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8 Ways to Block Crypto Mining on Your Web Browser

Users can easily fall prey to unsafe practices arising from people involved in crypto services. One such unsafe practice is unauthorized people using your computer’s resources to mine cryptocurrencies. Yes, websites can use your hardware resources to mine cryptocurrencies through your browser. Therefore, in this article, let us see how to block crypto mining on web browsers like Chrome, Brave, Edge, Opera, and Firefox.  

Related | 8 Ways to Remove Crypto from Brave Browser (Mobile, PC)

How to Check if You are Affected By Crypto Mining?

An easy way to check if your hardware is being used for crypto mining is to check your processes on task manager. In order to access your task manager, press CTRL + SHIFT + ESC. Keep a tab on your CPU usage. Normally, it should not exceed 20% and if it does, it doesn’t necessarily mean that your computer is used for mining.

However, if your browser is consistently using a lot of CPU and CPU that decreases once you kill your browser, perhaps you need to follow a few steps to ensure your computer’s hardware is not used for mining.

Block Crypto Mining in Browser

Method 1- Using Built-in Features

Unlike Google Chrome, Firefox and Opera come with inbuilt features to block crypto mining through your web browser. Here’s a step-by-step procedure to block crypto mining on Firefox and Opera.

Block Cryptominers in Firefox

Step 1: Click on the hamburger menu icon. Click on Settings.

Block Crypto Mining in Firefox Browser

Step 2: Click on Privacy and Security.

Step 3: In the Browser Privacy section, select the Standard option for Enhanced Tracking Protection. Enabling this feature set ensures that you also block Cryptominers.

Block Crypto Mining in Firefox Browser

Cryptocurrency Mining Protection in Opera

Step 1: On the homepage of Opera, click on the Settings icon.

Block Crypto Mining in Opera Browser

Step 2: Click on Basic.

Block Crypto Mining in Opera Browser

Step 3: Turn on the toggle for Block ads.

Block Crypto Mining in Opera Browser

Step 4: Select the option for NoCoin. Enabling this feature will ensure that Cryptominers are blocked from Opera.

Crypto Mining Protection in Opera

Method 2- Extensions to Block Crypto Mining

There are several extensions available that help you block crypto mining on your web browsers. This is especially helpful for chromium-based browsers like Chrome, Edge, and Brave as they do not have any dedicated feature to block crypto mining, unlike Firefox and Opera. These extensions block the use of JavaScript on sites that it thinks are using your resources for crypto mining.

On Chrome, Brave and Edge

NoMiner is a popular extension available on Chromium browsers to prevent crypto miners on your browser. Visit the extension page to install the extension, and click on Add to Chrome -> Add Extension.

Extensions to Block Crypto Mining

On Opera

In case you are on an older build of Opera or you have not yet received the inbuilt feature to block crypto miners – as shown in the previous step, you can install the No Coin extension.

Extensions to Block Crypto Mining

Visit the extension site, and click on Add to Opera.

On Firefox

If your version of Firefox does not come with the inbuilt crypto-mining blocker, as covered in the previous method you can use an extension. crypto mining Blocker is a popular extension on Firefox that blocks crypto mining.

Extensions to Block Crypto Mining

Visit the add-on page, and click on Add to Firefox.

Method 3- Use Malwarebytes

Malwarebytes is a tool that can detect malicious and suspicious elements on your web browser. Using this tool is an effective method to block crypto mining on your web browsers.

Step 1: Visit the Malware Bytes installation page. Click on Free Download.

Use Malware Bytes

Step 2: Click the downloaded file in your browser.

Use Malware Bytes

Step 3: Malware Bytes is now installed on your computer. Once you open it, click on Scan.

Use Malware Bytes

Malware bytes will now scan your internet usage and prompt you if there are any malicious elements, which may also potentially use your hardware to mine crypto. This will also help you block and remove such elements.

Method 4- Disable Javascript to Stop Browser Crypto Mining

Most websites use a script to access your hardware resources for crypto mining through your web browsers. A sure-shot method to block crypto mining on your web browsers is to disable JavaScript. Here’s a step-by-step method to do the same.

We do not recommend this method as it can break websites that you use normally, as most websites rely on JavaScript to render content.

On Chrome, Brave and Edge

Step 1: Click on the three-dots menu icon. Click on Settings.

Disable Javascript

Step 2: Click on Security and Privacy.

Disable Javascript

Step 3: Click on Site Settings.

Disable Javascript

Step 4: Click on JavaScript.

Disable Javascript

Step 5: Select the option Don’t allow sites to use Javascript.

Step 6: In case you are aware of a few sites that use your system for Crypto Mining, click on the Add button next to Not allowed to use Javascript and add the URLs.

Disable Javascript

On Opera

Step 1: On the homepage of Opera, click on the Settings icon.

Disable Javascript

Step 2: Click on Privacy and Security and Click on Site Settings.

