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

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Stop pop ups on Mozilla Firefox

Written by Rain Kengly

Last Updated: December 10, 2024 Fact Checked

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Using Firefox Settings on Desktop

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Using Firefox Settings on Mobile

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Using uBlock Origin

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Using Adblock Plus

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Using Firefox Focus

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Tips

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Warnings

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

Click ☰.
Click Settings.
Click Privacy & Security.
Scroll down to Permissions.
Check the box for Block pop-up windows.

Method 1

Method 1 of 5:

Using Firefox Settings on Desktop

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1
Click ☰. It's in the top-right corner of the page. A drop-down menu will open.^{[1]
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2
Click Settings. You'll find this in the pop-out window.

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3
Click Privacy & Security. It's a tab on the far-left side of the page.
4
Scroll down to the "Permissions" section. This section is near the bottom of the page.
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.

Method 2

Method 2 of 5:

Using Firefox Settings on Mobile

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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
Tap Settings. It's at the bottom of the pop-up window.
3
Toggle on "Block Pop-up Windows". The switch will turn blue.
- If the switch is blue, pop-ups are already being blocked.

Method 3

Method 3 of 5:

Using uBlock Origin

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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]
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2
Click Add to Firefox. This is the blue button underneath the description.
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
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.

Method 4

Method 4 of 5:

Using Adblock Plus

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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
Open the Adblock Plus extension page. This is the page from which you can download Adblock Plus.
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Click Add to Firefox. It's a blue button in the middle of the page.
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Click Add when prompted. You'll see this appear at the top of the window. Doing so installs Adblock Plus on Firefox.
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.
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Click Options. The Adblock Plus Options page will open.
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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.

Method 5

Method 5 of 5:

Using Firefox Focus

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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
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.
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Open Firefox Focus. Once it finishes downloading, tap OPEN in your app store, or tap the app icon.
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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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