Where to find pop-up settings on your Mac browser
Pop-ups are blocked by default on every major Mac browser for good reason — most are ads or scams. But some websites you trust need pop-ups to work: online banking portals that open in new windows, document uploads, appointment scheduling systems. If a website tells you to enable pop-ups and nothing happens when you click, the browser is silently blocking it.
The setting lives in a different place depending on which browser you use. Safari keeps it under Privacy settings. Chrome and Firefox put it under Site Settings. Once you know where to look, the change takes about 30 seconds and applies when ready — you do not need to restart the browser.
The steps below work on any Mac running a recent version of macOS. If your browser looks different, you likely need to update it first — go to the browser menu, select "About [Browser Name]", and let it install any pending updates.
Key Takeaways
- Safari stores pop-up settings under Preferences > Privacy, where you can allow pop-ups globally or block them everywhere except specific sites.
- Chrome and Firefox use Site Settings to control pop-ups per website, letting you allow them only on sites you trust rather than everywhere.
- You can allow pop-ups for one website without allowing them on all websites — this is the safest approach if only one site needs them.
- Pop-up blocking happens silently; if a website says "open a new window" and nothing appears, the browser is blocking it, not the website.
Enable pop-ups in Safari
Open Safari and click Safari in the menu bar at the top of the screen. Select Settings (or Preferences on older Macs). Click the Privacy tab. Near the bottom, you will see a checkbox that says Block pop-ups. Uncheck it. Close the Settings window — the change takes effect when ready.
This allows pop-ups on every website. If you want pop-ups blocked everywhere except one site, leave the checkbox checked. Then go to the website that needs pop-ups, click Safari in the menu bar, hover over Settings for [Website Name], and select Allow Pop-ups. Safari remembers this choice for that site only.
Enable pop-ups in Chrome
Open Chrome and click the three vertical dots in the top right corner. Select Settings. Click Privacy and security in the left sidebar, then click Site settings. Scroll down and click Pop-ups and redirects. At the top, toggle the switch to Allowed. This turns on pop-ups everywhere.
To allow pop-ups only on specific websites, keep the toggle set to Blocked. Scroll down to the section labeled Allowed and click Add. Type the website address (for example, mybank.com) and click Add. Chrome will now allow pop-ups only on that site. You can add multiple websites this way.
Enable pop-ups in Firefox
Open Firefox and click the three horizontal lines in the top right corner. Select Settings. Click Privacy & Security in the left sidebar. Scroll down to the Permissions section. Find Pop-ups and look at the checkbox next to Block pop-ups. Uncheck it to allow pop-ups on all websites.
To allow pop-ups only on one website, leave the checkbox checked. Go to the website that needs pop-ups. Click the lock icon or information icon to the left of the address bar. Click Permissions and find Pop-ups. Click the dropdown next to it and select Allow. Firefox remembers this choice for that site.
Why a website might need pop-ups enabled
Pop-ups serve legitimate purposes on some websites, even though most are unwanted. Online banking often uses pop-ups for security verification or to open a separate window for entering sensitive information. Government websites sometimes use pop-ups to display important notices or open forms. Appointment scheduling systems and document upload tools frequently rely on pop-ups to function.
If a website tells you to enable pop-ups and you have done so but nothing happens, the problem is usually not the browser setting. Check whether the website works in a different browser, or ask the website's support team whether they have specific instructions for Mac users. Some older websites were built for Internet Explorer and do not work properly on modern browsers regardless of pop-up settings.
Re-blocking pop-ups after you are done
If you turned on pop-ups globally to test a website, turn the setting back off when you are finished. Go back to your browser settings using the steps above and re-check the Block pop-ups box (Safari), toggle the switch back to Blocked (Chrome), or re-check Block pop-ups (Firefox). This protects you from unwanted pop-ups on other websites.
If you added a specific website to an allow list, you do not need to do anything else. The browser will keep blocking pop-ups everywhere except that one site. This is the safest approach — you get the functionality you need without lowering your guard on websites you do not trust.
What to do if pop-ups still do not work
After enabling pop-ups, refresh the website by pressing Command+R. Sometimes the browser cached the page before you changed the setting, and it needs to load again. If pop-ups still do not appear, check whether your Mac has any third-party security software running — some antivirus programs block pop-ups even when the browser allows them.
You can also check whether the website is trying to open a pop-up at all. Open the browser's developer tools (press Command+Option+I in Chrome or Firefox, Command+Option+U in Safari). Look for any error messages that mention "pop-up" or "window". If you see messages like "blocked by browser", the website is trying but the browser is still blocking it — go back and verify you completed the steps above. If you see no messages about pop-ups, the website may not be attempting to open one.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I allow pop-ups on one website without allowing them everywhere?
Yes. In Chrome and Firefox, you can add individual websites to an allow list while keeping pop-ups blocked globally. In Safari, you can use the "Settings for [Website Name]" option to allow pop-ups only on that site. This is safer than turning pop-ups on for all websites.
Will enabling pop-ups expose my Mac to malware?
Pop-ups themselves do not install malware, but malicious pop-ups can trick you into clicking something harmful. Allowing pop-ups only on websites you trust, rather than everywhere, reduces this risk. If you enable pop-ups globally, be cautious about what you click in any pop-up window.
Why do some websites say my pop-ups are blocked when I have already enabled them?
The website may be checking for pop-ups before you changed the setting. Refresh the page by pressing Command+R and try again. If it still does not work, the website may require a specific browser or may have a bug — contact their support team.
Do I need to restart my browser after changing pop-up settings?
No. Changes to pop-up settings take effect when ready in Safari, Chrome, and Firefox. You do not need to close and reopen the browser, though refreshing the current page (Command+R) can help if the website cached before you made the change.
What if I accidentally allowed pop-ups on a website I do not trust?
Go back to your browser's site settings and remove that website from the allow list. In Chrome, click the X next to the website in the "Allowed" section. In Firefox, click the X next to it in the permissions list. In Safari, go to Settings, Privacy, and manage the list of sites you have allowed.