We will explain what the SPDY protocol for Google Chrome is exactly, and thereafter, we’ll see exactly the meaning of ERR_SPDY_PROTOCOL_ERROR.

Afterward, we’ll look at five ways in which this error can be fixed.

An Introduction to SPDY in Google Chrome

SPDY, pronounced “speedy,” is a networking technology designed by Google with the motive of boosting web content delivery. It is a protocol designed to replace HTTP.

HTTP is a web protocol that allows browsers and servers to communicate and interact with each other. It provides basic request/response semantics.

There are some issues with HTTP which SPDY was designed to replace. One of such is the increase of page load time by at least 5%. It also uses Transmission Control Protocol (TCP) as the underlying transport layer to be compatible with the existing network infrastructure.

TCP is a genetically reliable transport that guarantees delivery of the data. It also reduces latency.

Other advantages of SPDY include:

• Reduced bandwidth consumption
• Increased efficiency
• User Experience Improvements (UX)

SPDY alters web traffic and data after it leaves the server, thereby reducing bandwidth use. As a result, consumers may have a faster experience.

It can also assist in fixing a lot of problems associated with the use of HTTP. One of which is that HTTP can only retrieve one thing at a time, whereas SPDY can download numerous files at once.

Understanding the ERR_SPDY_PROTOCOL_ERROR in Chrome

The ERR_SPDY_PROTOCOL_ERROR is an error that is seen with the use of the Chrome browser. It shows that the problem encountered is not from the site being checked but with the Chrome browser that is being used.

This means that with other browsers, this error is not displayed the same. However, it is important to note that other error messages occur which are specific to other browsers.

For example, PR_CONNECT_RESET_ERROR is specific to Firefox.

When this error is encountered, there is a limitation to the access of certain webpages especially those that are Google-owned like Gmail, YouTube, Blogger, and the likes.

However, this does not mean it cannot occur on unrelated websites, and this is a sign that the SPDY protocol no longer supports the browser.

How to Fix the ERR_SPDY_PROTOCOL_ERROR in Chrome

Since you have an idea of what the ERR_SPDY_PROTOCOL_ERROR message is all about, it is time we talked about how it can be fixed.

Here are some of the things you can do to fix the problem:

1. Update and Restart your Chrome Browser
2. Use Google Chrome’s Incognito Mode
3. Clear Your Browsing Cache
4. Flush the SPDY Pockets
5. Clean the DNS and Renew the IP
6. Switch to another browser
7. Disable your antivirus
8. Use the Chrome Cleanup Tool

Note that these approaches are specific to Google Chrome and may not work for other browsers. Any attempt to try the steps in another browser might be useless.

1. Update and Restart Your Browser

The first solution that should come to mind is updating or restarting the browser. Sometimes, that might be all that is needed to fix this error as simple as it seems, which should restore access to specific websites.

To do this, close the browser, open it, and try to gain access to the website again. Note that this solution is a temporary solution and you may want to find a more permanent fix by trying some of the other methods.

If this error is not resolved after restarting the browser, then you could try to update Chrome to the latest version.

To do this, go to the top right corner of your browser. You’ll see three vertical dots – click on them. Then, go to Help > About Google Chrome.

You will be taken to an ‘about’ page. This will show you the current version of the Chrome browser you are using. If it needs updating, it will begin to download the newest version.

Once it has finished updating, click on the Relaunch button.

Then, go to the webpage again and see if ERR_SPDY_PROTOCOL_ERROR has been fixed. If it hasn’t, then move on to the next method.

2. Use Google Chrome’s Incognito Mode

Another easy and efficient way to solve the problem is to use Chrome in ‘incognito’ mode. To do this, go to the menu of your Chrome browser and click on, “New incognito window.”

Another way to access the incognito mode is to press Ctrl+Shift+N on your keyboard. Once it has been activated, enter the web address of the site you’re trying to open into the search bar.

If this solves the problem, then you’ll be able to access the site. Take note that this is not a permanent solution and you still have to find out how you’ll get a more stable fix for the issue.

If the problem persists, then try the next method.

3. Clear Your Browsing Cache

If the webpage is still unavailable after restarting your browser and utilizing incognito mode, you can try clearing your browser’s cache.

A cache allows images and web pages to be pre-stored on your hard drive for quicker access if you return to the same sites or pages with the same components.

To clear your cache, open Chrome and go to Settings. Then, scroll down to the bottom of the page and choose the Advanced link.

This will bring up a drop-down menu with additional options. Select, “Clear browsing data.”

After that, you’ll see a new window with two tabs: Basic and Advanced.

It is advised to stay in the Basic tab. This prevents you from losing your passwords, auto-fill data, and other important data. Simply click the “Clear data” button and wait a few moments for the browser to finish.

