Block Yourself from Analytics Documentation

A comprehensive guide to using, configuring, and troubleshooting the Block Yourself from Analytics Chrome extension.

Getting Started

What is Block Yourself from Analytics?

Block Yourself from Analytics is a powerful Chrome extension designed to prevent your own visits from being tracked in Google Analytics, Bing WebMasters, and other analytics platforms. By filtering out your own traffic, you can ensure that your analytics data only reflects genuine user behavior.

When developing and managing websites, frequent visits and testing by website owners, developers, and team members can significantly skew analytics data. This extension solves that problem by blocking analytics scripts from loading when you visit your own websites.

Why You Need This Extension

If you've ever noticed your analytics showing frequent visits that are actually your own, you're not getting an accurate picture of your real user behavior. This extension helps maintain clean, accurate analytics data for better business decisions.

Core Benefits

Accurate Data

Clean analytics reports

Get unbiased analytics data by excluding your own visits and interactions from reports.

Easy to Use

Simple implementation

Install the extension and add your websites with just a few clicks. No complex configuration needed.

Multiple Platforms

Broad compatibility

Works with Google Analytics, Bing WebMasters, and other analytics platforms depending on your plan.

Available Plans

Block Yourself from Analytics offers three distinct plans to accommodate different needs:

Feature Free Plan Professional Plan Enterprise Plan
Block Google Analytics
Number of websites Up to 5 Unlimited Unlimited
Diagnostics Basic Advanced Advanced
Block all analytics platforms
Team members 1 Up to 5 Unlimited
Premium support
API access
Custom integrations
Dedicated account manager

Installation Guide

System Requirements

The Block Yourself from Analytics extension is compatible with:

  • Browsers: Google Chrome, Microsoft Edge, Brave, Opera, and other Chromium-based browsers
  • Operating Systems: Windows, macOS, Linux, ChromeOS
  • Chrome Version: Chrome 60 or higher recommended

Installation Steps

Visit the Chrome Web Store

Navigate to the Block Yourself from Analytics extension page in the Chrome Web Store.

Click "Add to Chrome"

Click the blue "Add to Chrome" button in the top right corner of the extension page.

Confirm Installation

A dialog box will appear asking you to confirm. Click "Add extension" to proceed with the installation.

Pin the Extension (Optional)

After installation, you can pin the extension to your toolbar for easy access. Click the puzzle piece icon in your Chrome toolbar, find "Block Yourself from Analytics," and click the pin icon.

Note
After installation, the extension icon will appear in your browser's toolbar. You may need to click on the puzzle piece icon to access it if it's not automatically pinned.

Verifying Installation

To confirm that the extension is properly installed:

  1. Click on the extension icon in your toolbar
  2. The extension popup should open, showing the Block Yourself from Analytics interface
  3. If you see the interface with options to add websites, the extension is correctly installed

Uninstalling the Extension

If you need to uninstall the extension:

  1. Right-click on the extension icon in your browser toolbar
  2. Select "Remove from Chrome..."
  3. Click "Remove" in the confirmation dialog

Alternatively:

  1. Go to chrome://extensions/ in your browser
  2. Find "Block Yourself from Analytics"
  3. Click "Remove" and confirm

User Guide

Initial Setup

After installing the extension, you'll need to configure it to block analytics on your websites:

Access the Extension

Click the Block Yourself from Analytics icon in your browser toolbar to open the extension popup.

Open Settings

Click the gear icon or "Settings" button in the popup to access the full settings page.

Add Your Websites

In the "Manage Websites" section, click "Add Website" and enter the domain of the website where you want to block your visits from analytics.

Example format: example.com (do not include http:// or https://)

Save Your Settings

Click "Save" to apply your changes. The extension will now block analytics tracking on the websites you've added.

