This article is for people with visual or cognitive impairments who use a screen reader program such as Windows Narrator, JAWS, or NVDA with Microsoft 365 products. This article is part of the Microsoft 365 screen reader support content set where you can find more accessibility information on our apps. For general help, visit Microsoft Support.
Use the pop-up blocker in Microsoft Edge with your keyboard and a screen reader to prevent websites from automatically opening a new window, tab, or a partial window on top of your current webpage. We have tested it with Narrator, but it might work with other screen readers as long as they follow common accessibility standards and techniques.
Notes:
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To learn more about screen readers, go to How screen readers work with Microsoft 365.
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Block pop-ups
Want to enjoy your internet surfing without pop-ups? Use the Microsoft Edge pop-up blocker. This feature is turned on by default.
There are many different types of pop-ups, including advertisements, notices, offers, or alerts that can appear at various times on any webpage. Some can be helpful, such as when a bank website displays your monthly statement in a pop-up window. But pop-ups can also be distracting or malicious, engaging in phishing tactics such as warnings, prizes, or free downloads, to gain your trust in a potential scam.
Note: If you get unwanted website notifications, refer to Manage website notifications in Microsoft Edge. Website notifications appear in the notification center, located in the lower-right corner of your device.
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In Microsoft Edge, press Alt+F to open the Settings and more menu, press the Down arrow key until you hear "Settings," and then press Enter. The Settings page opens in a new browser tab, and the focus is on the Search settings field.
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Press the Tab key once to go to the settings categories, press the Down arrow key until you hear "Cookies and site permissions," and then press Enter.
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Press the Tab key until you hear "Pop-ups and redirects," and then press Enter.
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Press the Tab key until you hear: "Block (recommended)." If you hear that the checkbox is not selected, press Spacebar to select it.
To check if a page has blocked a pop-up, press F6 to go to the tab bar. If a pop-up has been blocked, you hear: "Notifications blocked."
What to do if you still get pop-ups
If you continue to receive pop-ups after blocking them, try the following:
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Make sure Microsoft Edge is up-to-date:
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In Microsoft Edge, press Alt+F to open the Settings and more menu, press the Down arrow key until you hear "Settings," and then press Enter. The Settings page opens in a new browser tab, and the focus is on the Search settings field.
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Press the Tab key once to go to the settings categories, press the Down arrow key until you hear "About Microsoft Edge," and then press Enter. Narrator announces if your Microsoft Edge is up-to-date. If it is not, the update starts automatically, and you hear the progress of the installation.
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After the update, you might need to restart Microsoft Edge. Press the Tab key until you hear "Restart Microsoft Edge," and then press Enter.
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Scan your device for malware. For more info, refer to Stay protected with Windows Security.
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Turn off the installed extensions to check if they are interfering:
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In Microsoft Edge, press Alt+F to open the Settings and more menu, press the Down arrow key until you hear "Extensions, menu item," and then press Enter. The Extensions menu opens.
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Press the Tab key until you hear "Manage extensions," and then press Enter. The Extensions page opens in a new browser tab.
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Press the Tab key until you hear "Installed extensions," followed by the name of the first installed extension.
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Press the Tab key until you hear the checkbox button for the installed extension. If you hear that the checkbox is selected, press Spacebar to clear the checkbox. Press Alt+Down arrow key to go to the next extension, and then repeat this step for each installed extension to turn them all off.
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If pop-ups are now being blocked, turn on extensions one at a time to determine which one is causing the issue. To turn on an extension, in the previous step, press Spacebar to select the checkbox.
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Block third-party cookies:
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In Microsoft Edge, press Alt+F to open the Settings and more menu, press the Down arrow key until you hear "Settings," and then press Enter. The Settings page opens in a new browser tab, and the focus is on the Search settings field.
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Press the Tab key once to go to the settings categories, press the Down arrow key until you hear "Cookies and site permissions," and then press Enter.
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Press the Tab key until you hear "Manage and delete cookies and site data," and then press Enter.
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Press the Tab key until you hear: "Block third-party cookies." If you hear that the checkbox is not selected, press Spacebar to select it.
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Clear your browser cache. For step-by-step instructions, go to Use a screen reader to clear browsing data in Microsoft Edge.
Note: If you have followed these steps and still get pop-ups within a webpage, the pop-ups might be website advertisements created to look like pop-ups. Website advertisements cannot be blocked by the Microsoft Edge pop-up blocker. Microsoft Edge also does not prevent a pop-up from opening if you select a button or link on a webpage.
See also
Use a screen reader to sign in to Microsoft Edge
Use a screen reader to clear browsing data in Microsoft Edge
Use a screen reader with collections to stay organized in Microsoft Edge
Keyboard shortcuts in Microsoft Edge
Set up your device to work with accessibility in Microsoft 365
Technical support for customers with disabilities
Microsoft wants to provide the best possible experience for all our customers. If you have a disability or questions related to accessibility, please contact the Microsoft Disability Answer Desk for technical assistance. The Disability Answer Desk support team is trained in using many popular assistive technologies and can offer assistance in English, Spanish, French, and American Sign Language. Please go to the Microsoft Disability Answer Desk site to find out the contact details for your region.
If you are a government, commercial, or enterprise user, please contact the enterprise Disability Answer Desk.