Restart your browser after the process is finished to see if ERR_SPDY_PROTOCOL_ERROR persists. If it does, you can move on to the next method.

4. Flush the SPDY Sockets

This is one of the most effective approaches that help to solve the ERR_SPDY_PROTOCOL_ERROR. The following steps are taken to flush the SPDY socket; Open your Chrome browser and type or copy and paste the URL below:

chrome://net-internals/#events&q=type:SPDY_SESSION%20is:active

Then press enter and it should take you to a page similar to this:

On the left-hand navigation panel, select Sockets:

Using the drop-down for “capturing events,” click the Flush sockets link from the list. Then try going back to the site that prompted the error to see whether the issue has been fixed or it persists.

If the error persists, there’s one other option that you can try.

5. Clean the DNS and Renew the IP

If you’ve done all the following and are still getting the ERR_SPDY_PROTOCOL_ERROR message, the problem may be with your Domain Name System (DNS).

You’ll need to open a command prompt to flush out your DNS.

For Windows PC

Most Windows operating systems have a command-line interpreter app called a command prompt. Its function is to carry out directives that you enter on the command line.

The majority of those commands use scripts and batch files to automate activities, conduct advanced administrative functions, and troubleshoot or resolve specific Windows issues.

This can be accomplished in Windows by pressing Win + R, followed by “cmd” in the windows that display. Then, press Enter.

Also, you can open the Start menu and type “Command Prompt” or “CMD” in the search field. Then, select Run as administrator:

If you are using a Mac, you can use Terminal to get to the command prompt.

Once in the command prompt, type in the following and hit enter:

ipconfig /flushdns

Once the operation completes, check the website you’re trying to access again.

For Mac

To achieve this, launch Finder and then select Applications from the left-hand panel:

After that, go down and select the Utility folder, then Terminal:

Once in the terminal, enter the following command and hit enter:

sudo dscacheutil -flushcache;sudo killall -HUP mDNSResponder

You may have to enter your Mac’s password to complete the task. Afterward, check the website you’re trying to access again to see if the problem persists.

6. Switch to Another Browser

If all the above methods did not solve the problem, another alternative is to switch to another browser. Browsers differ in how much they handle protocol errors.

In other words, not all browsers will have identical issues across the board.

For instance, Google Chrome’s security might flag a secured website as being unsecured simply because of the type of SSL being used. On the other hand, Firefox or Microsoft Edge might not detect the same site as having an issue.

Alternative browsers include Opera, Mozilla Firefox, and Microsoft Edge. You can try using the browsers to explore the site to determine if the issue continues.

7. Disable your Antivirus

Sometimes, the problem encountered can be a result of antivirus software. Disabling it for a while may be the solution to remedy the problem.

Another alternative is switching to another antivirus application. Many Avast Security software subscribers have the “err spdy protocol error” when visiting certain websites.

If you’re using Avast specifically, you can try the following:

• Open Avast and go to the Settings menu.
• Select “active” Protection.
• From the drop-down menu, choose “Customize Web Shield Protection.”
• Add the website addresses one by one to the “URLs to exclude” column.

8. Use the Cleanup Tool on Google Chrome

Many experts recommend using the Chrome Cleanup Tool. It can be used to fix the ERR_SPDY_PROTOCOL_ERROR in Google Chrome.

It uninstalls any unwanted extensions that are interfering with your browser.

To fix the problem, simply download and run Chrome Cleanup Tool. When the tool has finished scanning the PC, check to see if the issue has been addressed.

Summary

Google Chrome is a very common browser with a staggering 65% market share currently, and it has a very good performance rate in most cases.

However, there are sometimes you may come across some error messages such as ERR_SPDY_PROTOCOL_ERROR, which prevents your access to certain websites.

Although this problem can be frustrating, it is a problem that can be resolved without a lot of technical knowledge. And the above steps demonstrate how easy it is to fix the error.

The post How to Fix ERR_SPDY_PROTOCOL_ERROR in Chrome appeared first on GreenGeeks.

It’s a lot easier than it sounds.

You probably know that the Internet’s DNS system matches domain names to server IP addresses. If you perform a ping or traceroute a domain name, you get the IP address of the server the website lives on.

But did you know that the DNS lookup doesn’t take place every time you go to a website? First, your computer or device searches its own local cache to see if you’ve been to the site before. If so, there’s no need to ask the DNS system which IP address belongs to the domain you’re going to visit.

But what happens when your favorite site moves to a new server or IP address? You could be stuck viewing an old version of the website. Or not seeing the site at all, just an error. The same thing can happen when you make certain updates to your own site, like adding a security certificate.

So, how do you force your computer to ask the DNS system where the site is rather than relying on local cache information? Clear your DNS cache.

Let’s take a look at how that’s done.

