Chrome blocks pop-ups by default, and you turn that off in Settings
Chrome's pop-up blocker stops most windows from opening without your permission. If a website you trust needs to open a pop-up — to show you a receipt, display a form, or play a video in a new window — you can turn the blocker off for that site or turn it off entirely. The process takes about one minute and you can reverse it anytime.
The fastest route is to let Chrome ask you about each pop-up as it happens, rather than blocking silently. When a pop-up is blocked, a small icon appears in your address bar. You click it, choose to allow the pop-up, and Chrome remembers your choice for that website going forward.
Key Takeaways
- Chrome shows a pop-up blocked icon in the address bar when it stops a window from opening — click that icon to allow it for that site.
- You can allow pop-ups for one website only, or turn off blocking for all websites, in Chrome Settings under Privacy and Security.
- Turning off the blocker entirely leaves you exposed to unwanted pop-ups, so allowing pop-ups per site is safer than a blanket setting.
- If you cannot see the blocked pop-up icon, the website may be using a different method to open windows that Chrome does not block.
Allow a pop-up from one website without changing your settings
When Chrome blocks a pop-up, a small icon appears to the right of the address bar — it looks like a square with a line through it. Click that icon and you will see a list of the pop-ups Chrome stopped. Next to each one is a button that says "Always allow pop-ups for [website name]". Click that button.
Chrome will now open the pop-up and remember your choice. The next time that website tries to open a pop-up, it will go through without the blocked icon appearing. You have not changed your settings — you have only told Chrome to trust that one website.
If you want to undo this later, you can go back to Settings and remove that website from your allowed list. This method is safer than turning off the blocker entirely, because you stay protected from pop-ups on websites you have not explicitly allowed.
Turn off pop-up blocking for all websites in Settings
Open Chrome and click the three vertical dots in the top right corner. Select "Settings" from the menu. On the left side, click "Privacy and security", then click "Site settings".
Scroll down until you see "Pop-ups and redirects". Click on it. At the top, you will see a toggle that says "Blocked (recommended)". Click that toggle to turn it off. The toggle will turn gray and the text will change to "Allowed".
Chrome will now allow all pop-ups from all websites. This means you may see unwanted pop-ups, advertisements, or windows you did not ask for. Most people do not turn off the blocker entirely — they use the per-site method instead, allowing pop-ups only from websites they trust.
Turn the pop-up blocker back on
Go back to Settings, then Privacy and security, then Site settings. Find "Pop-ups and redirects" and click it. Click the toggle at the top to turn blocking back on. The toggle will turn blue and the text will say "Blocked (recommended)".
Once you turn blocking back on, Chrome will stop all pop-ups again unless you have specifically allowed them for individual websites. Any websites you previously allowed will stay on your allowed list — you will need to remove them manually if you want to block them again.
Remove a website from your pop-up allowed list
Go to Settings, then Privacy and security, then Site settings. Click "Pop-ups and redirects". Under the "Allow" section, you will see a list of every website you have told Chrome to allow pop-ups from. Find the website you want to remove and click the three dots next to it, then select "Remove".
That website will move back to the blocked list. Chrome will block its pop-ups again until you allow them once more.
What to do if you do not see the blocked pop-up icon
Some websites use methods to open windows that Chrome does not recognize as pop-ups, so the blocker does not stop them. These might be links that say "open in new window" or buttons that launch content in a separate panel. Chrome's pop-up blocker only stops actual pop-up windows, not links you click yourself.
If a website is opening unwanted windows and you do not see the blocked pop-up icon, the windows are probably being opened by links or buttons on the page itself, not by hidden pop-up code. In that case, the pop-up blocker cannot help — you would need to avoid clicking those links or buttons, or stop visiting that website.
Why Chrome blocks pop-ups in the first place
Pop-ups were originally used by advertisers and scammers to show you unwanted content, sometimes malicious. They could open dozens of windows at once, slow down your computer, or trick you into clicking something harmful. Chrome blocks them by default to protect you from this.
Legitimate websites sometimes use pop-ups for real reasons — to show you a receipt after you buy something, to display a form you need to fill out, or to open a video in its own window. That is why Chrome lets you allow pop-ups for websites you trust, rather than blocking them completely with no way to override the decision.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why does the pop-up blocker icon not appear even though I think a pop-up was blocked?
The icon only appears when Chrome actually blocks a pop-up window. If you do not see it, Chrome did not block anything — the website may be using a link or button instead of a pop-up, or the pop-up may have already loaded before you could see it. Try refreshing the page and watching the address bar closely.
If I allow pop-ups for one website, does that affect other websites?
No. When you allow pop-ups for a website, that choice applies only to that website. Every other website stays blocked unless you specifically allow them too. You can have pop-ups allowed for five websites and blocked for thousands of others at the same time.
Can I allow pop-ups only at certain times, or only for certain types of pop-ups?
Chrome does not have that level of control. You can allow pop-ups for a website or block them — there is no middle ground like "allow pop-ups only on Tuesdays" or "allow pop-ups only from this part of the website". Your choice applies to all pop-ups from that website, all the time.
What is the difference between a pop-up blocker and an ad blocker?
A pop-up blocker stops windows from opening without your permission. An ad blocker stops advertisements from displaying on the page itself. Chrome has a built-in pop-up blocker but no built-in ad blocker — you would need to install a separate extension for that.
If I turn off the pop-up blocker, will it slow down my computer?
Turning off the blocker itself will not slow your computer. However, if websites start opening many unwanted pop-ups, those windows will use memory and processing power, which could make your computer slower. This is another reason to allow pop-ups only for websites you trust, rather than turning off the blocker entirely.