Google Chrome is one of the most popular web browsers because of its user-friendly and faster web browsing experience. Many Chrome users who heavily rely on the browser's console have reported receiving the This webpage was blocked by an extension (ERR_BLOCKED_BY_CLIENT) error message. This error usually happens when you have an ad blocker or browser safety extensions running as you browse the web.
The adblocker or browser safety extensions have rules that determine what will be blocked. They check each URL that the browser requests against their list of filters. If it matches any of them, it automatically blocks it and sends the blocked message to the browser. This error is more common when visiting modern and complex websites like YouTube.
If you've encountered the ERR_BLOCKED_BY_CLIENT error, there are a few ways you can resolve it. We have compiled the best troubleshooting recommendations to help you fix the ERR_BLOCKED_BY_CLIENT error.
1. Open the webpage in incognito mode.
When you receive the ERR_BLOCKED_BY_CLIENT error, you can try fixing the error by opening the webpage in Incognito Mode. When you browse in Incognito mode, your browser will work without the extensions. This would solve this error, especially if an extension caused it. To open a web page in Google Chrome, you can tap Ctrl + Shift + N to open the window in Incognito Mode. Alternatively, you can click the three dots at the top right corner of your Chrome browser and then select New Incognito Window from the menu.
2. Disable the Extension
As said earlier, the ERR_BLOCKED_BY_CLIENT error is caused by extensions and plugins. If you're not sure which extension is causing the error, you can choose to disable all extensions and plugins on your browser. You can also choose to remove the specific adblocking extension causing the error. You can disable an extension by:
Step 1: Open Chrome, then click the three dots in the upper right corner
Step 2: Click on More tools from the pop-up window.
Step 3: You can then choose Extensions from a list of options.
Step 4: You can scroll down to find the extension, then click the Remove button. You can then remove or disable them one by one.
If you would not like to remove all your extensions, you can create a new profile on your Google Chrome browser. A new profile opens with a new persona having its settings, bookmarks, history, passwords, and cookies. You can create a new Chrome profile by:
Step 1: In the Chrome browser, click on the Profile button at the top right.
Step 2: Click Manage people. Then click Add person
Step 3: Then create your profile on Chrome by choosing a name and photo
Step 4: Click the Add button
3. Clear the browser data and cache
If you cannot access a webpage but receive the ERR_BLOCKED_BY_CLIENT error, you can try clearing the browser data and cache to fix this error. When you have conflicting data when loading a website, you'll see this error.
This is an issue caused mainly by data stored in the cache. Therefore, clearing your browser's cache and data should solve the ERR_BLOCKED_BY_CLIENT error. You can take the following steps to clear data in your browser:
Step 1: Open Google Chrome and click the three dots icon at the top right.
Step 2: Click on More Tools and select Clear browsing data.
Step 3: Go to the Advanced tab and select All time from the drop-down menu.
Step 4: Ensure that you check the Browsing history, Download history, Cookies, other site data, and Cached images and files boxes.
Step 5: You can then click the Clear data button.
4. Reset chrome flag configurations
Chrome flags are experimental features and might cause errors when turned on. Even though they are turned off by default, you could be using some of them to extend your Chrome functionality. If that's the case, you can disable them or reset them to fix the ERR_BLOCKED_BY_CLIENT error. You can reset the Chrome flags by:
Step 1: Enter chrome://flags/ into your address bar
Step 2: You can individually disable them or click on Reset all in the upper-right corner to reset them.
5. Remove surplus bookmarks
The bookmark manager can also cause the ERR_BLOCKED_BY_CLIENT error. Therefore, if your Chrome browser supports over 100 bookmarks, you should consider deleting them. You should remove the surplus bookmarks and check if the ERR_BLOCKED_BY_CLIENT error is fixed. You can remove surplus bookmarks by:
Step 1: Type chrome://bookmarks/ in the address bar of your Chrome browser
Step 2: Tap Enter
Step 3: Press Shift, then select the surplus bookmarks using the arrow keys
Step 4: Click Delete to remove them
6. Update Google Chrome
If you still see the ERR_BLOCKED_BY_CLIENT error, you can update the Chrome browser to see if the error is fixed. An outdated version of a browser can cause a whole lot of issues when trying to access a website. Therefore, you should regularly update your browser to prevent issues like the ERR_BLOCKED_BY_CLIENT error. You can check for the latest Chrome updates by:
Step 1: Open Google Chrome.
Step 2: Click on three vertical dots in the top right corner. Alternatively, you type chrome://help in your address bar and press Enter.
Step 3: Click on Help from the drop-down menu.
Step 4: Click on About Google Chrome from the drop-down menu.
Chrome will automatically search for updates and install them. You can then restart your browser, and hopefully, the error will be gone.
Conclusion
Facing the ERR_BLOCKED_BY_CLIENT error can undeniably be frustrating. The error can be caused by various factors making it difficult to troubleshoot.
However, you can work around the methods listed above to find the one that works for you. With the above troubleshooting steps, you should get rid of this annoying error.