How to Clear DNS Cache on a Windows Computer

To flush DNS on a Windows 10 computer, open a command prompt. You do that by clicking the Windows Start icon and typing “cmd.” Click either “Open” or “Run as administrator.” You don’t need administrator privileges to clear the DNS cache. Either option will work.

Type “ipconfig /flushdns” and hit your Enter key.

You’ll see the message, “Successfully flushed the DNS Resolver Cache.”

Your next query for a website will consult the DNS system for the most recent record since there are no records in your local cache.

Note that we’re using the terms “clear” and “flush” interchangeably, and while these instructions are specifically for Windows 10, the process is the same for all recent versions of Windows.

How to Clear DNS Cache on a Mac Computer

It’s a little more complicated to flush the DNS cache on a Mac. Open the Terminal program (go to “Applications” then “Utilities” or hit the Command + Space keys to launch Spotlight, then search for “terminal.app”).

The command we’re going to use starts with “sudo,” so you’ll need to enter the administrator password for the account when you run the command.

The exact command to use depends on the O/S version you’re using. But for most of the recent versions, use:

[ht_message mstyle=”info” title=”” show_icon=”” id=”” class=”” style=””]sudo killall -HUP mDNSResponder[/ht_message]

When the command is executed, you won’t get any feedback that it’s finished. You can add an audio notice of completion by adding “say” to the command:

[ht_message mstyle=”info” title=”” show_icon=”” id=”” class=”” style=””]sudo killall -HUP mDNSResponder; say DNS flush complete[/ht_message]

If that doesn’t seem to do the trick for you, try one of these older commands:

• sudo dscacheutil -flushcache; sudo killall -HUP mDNSResponder
• sudo discoveryutil mdnsflushcache; sudo discoveryutil udnsflushcaches
• sudo dscacheutil -flushcache
• lookupd -flushcache

How to Clear DNS Cache in the Chrome Browser

Google’s Chrome browser keeps a DNS cache that could include sites you’ve never visited(!). That happens because Chrome pre-fetches DNS information for all the links on the pages you view. That’s meant to speed up browsing, but it can also make for a large cache over time.

Let’s get rid of it.

Open up Chrome and enter this in the address bar:

[ht_message mstyle=”info” title=”” show_icon=”” id=”” class=”” style=””]chrome://net-internals/#dns[/ht_message]

Click the “Clear host cache” button.

Like the Mac DNS flush, the Chrome page doesn’t give you any indication that anything has happened, so I leave the page open in a tab for a while to let it do its thing.

There are other caches in Chrome that can affect how some websites are rendered. Go to:

[ht_message mstyle=”info” title=”” show_icon=”” id=”” class=”” style=””]chrome://settings/clearBrowserData[/ht_message]

(You can also hit the Ctrl + Shift + Del keys, or click the “Customize and control” icon, select “more tools,” then “Clear browsing data…”.)

Deleting some kinds of browser cache can wipe out certain day-to-day conveniences that you enjoy, so I don’t want to recommend clearing too much here. But deleting “Cached images and files” is usually enough to troubleshoot website issues.

If you need to know how to clear the Chrome cache on a Mac, we’ve got you covered.

A Little Bit About DNS

You can clear your DNS cache as often as you’d like. There’s no negative impact. The time it takes to resolve domain names to IP addresses without a local cache is usually just a fraction of a second, so it’s not something most of us would notice.

Without going too far out into the weeds, 13 “root” DNS servers hold the master list, so to speak, of all domain to IP correlations. But if we all had to access only 13 servers to do DNS resolution, the web would probably crawl to a halt pretty quickly.

What happens instead is your ISP mirrors (takes a copy of) one of the root servers and uses it on their network. That copy is updated when there are changes on the root server. So when your computer needs to do a DNS lookup to get to a site, you’re talking to your ISP’s DNS servers.

If your ISP’s DNS servers don’t have an answer for your query, they consult one of the root DNS servers.

It Just Works

Most of us never think about the DNS system that makes the web work, and that’s as it should be. It’s a fundamental part of the infrastructure of the Internet, and it’s supposed to work without us giving it any thought.

But when you need to do some troubleshooting, it’s good to know enough to get yourself a fresh DNS result, and hopefully, that’s what we’ve done here.

Do you think about the DNS system every day?

Sorry, that was kind of a trick question. People who have to think about the DNS system every day aren’t reading this. They’re way more important than we are. Don’t bother them.

How about, have you ever had to flush DNS or cache for troubleshooting purposes? How often do you check the cache in your web browsers?

The post How to Clear the DNS Cache in Windows, MAC and Chrome appeared first on GreenGeeks.

There are basically two ways to allow ads in Chrome:

1. You can allow all ads.
2. Allow ads on specific sites by whitelisting them.

Note: Remember, ad blocking is only available in Chrome 64 and above. If you don’t see it, please make sure your Chrome browser is up-to-date.

