Disallow scripts temporarily on web pages in Firefox

The majority of websites that you visit load one or multiple scripts. Scripts, usually based on JavaScript code, serve a variety of purposes that include powering site functionality, displaying advertisement or tracking users.

There are scripts that are outright annoying or even malicious. A site that is loading new popups whenever you close the old one, another that auto-refreshes in short intervals, and a third that redirects you automatically to another version or site.

One of the best extensions to deal with scripts is the NoScript add-on for Firefox. While powerful, it is rather complex and difficult to get right after installation thanks to its default script blocking configuration and the need to distinguish between good and bad scripts.

Disallow Script Button is another Firefox add-on that you can use to turn off scripts temporarily on sites you visit in the browser.

It is useful in situations where you are stuck on a website, say one that loads popup after popup, or redirects you all the time around, or prevents you from leaving as you can hit the button it makes available to block all scripts running on it.

Since most of these annoying mechanisms are powered by scripts, you effectively shut them down on the site so that you can leave it or prevent it from redirecting you or annoying you in other ways.

The script blocking behavior remains enabled for as long as the page remains open in the browser. Once you hit reload (F5) or close the tab and open the site in a new tab, scripts are enabled again.

One of the available options propagate the current setting to other tabs you open the site in provided that the original tab you executed the script blocking on is still open.

You can disable the reload option so that scripts are not resumed when you hit reload.

The second feature that the extension supports is to configure plugin behavior. You can configure the initial behavior of plugins (enabled or disabled) in the options, and add a button to the Firefox toolbar to switch between both states with a double-click on the icon.

Closing Words

Disallow Script Button is a useful extension for Firefox, especially for situations where sites annoy the hell out of you by running scripts, for instance by not letting you leave the tab or spawning popups, popunders or overlay ads on the screen.

An option to make the decision permanent is unfortunately not provided. It is less useful for blocking scripts outright, as you cannot really do that with the help of the extension.

You do need to consider that sites may stop working if you are using the extension.