Managing Websites

You can add, edit, and remove websites from your blocking list at any time:

Adding Websites

  1. Open the extension settings
  2. Click "Add Website"
  3. Enter the website domain
  4. Click "Add"

Removing Websites

  1. Open the extension settings
  2. Find the website in your list
  3. Click the trash icon next to the website
  4. Confirm deletion when prompted
Website Limit
Free plan users can add up to 5 websites. Professional and Enterprise users can add unlimited websites. If you need to upgrade, click the "Upgrade" button in the settings.

Running Diagnostics

To verify that the extension is working correctly:

  1. Open the extension popup by clicking its icon in the toolbar
  2. Click "Run Diagnostics" button
  3. The extension will perform a check to ensure it's properly blocking analytics on your configured websites
  4. Results will display with a success or error message
Important
If diagnostics reveal that the extension isn't blocking analytics properly, ensure that you've correctly entered the website domains and that the extension has permission to run on those sites.

Extension Settings

Customize how the extension behaves with these additional settings:

  • Enable/Disable: Toggle the extension on or off completely
  • Auto-Start: Activate the extension automatically when browser launches
  • Blocking Mode: Choose between "Block All" or "Smart Block" modes
  • Show Icon Badge: Display a badge on the extension icon when analytics are being blocked
  • Blocking Notifications: Show browser notifications when analytics are blocked
  • Sound Alerts: Play a sound when analytics are blocked (Pro and Enterprise only)
  • Custom Script Blocking: Add specific scripts to block beyond standard analytics (Pro and Enterprise only)
  • Whitelist Options: Create exceptions for specific pages on blocked websites
  • Export/Import Settings: Backup and restore your configuration

Features Overview

Core Features

Analytics Blocking

Prevents Google Analytics and other tracking scripts from loading on your specified websites, ensuring your visits aren't recorded.

Website Management

Easily add, edit, and remove websites from your blocking list through a user-friendly interface.

Diagnostics Tool

Verify that analytics blocking is working correctly with built-in testing and validation.

Multi-Platform Support

Block tracking from multiple analytics platforms including Google Analytics, Bing WebMasters, and more (varies by plan).

Analytics Blocking Capabilities

The extension provides comprehensive analytics blocking across multiple platforms:

Analytics Platform Free Plan Professional Plan Enterprise Plan
Google Analytics (Universal)
Google Analytics 4
Google Tag Manager
Bing WebMasters
Adobe Analytics
Facebook Pixel
Hotjar
Custom Scripts
How Blocking Works
The extension uses script blocking technology to prevent analytics tracking scripts from loading on your specified websites. This ensures that your visits, page views, events, and other interactions are not recorded in analytics platforms.

Tracking Verification

Block Yourself from Analytics includes advanced diagnostic tools to verify that tracking is being blocked properly:

Basic Diagnostics (Free Plan)

  • Script detection confirmation
  • Simple pass/fail verification
  • Website configuration check

Advanced Diagnostics (Pro & Enterprise Plans)

  • Detailed analytics script detection
  • Verification of all blocked tracking platforms
  • Script injection testing
  • Real-time monitoring
  • Network request analysis

Verified Blocking

The diagnostics tool provides peace of mind by confirming that your visits aren't being tracked. You can run diagnostics at any time to ensure the extension is working properly.

Website Management

Efficiently manage websites where you want to block analytics tracking:

Website Management Features

  • Bulk Import: Add multiple websites at once by uploading a CSV file (Pro & Enterprise only)
  • Categories & Tags: Organize websites into groups for easier management (Pro & Enterprise only)
  • Search & Filter: Quickly find websites in your list
  • Domain Pattern Matching: Block tracking across multiple subdomains with wildcard support (Pro & Enterprise only)
  • Notes & Descriptions: Add custom information to each website entry

Page-Level Exceptions

For Professional and Enterprise users, you can create exceptions for specific pages on your websites where you want analytics to continue tracking:

  1. Access the website settings by clicking the edit icon next to a website
  2. Go to the "Exceptions" tab
  3. Add page paths that should be excluded from blocking
  4. Save your changes

Technical Details

How the Extension Works

Block Yourself from Analytics operates through a series of technical processes to effectively prevent analytics tracking:

Script Injection Prevention

The extension uses Chrome's webRequest API to intercept network requests for known analytics scripts before they load. When it detects a request to a blocked analytics domain on one of your specified websites, it cancels the request, preventing the analytics script from loading and executing.

