Pop-up blocking stops most windows from opening, but sometimes you need to let them through

Pop-up blocking is a feature built into every modern browser — Chrome, Firefox, Safari, Edge — that prevents websites from opening new windows without your permission. When you turn off pop-up blocking, you're telling your browser to stop filtering those requests and allow windows to open. Most of the time you want blocking on. But some websites you trust need pop-ups to work: a bank's security window, a map process, a document preview, or a video player.

The fastest way is usually to allow pop-ups just for that one website, rather than turning off blocking entirely. Your browser remembers the choice and lets that site's pop-ups through while keeping blocking on everywhere else. If you do need to turn off blocking completely, the steps take less than a minute and you can turn it back on just as quickly.

Key Takeaways

  • Most browsers let you allow pop-ups for a single website without turning off blocking everywhere.
  • When a pop-up is blocked, your browser shows a notification bar or icon you can click to allow it.
  • Turning off pop-up blocking entirely makes your browser more vulnerable to unwanted windows, so use the per-website option when possible.
  • The steps differ slightly between Chrome, Firefox, Safari, and Edge, but all take under two minutes.
  • You can turn blocking back on anytime using the same menu where you turned it off.

Allow pop-ups from one website in Chrome

When a website tries to open a pop-up and Chrome blocks it, you'll see a small icon on the right side of the address bar — it looks like a window with a slash through it. Click that icon and you'll see a list of blocked pop-ups with a button that says "Always allow pop-ups and redirects from [website name]". Click that button once.

Chrome will remember this choice. The next time you visit that website, pop-ups will open without being blocked. If you change your mind later, go to the three-line menu in the top right corner, select Settings, then Privacy and security, then Site settings, then Pop-ups and redirects. You'll see a list of websites you've allowed. Find the one you want to block again and click the X next to it.

Allow pop-ups from one website in Firefox

Firefox shows a notification bar at the top of the page when it blocks a pop-up. The bar says "Firefox prevented this site from opening a pop-up window" with a button labeled "Show". Click Show and Firefox will open the blocked pop-up. To let that website open pop-ups from now on, click the information icon (a circle with an i) on the left side of the address bar, then click Permissions, then toggle the Pop-ups switch to On.

If you want to see all the websites you've allowed pop-ups for, click the three-line menu in the top right, go to Settings, then Privacy and security, scroll down to Permissions, and look for Pop-ups. You can remove any website from that list by clicking the X next to its name.

Allow pop-ups from one website in Safari

Safari blocks pop-ups silently — you won't see a notification. If a website should have opened a pop-up and didn't, go to the Safari menu at the top of your screen and look for "Block Pop-Up Windows". If that option has a checkmark next to it, pop-up blocking is on. Click it once to turn blocking off temporarily for that page.

To allow pop-ups permanently for a specific website, click Safari in the top menu, then Preferences, then Security. Look for the checkbox that says "Block pop-up windows" and uncheck it. This turns off blocking for all websites. To turn it back on, check the box again. Safari doesn't have a per-website pop-up setting like Chrome and Firefox do, so you'll need to choose between blocking for everything or nothing.

Allow pop-ups from one website in Edge

When Edge blocks a pop-up, you'll see a notification at the top of the page that says "Pop-up blocked" with a button to view it. Click that button and you'll see the blocked pop-up listed. Next to it, click "Always allow pop-ups and redirects from this site".

Edge will remember this choice for future visits. To see all websites you've allowed pop-ups for, click the three-dot menu in the top right corner, go to Settings, then Privacy, search, and services, then Site permissions, then Pop-ups and redirects. You'll see a list under "Allow". Click the X next to any website to block its pop-ups again.

Turn off pop-up blocking completely if you need to

If a website's pop-ups still aren't working after you've allowed them, or if you need to turn off blocking entirely, the process is quick. In Chrome, go to Settings > Privacy and security > Site settings > Pop-ups and redirects, then toggle the switch at the top to Off. In Firefox, go to Settings > Privacy and security, scroll to Permissions, and uncheck "Block pop-up windows". In Safari, go to Preferences > Security and uncheck "Block pop-up windows". In Edge, go to Settings > Privacy, search, and services > Site permissions > Pop-ups and redirects and toggle the switch to Off.

Once you've turned off blocking, turn it back on as soon as you're done with the website that needed it. Leaving pop-up blocking off exposes you to unwanted windows and ads. Use the same menu to turn it back on — just reverse the step you just took.

What to do if pop-ups still don't work after allowing them

Sometimes a website's pop-up still won't open even after you've allowed it. This usually means the website itself has a problem, not your browser. Try refreshing the page and clicking whatever button or link should open the pop-up again. If it still doesn't work, try a different browser to see if the pop-up opens there — this tells you whether the issue is your browser settings or the website.

If the pop-up works in a different browser, go back to your original browser and make sure you actually allowed pop-ups for that website. Check the steps above for your browser to confirm the setting was saved. If you allowed it but it's still not working, try clearing your browser's cache and cookies, then visit the website again. If nothing works, contact the website's support team — they may need to fix something on their end.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why does my browser block pop-ups in the first place?

Most pop-ups are ads or scams, not legitimate windows from websites you want to use. Browsers block them by default to protect you from unwanted content and malicious sites. Allowing pop-ups only for websites you trust keeps you safer than turning off blocking everywhere.

Will turning off pop-up blocking slow down my browser?

No, pop-up blocking doesn't affect your browser's speed. Turning it off won't make pages load faster. The only difference is that websites will be able to open new windows without your permission, which can be annoying and occasionally dangerous.

Can I allow pop-ups for one website but not others?

Yes, and this is the safest approach. All modern browsers let you allow pop-ups for specific websites while keeping blocking on for everywhere else. Use this option instead of turning off blocking completely whenever possible.

What if I accidentally allowed pop-ups for a website I don't trust?

Go back to your browser's pop-up settings using the steps above and remove that website from the allowed list. Your browser will start blocking its pop-ups again when ready. There's no harm done — you can change these settings anytime.

Do I need to restart my browser after changing pop-up settings?

No, changes take effect when ready. You don't need to close and reopen your browser. Just navigate to the website and try the pop-up again.