Google Pop Up Blocker - Free and Effective

Pop up messages that automatically open up while surfing are really annoying. While most pop ups are ads, some also showcase objectionable porn. Definitely you want to be protected when you and your kids surf the web. Besides the pop ups tend to slow down your computer and clutter your screen with unwanted windows. The Google pop up blocker is an excellent tool that blocks pop ups. It is free to use and comes with the Google toolbar that offers a host of other features like auto web-form filler, spell-checker, access to email, calender, bookmarks, maps, etc.

The Google pop up blocker is very easy to install and use. Go to toolbar.google.com - Google automatically recommends the toolbar to download for your browser. It works with both IE (5.5 and above) and FireFox. It takes a minute or so to download. You can display/hide your Google toolbar via the View-Toolbar option on your browser.

When enabled, the Google pop up blocker detects and prevents windows from automatically loading up when you visit a website. When a pop up is detected, the cursor changes briefly to inform you that a window has been blocked. The toolbar also shows a count of the number of blocked pop ups. When you start using the Google pop up blocker, you may find that it blocks useful windows from opening. In such a situation, click on the pop up icon in the toolbar to allow pop ups from that website. Similarly, to disallow pop ups from a site, click the pop up icon while visiting that site.

The Google pop up blocker can be customized - you can disable it, reset its count to zero, unblock previously blocked sites and block previously unblocked sites when you like, etc. You can also uninstall it if you do not want to have it. A simple tutorial on customizing the pop up blocker is available here.

I use the Google toolbar with both IE and FireFox browsers. Since installing the toolbar I have not noticed any degradation in memory or CPU performance of my computer. While IE and Firefox themselves have in-built pop-up blockers, often they do not catch all pop ups. The Google pop up blocker along the browser's blocker almost completely eliminates them. However, on rare occasions, the Google blocker fails to intercept annoying pop ups from some sites.

I have used MSN and Yahoo pop up blockers too - I have found them to be comparable in performance. But the host of accompanying features that come with the Google toolbar is a compelling reason for me to stick with the Google pop up blocker - I use Gmail, Google calender, Google docs, etc. and they are easily accessible with the Google toolbar.

In the past I have also used spyware/adware software that block pop ups - but I find them hard to cleanly uninstall. So I prefer the Google pop up blocker to any other alternative.