Disable Javascript

Step 3: Click on JavaScript.

Disable Javascript

Step 4: Select the option Don’t allow sites to use Javascript.

Step 5: If you are aware of the sites that use your system for Crypto Mining, click on the Add button next to Not allowed to use Javascript and add the URLs to block them.

Disable Javascript

On Firefox

Step 1: On the Firefox address bar, type in about: config.

Disable Javascript

Step 2: Click on Accept the Risk and Continue.

Disable Javascript

Step 3: Search for javascript.enabled.

Step 4: Click on the toggle option, as shown in the image below. This will now change the value from True to False.

Step 5: In case you want to reset this setting and enable back JavaScript, click on the reset button on the same page.

Method 5- Use Ad Blockers

Most of the websites that intend to your computer hardware for crypto mining use ads to reach your web browser. Hence, using an ad blocker is an effective way to block crypto mining on your web browsers.

On Google Chrome

Adblock Plus is a safe and popular choice among many users to block ads on your browser. Here’s how to install the extension.

Step 1: Visit the extension page. Click on Add To Chrome -> Add Extension.

Step 2: Click on the Extensions icon on the toolbar. Click on Adblock Plus.

Step 3: The extension is now active and it will display the stats related to the ads that are blocked as you use your browser.

This extension is also available for Firefox. Click on this link to install the extension on Firefox.

On Opera

One advantage of using the Opera browser is that it comes in with an in-built ad blocker. Here’s how to enable the feature.

Step 1: On the homepage of Opera, click on the Settings icon.

Step 2: Click on Basic.

Step 3: Turn on the toggle for Block ads.

On Brave Browser

Brave Browser is renowned for its privacy features and it also comes with a very powerful adblocker. Brave Shields is a feature set provided by Brave to block ads on websites.

Step 1: On any website that you visit, click on the lion resembling Shields icon on the toolbar.

Step 2: You can now take a look at the number of ads that are blocked by Brave on the site that you visit.

Method 6- Use Tracker Blockers

Similar to Ads, websites that want to use your hardware for crypto mining can reach out to your web browser through trackers. Here’s how you can block trackers and hence block crypto mining from your web browsers.

On Chrome, and Edge

Step 1: Visit the Disconnect extension page. Click on Add to Chrome -> Add Extension.

Step 2: Click on the extension’s menu in the top right corner—select Disconnect.

Step 3: This window will show you the extension in action and the number of trackers it blocks on any particular website.

On Brave Browser

Brave Browser comes in with a solid in-built tracker blocker through Brave Shields. It is enabled by default and here’s how you can watch this feature in action.

Step 1: Click on the lion resembling Shields icon on the toolbar.

Step 2: In the Shields menu that pops up, click on Advanced View.

Step 3: You can now see the number of trackers that it has blocked on any website.

On Opera

Opera Browser comes with a built-in feature to block trackers. Here’s how to enable this feature.

Step 1: On the homepage of Opera, click on the Settings icon.

Step 2: Click on Basic.

Step 3: Turn on the toggle for Block Trackers.

On Firefox

Firefox has also added an inbuilt feature to block trackers. Follow the below steps to enable the feature.

Step 1: Click on the hamburger menu icon and select Settings.

Step 2: Click on Privacy and Security.

Step 3: In the Browser Privacy section, select the Standard option for Enhanced Tracking Protection. Enabling this feature set blocks trackers on Firefox.

Method 7- Make Changes in the Host File

A manual method of blocking specific domains you know, that use your computer hardware for crypto mining is editing the host’s file in your system. Your browser will be unable to connect to these domains as a result of this blocking, and hence websites can’t reach your computer resources for crypto mining.

We can change the host’s file, add the URL and point it to 0.0.0.0, as shown below.

Step 1: Type in C:\Windows\System32\drivers\etc on the windows explorer address bar.

Step 2: Click on the hosts file.

Step 3: Select the Notepad option to open the file.

Step 4: Scroll down the file, and type in the URL of the site. Add 0.0.0.0 preceding the address of the site.

Step 5: Click on Ctrl + S to save the file.

Method 8- Remove Suspicious Extensions

Lastly, you need to ensure that you do not have any suspicious plugins or extensions installed on your web browsers. Websites can also use your computer resources to mine through multiple plugins and extensions.

Remove Suspicious Extensions

Duly visit your extension pages on your browser and ensure that any unwanted extensions are removed.

Stop Crypto Mining in Browser

These were some of the methods to block crypto mining on your web browser. While cryptocurrencies are exciting and revolutionary, we need to be aware of unsafe practices like these and ensure we do not fall prey to the same. To stay aware and update yourself, you can always hop on to Browser To Use as we are always here to help you maintain your online safety through our guides.

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Supreeth Koundinya

Hey there, I'm Supreeth! I currently cover browser-related technology on Browser to Use! I'm an engineer, I love technology, and forever curious to explore and learn anything related to it!