Content Script Blocking

For inline scripts and analytics code that might be directly embedded in the page, the extension injects content scripts that identify and neutralize tracking code before it can send data to analytics servers.

Storage and Settings

The extension uses Chrome's storage API to persistently store your website list and settings. This data is synchronized across your browsers if you're signed into Chrome and have sync enabled, allowing your blocking settings to work across all your devices.

Background Processing

A background script runs continuously while the extension is enabled, monitoring web requests and applying blocking rules based on your configured websites. This ensures that analytics blocking works even when you're not actively interacting with the extension.

Extension Architecture

Block Yourself from Analytics is built using modern web technologies and follows Chrome extension best practices:

Component Structure

  • Manifest File: Defines extension permissions and capabilities
  • Background Service Worker: Handles core blocking functionality
  • Content Scripts: Modify page behavior for advanced blocking
  • Popup Interface: Provides user controls and quick access
  • Options Page: Manages detailed settings and configurations

Performance Considerations

The extension is designed to be lightweight and efficient:

  • Minimal CPU usage when idle
  • Optimized request filtering to reduce overhead
  • Selective script injection to prevent performance impact
  • Lazy-loading of advanced features

Security and Privacy

We take security and privacy seriously in the design of Block Yourself from Analytics:

Data Handling

  • All website data is stored locally in your browser
  • No data is sent to our servers in the free version
  • Professional and Enterprise plans sync minimal data for account management
  • No browsing history is collected or transmitted

Permissions Explained

Permission Why It's Needed
webRequest & webRequestBlocking Required to intercept and block network requests to analytics servers
storage Allows the extension to save your website list and settings
activeTab Needed to check if the current site is in your blocking list
notifications (optional) Used to show blocking status notifications if enabled
Security Notice
Always download Block Yourself from Analytics from the official Chrome Web Store. Third-party versions may contain malware or lack important security features.

Troubleshooting

Common Issues and Solutions

Analytics Still Tracking After Setup

Possible Causes:

  • Website domain was entered incorrectly
  • Site uses a non-standard analytics implementation
  • Extension is disabled or experiencing a conflict

Solutions:

  1. Verify the website domain is entered correctly (example.com, not https://example.com)
  2. Run the diagnostics tool to check for blocking issues
  3. Toggle the extension off and on again
  4. Clear your browser cache and cookies
  5. For Professional users, enable "Enhanced Blocking Mode" in Advanced Settings
Extension Icon Shows Error State

Possible Causes:

  • Extension update required
  • Permission issues
  • Extension database corruption

Solutions:

  1. Check if an update is available in the Chrome Web Store
  2. Right-click the extension icon and select "Options"
  3. Go to "Advanced" tab and click "Reset Extension"
  4. If problems persist, uninstall and reinstall the extension
Diagnostics Failing

Possible Causes:

  • Network connectivity issues
  • Browser security settings blocking the diagnostics
  • Extension permissions not granted

Solutions:

  1. Check your internet connection
  2. Make sure all required permissions are granted to the extension
  3. Temporarily disable other privacy extensions that might be interfering
  4. Try running diagnostics in an incognito window (requires enabling extension in incognito)
Website Functionality Breaking

Possible Causes:

  • Website depends on analytics scripts for core functionality
  • Enhanced blocking mode is too aggressive
  • Conflict with other extensions

Solutions:

  1. Temporarily disable the extension to confirm it's causing the issue
  2. Add specific page exceptions in the website settings (Pro/Enterprise feature)
  3. Switch to "Standard Blocking Mode" in Advanced Settings
  4. Contact support if you need help with a specific website

