Fixing the “about:blank#blocked” error when using a browser

If you've encountered the “about:blank#blocked” message in your browser, you're not alone. This error can appear in Chrome, Edge, Firefox, or other browsers, and it usually means that the browser has blocked the opening of a new tab or window. Most often, this is due to security settings or the operation of extensions.

Don't panic right away. In most cases, this problem is not related to serious malfunctions and can be solved quite easily. It can occur due to overly strict pop-up blocking settings, conflicts with installed plugins, or even malware that changes your browser settings.

In this article, we will look at several simple and effective ways to help you remove this message. We will check the blocker settings, disable suspicious extensions, and take other steps so that you can continue working on the Internet without any problems.

Method 1: Checking the home page

Error “about:blank#blocked” appears in a new empty browser tab and indicates that an attempt to access a web resource has been blocked. This problem is usually related to the browser settings, third-party extensions, or a virus infection on your PC. First, check the home page in your web browser and change it to a suitable one if there is an unfamiliar address there. In Chromium-based browsers, it looks something like this:

1. Open the menu by clicking on the three dots on the right. From there, select “Settings”.
2. Go to the section “Startup” or “Home page”, where you can check which website opens when you launch the browser.
3. If a custom link or blank page address is specified there, it is better to delete it by opening the menu and selecting the appropriate item.
4. Next, you can set the browser to open a new tab or the tabs that were open in the previous session when it starts.

Mozilla Firefox deserves special attention, as its settings window is implemented slightly differently. Editing the home page is also different. You can check the set address, delete it, or assign a different home page as follows:

1. Expand the menu and select the item “Settings”.
2. 
3. Select the section “Start” and check whether the home page type is specified as “My network address” with any reference to a specific website. If the field is filled in, delete this link.
4. It is better to set the default settings so that there are no conflicts or problems when launching the web browser.

Method 2: Checking the launch parameters

Usually, the error in question appears in a specific browser and is not present when using others. This may be due to the fact that a virus or third-party program has made changes to the startup parameters via the shortcut properties. You need to check these properties and remove any unnecessary parameters in the object address.

1. To do this, find the browser shortcut that you usually use to launch it. Right-click on it and select the item from the context menu that appears. “Properties”.
2. Go to the “Shortcut” and move the cursor to the end of the line “Object”.
3. 
4. Tab. You will see that the path to the executable file for launching the program is specified here. However, after closing the quotation marks, there may be any additional parameters that affect the launch of the browser. Delete all content, then apply the changes and restart the browser.

Method 3: Remove suspicious extensions

You may not even notice how strange extensions are installed in your browser, replacing websites or opening ads in new tabs or windows. Such malicious or suspicious add-ons can affect the performance of your web browser and cause errors. “about:blank#blocked”, so you need to check the list of installed ones and remove those you don't trust.

1. In Chromium-based browsers, open the add-ons menu and click the button “Manage Extensions”.
2. In a new tab, review all installed add-ons and determine which ones were not installed by you manually or are suspicious. There will be a button next to each extension. “Remove”, allowing you to get rid of it.
3. Next, confirm the removal, then restart the browser to verify that the error has been fixed.

Let's look again at separate instructions for performing the same actions, but in the Firefox browser.

1. Open the list of active extensions by clicking on the puzzle button. From the menu that appears, select “Manage extensions”.
2. 
3. Next to the suspicious one, click the button with three dots to bring up the additional actions menu.
4. Use the option “Delete”.
5. Confirm this action and repeat the same with all other add-ons that you consider unreliable.

The “about:blank#blocked” error appears when the browser blocks a pop-up window or transition to a website for security reasons. This can happen due to built-in blockers in the browser, extensions, or antivirus software. Most often, the problem can be solved simply: you need to allow pop-ups for the desired site in your browser settings or temporarily disable interfering extensions. Sometimes reloading the page or checking your internet connection helps. The main thing is not to panic, the error is harmless and can almost always be fixed in a couple of minutes.

Method 4: Deleting browser data

The error may appear “about:blank#blocked” is associated with browser malfunctions or problems determining the correct address of the page that is opened when the browser is launched. In such cases, it is recommended to completely delete all temporary files, primarily the cache and website cookies. Let's revisit the topic of using Chromium-based browsers.

1. Open the menu and go to ‘Settings’.
2. 
3. Switch to the section “Privacy and security”, and then to the category “Clear history”.
4. Using the tab “Advanced” display all available options.
5. Be sure to set the time range “All time”, then check the boxes responsible for clearing cookies, cache, and browsing history. The rest can be left untouched. Click “Delete data” to confirm the operation.

Firefox users will also need to delete their browser data. In this case, you will need to open a separate log management window, where you should set the necessary settings and complete the cleaning.

1. To do this, open the menu and expand the section “Journal”.
2. Click on “Delete history”.
3. 
4. Select the time range “All”.
5. Leave the checkboxes checked to delete all data that may affect website loading. Then confirm the operation and restart your browser to check.

Method 5: Network reset

Let's consider a situation where browser errors are related to network failures in the operating system itself. Empty tab with text “about:blank#blocked” is also displayed in cases where it is not possible to process the link information and go to the address. Try using different browsers, and if the same error occurs everywhere, reset the network configuration.

1. To do this, open “Start” and go to “Settings”, by clicking on the gear icon.
2. On the left, select the item “Network and Internet”, then go to the category “Advanced network settings”.
3. 
4. Open settings “Network reset”.
5. Click on the button with the corresponding name to start the reset process. Keep in mind that the computer will restart, so close all programs beforehand.

The “about:blank#blocked” error can be annoying, but it is usually not a sign of anything serious. Most often, it is simply a protective mechanism of the browser that has worked a little stricter than necessary. Therefore, there is no need to panic.

As we have discovered, the problem usually lies in one of three places: browser extensions, antivirus software, or the browser settings themselves. The easiest way to find the culprit is to disable these elements one by one and check if the error disappears. Start with ad blockers and antivirus software.

In most cases, one of these simple steps will help restore everything to normal. If the problem persists, it may be caused by a more serious malfunction. In that case, you should consider resetting your browser settings to default or completely reinstalling it. Remember that this error is just a minor glitch that can almost always be fixed on your own.