Pop-up ads used to be the bane of an Internet user’s experience. Click a random website? Pop-ups. Accidentally follow the wrong link? Pop-ups.
Thankfully, web browsers and ad blockers have matured and gotten a bit more sophisticated over the years. Unfortunately, that doesn’t mean that pop-ups have disappeared entirely, and rarely are they more annoying than when they appear on your mobile phone browser.
While all major browsers like Chrome claim to block pop-ups, they can still slip through the cracks on occasion. If you’re having problems with pop-ups, it’s helpful to know what tools you have to control them. We’ll cover the basics in this article, along with how pop-ups work on your mobile device.
Pop-up ads on mobile devices
Pop-ups are even more frustrating on mobile devices - they block more of the screen and it can be difficult to figure out how to dismiss them.
How to block pop-ups on Android
It can be very difficult to effectively block every single pop-up, but here are some of the best, most common methods.
On Chrome
If you use Chrome on your Android, you can turn on the pop-up blocker, simply by selecting Chrome > Three Vertical Dots > Settings > Site Settings > Pop-ups blocked.
Ensure that the block filter is turned on. Unlike the desktop version, the mobile version of Chrome does not support plugins, meaning that you cannot improve on Chrome’s ability to block pop-ups.
Samsung pop-ups
If you use the default Chrome browser on your Samsung, setting up the pop-up blocker is simple.
Select Chrome > Three Vertical Dots> Settings > Site Settings > Pop-Ups and Redirects.
Ensure that the “Pop-Ups and redirects” setting is turned off.
Return back to site settings > Ads. The Ads setting must also be turned off.
This should at least limit the number of pop-ups you see while browsing Chrome on your Samsung.
If you use the Samsung Internet browser, you have a slightly different way to turn off pop-ups.
Select the Samsung Internet app > Tap More > Settings > Sites and Download.
Under Sites and Download, you should toggle the on the Block Pop-ups options.
Return back to the Samsung Internet menu > Ad Blockers.
From here, you can select an ad blocker that Samsung has approved for your browser.
Brave mobile browsing
Simplify your ad-blocking life. Switch to the Brave browser. Brave’s built-in Shields block unwanted ads, pop-ups, and trackers automatically; no need to download a third-party ad blocker. Shields are even enabled automatically; right out of the box, Brave works to block ads and protect your privacy.
Brave doesn’t just give you a built-in ad blocker; it takes your privacy seriously. Ad-blocking is just part of a more comprehensive approach that believes you, the user, should be in charge of your data.
Annoyed with pop-ups on your mobile phone? Download the Brave browser today, and discover a better way to save battery and data - ad-free.