Logs and Debugging

For advanced troubleshooting, the extension provides diagnostic logs:

Accessing Extension Logs

  1. Open the Chrome Extensions page (chrome://extensions)
  2. Enable "Developer mode" in the top-right corner
  3. Find "Block Yourself from Analytics" and click "Details"
  4. Click "Background page" under "Inspect views"
  5. In the developer tools window that opens, go to the "Console" tab to view logs
Professional & Enterprise Users
You can also access the built-in logging tool in Settings > Advanced > Troubleshooting > View Logs, which provides a more user-friendly interface for viewing diagnostic information.

Contacting Support

If you're unable to resolve an issue, our support team is ready to help:

Support Options

Information to Include

To help us resolve your issue quickly, please include:

  • Your extension version number
  • Chrome browser version
  • Operating system
  • Detailed description of the issue
  • Screenshots if applicable
  • Diagnostic logs (for advanced issues)

Priority Support

Professional and Enterprise plan users receive priority support with faster response times. Enterprise customers also have access to dedicated account managers for immediate assistance.

Frequently Asked Questions

What exactly does "Block Yourself from Analytics" do?

Block Yourself from Analytics prevents your own visits to your websites from being tracked by Google Analytics and other analytics platforms. When you visit a website that you've added to your blocking list, the extension stops analytics scripts from loading, which means your visits, page views, events, and interactions won't appear in your analytics reports.

Why should I block my own visits to my website?

Website owners, developers, and marketers often visit their own websites frequently for updates, testing, and content management. These internal visits can significantly skew analytics data, making it difficult to understand actual user behavior and traffic patterns. By blocking your own visits, you ensure your analytics data reflects only real users, leading to more accurate insights and better business decisions.

Is this different from using IP filters in Google Analytics?

Yes, this approach is different and has several advantages over traditional IP filtering:

  • Works even if your IP address changes (especially relevant for mobile users or those with dynamic IPs)
  • No need to configure filters in each analytics platform separately
  • Blocks tracking across multiple analytics platforms, not just Google Analytics
  • Prevents tracking before data is sent, rather than just filtering it from reports
  • Works when you're in different locations (office, home, coffee shop, etc.)
Does it work with all analytics platforms?

The free plan works with Google Analytics (both Universal Analytics and GA4). Professional and Enterprise plans support additional platforms including:

  • Google Tag Manager
  • Bing WebMasters
  • Adobe Analytics
  • Facebook Pixel
  • Hotjar
  • And many more

The Professional and Enterprise plans also support custom script blocking for any analytics or tracking scripts not natively supported by the extension.

Can I block analytics for my entire team?

Yes, Professional and Enterprise plans include team sharing capabilities:

  • Professional plan supports up to 5 team members
  • Enterprise plan supports unlimited team members

Team members will need to install the extension and log in with their account credentials. The website blocking list and settings will be synchronized across all team members.

Is my browsing data being collected?

No, Block Yourself from Analytics does not collect your browsing data. The extension only needs to know which websites you want to block analytics on, and this information is stored locally in your browser. The free version doesn't transmit any data to our servers. The Professional and Enterprise versions only transmit minimal account data for authentication and synchronization purposes.

Will this slow down my browsing?

No, Block Yourself from Analytics is designed to be lightweight and efficient. The extension uses minimal resources and only activates its blocking capabilities when you visit websites in your blocking list. In fact, by blocking analytics scripts, it may slightly improve page load times on your specified websites.

How do I know it's working?

The extension provides several ways to verify it's working correctly:

  • Built-in diagnostics tool that tests blocking functionality
  • Optional badge counter showing how many scripts are being blocked
  • Status indicator in the extension popup
  • Real-time blocking logs (Professional and Enterprise plans)

You can also verify it's working by checking your analytics platform after visiting your website – your visit should not appear in the real-time reports.

