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

PDF download Download Article
Stop pop ups on Mozilla Firefox
PDF download Download Article

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

PDF download Download Article
  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.
    Advertisement
  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.
    6. Advertisement
Method 2
Method 2 of 5:

Using Firefox Settings on Mobile

PDF download Download Article
  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.
    4. Advertisement
Method 3
Method 3 of 5:

Using uBlock Origin

PDF download Download Article
  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.
    5. Advertisement
Method 4
Method 4 of 5:

Using Adblock Plus

PDF download Download Article
  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 .
    8. Advertisement
Method 5
Method 5 of 5:

Using Firefox Focus

PDF download Download Article
  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.
    5. Advertisement

Expert Q&A

Ask a Question
200 characters left
Include your email address to get a message when this question is answered.
Submit
      Advertisement

      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.
        Thanks
        Helpful 0 Not Helpful 0
      Submit a Tip
      All tip submissions are carefully reviewed before being published
      Name
      Please provide your name and last initial
      Submit
      Thanks for submitting a tip for review!
      Advertisement

      Warnings

      • Even with ad blockers and the proper settings, you'll still occasionally encounter pop-ups.
        Thanks
        Helpful 7 Not Helpful 3
      Advertisement

      You Might Also Like

      How to
      Block Pop Ups on Chrome
      How to
      Get Rid of Pop‐Ups
      How to
      Download All Images on a Web Page at Once
      How to
      Transfer Bookmarks from One Computer to Another
      6 Simple Ways to Block Websites on Mozilla Firefox
      How to
      Reset Firefox to Fix Crashes, Bugs, and More: 3 Methods
      How to
      Start Firefox in Safe Mode
      4 Easy Ways to Download and Install Mozilla Firefox
      Disable “No Right Click” Scripts on Any Website in Firefox
      How to
      Use Tor with Firefox on Windows: BlackBelt Setup Guide
      How to
      Block and Unblock Internet Sites with Firefox
      How to
      Enable Java in Firefox
      How to
      Downgrade Firefox
      How to
      Get Mozilla Firefox Out of Safe Mode
      Advertisement

      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/

      About This Article

      In other languages
      Thanks to all authors for creating a page that has been read 50,374 times.

      Is this article up to date?

      Advertisement