Why Would You Want to Allow Ads on Certain Sites?

There are certain situations in which you might want to whitelist a site or learn how to disable adblock in Chrome. When you disable the ad blocker, it will allow ads to be shown across the browser.

However, you can simply turn off the ad blocker for specific sites and allow them to show ads. You may want to do this for a couple of reasons.

There may be some websites you come across that you want to see relevant and outreaching ads for. So you would want to whitelist these sites. However, perhaps the major reason to turn off the ad blocker for specific sites is that it might be a site for a blogger or a friend. You want to help them, so you make sure adblock is disabled in Chrome for these specific sites.

In fact, some of us disable the adblock feature for charity sites to help show support. After all, a lot of charity organizations and bloggers rely on ad revenue to keep the site running.

Whatever the reason may be for you, here is how you can easily allow ads in Chrome when you want to. Let’s explore both ways.

How to Allow All Ads in Chrome

Launch the Google Chrome browser from your desktop. The Chrome icon looks like a colored ball with a blue dot at the center. You can find it in your Applications folder on a Mac, or in your Start menu on Windows.

Once the Chrome browser is open, click the three-dot icon. This icon is located next to the address bar in the upper-right corner of your browser window. It will open a dropdown menu. Go down to the “Settings” option and click on it.

From the Setting’s page, scroll all the way down to the bottom until you see the “Advanced” area. Click on it and a more advanced setting’s option will drop down and be displayed.

Now that the advanced setting’s options are displayed, scroll down until you see “Site Settings.” You will find it near the bottom of the “Privacy & Security” group of options.

This is what you want to click on next.

You will see quite a few options available to you at this point. Scroll down some until you see the “Ads” tab.

Click on this.

From this page, you have a couple of simple options.

Click on the “Blocked on sites that show intrusive or misleading ads” toggle button to turn it on.

You have now disabled adblock in Chrome for all sites.

Allow Ads on Specific Website

If you want to allow ads in Chrome for specific websites, the process is pretty simple.

For this, you will need to be on the website that you want Chrome to allow ads. In this demonstration, we are on the GreenGeeks website. However, navigate to the site of your choice.

You will see that in the navigation bar there will be a “lock” symbol. Click on it.

A dropdown menu will appear. Click on the “Site Settings” option in the dropdown.

Once you are on the setting’s page for the website, scroll down until you see “Ads.” Choose “Allow” in the dropdown menu to the right and you are now able to allow ads in Chrome on this particular website.

Do this for any website you want to allows ads to run on.

Final Thoughts

The Google Chrome browser continues to evolve into one of the better browsers available. If you are someone who wants to have total control over ads that run in Chrome, then Turning off the ad blocker for specific websites is for you.

Have you been successful in turning ads on or off for specific sites? Are you using the built-in ad blocker in Chrome or an extension to accomplish this?

The post How to Allow Ads in Chrome from Specific Sites appeared first on GreenGeeks.

The location settings in Chrome, or any other browser for that matter, help with search results. This is especially true when you are searching for something in your area.

That being said, there are a number of reasons you may want to change locations settings in Chrome. Use the simple steps below to do so. Remember, you can also take other steps to increase your privacy in Chrome as well.

Change Location Settings in Chrome

Launch the Google Chrome browser on your computer. The Chrome icon looks like a colored ball with a blue dot at the center. You can find it in your Applications folder on a Mac, or on your Start menu in Windows.

Once the browser is open, search for something you want to find by typing it in the address bar at the top of the page. Press “Enter” after you type your search topic in the address bar.

When a list of search results pops up, find the “Settings” tab at the top of the search page and click on it. In the drop down menu that shows, click on the “Search Settings” option.

Note: This will open the entire Search Setting’s page for Google Chrome. Being signed into your actual Google Chrome account will allow you to get more relevant search results.

Once on this page, scroll all the way down to the settings for “Region.” You will find it at the bottom of the page.

Select the region that you want to see search results from. If your region is not listed, click on the “Show More” option to view additional areas.

When you have selected the region you want, don’t forget to click on the “Save” button to make sure your choice is saved. You will see a confirmation popup box that the region settings have been changed.

Now you will be able to see search results based on the region you have selected. You can always change location settings in Chrome back to the original region, or any other area you wish.

The post How to Change Location Settings in Chrome appeared first on GreenGeeks.

From the Chrome extension settings page, you can perform functions like removing current, deactivating or activating your current extensions. You can even view full Chrome extension details.

Older versions of the Chrome browser did not have an easy to access menu link to extensions on their settings page. That has since changed. Now you can access Chrome extension settings two ways.

Let’s take a look at both ways to access the page so that you can change Chrome extension settings when needed.

