What you can do to break free from the trap of not being able to leave a tricky webpage:

We’ve all run into fishy and annoying websites that have never ending pop-ups that want us to click ‘ok’ because they don’t want us to leave the page. Or, they may say they’ll allow us to leave only if we add an extension, check a box, or click cancel. Of course, clicking cancel or trying to close the tab then produces a never ending series of pop-ups with variations of the original message that started the whole mess to begin with.

If something like that pops up for you, it’s better to exit the webpage rather than trying to click your way through it and digging yourself deeper into the problem.

What happens if you mistakenly add an extension while trying to leave the site?

In allowing an extension, also known as an add-on, to install, you’re allowing the extension to make changes to your computer. The installation approval warning states which permissions you’re allowing the extension to make. Most give approval to “Read and change all your data on the websites you visit,” or even, “Manage your apps, extensions and themes,” which means you’re allowing this new extension the permission to open, disable, enable or even remove the apps, extensions and/or themes that you’ve previously installed.

So what can you do to leave the never ending webpage pop-up trap?

Thankfully, there are several options. They all accomplish the same task, closing that browser tab and freeing you from the loop, but they’re all done a little differently.

Ctrl + Alt + Del – Pressing those three buttons simultaneously will allow you to bring up a screen that gives you a list of options. Clicking on Task Manager will bring you to a list of what processes and applications your computer is running. On the processes tab, you’ll be able to highlight your browser window and click ‘end task.’ Closing your browser window in this manner will close all tabs that you have open.

Ctrl + Shift + Esc – Serves as a shortcut to task manager, but is not as recognizable as the much repeated sequence of Ctrl + Alt + Del. Set about to memorize whichever sequence on this list is easiest for you. Once the task manager is open complete the steps to close your browser window as it states in #1.

Ctrl + T – This combination will allow you to open a new tab. You can then mouse over the offending tab and close it by clicking the ‘x’ instead of reopening that particular page and getting re-stuck in the pop-up loop.

Ctrl + W – Is another possible helper to break you from the loop. This doesn’t always work, as it depends on how the unending pop-up loop is scripted. Ctrl + W closes the active browser tab that you’re on, so try it as soon as you see the offensive pop-up appear.

There is even a potential way to avoid this website loop from being able to pop-up in the first place. Once again, this depends on how the website pop-up is scripted. The extension for Google Chrome is called Adblock Plus and it blocks pop-ups, banners and more. The extension is also available for smartphones and tablets. You can find the link to that Chrome extension below.

As always, if you have any concerns, give us a call here at RHYNO Networks. (855) 749-6648

You can find the Adblock Plus Chrome extension and additional information about the add-on here: https://adblockplus.org/