Chrome's popup blocker is on by default, and you turn it off in Settings

Chrome blocks most popups automatically. If a website you trust needs popups to work — a login window, a document viewer, a chat tool — you can turn the blocker off entirely, or you can allow popups only on that one site. Turning it off for one site takes 30 seconds and is the safer choice, because it keeps the blocker working everywhere else.

The steps are the same whether you use Chrome on Windows, Mac, or Linux. On a phone or tablet, the process is slightly different and covered in its own section below.

Key Takeaways

  • You can allow popups on a single website without turning off the blocker everywhere, which keeps you safer from unwanted popups on other sites.
  • When you visit a site that needs popups, Chrome shows a small icon in the address bar — click it to allow popups just for that site.
  • If you turn off the blocker completely in Settings, it stays off until you turn it back on, so you have to remember to re-enable it.
  • On phones and tablets, you manage popup blocking in Chrome's site settings, not in the main Settings menu.

Allow popups on one website without changing your blocker settings

When you land on a website that uses popups, Chrome usually blocks them silently. But if the site needs a popup to work, you will see a small icon in the address bar — it looks like a box with a line through it, or sometimes shows a number like "1 blocked". Click that icon.

A small menu appears. Click Always allow popups and redirects from [website name]. Chrome will now let popups through on that site only. The next time you visit, popups will open without being blocked. This is the method most people should use, because your blocker stays on for every other website.

If you change your mind later, click the same icon again and select Don't allow popups and redirects from [website name] to turn the blocker back on for that site.

Turn off the popup blocker completely in Chrome Settings

If you want popups to work on every website without asking Chrome first, you can disable the blocker entirely. Open Chrome and click the three vertical dots in the top right corner. Select Settings.

On the left side, click Privacy and security. Then click Site settings. Scroll down and click Popups and redirects.

You will see a toggle at the top that says Popups and redirects. Click it to turn the toggle off. The blocker is now disabled. Every website can open popups without restriction.

To turn the blocker back on, return to this same menu and click the toggle again. It will switch back to Blocked.

Allow popups on specific sites while keeping the blocker on

If you have turned off the blocker completely but want to block popups on most sites and allow them only on a few you trust, you can do that too. Go back to Settings > Privacy and security > Site settings > Popups and redirects.

Make sure the toggle at the top is on (showing Blocked). Below that, you will see a section called Allow. Click Add and type the website address where you want to allow popups — for example, mail.google.com or bankname.com. Click Add again.

Chrome will now block popups everywhere except on the sites you listed. If you want to remove a site from the allow list, hover over it and click the trash icon.

How to manage popups on Chrome for Android or iPhone

On a phone or tablet, the popup blocker works the same way, but the menu is in a different place. Open Chrome and tap the three dots in the bottom right corner (iPhone) or top right corner (Android). Tap Settings.

Tap Site settings. Then tap Popups and redirects. You will see a toggle. If it is on, popups are blocked. Tap it to turn the blocker off, or leave it on and add specific sites to the allow list below.

To allow popups on one site, tap Add under the Allow section and type the website address. To remove a site, swipe left on it (iPhone) or long-press it (Android) and tap delete.

What to do if a popup still does not appear after you allow it

Sometimes a website uses a popup blocker of its own, separate from Chrome's blocker. If you have allowed popups in Chrome but the popup still does not appear, the website itself may be blocking it. Try refreshing the page, or contact the website's support team to ask if they have their own popup settings you need to change.

Another common issue: the popup may be opening in a new tab or window behind your current tab. Look at your other open tabs to see if the popup opened there instead. Some websites also use popups that look like notifications or chat boxes rather than traditional windows, so check the corners of the page.

Frequently Asked Questions

Will turning off the popup blocker make my computer less safe?

Turning off the blocker everywhere does expose you to more popups, some of which may be malicious. The safer approach is to allow popups only on sites you trust. If you do turn off the blocker completely, turn it back on as soon as you are done with the site that needs it.

Can I allow popups on a website without allowing redirects?

Chrome groups popups and redirects together in one setting, so you cannot separate them. When you allow popups on a site, you are also allowing that site to redirect you to other pages. Only allow this on websites you trust completely.

What is the difference between a popup and a notification?

A popup is a new window or tab that opens on top of the page you are viewing. A notification is a small message that appears in the corner of your screen. Chrome's popup blocker controls popups only, not notifications. Notifications have their own separate setting in Site settings.

If I allow popups on a site, will ads appear too?

Allowing popups does not automatically allow ads. Chrome has a separate ad blocker that removes intrusive ads on certain sites. Popups and ads are controlled independently, so you can allow one without allowing the other.

How do I know if a popup is safe to click?

If you allowed popups on a site, that means you trust the site itself. But popups can still be misleading — they may look like system warnings or trick you into clicking. Never click a popup that asks you to read something or enter personal information unless you initiated the action yourself.