How to Manage Chrome Extension Settings

Launch the Google Chrome browser on your computer. The Chrome icon looks like a colored ball with a blue dot at the center. You can find it in your Applications folder on a Mac, or on your Start menu on Windows.

To manage the Chrome Extensions settings:

1. Launch Google Chrome
2. Open Customize and Control (top right, three-dot icon)
3. Open “More Tools” and go to “Extensions”
4. Manage the available extensions

It’s not that difficult of a process to manage your Chrome extension settings as long as you know where to look.

Let’s dive a bit deeper into the steps.

Step 1: Open Google Chrome on Your Computer

Step 2: Open Customize and Control Settings

This is the three-dot icon on the top right of Google Chrome. It’s located just below the “X” to close the window.

Step 3: Go to “More Tools” and click, “Extensions.”

Step 4: Make your Adjustments

From here, you can change extension settings when and how you want. You can view details, remove (delete) extensions and look at full details. You can also search extensions by name in the search bar.

NOTE: You can also open the Chrome Extenions window by going directly to the page using this address in your browser:
[ht_message mstyle=”info” title=”” show_icon=”” id=”” class=”” style=”” ]chrome://extensions/[/ht_message]

Simply close the extensions tab when you are finished. Changes to extensions are made in real-time, so there is no save option available. It’s all automatic and instant.

That’s it! You can now quickly and easily change Chrome extension settings whenever you need to.

It’s Easy to Manage Chrome Extensions

In reality, it only takes a few seconds to change chrome extensions settings. Google makes it incredibly easy to enable, disable, or even remove tools you no longer need.

You can also choose to manage your Chrome Apps from the extension window.

The post How To Change Extension Settings in Google Chrome appeared first on GreenGeeks.

These days, it is very common for us to have multiple devices in which we do work or surf the web. Perhaps you may have a computer at home and at work.

You want to be able to access all the same content on all computers no matter where you are.

For instance, maybe you bookmark a web page in Google Chrome and want to read it later on a different device. This is exactly why you would want to backup and then restore your Google Chrome settings.

Using Google Chrome’s Sync Feature will allow you to use the same settings and user data across multiple devices.

You can either copy the user data from the Google Chrome folder on your computer or use the “Sync” feature that will backup and restore Chrome on all devices you log into.

Where Are Google Chrome Settings Stored?

Google Chrome individual user settings are actually stored in a file called “Preferences.” This is located and stored in the user’s profile. The preferences settings file is automatically created the first time someone uses Chrome. You can search for the file and find it in:

[ht_message mstyle=”info” title=”” show_icon=”” id=”” class=”” style=”” ]directory C:\Users\%UserName%\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome\User Data\Default[/ht_message]

This is a hidden folder, and you may need to make it visible in order to find it. But, this “Default” folder should have all of your settings, cache, extensions, and more. Just copy it from the User Data folder and store it somewhere safe.

Backup and Restore Google Chrome Settings

There are two parts to this. Neither are difficult. First, you want to backup settings in Google Chrome. Then once the backup is complete, you want to restore settings. Let’s take a quick look at how to do both.

For quick reference, create a backup and restore of Google Chrome by:

1. Launch Chrome Browser
2. Open the settings tab.
3. Turn on Sync.
4. Log into your Google account, if you’re not already logged in.
5. Access sync settings.
6. Select “manage sync.”
7. Turn on “Sync everything” if it’s disabled.
8. Launch Chrome Browser from another device.
9. Access settings tab again.
10. Sign in to your Google account.

It’s really not that difficult of a task and works almost instantly across all of your devices.

So, let’s take a bit of a closer look at how to do this step by step.

Step 1: Launch the Google Chrome Browser From Your Desktop

The Chrome icon looks like a colored ball with a blue dot at the center. You can find it in your Applications folder on a Mac, or on your Start menu in Windows.

Step 2: Open the Settings Window

Once the Chrome browser is open, click the three-dot icon. This icon is located next to the address bar in the upper-right corner of your browser window. It will open a drop-down menu.

From that drop-down menu find “Settings” and click on it.

Step 3: Click the “Turn on sync” Button

Once you are taken to the Google Chrome setting’s page you will see a blue button at the top of the page called “Turn on sync.” You can also access this button by clicking on the profile icon located on the top right of the browser.

Doing that will show you a flyout menu, and you can access the button from there as well.

Step 4: Log into Google, if You’re Not Already

When you enable the “Turn on sync” button one of two things will happen:

1. You are already logged in, in which case you can just skip this step.
2. You are not logged into your Chrome profile and a login page will appear.

Go ahead and log in to your Google Chrome account if you haven’t already. Simply put in your info and move on.

Step 5: Access Sync Settings

After logging in, a “Turn on sync” option will appear in the form of a popup box. Click on the “Settings’ button to take you to the sync settings for Google.

Step 6: Click “Manage Sync.”

