How to Disable Pop-ups in Firefox on Mobile or Desktop

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Stop pop ups on Mozilla Firefox
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While it is impossible to eliminate 100 percent of pop-ups in Firefox or any other browser, you can decrease the number of pop-ups to virtually none by using Firefox's built-in pop-up blocker. For extra protection, you can use the Adblock Plus add-on or the Firefox Focus app. Here's how to block pop-ups in Firefox using your iPhone, iPad, Android, or computer.

Quick Steps

  1. Click ☰ .
  2. Click Settings .
  3. Click Privacy & Security .
  4. Scroll down to Permissions .
  5. Check the box for Block pop-up windows .
Method 1
Method 1 of 5:

Using Firefox Settings on Desktop

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  1. 1
    Click ☰ . It's in the top-right corner of the page. A drop-down menu will open. [1]
  2. 2
    Click Settings . You'll find this in the pop-out window.
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  3. 3
    Click Privacy & Security . It's a tab on the far-left side of the page.
  4. 4
    Scroll down to the "Permissions" section. This section is near the bottom of the page.
  5. 5
    Check the "Block pop-up windows" box. It's near the bottom of the "Permissions" section. Doing so ensures that Firefox will prevent pop-up windows, including ads, from appearing.
    • If this box is checked, Firefox is already blocking pop-up windows.
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Method 2
Method 2 of 5:

Using Firefox Settings on Mobile

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  1. 1
    Tap ☰ . This is in the bottom-right corner of the screen. A pop-up menu will open.
    • This method will work on the mobile app for Android, iPhone, and iPad.
  2. 2
    Tap Settings . It's at the bottom of the pop-up window.
  3. 3
    Toggle on "Block Pop-up Windows". The switch will turn blue.
    • If the switch is blue, pop-ups are already being blocked.
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Method 3
Method 3 of 5:

Using uBlock Origin

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  1. 1
    Go to the uBlock Origin download page. uBlock Origin is an extension you can add to Firefox to block pop-ups, including ads on YouTube . [2]
  2. 2
    Click Add to Firefox . This is the blue button underneath the description.
  3. 3
    Click Add . This is in the extension window in the top-right corner of Firefox.
    • If you want the extension to continue working in Incognito Mode, check the box for Run in Private Windows .
  4. 4
    Click the uBlock Origin icon. This is at the top-right corner. If you don't see it, click the puzzle piece icon > Extensions > uBlock Origin .
    • If needed, click the cog icon to adjust specific settings or add allowed websites.
    • If you want to turn off uBlock Origin temporarily, click the large power button icon in the drop-down menu.
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Method 4
Method 4 of 5:

Using Adblock Plus

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  1. 1
    Open Firefox on a computer. Its app icon resembles an orange fox wrapped around a blue globe.
    • If you want extra protection against pop-ups, you can use an add-on such as Adblock Plus. This method will only work on the desktop version and Android version of Firefox. Currently, you can't install add-ons on Firefox for iOS.
  2. 2
    Open the Adblock Plus extension page . This is the page from which you can download Adblock Plus.
  3. 3
    Click Add to Firefox . It's a blue button in the middle of the page.
  4. 4
    Click Add when prompted. You'll see this appear at the top of the window. Doing so installs Adblock Plus on Firefox.
  5. 5
    Click the Adblock Plus icon. It's a stop sign-shaped icon with a white "ABP" written across it on the upper-right side of the Firefox window. Clicking it prompts a drop-down menu.
  6. 6
    Click Options . The Adblock Plus Options page will open.
  7. 7
    Uncheck the "Allow Acceptable Ads" box. It's in the "ACCEPTABLE ADS" section of the page.
    • Now that Adblock Plus is installed, you should be able to avoid the bulk of ads—pop-up or otherwise—in your Firefox desktop browser or Android app.
    • To disable Adblock Plus, click its icon (you may first have to click ☰ in the top-right corner of the window to see the icon), then click Enabled on this site .
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Method 5
Method 5 of 5:

Using Firefox Focus

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  1. 1
    Understand how to use Firefox Focus. Firefox Focus is a free version of Firefox for iPhone and Android smartphones; it has a built-in ad blocker which will prevent most pop-ups and other egregious forms of advertising from appearing.
    • Firefox Focus is not available on Windows or Mac computers.
  2. 2
    Install the Firefox Focus app. To install it, open the App Store (iPhone or iPad) or Google Play Store (Android), then do the following:
    • iPhone — Tap Search , tap the search bar, type in "firefox focus", tap Search , tap GET to the right of the Firefox Focus icon, and enter your Touch ID, Face ID, or Apple ID password when prompted.
    • Android — Tap the search bar, type in "firefox focus", tap the "Search" icon, and tap INSTALL under the Firefox Focus heading.
  3. 3
    Open Firefox Focus. Once it finishes downloading, tap OPEN in your app store, or tap the app icon.
  4. 4
    Tap X . This is in the top-right corner and will skip the initial setup. If you want to proceed with the setup, tap Get Started instead.
    • You can now browse normally. Since Firefox Focus both includes and activates an aggressive ad blocker by default, you'll be able to browse without having to worry about pop-ups.
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      Tips

      • In addition to having a built-in pop-up blocker, Firefox Focus has several security features that make it a safer browser than vanilla Firefox.
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      Warnings

      • Even with ad blockers and the proper settings, you'll still occasionally encounter pop-ups.
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      References

      1. ↑ https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/kb/pop-blocker-settings-exceptions-troubleshooting#w_pop-up-blocker-settings
      2. ↑ https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/ublock-origin/

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