Skip to main content

How to Stop Websites From Harassing You About Notifications and Location Tracking

Update: It’s July 2019, and I am suddenly seeing a rash of websites asking to send me notifications, so I went into Chrome to block them again. I also updated the instructions for this post.

Web browsers can send you desktop notifications and track your location when you let them.

Those can be useful features if you like them and use them, but if you have no plans of ever allowing them to do so and just want the nagging requests to end, here’s how to disable the features permanently in the four major web browsers on Windows.

Chrome

In Chrome, click the menu icon (three vertical dots) on the far right of the menu bar. Select "Settings" from the drop-down menu. When that tab opens, scroll down and click "Advanced Settings".

Keep scrolling down, and look for the "Privacy" section. Click the "Site settings" button to open a new menu.

Scroll down in that window to the "Location" option, and click it. Click the toggle at the top of the Location menu to block location tracking.

Then, go back to the "Site settings" menu, and find the "Notifications" option, and click it. Click the toggle at the top of the Notifications menu to block location tracking.

That’s it.

Firefox

Mozilla has buried the Firefox notification and location settings options in a hidden configuration menu. Open Firefox, type "about:config" into the address bar, and press Enter.

The next thing you’ll see is a warning message about voiding your warranty. That is just silly legal ass-covering, so just accept the risk and continue.

To turn off notifications, type "notifications" into the search bar and look for "dom.webnotifications.enabled". Double-click it to disable this feature.

You’ll know you succeeded if you see the word "false" at the end of that line.

Clear the search bar, and type in "geo.enabled". You should only see one option, so double-click it to disable it.

You’ll know you succeeded if you see the word "false" at the end of that line.

Internet Explorer

I can’t find the IE setting to disable desktop notifications, but you can block sites from asking to track your location.

Open IE, and click the gear-shaped settings icon found on the far right of the menu bar. Choose "Internet options" from the drop down menu.

When the pop-up menu pops up, select the "Privacy" tab and then check the box next to "Never allow websites to request your physical location".

Click "Apply" and then "OK", and you’re done.

Opera

Of the four major web browsers on Windows, Opera is by far the easiest to configure.

Edit: They have changed how their setting menu was structured since I wrote this post in 2017. The following instructions are current as of July 2019.

You can open the settings menu by typing "Alt+P", or by opening the "Menu" in the in the upper-left corner, and then choosing "Settings" from the drop-down menu.

Click on the "Advanced" option in the menu on the left, and then select the Privacy and Security option. Select the "Content settings" option in the menu on the right (it should be about 6 down from the top).

Scroll down to the "Location" option, and click it. Click the toggle at the top of the Location menu to block location tracking.

Then, go back to the "content settings" menu, and find the "Notifications" option, and click it. Click the toggle at the top of the Notifications menu to block location tracking.

Now close the tab (or close Opera) and you’re done.

 

Similar Articles


Comments


Frank April 26, 2017 um 11:02 am

Thanks, it was annoying to get those tracking popups. Now I shouldn’t anymore.


Irish Imbas Books April 26, 2017 um 4:22 pm

Very handy. Thanks, Nate.

Nate Hoffelder April 26, 2017 um 5:29 pm

welcome!

This really annoys me, and I knew I wouldn’t be the only one to feel that way.


Darren Keane Storm April 27, 2017 um 8:30 am

hanks, Nate. I found a lot of useful things for myself.


Linda Thomas April 28, 2017 um 9:57 am

What are the cons of disabling them? And are they really permanent, as you say?

Nate Hoffelder April 28, 2017 um 10:40 am

I don’t know of any.

Frank April 28, 2017 um 1:42 pm

The downside is if you actually want a website to know your location or send notifications then the above process would have to be reversed.

It is permanent as long as you keep using that browser and don’t wipe the settings.


Maria (BearMountainBooks) April 30, 2017 um 10:54 am

Thanks!


Ruth September 14, 2017 um 12:29 pm

Thanks. Hugs and Kisses!


LPM December 10, 2017 um 2:08 pm

Thank you so much for this!


Karen August 25, 2018 um 10:52 pm

I don’t want to use Facebook I don’t have a account and I’m not sure it’s them but everyday I get pop ups to go to settings and joiI want it to pleasstop but I only learned to use this cell phone for months my first one in my life I want it to stop thankyou


MunKy September 23, 2019 um 11:44 am

This still doesnt stop amazon asking if I want to install their browser app on Opera. Is ther anyway I can block them from asking every time I visit the site?

Nate Hoffelder September 23, 2019 um 3:40 pm

I don’t know, sorry.


Write a Comment