Your browser may be malfunctioning or infected if you’ve recently opened a new tab in your browser with the URL “about:blank” in the URL bar.
But what is about blank, and why does it appear in the URL field of your browser?
Fortunately, the about:blank page isn’t harmful. Similar to about:cache, about:settings, or about:about, it is a built-in browser page. It’s bad news that malware or viruses can cause your browser to display the about:blank page.
Learn more about aboutblank, how to configure it, and when you should be concerned in this article.
What’s the deal about:blank, anyway?
A browser’s about:blank page isn’t a page. It’s a blank page in your browser, unlike other built-in pages like about:settings or about:about.
Why would Google Chrome or Microsoft Edge contain a blank screen? When it comes to the following scenarios, it’s genuinely useful:
You can use this when you don’t want to start your browser with a webpage loaded at all.
To prevent excessive computer or network resources from being used when the browser starts up.
About_blank is displayed because the browser doesn’t know what to show.
- Opening a new browser window to download a file or for any other reason.
- Opening a new tab before installing a script or software by clicking on a malicious web link.
As you can see, the majority of these scenarios pose little threat. Any danger comes from clicking a link that should not have been clicked. Since there is no page to display (other than a file to be downloaded), the browser will display about:blank when this happens.
What Is the Purpose of the about:blank Page in Browsers?
Although it may seem counterintuitive to have a blank page to type on with nothing shown, this function is critical for every web browser.
As a rule of thumb, browsers function as follows:
- You may either enter a URL or click on a web link in the URL section.
- To show a page, your browser sends a request to the web server, which then receives the code necessary to do so.
- The browser decodes HTML and PHP.
- The browser then renders the page by the code’s design.
As you can see, the about:blank page is never needed and is never displayed by default during normal operation. An about:blank page is required in the following case.
- Downloading an installation file from a website offering free online games is the first step in finding a game you like.
- Target=” blank” is a parameter used in the download link in the a> tag of the link you clicked.
- While directing the browser to download the file, this code also leaves your browser with a blank screen.
- At the bottom of the about:blank page, you’ll notice the downloaded file (or wherever your browser stores file downloads).
- It’s a nuisance, but there’s nothing malicious or hazardous about this approach of coding file download URLs that site developers employ.
On the other side, a virus or malware could be downloaded if you clicked on a dangerous link on the internet.
If the browser’s code returned by the webserver is incorrectly formatted (or does not use the correct code), the browser will display the about:blank page. If the requested page cannot be displayed, the about:blank page will be displayed as a fallback.
about:blank Pages: The Most Common Reasons Why
When an “about:blank” page appears, it might happen for many different reasons. They are:
A blank page is displayed to start the download when you click a link that opens in another window or tab.
If you type a web address incorrectly, you may end yourself on a virus or malware-infected page, or your browser may display an about:blank page if it doesn’t know what to display.
Because of the information processed, the browser does not know what to do. The browser can open a blank page because of inconsistencies in HTML, Java, and other scripts.
To wit, about:blank Useful?
When using Chrome, the default search engine is Google.com. Other browsers will have a different experience.
The default start page for many individuals is blank, which prevents any web pages from launching until they want them to. Code and startup scripts are prevented from starting when the browser is launched.
A Virus or Malware? Is about:blank the answer to these questions?
Many individuals believe that blank is a computer virus that has infiltrated their system. However, this isn’t always the case. What happens when a browser has to display an empty webpage? The about:blank page scenario normally shows a blank page. The page does not come from an external source to protect your computer. Malware may cause a browser to open a blank page, though.
You should immediately stop using your device for personal concerns if you feel contaminated with harmful software, viruses, malware, etc. It’s important to be up to date to stay secure in a digital environment.
about:blank#blocked
Because about: blank pages are displayed, stopping them is determining why they are displayed. Go back into the browser settings and undo any modifications that caused the browser to open blank sites.
If you see blank pages frequently, you should first remove malware or viruses and then reinstall Chrome, Firefox, Safari, or whatever another browser you use.
It’s probably best to about blank blocked feature alone unless you have a specific need for it. Many anti-virus and anti-malware applications now employ blank pages to prevent malicious URLs from executing code or deceiving you into taking action.
An about:blank home page can be fixed
For those who’ve already changed your homepage to a blank one, go into settings and change it back. Most browsers have pre-installed settings that might make it easier to get started with your website. If you’ve reinstalled your browser, all you have to do is type in a new URL in the appropriate field.
Try disabling any extensions you have, closing the browser, then reopening it to see if that helps. Disabling add-ons and extensions (such as popup blockers) may solve the problem. The final option is to restore the system defaults. If nothing else works, you may want to consider this option.
Krishan Jangir