Safari blocks most pop-ups by default, and you can turn that off in Settings

Safari's pop-up blocker is on automatically. If a website you trust needs to open pop-ups — for example, to show you a document, a map, or a form in a new window — you have two choices: turn off blocking for that one site, or turn it off entirely in Safari's settings. Most people find it easier to allow pop-ups just for the sites that need them, rather than leaving yourself exposed to unwanted pop-ups everywhere else.

The steps differ slightly depending on whether you use Safari on Mac, iPhone, or iPad, but the settings are in the same place: Safari's preferences or settings menu.

Key Takeaways

  • Safari blocks pop-ups by default; you can allow them for a single website without changing your global settings.
  • To allow pop-ups on one site, visit that site, open the Safari menu, and choose the option to allow pop-ups for that domain.
  • To turn off pop-up blocking entirely on Mac, go to Safari > Settings > Security and uncheck the box next to "Block pop-ups".
  • On iPhone and iPad, go to Settings > Safari > Block Pop-ups and toggle it off.
  • If you turn off blocking globally, you will see more unwanted pop-ups; allowing pop-ups per site is usually the safer choice.

Allow pop-ups for one website on Mac

This is the fastest way if you only need pop-ups from one or two trusted sites. Visit the website that needs to open pop-ups. Then click the Safari menu at the top left of your screen, and look for an option that says "Allow Pop-ups for [website name]" or "Allow Pop-ups on This Website". Click it once.

Safari will remember that choice. The next time you visit that site, pop-ups will open normally. If you change your mind later, go back to that site, open the Safari menu again, and you will see the option now says "Disable Pop-ups for [website name]". Click it to block them again.

Allow pop-ups for one website on iPhone or iPad

Open Safari and navigate to the website that needs pop-ups. Tap the address bar at the top of the screen. At the left side of the address bar, you will see a small icon that looks like "aA" or a website symbol. Tap it.

A menu will appear. Look for an option that says "Allow Pop-ups" or "Settings for [website name]". Tap it. Safari will now allow pop-ups from that site. To turn them back off later, return to the site, tap the same icon, and tap "Block Pop-ups".

Turn off pop-up blocking entirely on Mac

If you want to disable the pop-up blocker for all websites, click the Safari menu at the top left of your screen. Select "Settings" (or "Preferences" on older versions of macOS). Click the "Security" tab.

You will see a checkbox next to "Block pop-ups". Uncheck it. Close the Settings window. Pop-up blocking is now off for all sites. Be aware that you will likely see more unwanted pop-ups now, including ads and spam. You can turn this setting back on at any time by following the same steps and checking the box again.

Turn off pop-up blocking entirely on iPhone or iPad

Open the Settings app on your device (not Safari itself). Scroll down and tap "Safari". Scroll down again until you see "Block Pop-ups". The toggle next to it will be green and switched on. Tap the toggle to turn it off.

Pop-up blocking is now disabled for all websites in Safari. To turn it back on, return to Settings > Safari > Block Pop-ups and tap the toggle again to switch it on.

What to do if a pop-up still does not appear after allowing it

Sometimes a website's pop-up is blocked by something other than Safari's built-in blocker — for example, by a browser extension or by your internet provider's security filter. If you have turned off Safari's pop-up blocker or allowed pop-ups for a specific site and the pop-up still does not appear, check whether you have any extensions installed that might be blocking it.

Go to Safari > Settings > Extensions (Mac) or Settings > Safari > Extensions (iPhone/iPad) and look at what is installed. If you see an ad blocker or security extension, try temporarily disabling it to see if that unblocks the pop-up. If the pop-up appears after you disable the extension, you know that extension was the culprit, and you can decide whether to remove it or add that website to the extension's allowlist.

Frequently Asked Questions

Will turning off pop-up blocking affect my security?

Turning off blocking globally exposes you to more unwanted pop-ups, some of which may contain malware or scams. Allowing pop-ups for one trusted site at a time is much safer. If you must disable blocking entirely, do it only temporarily and turn it back on when you are done.

Can I block pop-ups from one site while allowing them on others?

Yes. Safari lets you set pop-up rules per website. Visit each site and use the Safari menu (Mac) or address bar icon (iPhone/iPad) to allow or block pop-ups individually. This way you can keep blocking on by default and only open it for sites that need it.

What if I accidentally allowed pop-ups and now I see spam?

Go back to that website, open the Safari menu or address bar icon, and select the option to block pop-ups again. Safari will stop allowing them when ready. If you turned off blocking globally, turn it back on in Settings.

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

No. Changes take effect right away. You can close and reopen Safari, or just navigate to a new page and the new settings will explore.