Chrome blocks most pop-ups by default, and you can turn that off for specific websites or everywhere

Chrome's built-in pop-up blocker stops most new windows from opening without your permission. Sometimes a website you trust needs to open a pop-up to work — a login window, a document viewer, a payment form, or a tool that only runs in a new tab. You have two choices: turn off blocking for just that one site, or turn it off entirely. Turning it off for one site is safer, because you keep protection everywhere else.

The fastest way is to click the pop-up blocker icon that appears in Chrome's address bar when a pop-up is blocked, then choose to allow pop-ups on that site. If you do not see the icon, or if you want to change the setting before visiting the site, you can adjust it in Chrome's settings menu.

Key Takeaways

  • When Chrome blocks a pop-up, a small icon appears in the address bar on the right side — click it and select "Always allow pop-ups on [website name]" to unblock just that site.
  • You can also go to Chrome Settings > Privacy and Security > Site Settings > Pop-ups and redirects to manage blocking for any website, even before you visit it.
  • Allowing pop-ups for one site does not affect Chrome's protection on other websites.
  • If a site keeps opening unwanted pop-ups even after you allow them, the site itself may have a problem — check the site's settings or contact their support.

Allow pop-ups for one website using the address bar icon

When Chrome blocks a pop-up, you will see a small icon in the address bar — it looks like a square with a line through it, or sometimes shows a number like "Pop-ups blocked (2)". Click that icon.

A menu will appear with the option "Always allow pop-ups on [the website's name]". Click it. Chrome will remember this choice and stop blocking pop-ups from that site from now on. You do not need to restart Chrome or reload the page — the change takes effect when ready.

If you change your mind later, you can click the same icon again and choose "Don't allow pop-ups on this site" to turn blocking back on.

Allow pop-ups through Chrome Settings for any website

If you want to change the pop-up setting before you visit a site, or if you want to see all the sites you have already allowed, use Chrome's settings menu.

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 "Pop-ups and redirects".

You will see two sections: "Allowed" shows websites where you have turned off blocking, and "Blocked" shows the default. To add a new site to the allowed list, click "Add" next to "Allowed" and type the website address. To remove a site from the allowed list, find it and click the three dots next to it, then select "Remove".

Turn off pop-up blocking entirely (not recommended)

You can disable Chrome's pop-up blocker completely, but this leaves you unprotected against unwanted pop-ups on every website. Most people should not do this.

If you do want to turn it off everywhere, go to Settings > Privacy and security > Site settings > Pop-ups and redirects. At the top, toggle the switch from "Blocked" to "Allowed". Every website will now be able to open pop-ups without asking.

You can turn it back on the same way — just toggle the switch back to "Blocked".

What to do if a site still will not work after you allow pop-ups

Sometimes a website has a problem that goes beyond pop-up blocking. If you have allowed pop-ups for a site and it still does not work, try these steps: first, reload the page by pressing Ctrl+R (or Cmd+R on Mac). Second, clear your browser cache by going to Settings > Privacy and security > Clear browsing data, select "All time", and click "Clear data".

If the site still does not work, the problem may be with the website itself, not Chrome. Try the site in a different browser like Firefox or Edge to see if it works there. If it does, contact the website's support team and tell them Chrome is blocking something. If it does not work in any browser, the site may be down or may have a bug.

Understand the difference between pop-ups and pop-unders

Chrome's pop-up blocker stops new windows from opening on top of the page you are viewing. A pop-under is a window that opens behind your current window, so you do not see it until you minimize or close Chrome. Chrome's blocker does not catch pop-unders the same way, because they do not interrupt you when ready.

If you notice new windows opening behind your current one, that is usually a sign the website itself is behaving badly, not that your blocker is broken. Do not allow pop-ups for that site. Instead, stop visiting it or report it to Chrome by going to Settings > Privacy and security > Security and clicking "Report an unsafe site".

Frequently Asked Questions

Why does Chrome block pop-ups in the first place?

Most pop-ups are advertisements or scams designed to distract you or trick you into clicking something. Blocking them by default protects you from malware, fake security warnings, and unwanted ads. Legitimate websites rarely need pop-ups to function — most have moved to other methods like modals or in-page forms.

If I allow pop-ups for a site, can it open pop-ups on other sites too?

No. When you allow pop-ups for a specific website, that permission applies only to that website. Chrome keeps each site's settings separate. Other sites will still have pop-ups blocked unless you specifically allow them too.

Does allowing pop-ups for one site slow down Chrome?

No. Allowing pop-ups does not affect Chrome's speed or performance. It only changes what that one site is permitted to do. Your browsing will feel exactly the same.

Can I allow pop-ups just once instead of permanently?

Chrome does not have a "one-time only" option. When you allow pop-ups for a site, the permission stays until you remove it. If you want to remove it later, go back to Settings > Site settings > Pop-ups and redirects and delete the site from the allowed list.

What if a website keeps opening pop-ups even though I allowed them?

If you allowed pop-ups but the site opens too many or opens them repeatedly, the website may have a setting you need to adjust. Check the website's preferences or account settings — many sites let you control how many notifications or windows they open. If you cannot find a setting, contact the website's support team.