December 22, 2025 Google has begun rolling out a change on Chrome that automatically blocks or revokes notification permissions from websites that users rarely interact with or that generate excessive alerts. This means that Chrome users will see far fewer pop-ups and alerts. The feature was first introduced on Android and is now expanding to desktop versions of Chrome.
The update expands Google’s push to make the web less distracting. According to Google, internal data shows that less than one per cent of browser notifications receive any user interaction. This data is even as people continue to be bombarded by pop-ups, alerts and permission prompts.
Instead of repeatedly presenting users with the familiar “Allow” or “Block” pop-up, Chrome may now stop some notification requests entirely. When this happens, users see a small message near the address bar explaining that the request was blocked, sometimes stating that Chrome believes the user does not want notifications from that site.
Google says the system targets websites that users have not interacted with recently or that generate a high volume of notifications with little engagement. The goal, the company says, is to “help you cut through the noise and reduce notification overload,” without removing user control entirely.
Chrome emphasizes that the change is meant to improve clarity and timing, not to permanently block legitimate alerts. So, users remain in control. According to the company, users are notified when Chrome removes notification permissions, and Google says it is easy to reverse the decision. Permissions can be re-enabled through Chrome’s Safety Check feature or by visiting the website again and manually allowing notifications.
This update builds on earlier efforts to tame abusive notification behaviour. Around 2020, Chrome introduced quieter permission prompts and protections against sites that tried to trick users into enabling alerts. The latest update goes further by acting automatically and focusing on timing and clarity rather than constant prompts.
Google’s approach also highlights how browser makers are increasingly acting as intermediaries between users and the modern web, deciding not just how content is displayed, but which interactions are worth surfacing at all. With Chrome accounting for a dominant share of global browser usage, even small changes to default behaviour can reshape how the internet feels day to day.