API Reference

Overview

Block Yourself from Analytics Enterprise provides a REST API for programmatic management of your blocking configuration. This API allows you to integrate the extension's functionality with your own applications and workflows.

Enterprise Feature
The API is only available to Enterprise plan subscribers. Professional and Free plans do not include API access.

Authentication

All API requests require authentication using an API key:

Getting Your API Key

  1. Log in to your Enterprise account dashboard
  2. Go to Settings > API Access
  3. Generate a new API key
  4. Store your API key securely; it won't be displayed again

Using Your API Key

Include your API key in the request headers:


const headers = {
  'Content-Type': 'application/json',
  'Authorization': 'Bearer YOUR_API_KEY'
};

fetch('https://api.blockyouranalytics.com/v1/websites', {
  method: 'GET',
  headers: headers
})
.then(response => response.json())
.then(data => console.log(data));
                    

Endpoints

Website Management

Endpoint Method Description
/v1/websites GET List all websites in your blocking configuration
/v1/websites POST Add a new website to your blocking list
/v1/websites/{id} GET Get details for a specific website
/v1/websites/{id} PUT Update a website's configuration
/v1/websites/{id} DELETE Remove a website from your blocking list
/v1/websites/bulk POST Add multiple websites in a single request

Team Management

Endpoint Method Description
/v1/team/members GET List all team members
/v1/team/members POST Add a new team member
/v1/team/members/{id} DELETE Remove a team member
/v1/team/members/{id} PUT Update a team member's permissions

Blocking Analytics

Endpoint Method Description
/v1/analytics/platforms GET List all supported analytics platforms
/v1/analytics/custom-scripts GET List all custom blocking scripts
/v1/analytics/custom-scripts POST Add a new custom blocking script
/v1/analytics/stats GET Get statistics about blocked analytics requests

Developer Guide

For developers looking to integrate with Block Yourself from Analytics, we provide several options:

API Integration Examples

Here's a simple example of adding a new website to your blocking list using the API:


// Example: Adding a new website
const apiKey = 'YOUR_API_KEY';
const apiUrl = 'https://api.blockyouranalytics.com/v1/websites';

const websiteData = {
  domain: 'example.com',
  name: 'My Example Website',
  blockingMode: 'standard',
  platforms: ['google-analytics', 'facebook-pixel'],
  teamAccess: true
};

fetch(apiUrl, {
  method: 'POST',
  headers: {
    'Content-Type': 'application/json',
    'Authorization': `Bearer ${apiKey}`
  },
  body: JSON.stringify(websiteData)
})
.then(response => {
  if (!response.ok) {
    throw new Error(`HTTP error! Status: ${response.status}`);
  }
  return response.json();
})
.then(data => {
  console.log('Website added successfully:', data);
})
.catch(error => {
  console.error('Error adding website:', error);
});
                    

Webhooks

Enterprise users can set up webhooks to receive notifications when certain events occur:

  1. Go to your Enterprise dashboard
  2. Navigate to Settings > Integrations > Webhooks
  3. Click "Add Webhook"
  4. Enter your webhook URL and select the events you want to monitor
  5. Save your webhook configuration

Available webhook events include:

  • Website added/removed from blocking list
  • Team member added/removed
  • Blocking statistics (daily summary)
  • Extension configuration changes

Getting Support

Support Resources

If you need additional help with Block Yourself from Analytics, we offer several support channels:

Email Support

Contact our support team directly at support@blockyouranalytics.com for assistance with any issues or questions.

Help Center

Browse our comprehensive knowledge base at blockyouranalytics.com/support for tutorials, guides, and troubleshooting articles.

Community Forum

Connect with other users and get help from the community at community.blockyouranalytics.com.

Support Response Times

- Free Plan: Up to 72 hours
- Professional Plan: Up to 24 hours
- Enterprise Plan: Priority support with 4-hour response time during business hours