5 Best Extensions to Block Elements on Google Chrome

We all often come across websites with page elements that get on our nerves. They could be huge navbars that stick to the top of the browser window no matter what, distractive social media widgets that follow you around, or massive sign-up forms that repeatedly pop out without warning. To save you from this frustration, here are five extensions to block elements on Google Chrome.

Just the other day, we came across a huge header on an eBook portal online. It took a considerable portion of screen real estate and was a major eyesore. That’s when we looked around for ways to get rid of the monstrosity. And with Chrome, these extensions can help solve any problem. So not only did I find one but five extensions that can make short work of any undesirable web elements. Let’s check them out.

Note: The extensions may not work initially – you will have to restart Chrome after you install the extension.

Also Read: How to Enable and Disable the Pop-up Blocker on Google Chrome

1. uBlock Origin

uBlock Origin is an excellent ad-blocking extension for Chrome, and perhaps the best performance-wise. But its functionality doesn’t stop there. Rather, uBlock Origin also comes with a phenomenal element blocker that works like a charm.

Download uBlock Origin

With the extension installed and activated, simply right-click anywhere within a web page, and then select Block Element on the context menu.

You can then move the cursor around, and the extension will automatically highlight elements that you can block. Make your pick, click Create, and the selected element should be blocked permanently.

You can also manage blocked elements using the uBlock Origin dashboard. Right-click the uBlock Origin extension icon, click Options, and then click My Filters. You can then remove previously blocked elements from the filter list.

Overall, uBlock Origin should help you block any unwanted page element quite easily. But again, the extension also blocks ads, so do remember to whitelist your favorite sites. Alternatively, you can choose to disable the ad-blocking filters and use them solely as an element blocker.

2. Click to Remove Element

Click to Remove Element offers the same element-blocking capabilities as uBlock Origin, though it doesn’t block ads. And it works just like its name implies.

Download Click to Remove Element

After installing the extension, simply click on the extension icon. You can then hover the cursor around, and the extension will highlight all blockable elements within a page. Click on an undesirable element, and the extension should block it immediately.

Blocked elements will show up within the Click to Remove Element box in the lower-right corner of the screen. If all looks well, you can then choose to make the extension ‘remember’ your changes in subsequent visits.

3. Hide That

Hide That is another extension that works brilliantly when you want to hide elements on a website. All you need to do is to right-click on an element and click on the Hide That button. The selected element will be hidden from the webpage.

Download Hide That Extension

However, the elements will return once you reload the page. Therefore, you need to go to settings and select ‘Auto Hide’ to hide the selected elements every time you launch the website.

Further, several other options let you block elements in different ways on Chrome. You can hide the element – it won’t be visible but will still occupy a blank space. Better, you can remove the element which will get rid of it on the webpage. You can configure the right-click option to do either of these in the settings menu.

To unhide the elements, all you need to do is tap on the extensions menu icon, click on Hide That, and select Show All.

4. ElementHider

ElementHider differs from the extensions that you went through above. Rather than pointing and clicking on the element that you want to remove, it instead requires you to insert keywords.

Download ElementHider

Simply input keywords (broad or specific) that an element might contain, and ElementHider will block them automatically across all sites, be they Facebook posts, Twitter tweets, Google search results, news articles, etc. Alternatively, you can choose to blur out elements instead of blocking them.

The extension is quite easy to use. Click the ElementHider extension icon, insert the keywords, and you should be good to go. You can also choose to make keywords case-sensitive or case-insensitive.

Although ElementHider doesn’t have the same visual appeal as the other extensions, it’s perfect for blocking elements that contain similar types of content without having to deal with them repeatedly on multiple sites.

5. Hide Anything

Hide Anything is an element blocker that takes a different approach. Instead of individually selecting elements, you can draw a rectangle over everything you want to hide. All you need to do is use the Ctrl key, left-click, and draw a rectangle over the elements you want to block.

Download Hide Anything

Once the elements are hidden, you can hover your mouse over the blocked section, and remove it if needed. The extension is quite simple to use and doesn’t come with a lot of options either. If you click on the extensions from the Chrome menu, you will find options to either highlight the elements you have blocked or unhide all the elements on the webpage.

Use an Element Killer Extension and Get Rid of Junk on a Webpage

We hope this article helps you find a good extension to block elements on Google Chrome. If you are facing any problems with installing or using an extension, do let us know in the comments section below – we’ll get back to you with a solution at the earliest!

In case you want to delete these extensions, read: How to Remove Chrome Extensions Permanently