JavaScript is the lifeline of web applications and scripted tasks on the browsers. It's essentially a scripting language for the web that tells the browser on your laptops and smartphones about the moving parts and interactive elements available on web pages. Most websites require JavaScript to be enabled for their features to work properly, as disabling it would break things like dynamic content loading, interactive elements, HTTP requests, and even ads that support the site.

Most websites have JavaScript enabled by default, but you can disable it via the settings. In fact, there are some advantages to disabling JavaScript on your web browser, too, so it's nice to have the option to enable or disable JavaScript. If you are wondering how to enable (or disable) JavaScript in Google Chrome or simply want to check whether it's enabled, then here's how to do it.

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Enabling JavaScript via settings in Google Chrome

A simple way to allow sites to use JavaScript in web browsers

Turning JavaScript on or off is fairly simple, and it only takes a few minutes. Let's look at a step-by-step guide detailing how to enable — or disable — JavaScript in Google Chrome:

  1. Open a new tab in Google Chrome.
  2. Paste this URL on the address bar and press the Enter key: 
    Chrome://settings/content/javascript
  3. You'll now see options to allow or prevent sites from using JavaScript.
  4. Simply select your preferred choice and reload the web pages to see how enabling or disabling affects various websites.

Allow or block JavaScript on specific websites

If you don't want to block JavaScript on all websites, you can also use a built-in feature in Chrome to block or allow JavaScript on specific websites. To do that:

  1. Open a new tab in Google Chrome.
  2. Paste this URL on the address bar and press the Enter key: 
    Chrome://settings/content/javascript
  3. Locate the Customized behaviors section on this page, and click the Add button next to the Not allowed to use JavaScript option.
  4. Enter the URL of the site you want to block from using JavaScript in the pop-up window and click Add.

And that's it. The site will now be added to the list of sites that are blocked from using JavaScript, and you'll start seeing the 'Blocked JavaScript' icon on the address bar for that particular website.

It's better to leave JavaScript enabled in Google Chrome

Disabling JavaScript, as I previously mentioned, may end up breaking a lot of websites on the internet. Most modern websites heavily rely on JavaScript for some of their core functionalities, and they'll cease to function when you disable JavaScript. It'll particularly affect social media sites and the web version of messaging platforms that rely on JavaScript for things like automatic timeline updates, background refresh, and more.

Disabling JavaScript is just as easy as enabling it using the steps highlighted above, so you can always visit Google Chrome settings and quickly block sites from using it.