Difference between revisions of "Get Rid of Pop Ups"
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#Check for updates. Keeping your browser up to date will go a long way in the fight against pop-ups. Most browsers are set to update automatically, but this may have been disabled. Updating your browser usually only takes a few minutes. | #Check for updates. Keeping your browser up to date will go a long way in the fight against pop-ups. Most browsers are set to update automatically, but this may have been disabled. Updating your browser usually only takes a few minutes. | ||
#*<b>Firefox</b> – Click The Firefox button in the upper-left corner. Hover over Help and select About Firefox. This will open a window displaying your Firefox version information. If your browser is not up to date, updates will be automatically downloaded and installed. See [[Check-for-Updates-in-Mozilla-Firefox|this guide]] for more details on updating Firefox. | #*<b>Firefox</b> – Click The Firefox button in the upper-left corner. Hover over Help and select About Firefox. This will open a window displaying your Firefox version information. If your browser is not up to date, updates will be automatically downloaded and installed. See [[Check-for-Updates-in-Mozilla-Firefox|this guide]] for more details on updating Firefox. | ||
| − | #*<b>Chrome</b> – Click the menu button in the upper-right corner of the Chrome window. Select About Chrome towards the bottom of the menu. A new tab will open and Chrome will check to see if updates are available. If they are, they will be installed automatically. [[Update | + | #*<b>Chrome</b> – Click the menu button in the upper-right corner of the Chrome window. Select About Chrome towards the bottom of the menu. A new tab will open and Chrome will check to see if updates are available. If they are, they will be installed automatically. [[Update Google Chrome|This guide]] has more details on updating Chrome. |
| − | #*<b>Internet Explorer</b> – The method of updating depends on the version of Internet Explorer you are using. For older versions, you will need to update through Windows Update. For Internet Explorer 10 and 11, you can enable automatic updates by clicking the Gear icon and then selecting About Internet Explorer. See [[Update | + | #*<b>Internet Explorer</b> – The method of updating depends on the version of Internet Explorer you are using. For older versions, you will need to update through Windows Update. For Internet Explorer 10 and 11, you can enable automatic updates by clicking the Gear icon and then selecting About Internet Explorer. See [[Update Microsoft Internet Explorer|this guide]] for more details on updating your specific version. |
#Reinstall your web browser, or install a new one. Sometimes, the pop-up software is embedded too deep to remove by updating. In cases like these, reinstalling or changing your web browser may help solve the problem. | #Reinstall your web browser, or install a new one. Sometimes, the pop-up software is embedded too deep to remove by updating. In cases like these, reinstalling or changing your web browser may help solve the problem. | ||
#*First, download the latest version of the browser you want to use. You can find the download links on the homepage of each browser. | #*First, download the latest version of the browser you want to use. You can find the download links on the homepage of each browser. | ||
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=== Pop-Up Blockers=== | === Pop-Up Blockers=== | ||
| − | #Enable pop-up blocker in Firefox. By default, pop-up blocking is enabled in Firefox. If it has been disabled, you can access the pop-up blocker settings in the Options menu.<ref>https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/kb/pop-blocker-settings-exceptions-troubleshooting</ref> | + | #Enable pop-up blocker in Firefox. By default, pop-up blocking is enabled in Firefox. If it has been disabled, you can access the pop-up blocker settings in the Options menu.<ref name="rf15348">https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/kb/pop-blocker-settings-exceptions-troubleshooting</ref> |
#*Click the Firefox button and select Options. | #*Click the Firefox button and select Options. | ||
#*Click the Content tab. | #*Click the Content tab. | ||
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#*Scroll down to the Pop-ups section. Make sure that the “Do not allow any site to show pop-ups” option is selected. | #*Scroll down to the Pop-ups section. Make sure that the “Do not allow any site to show pop-ups” option is selected. | ||
#*Click the “Manage exceptions” button. Make sure that only trusted sites are listed. | #*Click the “Manage exceptions” button. Make sure that only trusted sites are listed. | ||
