6 Fixes for Websites Opening Automatically in Google Chrome

Quick Tips

• In most cases, an adware or a malicious extension is responsible for hijacking Chrome.
• Try clearing the browsing data and blocking Chrome if unwanted sites keep opening automatically.
• You may have to reset or reinstall Chrome on your PC if nothing else works.

Fix 1: Check Browser Extensions

A poorly built third-party extension can often cause problems. To check for this possibility, turn off any suspicious extensions running in Chrome.

Type chrome://extensions/ in the URL bar at the top and press Enter. Look for the recently installed extensions or ones you no longer use and disable them. Alternatively, you can also remove any suspicious extensions in Chrome.

Fix 2: Clear Browsing Data

Most websites require you to enable cookies in your browser for a better experience. While cookies are generally harmless, they occasionally harbor malicious scripts, leading to unusual browser behavior. Similarly, corrupted browser cache data can also cause such issues.

To clear cache and cookies in Chrome, press Ctrl + Shift + Delete to open the Clear browsing data panel. Check the boxes for Cookies and other site data and Cached images and files. Lastly, click the Clear data button.

Fix 3: Block Pop-Ups and Redirects

Blocking pop-ups and redirects is another effective way to prevent Google Chrome from opening unwanted websites automatically. Here’s how to do that.

Step 1: Open Google Chrome, click the three-dot menu icon at the top right corner, and select Settings from the list.

Step 2: Switch to the Privacy and security tab on your left and select the Site Settings option.

Step 3: Under Content, go to Pop-ups and redirects.

Step 4: Under Default behavior, select Don’t allow sites to send pop-ups or use redirects.

Fix 4: Prevent Chrome From Running in the Background

Such issues can also arise if you have allowed Progressive Web Apps to run in the background even when Google Chrome is closed. Here’s how to stop that.

Step 1: Open Google Chrome and navigate to its Settings menu.

Step 2: In the System tab, toggle off Continue running background apps when Google Chrome is closed.

Fix 5: Run a Virus Scan on Your Computer

If Google Chrome is still opening websites automatically, it could be a sign of malware presence. To ensure your system’s safety, it’s best to run a scan using Microsoft Defender or a reputable third-party antivirus program.

Fix 6: Reset or Reinstall Chrome

Resetting Google Chrome to its default settings can help you fix various issues, including this one. To reset Chrome, type chrome://settings/reset in the address bar at the top and press Enter. Under Reset and clean up, click Restore settings to their original defaults.

On the confirmation pop-up box, click Reset settings to confirm.

If the issue remains, try uninstalling and reinstalling Chrome on your PC. This will give you a fresh start and also update Chrome.