This site will have limited functionality while we undergo maintenance to improve your experience. If an article doesn't solve your issue and you want to ask a question, we have our support community waiting to help you at @FirefoxSupport on Twitter and/r/firefox on Reddit.

Search Support

Avoid support scams. We will never ask you to call or text a phone number or share personal information. Please report suspicious activity using the “Report Abuse” option.

Learn More

I asked for a simple way to unblock a blocked site, and got a whole list of articles. How doyou unblock a site?

  • 13 replies
  • 3 have this problem
  • 3 views
  • Paskiausią atsakymą parašė McCoy

more options

I asked for a simple way to unblock a blocked site. I get runaround answers, and list (a thousand, or so) articles. Firefox has a simple "block site" function. Why isn't there a simple "unblock site" function?

I asked for a simple way to unblock a blocked site. I get runaround answers, and list (a thousand, or so) articles. Firefox has a simple "block site" function. Why isn't there a simple "unblock site" function?

All Replies (13)

more options

Hi Blockedsite, which function are you referring to here:

Firefox has a simple "block site" function. Why isn't there a simple "unblock site" function?

For example, blocking cookies, or notifications, or popups, or something else?

Perhaps we should start with: What is Firefox doing when you try to access a site that you want to stop it from doing. For example:

  • Secure connection failed or Connection is not secure
  • Red page warning it's an unsafe site
  • Bar appears above the page and you need to click Allow to get to the page
  • The site says you are blocking ads or tracking
  • Something else

That should help narrow down the relevant solutions.

more options

Are you using an extension to block websites?

Firefox doesn't come with a setting to block websites when you visit a website via the location bar, but can block content from specific domains via Content Blocking and shows a shield icon in the location bar when content is blocked.

Can you attach a screenshot if you can't access a specific website?

more options

AS far as I can see, the only way to view a blocked site is to quit Firefox and use Chrome.

more options

robmm76 said

AS far as I can see, the only way to view a blocked site is to quit Firefox and use Chrome.

A better way would be to answer the questions that were asked by jscher2000 and cor-el ......

more options

robmm76 said

AS far as I can see, the only way to view a blocked site is to quit Firefox and use Chrome.

Maybe I can help you see better. What is Firefox doing when you try to access a site that blocks you from getting to a site. For example:

  • Secure connection failed or Connection is not secure
  • Red page warning it's an unsafe site
  • Bar appears above the page and you need to click Allow to get to the page
  • The site says you are blocking ads or tracking, or using private browsing
  • Something else

With more details, we'll be able to narrow down the relevant solutions.

more options

We used to be able to click on the lock to override the blocking but that no longer works.

more options

robmm76 said

We used to be able to click on the lock to override the blocking but that no longer works.

If the drop-down panel doesn't give you a button to turn off Content Blocking, then the Content Blocking feature isn't actually blocking anything and there must be some other reason for the problem.

So we need more information about the problem.

more options

What makes you think that Firefox is blocking content? Are websites not working or do you miss content or do websites complain?

more options

When I open a message in Hotmail, the images are blank. I used to be able to click on them or the icon in the top left corner and it would display the photo and article in a new tab. Now I can't do that. If I click on the i or lock or emblem in the address line I get a bunch of documentation about why it is blocked, but no way to override blocking and view the site.

These messages are newsletters that I receive daily and wish to continue reading. I don't have an hour to spend listing web sites to Firefox every time it changes its procedures. I just want to see the message. How do I turn off blocking completely? It isn't worth the trouble.

more options

Hi robmm76, thank you for the additional explanation. Let me recap and follow up:

(1) You get a newsletter in Hotmail (outlook.live.com these days) and the images are missing. This is not new for this newsletter.

One common reason that images might be blocked in a newsletter specifically is "anti-tracking", because the images may be retrieved through services that track who reads the newsletter. One anti-tracking tool is Firefox's built-in Content Blocking, and others include add-ons like Blur, Disconnect, and Privacy Badger (among others). If you use any extensions that block content, please check their toolbar buttons to make sure they are not the culprit.

(2) Previously, one way to get the images to show was to click on them.

I'm not familiar with this method. Just a single left-click? Or was it on the right-click context menu?

(3) Previously, another way to get the image was to click the icon in the top left corner. However, now, you "get a bunch of documentation about why it is blocked, but no way to override blocking and view the site."

What reason is given?

more options

1. The images are not missing, they are present but blank (Blocked).

2. I don't remember. I think I just right-clicked on the blocked image or the icon in the top left corner.

3. No, the top left corner gets nothing. The i and Lock and Shield icons on the address bar give a drop down menu: Secure Connection, Content Blocking ... Strict, and Permissions... None of these gives me a way to view the image.

more options

Hi robmm76, could you right-click one of the images and choose View Image Info. This should call up the Page Info dialog, showing the Media panel. Sometimes the image is selected in the list automatically, and other times you have to click in the list and find the correct image using the preview panel (if it can be previewed).

For a blocked image, could you check whether the checkbox shown in the attached is selected for the site that is the source of the images:

more options