From this page, you will see the setup in progress and some other options. Select the “Manage sync” option.

Step 7: Enable “Sync Everything.”

This will take you to the main Google sync page where you can select the options you want to sync. I recommend you turn the “Sync everything” toggle button on.

This will back up all of your Google Chrome settings and make sure you have them all on other devices.

Note: If the Sync everything toggle is already turned on and showing blue, it means that Chrome has already backed up all your settings and you are good to go.

You have successfully backed up your Google Chrome settings. Now it is time to restore them and finish the process.

Step 8: Launch the Google Chrome Browser from Desktop

Note: Make sure you are signing in to your Chrome account on a different device.

The Chrome icon looks like a colored ball with a blue dot at the center. You can find it in your Applications folder on a Mac, or on your Start menu in Windows.

Step 9: Access Settings Tab Again

Once the Chrome browser is open, click the three-dot icon. This icon is located next to the address bar in the upper-right corner of your browser window. It will open a drop-down menu.

From that drop-down menu find “Settings” and click on it.

Step 10: Sign In to Google Account

Google will prompt you to sign in to your Chrome account. Simply sign in to your account and the browser will automatically restore your settings in Google Chrome on the device you are on.

There you have it. You now know how to backup and restore settings in Google Chrome. Now you can jump around on devices and still have all your personal information available.

Final Thoughts

Google Chrome gives you the ability to sync all of your browser settings across all devices you use. This is a big deal because you will be able to access all relevant browser content, bookmarks, settings, and data across everything from smartphones to desktop computers.

Have you found that completing the steps above gives you more freedom on other devices? Do you back up and synch data on any other browsers?

The post How To Backup and Restore All Settings in Google Chrome appeared first on GreenGeeks.

After all, Google Chrome holds more than 60% of the market share for browsers across the world.

For many, the problem is Chrome shows the XML coding elements of the feed. Which makes the RSS look like a jumbled mess and ultra-difficult to read.

Today, I’ll show you three ways you and your visitors can fix the problem of RSS feeds not working in Chrome.

Using the RSS Subscription Extension

Perhaps one of the easiest ways to fix WordPress RSS feeds not working in Chrome is to install the “RSS Subscription Extension.” This Chrome add-on will show when a WordPress RSS feed is available when you visit a website.

It also comes with a couple of feed readers while giving you the option to add more web-based apps.

Once you install the extension, it will clean up the XML markup and give you options to subscribe using your preferred reader.

This extension was developed by Google to address the problem of Chrome RSS feeds not working properly.

Using Feedburner

FeedBurner is a Google-based service which allows visitors to subscribe to the feed regardless of their browser type. If you discover too many people having issues on the WordPress website, it might not be a bad idea to use it to distribute the content.

Once you create an account, you can then add the RSS link for FeedBurner on your website. This gives guests the option to subscribe to the feed while still using Google Chrome.

The downside to using Feedburner is sometimes you’ll come across problems updating the RSS feed. This is mostly due to the fact that Google hasn’t spent much time upgrading the system over the past several years.

However, you can often fix Feedburner updating problems yourself by making a few adjustments to your site’s cache or by using PingSHot within the reader itself.

Using Netvibes

Netvibes is an extensive platform that gives you options for collecting content from the web. In this instance, you can use it to add RSS feeds. By adding the URL of the website, Netvibes will pull the feed and show it in your dashboard.

The system will scan the URL for all feeds and give you a list. Once you’ve selected the feed, you can see it in your Netvibes dashboard.

One of the nice features of Netvibes is that it will detect separate WordPress category RSS feeds and individually list them. This way, you can choose which specific feeds you want to see in the dashboard.

Address RSS Feeds Not Working in Chrome

Some of these fixes require individuals making changes to their own ability to access RSS. It probably wouldn’t be a bad idea to let those who subscribe know how they can still read the feed. Make it easy on guests and keep your audience engaged.

How do you market the RSS feed subscription on your website? What’s your favorite plugin for managing WordPress RSS feeds?

The post How to Fix WordPress RSS Feeds Not Working in Chrome appeared first on GreenGeeks.

In this tutorial, I will show you how to quickly and easily uninstall Google Chrome on your Mac or PC.

Uninstall Google Chrome on a Mac

Follow the steps below to successfully uninstall Chrome on Mac.

First, you need to close the Google Chrome browser if it is open and running. To do this Hold down “Control” while clicking the Google Chrome app icon in your Mac’s Dock, then click “Quit” in the resulting popup window.

You can also simply long-click the Chrome icon with your mouse to force the popup window as well.

Note: If Google Chrome is already closed you won’t see the “Quit” option.

Now open the “Finder” on your Mac. Just click on it from the dock to open it. Once the Finder is opened click “Go” on the menu at the top of your Mac screen and a dropdown menu will appear.

