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In this tutorial, we show you how to enable JavaScript in Windows 10. Most people don’t know this, but to experience the full functionality of your favorite browser, you need to have JavaScript enabled.

JavaScript is a scripting programming language that website developers use to create dynamic content. Basically, JavaScript makes web pages interactive.

For instance, it allows your Facebook and Twitter timelines to update automatically, without requiring you to reload or refresh the page. And here is another example. Usually, in a mailing list subscription form on a web page, there are several fields for you to provide certain information, like your name and email address. When you submit the form, JavaScript code runs, checking each of the fields on the form. If you have forgotten to fill out any of the required fields, like your email address, a warning will pop up on your screen, requesting that you fill out that field. Once you do, the form will be submitted successfully.

JavaScript is also responsible for the ads, cookie warnings, and pop-ups you keep seeing on the web pages you visit. When it is disabled, some web applications can break and some browsers won’t run as expected. Some web pages might even show nothing but a blank page.

These are just a few examples of the JavaScript programming language at work. The good news is that you can turn the feature on and off as you wish – provided you know what you’re doing.

How to Enable JavaScript in Google Chrome on Windows 10

JavaScript is built into your browsers and turned on by default. If you don’t want JavaScript to run on certain sites, you can simply turn off the feature in your browser settings.

To enable JavaScript in Chrome, follow the guidelines below:

  1. Launch the Chrome browser on your Windows 10 computer. You can do so by searching for Chrome in your “Start” menu or by double-clicking the Chrome icon on your desktop.
  2. Click on the three vertical dots in the top right corner of your screen to open the menu and select “Settings”, the third option from the bottom.
  3. On the left sidebar, click on “Advanced”, the third last option, to open a list of additional settings.
  4. Click on “Privacy and security”. If you’re using the latest version of Google Chrome, go to “Settings” and select “Privacy and security” on the left sidebar.
  5. Find the “Site Settings” section and click on it.
  6. Under the “Content” category, look for JavaScript and check that it says “Allowed”. If it says “Blocked”, click on it and toggle the “Allowed (recommended)” option on. It should turn blue.
  7. Restart your browser for the changes to take effect.

Now, if there is a specific site that you don’t want to run JavaScript, click on “Add”, enter the site address, and add it to the “Block” list.

How to Enable JavaScript in Firefox

If you’re using Mozilla Firefox, follow these steps to enable JavaScript:

  1. Launch the Firefox browser on your Windows 10 computer and type about:config into the address bar.
  2. On the next page, you’ll see a security warning. Click on “Accept the Risk and Continue” or “I’ll be careful, I promise” (if you’re using an older version of Firefox) to continue.
  3. Now, into the search bar, type enabled. Your search result will return javascript.enabled as “true” or “false”. If it shows “true”, JavaScript is already enabled and you don’t need to do anything else. If it says “false”, click on the arrows on the far right to toggle the option to “true”.
  4. Exit the about:config tab and restart your Firefox browser.
  5. To disable JavaScript, toggle the option to “false”.

How to Enable JavaScript in Edge

These steps will guide you through the process of enabling JavaScript in Microsoft Edge in Windows 10:

  1. Launch the Edge browser by clicking on its icon in your taskbar or double-clicking on the Edge icon on your desktop.
  2. Once Edge loads, click on “Settings and more…” in the top right corner to display a drop-down menu.
  3. Look for “Settings”, the third option from the bottom, and click on it.
  4. On the “Settings” page that appears, click on “Cookies and site permissions” in the left sidebar and look for “JavaScript” under Site permissions > All permissions.
  5. It should read “Allowed”. If not, click on the option and toggle it on. It will turn blue.
  6. Like on Chrome, you can add sites that you don’t want to run JavaScript to the “Block” list. You can also add sites that you want to run JavaScript to the “Allow” section.
  7. Once you’ve selected your desired JavaScript preferences, the settings will take effect immediately. Close the “Settings” tab and resume browsing.

If you are trying to configure your JavaScript settings in Edge but don’t see an interface with the options described above, you’re likely using an old version of Edge known as “Edge Legacy”. This version doesn’t have controls to enable or disable JavaScript. In this case, you can try configuring JavaScript via the Local Group Policy:

  1. Open your “Start” menu, type “Group policy” (without quotes) and hit the “Enter” key.
  2. In the “Local Group Policy Editor” window, go to the following location: User Configuration > Administrative Templates > Windows Components > Microsoft Edge.
  3. Look for the “Allows you to run scripts, like JavaScript” option and set it to “Enabled”.

However, we recommend updating your Edge to the latest version.

How to Enable JavaScript on Opera

If you use the Opera browser, follow these guidelines to enable JavaScript:

  1. Launch your Opera browser and open the “Easy Setup” menu, which is located in the top right corner of the browser.
  2. Scroll to the bottom of the drop-down menu that appears and click on the “Go to browser settings” link.
  3. On the “Settings” page, search for JavaScript using the “Search Settings” box. This operation will take you to the “Privacy and security” section.
  4. Select “Site Settings” and locate the section labeled “JavaScript”. Check that it says “Allowed”. If not, click on it and toggle the “Allowed (recommended)” option on. The switch will turn blue.
  5. To disable JavaScript on Opera, repeat the steps above and toggle the “Allowed (recommended)” switch off.

JavaScript Security Concerns

While JavaScript is necessary for your browser to function properly, it can be used maliciously. There has been an increase in cases of clickjacking and cross-site scripting attacks, where the attackers rely on JavaScript to exploit innocent users’ computers.

To reduce the chances of such attacks, it’s not advisable to enable JavaScript to run on every page you visit. You could install browser extensions that disable JavaScript by default but allow you to easily activate the feature for sites that you trust.

If you’re security-minded, consider using a program such as Auslogics BoostSpeed. This tool ensures that your privacy is protected. Unfortunately, as everyone turned online for most of their business and social interactions, your online privacy is always at risk. For example, when making online payments, you’ll be required to enter your credit card and banking details on certain websites. Attackers are after such sensitive information.

BoostSpeed comes with privacy tools that eliminate traces of your online activity. They help to clean up login information, tracking cookies, profile data, and any other sensitive information to ensure total privacy. Moreover, you can enable Browser Protection to prevent unauthorized changes to your browser.

On a final note, remember to keep your browsers updated. Old software could easily be compromised, making your entire computer system vulnerable to attacks. You could also opt to use a VPN to mask your IP address and minimize the chances of malicious actors tracking you.