| − | #Enable pop-up blocker in Internet Explorer. Pop-up blocking is enabled by default in later versions of Internet Explorer, but you can check to make sure it hasn’t been disabled.<ref>http://windows.microsoft.com/en-us/internet-explorer/ie-security-privacy-settings#ie=ie-11&pop-up_blocker</ref> | + | #Enable pop-up blocker in Internet Explorer. Pop-up blocking is enabled by default in later versions of Internet Explorer, but you can check to make sure it hasn’t been disabled.<ref name="rf15349">http://windows.microsoft.com/en-us/internet-explorer/ie-security-privacy-settings#ie=ie-11&pop-up_blocker</ref> |
#*Click the Tool menu or the Gear icon. Select “Internet options”. | #*Click the Tool menu or the Gear icon. Select “Internet options”. | ||
#*Click the Privacy tab. | #*Click the Privacy tab. | ||
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#*Adjust the “Blocking level”. Use the dropdown menu at the bottom to choose your blocking level. Set it at “High” to disallow allow pop-ups. | #*Adjust the “Blocking level”. Use the dropdown menu at the bottom to choose your blocking level. Set it at “High” to disallow allow pop-ups. | ||
#Install browser add-ons. There are several browser add-ons that you can install on Firefox and Chrome that will help minimize the number of pop-ups you encounter. There are a lot of different add-ons available, so be sure to read reviews and only download trusted add-ons. | #Install browser add-ons. There are several browser add-ons that you can install on Firefox and Chrome that will help minimize the number of pop-ups you encounter. There are a lot of different add-ons available, so be sure to read reviews and only download trusted add-ons. | ||
| − | #*For Firefox, install [[Remove | + | #*For Firefox, install [[Remove Ads from Mozilla Firefox Using Adblock Plus|AdBlock]] and NoScript to prevent sites from loading pages and content that you don’t want. |
| − | #*For Chrome, NoScript is not available, but [[Remove | + | #*For Chrome, NoScript is not available, but [[Remove Ads on Google Chrome Using AdBlock|AdBlock is]]. |
=== Cleaning Up === | === Cleaning Up === | ||
| − | #Run an antivirus scan. Viruses can install pop-ups that take over your browser and circumvent blockers. In order to get rid of these pop-ups, you’ll need to [[Install | + | #Run an antivirus scan. Viruses can install pop-ups that take over your browser and circumvent blockers. In order to get rid of these pop-ups, you’ll need to [[Install an Antivirus|run a virus scan]] to get rid of intrusive programs. |
#*Besides running an antivirus scan, you should also run an anti-malware/spyware scan, such as Malwarebytes or Spybot Search & Destroy. The programs are available for free and should only be downloaded from their respective developers’ websites. | #*Besides running an antivirus scan, you should also run an anti-malware/spyware scan, such as Malwarebytes or Spybot Search & Destroy. The programs are available for free and should only be downloaded from their respective developers’ websites. | ||
| − | #*Scanning in [[Start | + | #*Scanning in [[Start Windows in Safe Mode|Safe Mode]] is much more effective than in a standard Windows environment. |
| − | #Uninstall any toolbars. Toolbars can get installed without you realizing it during the installation of other programs. These toolbars can slow down your browser and actually lead to more pop-ups. The process for removing them will vary from toolbar to toolbar, but the general idea is the same. Follow [[Remove | + | #Uninstall any toolbars. Toolbars can get installed without you realizing it during the installation of other programs. These toolbars can slow down your browser and actually lead to more pop-ups. The process for removing them will vary from toolbar to toolbar, but the general idea is the same. Follow [[Remove Toolbars|this guide]] to remove toolbars from any web browser. |
#Run a registry cleaner. This will remove any lingering entries in your registry, which may cause pop-ups to return. Registry cleaners won’t remove viruses or malware, so they should be run after removing those with other programs. [[Use-CCleaner#Registry_Cleaner|CCleaner]] is one of the most popular free registry cleaners. | #Run a registry cleaner. This will remove any lingering entries in your registry, which may cause pop-ups to return. Registry cleaners won’t remove viruses or malware, so they should be run after removing those with other programs. [[Use-CCleaner#Registry_Cleaner|CCleaner]] is one of the most popular free registry cleaners. | ||
| − | #Avoid sites with pop-ups. You’ll encounter pop-ups more on sites with less than legitimate content. Sites that contain illegal files or scams will often bombard you with pop-ups. Try to stay away from sites that sound too good to be true. Follow [[Be | + | #Avoid sites with pop-ups. You’ll encounter pop-ups more on sites with less than legitimate content. Sites that contain illegal files or scams will often bombard you with pop-ups. Try to stay away from sites that sound too good to be true. Follow [[Be Safe on the Internet|this guide]] for more information on browsing safely. |
== Tips == | == Tips == | ||