From that dropdown click on “Applications.” This will take you to all of the applications currently installed on your Mac.

When you get to the Applications folder search for the Google Chrome app icon. It is the red, green, yellow, and blue app here, though you may have to scroll down to find it.

Note: The Application folder on a Mac lists everything alphabetically.

Once you have located the Chrome icon you click on it with your mouse and simply drag it to the trash icon that is located on the bottom right of your screen. Release it there and this will uninstall the Chrome browser from your Mac.

If you receive any errors that Chrome is still running or in use, you can do the following to make sure that Chrome is not running.

• Press ⌥ Option+⌘ Command+Esc at the same time.
• Select Google Chrome in the pop-up window.
• Click Force Quit in the bottom-right corner of the pop-up window.
• Click Force Quit when prompted.

That’s it. You have now successfully uninstalled Google Chrome on your Mac.

Uninstall Google Chrome on a PC

The following steps will demonstrate how to uninstall Google Chrome on a PC.

First, you need to close every Google Chrome window and tab on your computer that is currently open.

Next, click the Start menu or press the Windows key on your keyboard and click on Settings.

Click on Apps.

Locate Google Chrome under Apps & features.

Click on Google Chrome and click Uninstall.

Another dialogue box will appear, click on Uninstall.

The Google Chrome installer will now open. Simply, follow the Uninstall wizard to remove Google Chrome from your PC. If you encounter an error that says “Please close all Google Chrome windows and try again” you still have a Google Chrome window open and need to close it.

If this was set to your default web browser, Microsoft Edge will now be set as the new default until you change it.

Congratulations, you have successfully uninstalled Google Chrome on your Mac or PC.

The post How To Uninstall Google Chrome appeared first on GreenGeeks.

If you happen to be using the Chrome browser, then you can really fight back and block ads in Chrome and block popups in Chrome by getting an ad-blocking Chrome extension.

Google also has a browser setting that will help block certain ads. Let’s take a look at two ways to block ads in Google Chrome.

Why Block Ads in Chrome?

Dealing with advertisements in browsers is just part of life. This is how companies advertise to people these days, and like it or not, they are part of the browser experience. That being said, you can definitely block ads in Google Chrome and give yourself a smoother, less annoying experience in the browser.

Of all the ads that are displayed in Chrome, popup ads are by far the most annoying, and dealing with them will give you a much cleaner experience within the browser. Popup ads can be one of the more annoying things you have to deal with when browsing around online.

Luckily, there are a couple of ways that you can block ads in Google Chrome. Today I am going to go over both ways with you.

Block Ads in Google Chrome

You can use a couple of different methods to block ads in Google Chrome. There are tools in Chrome settings that will help you get this done. Or, you can choose to use an extension. Both ways work great, it is simply a matter of personal choice as to which method you choose.

Let’s go over both methods.

How to Block Ads From Chrome Settings

The first method involves using the settings that are already built into the Chrome browser.

Here is how you do that.

1. Launch Google Chrome

Launch the Google Chrome browser from your desktop. The Chrome icon looks like a colored ball with a blue dot at the center. You can find it in your Applications folder on a Mac, or on your Start menu on Windows.

2. Access the Chrome Three Dot Menu

Once the Chrome browser is open, click the three-dot icon. This icon is located next to the address bar in the upper-right corner of your browser window. Doing so will open a dropdown menu. Find the “Settings” option within the dropdown menu and click on it.

3. Scroll Down the Settings Page to Find “Advanced”

From the settings page, scroll all the way down to the bottom until you see “Advanced.” Click on that when you see it and more advanced settings options will drop down and be displayed.

4. Click on Site Settings

Now that more settings options are displayed, scroll down until you see “Site Settings.” Find this near the bottom of the main “Privacy & Security” tab group of options.

5. Find the Ads Section and Change Blocked Sites Function

Click on that box and a list of other content setting options will be displayed. You are looking for the “Ads” option. When you see it, go ahead and click on it to open it up.

Once that option comes open, find and click on the “Blocked on sites that show intrusive or misleading ads” toggle button to turn it on.

That’s it. You have successfully blocked ads on Google Chrome using the browser settings.

You can also block ads in Chrome using an extension called AdBlock. Here is how you do that.

How to Install AdBlock on Chrome Desktop

1. Launch Google Chrome

Launch the Google Chrome browser from your desktop. The Chrome icon looks like a colored ball with a blue dot at the center. You can find it in your Applications folder on a Mac, or on your Start menu on Windows.

2. Go Get the AdBlock Extension

Go to the AdBlock site. You can find it at https://getadblock.com/ in Chrome’s address bar.

Click “GET ADBLOCK NOW.” This blue button is in the middle of the page. Doing so will take you to your browser’s respective extension installation page. In this case, it’s linking you to the Chrome extension page.

