The Internet is a much more enjoyable place without email capture popups, and since deleting mine, I’ve started to appreciate sites without them more and more.

The problem is… so many sites have them. Even sites that were doing perfectly fine without them have been giving in. So, I went hunting for an easy way to block as many of them as possible, and I’m rather pleased with what I found.

Step 1: Install AdBlock

To start blocking pop-ups, you’ll need to install AdBlock, which you can do here. Or if you’re on Chrome and want a direct link, here. If you’re on Firefox, Adblock Plus should work.

Step 2: Go to Filters

Once it’s installed, go to its options by right clicking on the button in your toolbar, and selecting “options.” If this isn’t working, restart your browser.

Next, go to the “Filters” tab:

Step 3: Add “Fanboy’s Annoyances”

Finally, select “Fanboy’s Annoyances” (there’s no save button, don’t worry):

And you’re done!

With this activated, you won’t see the majority of email popups around the Internet. I tested it by going to Inbound and clicking on all of the popular articles, and I was mostly satisfied.

There are some popups that are slipping through, but I’m going to see what I can do to get the filter improved. Also, one downside is that this blocks most floating sharing buttons, which I actually like seeing, but it’s a small price to pay.

If you click on a link because you want to get a popup (for some download), that seems to still work, so you can still opt in through lead magnets. And, obviously, static forms will still work too.

Have fun! And enjoy a more peaceful, readable Internet.

P.S. As I mentioned, this is an imperfect solution. If you find or build a better one, please let me know :). I’ll update this post in the future if a better tactic comes up.