Windows Components > Microsoft Edge.
- Now look for Configure Pop-up blocker and double-click on it.
- Check the Enabled option to block all the popups.
- Finally, click on Apply and then the OK button.
2] Chrome
Regular Method
- Launch Google Chrome and go to Settings.
- Go to Privacy and security > Site settings.
- Click on Pop-ups and redirects.
- Finally, select Don’t allow sites to send pop-ups or use redirects.
To add websites for which you wish to allow popups, scroll down from the Popups and redirects window, and you will find Allowed to send popups and use the redirects option. You are all done by clicking the Add button to add sites.
Registry
- Press Windows Key + R to launch R.
- Type regedit and press enter to open Registry Editor
- Go to the following path:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE > Software\Policies\Google\Chrome - Right-click on the blank space, select New > DWORD (32 bit) Value, and give it a name as DefaultPopupsSetting
- Double-click on the newly created value and change it to 2 to block popups from all websites. Or change it to 1 to allow popups.
Group Policy
You can also disable popups using the group policy. However, for Google Chrome, the below option will only appear if you have ADMX filed installed on your PC. If you do, then follow the below steps:
- Go to Windows search and type Edit Group policy and launch it.
- Expand User configuration.
- Go to Administrative Templates > Windows Components > Google > Chrome.
- Now look for Configure Pop-up blocker and double-click on it.
- Check the Enabled option to block all the popups.
- Finally, click on Apply > OK.
3] Firefox
- Launch Firefox and go to Settings.
- Select Privacy & Security from the sidebar.
- Scroll down and check the Block pop-ups windows option.
Additionally, you can use the exception button to add sites for which you want to allow pop-ups.
Conclusion
So those were a few quick ways to block pop-ups in Microsoft Edge, Chrome, and Firefox. The same steps can be followed for any other browsers of your choice, like Brave Browser. In case you need additional help feel free to drop a comment below.
Why Do I Get Annoying Pop-Ups?
Seeing pop-ups on certain websites is a normal thing. As pop-ups are used for serving ads. But if you see pop-ups on every website you visit, there is a good chance that your browser has been infected with malware. You probably also have noticed that your browser homepage is changed. If that’s the case, then you must reinstall your browser. Plus, run your computer through anti-virus software.
