When clicking links in Preview Mode within the Email Builder, you may see an error message stating that the page is blocked or refused to connect. This is expected behavior caused by browser security measures, not a problem with your links.
What This Error Means
The "page is blocked” or “refused to connect" error appears when you try to click certain types of links directly in Preview Mode. This happens because internet browsers enforce security restrictions for content displayed within an iframe, which is how Preview Mode renders your email.
Rest assured that these links work as expected in live campaigns; recipients who receive your email will be able to click all links without encountering this error. The iframe security restriction only applies to Preview Mode within the Email Builder, not to actual emails delivered to inboxes.
Which Links Are Affected
This behavior affects several types of links, including:
- Social Media pages: Instagram, Facebook, and other social platforms
- File Manager documents: PDFs, images, or other files linked from ContactMonkey's File Manager
- Video sources: YouTube and Vimeo embedded videos or video links
The error messages in the browser may show in different iterations, such as:
- [page] refused to connect.
- [page] is blocked
- ERR_BLOCKED_BY_RESPONSE
- ERR_BLOCKED_BY_CLIENT
How to Test Links Before Sending
You can verify your links work correctly using either of these methods:
Send a Test Email
- Click Send & Track in the Add-in or Send Now from the Dashboard
- Enter your own email address as the recipient
- Send the test email to yourself
- Open the test email in your inbox and click the links to verify they work
Open Links in a New Tab from Preview Mode
- Open your email in Preview Mode in the Email Builder
- Right-click on any link you want to test
- Select Open link in new tab from the menu
- The link will open successfully in a new browser tab
Both methods allow you to confirm your links are working correctly before sending to your full recipient list.