Google Chrome just fixed the worst thing about web browsing

Google Chrome merely fixed the worst matter about web browsing — how to get it now

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Google Chrome may have single-handedly eliminated 1 of the most annoying things most surfing the web: popups.

We've all been there. You're cruising your favorite website, opening a few tabs to check out on your dejeuner intermission, and so the dreaded popup apocalypse occurs. Maybe information technology'south a notification badgering you for admission to your microphone or camera, or possibly it's a "arrangement dialog" warning that looks tailor-made to evangelize malware to your computer. Whatever the case, they're the bane of many a browser's being.

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If these scenarios audio all likewise familiar, you may want to let Chrome do the heavy lifting from now on in the course of Chrome 84. This latest update to the web browser is the first Chrome release to actively block notification popular-ups across less-than-trustworthy websites.

Firefox has been utilizing a similar tool since debuting it final year, just now information technology's Chrome'due south turn to shine. Google detailed its thought procedure backside introducing this tool via the Chromium Blog.

"Abusive notification prompts are one of the top user complaints nosotros receive about Chrome," the post explained. "A large percentage of notification requests and notifications come from a small number of calumniating sites. Protecting users from these sites improves user rubber & privacy on the spider web, and makes for a ameliorate browsing experience."

It's quick and easy to brand certain you've got this new feature enabled, so permit's run downward how y'all can protect yourself from pernicious popups, (hopefully) permanently.

Get-go, make sure that y'all're using Chrome, as these new features only work with that particular browser. You tin can snag the latest version via the official Chrome website to make certain you're all up to date.

If yous're already using Chrome, find the carte du jour button at the tiptop right of your browser — it looks like three dots — and choose Settings. From there, find About Google Chrome. Chrome will automatically browse for new updates, and so will work to apply them.

When the browser's finished, you'll be prompted to relaunch Chrom, which will install Chrome 84 on your car.

When this tool is triggered, notification popups from sites with somewhat spammy reputations will be hidden by default. You lot tin can even so see them if you wish, but Chrome will hide these "abusive notifications," equally it refers to them in the official announcement. You'll accept to view them by way of an icon in the Chrome URL bar instead to satisfy your curiosity.

If you receive a potentially abusive popup, y'all'll see a message that states that notifications are blocked. It will warn y'all that "the site in question may exist trying to pull a fast one on you lot into allowing intrusive notifications." You lot can also allow certain websites' popups to come through should you choose to do then, and so if the block doesn't use to you, yous tin click Allow or Proceed Blocking to continue to prevent the notifications from showing upward.

Equally long as you're using Chrome, this feature will work automatically. That means you should no longer come across scummy popups plaguing your internet playground. And on the net, where you've got plenty to deal with already, one less thing surely isn't anything to sneeze at.

Brittany Vincent has been covering video games and tech for over 13 years for publications including Tom's Guide, MTV, Rolling Stone, CNN, Popular Science, Playboy, IGN, GamesRadar, Polygon, Kotaku, Saying, and more than. She'south as well appeared as a panelist at video game conventions like PAX E and PAX West and has coordinated social media for companies like CNET. When she's not writing or gaming, she's looking for the next great visual novel in the vein of Saya no Uta. You can follow her on Twitter @MolotovCupcake.