3. Add the AdBlock Extension to Your Browser

Once on the extension page, click on the “Add to Chrome” button to add the extension to your Chrome browser.

The extension will be added automatically and will show in your extensions area once the process is complete. You will see a little red stop sign with a hand in it on the top right of your browser.

Click on that and in the dropdown menu select settings/options.

Fill in the options and settings how you want and save them. You are now running AdBlocker on Chrome.

Congratulations, this is yet another way you have successfully blocked ads from showing in the Chrome browser.

Final Thoughts

Google Chrome continues to come out with unique functionality that allows you more and more freedom and control over your browser and how it operates. Now, there are two great ways to block ads in Chrome whenever you want. Both work great, it is just a matter of how much control you want overall.

You can easily block ads in just a few short clicks by using the built-in settings that the Chrome browser already provides. Or, you can choose to use an extension that will also get the job done.

Either way, your browsing experience will be much cleaner and smoother after you have blocked all these unwanted popup ads from showing all the time.

If you are running another browser, there are also similar ways to block ads and websites. You can easily block websites in Firefox, or block unwanted ads in Opera if you are using those browsers.

Do you block ads in Google Chrome or just go with the flow? What other methods have you found work well when trying to block ads?

The post How to Block Ads in Google Chrome appeared first on GreenGeeks.

Why Export Bookmarks in Chrome?

There are really only two reasons you may want to export Chrome bookmarks. You figure something might happen to your browser at some point, or you want to export and save them so you can import them to another browser.

Either way, the process is simple and easy and will not take you long at all. Let’s take a look at how to easily Save Chrome Bookmarks to your machine so that you can have them in case you want to have a backup or import them somewhere else.

Note: This tutorial assumes that you are already using Chrome and are somewhat familiar with the browser.

Export Chrome Bookmarks

Step 1: Open the Chrome Browser

Go ahead and open the Chrome browser if you don’t already have it open.

Step 2: Open the Chrome Menu

Click on the three-dot menu (often referred to as the Chrome browser menu icon) on the top-right of the page.

Step 3: Go to Bookmark Manager

In the dropdown menu that appears, hover over “Bookmarks” and then select the “Bookmark Manager” option in the second slide-out menu.

Step 4: Open the Bookmark Menu Icon

In this section, you will see another menu icon from Chrome. This is the menu to manage bookmarks. Go ahead and click on that.

Step 5: Click on Export Bookmarks

In the dropdown menu that appears, click on the “Export Bookmarks” option.

Step 6: Select Destination and Save

You will see the save options for your computer popup in a window. The layout and look will depend on whether you are using Windows or Mac OS, but the process is the same. 

Name the bookmarks file whatever you want, select the destination you want to save the file in, and then click on “Save.” This will save Chrome bookmarks to your machine in the destination folder you chose.

That’s it! You have successfully learned how to save bookmarks in Chrome.

Restore Chrome Bookmarks

Now that you have saved your Chore bookmarks, what if you need to restore them? This is a pretty simple process as well. Let’s do it together.

Step 1: Select the Import Bookmarks Option

Click on the three-dot menu (Chrome menu) on the top right. In the dropdown, hover over “Bookmarks” and then select the “Import Bookmarks and Settings” option.

Step 2: Configure Import Settings

A box will pop up with some import settings to configure. Check the boxes you want and then select the “Bookmarks HTML File” option.

Step 3: Choose the File

When you do this, you will have the opportunity to choose the file you want. Go ahead and choose that relevant bookmark file that you previously exported and saved out of Chrome.

Once you choose the file you want, simply click the import button and Chrome will do the rest.

That’s it! Your bookmarks have successfully been restored.

Where Are Bookmarks in Chrome Actually Stored?

Chrome actually stores the bookmark and bookmark backup file in a long path. You can find it in your user directory in the path “AppData\Local\Google\Chrome\User Data\Default.”

Remember,  if you want to modify or delete the bookmarks file for any reason, then you need to exit Google Chrome first.

Can I Sync Bookmarks Between Different Browsers?

Yes, definitely. There are options to do this on most browsers, including the Mozilla Firefox browser.

Is Turning on Sync in Google Chrome Necessary?

This is simply a matter of opinion. That being said, the Google Chrome Sync setting will offer you a very smooth, seamless experience when switching between multiple types of devices or adding a new device.

So, you could have the same bookmarks on your home computer as you would at the office or on a laptop. It’s incredibly convenient, especially if you do a lot of traveling.

Final Thoughts 

It is not difficult to export bookmarks in Chrome. A few click here and there and you will have the file saved and ready for when you need it.

I hope this tutorial was able to show you how easy the process actually is.

Do you create new copies of Chrome bookmarks and save them periodically? Is this not something you are worried about?

The post How To Export Your Bookmarks in Chrome appeared first on GreenGeeks.