If you’ve ever noticed “about:blank” in your browser’s address bar, you’re simply looking at an empty page built into your web browser.

This feature is present in Google Chrome, Mozilla Firefox, Apple Safari, Microsoft Edge, Internet Explorer, and other browsers.

There’s nothing harmful about about:blank. In fact, some people set it as their homepage to ensure their browser starts with a blank screen. 

However, if your browser constantly opens to about:blank and you’d rather it display something else, there are ways to change that.

Understanding about:blank

about:blank is a built-in blank page that your web browser can display. The “about:” command tells the browser to show internal pages.

For example, entering about:settings in Chrome’s address bar opens the settings page, while about:downloads displays the downloads list.

When you enter about:blank in the address bar and press Enter, your browser loads an empty page. This isn’t a webpage from the internet—it’s part of the browser itself.

Why Is about:blank Used?

Some users prefer to set about:blank as their homepage so their browser always starts with an empty screen.

This can be easily adjusted in browser settings by choosing about:blank as the default homepage.

Additionally, browsers may load about:blank if they don’t have any other page to display upon launch.

Since a browser always needs to show something, an empty page serves as a default fallback.

Is about:blank a Virus or Malware?

No, about:blank is not a virus or malicious software. However, if you suspect your computer is infected with malware, running a scan with a trusted security program is a good idea.

Malwarebytes is a solid choice for both Windows and Mac users. The free version allows manual scans to detect and remove threats, while the Premium version includes automatic real-time protection.

How to Stop about:blank from Appearing?

You can’t completely remove about:blank since it’s a built-in feature of your browser.

However, you can stop it from appearing when your browser opens by changing your homepage settings.

Here’s how to do that in different browsers:

Google Chrome:

1. Open Chrome and go to Settings from the menu.
2. Scroll to the On startup section.
3. Select Open the New Tab page or remove about:blank from the list of startup pages.
4. Set a new homepage of your choice.

Mozilla Firefox:

1. Click the menu and go to Options > Home.
2. Under Homepage and new windows, select a different homepage.
3. Ensure that “about:blank” or “Blank Page” is not selected.

Apple Safari (Mac):

1. Click Safari > Preferences > General.
2. Locate the Homepage field.
3. Remove “about:blank” and enter the URL of your preferred homepage.

Microsoft Edge:

1. Open Edge and go to Settings > On startup.
2. Select Open a new tab or remove about:blank from the startup list.
3. Choose a different page to open at launch.

Internet Explorer (For Legacy Use Only):

1. Click the gear icon and select Internet Options.
2. Under the General tab, find the homepage field.
3. Delete “about:blank” and enter your preferred website.

Conclusion

about:blank is simply an empty page built into your browser. While it isn’t harmful, it can be annoying if it keeps appearing when you open your browser.

Fortunately, changing your browser’s settings can prevent it from loading automatically. 

If you ever suspect malware on your system, running a scan with security software can help ensure your browser settings haven’t been altered by harmful programs.