What Is about:blank and How to Remove It (2026)
You click a link or open your browser and, instead of a website, you get an empty white page with about:blank in the address bar. Sometimes it says about:blank#blocked. Is it a virus? A broken browser? In most cases it's neither. Here's what about:blank is, why it shows up, when it's a warning sign, and how to remove it in Chrome, Edge and Firefox.
Quick answer
- about:blank is a built-in empty page in every browser. It isn't a website and on its own it isn't a virus.
- If it opens every time you start your browser, change your startup page in the browser settings.
- If it keeps opening by itself, or you see pop-ups and redirects, check your extensions and run a malware scan.
What Is about:blank?
"about:" pages are special pages built into your browser, such as about:settings or about:version. about:blank is simply a blank page the browser shows when it has nothing to load. It doesn't come from the internet, so it uses no data and can't track you.
Many people actually set about:blank as their homepage on purpose, because the browser opens instantly and doesn't load any news feed or ads.
Why Does about:blank Keep Showing Up?
| Your startup page is set to it | The browser is told to open a blank page when it starts. |
| A link opens a new tab or window | Some sites open a blank tab first, then load the content. If the content fails, you're left on about:blank. |
| A download starts | Some download links open a blank tab that stays empty after the file starts downloading. |
| about:blank#blocked | Chrome blocked a page from loading, usually because of a security setting, an extension, or a school or work policy. |
| Slow or broken connection | The new page couldn't load, so you only see the blank placeholder. |
| Adware or malware | Unwanted software changes your homepage or opens tabs and pop-ups on its own. |
Is about:blank a Virus?
No, about:blank itself is completely safe. But it can be a symptom of adware if you also notice:
- new tabs or pop-ups opening by themselves,
- your homepage or search engine changing without your permission,
- extensions you don't remember installing, or
- a sudden slowdown or lots of ads on sites that never had them.
If you see any of these, follow the malware steps below.
How to Remove about:blank in Google Chrome
1. Change your startup page
- Open Chrome and go to
chrome://settings/onStartup. - Choose Open the New Tab page, or Open a specific page or set of pages and add the site you want.
- If about:blank is listed under specific pages, click the three dots next to it and choose Remove.
2. Check your homepage
Go to Settings > Appearance. If Show home button points to about:blank, change it to the New Tab page or your favourite site.
3. Remove suspicious extensions
Go to chrome://extensions. Remove anything you don't recognise or no longer use, especially "search", "PDF converter", "coupon" or "video downloader" add-ons you didn't install on purpose.
4. Reset Chrome
Go to Settings > Reset settings > Restore settings to their original defaults. This resets your startup page, search engine and pinned tabs and turns off extensions, but keeps your bookmarks and saved passwords.
How to Fix about:blank#blocked
- Turn off extensions one by one, especially ad blockers and privacy tools, to see which one blocks the page.
- Check site permissions: click the icon to the left of the address bar > Site settings, and allow pop-ups and redirects only for sites you trust.
- School or work device? Your administrator may block certain sites. Only they can change this.
- Update your browser to the latest version.
How to Remove about:blank in Microsoft Edge
- Go to
edge://settings/startHomeNTP(or Settings > Start, home, and new tabs). - Under When Edge starts, choose Open the new tab page, or remove about:blank from the list of pages.
- Check
edge://extensionsand remove anything suspicious.
How to Remove about:blank in Firefox
- Go to
about:preferences#home. - Set Homepage and new windows to Firefox Home or a custom URL instead of a blank page.
- Check Add-ons and themes and remove anything you don't recognise.
Check the Browser Shortcut (Windows)
Some adware adds a website to your browser's desktop shortcut. Right-click the Chrome or Edge shortcut > Properties. In the Target box, the line should end with chrome.exe" or msedge.exe". If anything comes after it, such as a web address, delete it and click OK.
Scan for Malware
- Open Windows Security > Virus & threat protection and run a Full scan.
- Go to Settings > Apps > Installed apps and uninstall programs you don't recognise, especially ones installed around the time the problem started.
- Restart your PC and check whether about:blank still opens by itself.
about:blank on Android or iPhone
On phones, about:blank usually appears when a link opens a new tab that fails to load, or when an app opens the browser. Close the tab and try the link again. If blank tabs keep popping up, clear the browser's data and remove any apps that show lots of ads.
FAQs
Is about:blank dangerous?
No. It's a built-in blank page. It's only worth worrying about if it comes with pop-ups, redirects or a changed homepage.
Why does about:blank open when I start Chrome?
Your startup page or homepage is set to it, or an extension or program changed it. Fix it in Settings > On startup.
What does about:blank#blocked mean?
Chrome blocked the page from loading, usually because of an extension, a security setting or a school or work policy.
Can I set about:blank as my homepage on purpose?
Yes. It makes your browser open faster and uses no data.
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Image credits (Wikimedia Commons): "Laptop on a desk" by Aleksi Tappura (CC0); "Close-up keyboard view" by Brion Testaccount (CC BY-SA 3.0).
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