Pop-up blockers are software applications that prevent or block unwanted advertisements from opening in a new window while individuals are browsing the Internet. Many Web browsers today are equipped with free pop-up blocker software that makes it possible for the end user to allow or prevent pop-up windows from opening. It is also possible to download pop-up blocker software in the event that the browser does not include this feature.
Pop-up windows are usually advertisements associated with a particular web page or all the pages that are part of a single web site. These windows automatically open as the end user migrates to a given page, and displays over the main browser window. This creates a situation where the user has to manually click on the ad to close it before being able to continue looking at the web page he or she wanted to view.
With pop-up blocker software, end users can prevent these ads from popping up in a new window altogether. This makes it possible to surf the Internet without having to deal with annoying ads that are of no particular interest. Once the software is downloaded and activated, all pop-up ads are preventing from appearing, making the browsing experience much more pleasant.
Since an end user may wish to view pop-up ads associated with a given website, most pop-up blocker software makes it possible to alter the settings to allow ads to pop up on selected sites. This can be accomplished in one of two ways. First, the end user can instruct the software to allow pop-up ads for a single session, allowing the ads to appear for as long as the user remains on a particular web site. A second alternative is to instruct the pop-up blocker to allow ads to pop up any time the user visits a particular web site. This latter option is ideal for sites where pop-up technology is integral to getting the most use out of the site’s services.
While it is possible to purchase pop-up blocker software, the latest versions of most browsers include pop-up protection as a basic feature. However, people using older browser versions can make use of free pop-up blocker downloads that are compatible with their particular browser software. These free versions work well in most cases, and can help minimize the frequency of Internet pop-up blocker activity very effectively.