SoundCloud pop-ups are usually blocked by default, and you need to tell your browser to allow them
SoundCloud uses pop-ups for some features — sharing tracks, opening playlists in new windows, and displaying notifications. Your browser blocks these by default as a security measure, because pop-ups are also how malware and unwanted ads spread. To use SoundCloud's pop-up features, you need to add SoundCloud to your browser's pop-up allow list. This takes about one minute and applies only to SoundCloud, not to every website.
The steps differ slightly depending on whether you use Chrome, Firefox, Safari, or Edge. In each case, you visit SoundCloud, trigger the pop-up block, and then click the option to allow pop-ups from that site. Your browser remembers the choice and stops blocking SoundCloud's pop-ups from that point forward.
Key Takeaways
- SoundCloud pop-ups are blocked by default in all major browsers as a security measure against malware and spam.
- You can allow pop-ups from SoundCloud without allowing them from every other website — the permission is site-specific.
- The allow process starts when your browser blocks a pop-up; you then click a notification or icon to permit SoundCloud's pop-ups.
- Once you allow pop-ups from SoundCloud, your browser will remember the choice and stop blocking them on future visits.
How to allow pop-ups in Chrome
Open SoundCloud in Chrome and try to trigger a pop-up — for example, click the share button on a track and select "Open in new window", or open a playlist in a new tab. Chrome will block the pop-up and show a small icon in the address bar (it looks like a box with a line through it).
Click that icon. Chrome will show a dropdown menu with the option "Always allow pop-ups and redirects from soundcloud.com". Click that option. Chrome will now permit SoundCloud's pop-ups on all future visits to the site.
If you do not see the icon, check the right side of the address bar — it may appear as a small square or as part of a group of icons. If you still cannot find it, go to Chrome's settings instead: click the three-line menu in the top right, select Settings, then Privacy and Security, then Site Settings, then Pop-ups and redirects. Find soundcloud.com in the "Allow" section and confirm it is listed there.
How to allow pop-ups in Firefox
Open SoundCloud in Firefox and try to trigger a pop-up using the same method as Chrome — click share, select "Open in new window", or open a playlist in a new tab. Firefox will block the pop-up and show a notification bar at the top of the page that says "Firefox prevented this site from opening a pop-up window."
Click the "Preferences" or "Allow" button on that notification bar. Firefox will ask you to confirm that you want to allow pop-ups from soundcloud.com. Click "Allow". Firefox will now permit SoundCloud's pop-ups on all future visits.
If the notification bar disappears before you click it, you can set the permission manually: click the menu icon (three horizontal lines) in the top right, select Settings, then Privacy & Security, scroll down to Permissions, and find Pop-ups. Click "Exceptions" next to Pop-ups and type soundcloud.com into the address field, then click "Allow".
How to allow pop-ups in Safari
Open SoundCloud in Safari and try to trigger a pop-up. Safari will block it silently — you will not see a notification bar or icon the way you do in Chrome or Firefox. Instead, you need to set the permission before you try to use the pop-up feature.
Click Safari in the menu bar at the top of your screen, then select Settings. Click the Websites tab. In the left sidebar, scroll down and click Pop-up Windows. Find soundcloud.com in the list on the right side. If it is not there, you may need to visit SoundCloud first, then return to this settings page. Once soundcloud.com appears in the list, click the dropdown next to it and select "Allow".
How to allow pop-ups in Microsoft Edge
Open SoundCloud in Edge and try to trigger a pop-up. Edge will block it and show a small icon in the address bar (similar to Chrome's icon). Click that icon and select "Always allow pop-ups and redirects from this site". Edge will now permit SoundCloud's pop-ups on all future visits.
If you do not see the icon, click the three-dot menu in the top right, select Settings, then Privacy, Search, and Services. Scroll down to Site permissions and click Pop-ups and redirects. Find soundcloud.com in the "Allow" section to confirm the permission is set.
What to do if pop-ups still do not work after you allow them
If you have allowed pop-ups from SoundCloud but they still do not appear, check whether you have browser extensions that block pop-ups. Some ad blockers and privacy extensions override your site-specific permissions. Open your extensions menu (usually accessible from the top right of your browser) and look for any extension related to ad blocking, pop-up blocking, or privacy. Temporarily disable it and try the SoundCloud pop-up again.
If disabling extensions does not help, clear your browser's cache and cookies for SoundCloud. In Chrome, Firefox, and Edge, you can do this by pressing Ctrl+Shift+Delete (or Cmd+Shift+Delete on Mac), selecting "All time" or "Everything", and checking the boxes for Cookies and Cached images and files. Then visit SoundCloud again and test the pop-up.
On rare occasions, SoundCloud's pop-up feature itself may be temporarily broken on their end. If you have allowed pop-ups, disabled conflicting extensions, and cleared your cache, and pop-ups still do not work, the issue is likely with SoundCloud's servers rather than your browser settings. Check SoundCloud's status page or support forum to see if other users are reporting the same problem.
Why your browser blocks pop-ups in the first place
Pop-ups are blocked by default because they are one of the most common ways malware, scams, and unwanted advertisements reach your computer. A malicious website can open dozens of pop-ups without your permission, each one potentially containing a virus, a phishing form, or a fake warning that tricks you into downloading something harmful. By blocking all pop-ups and requiring you to explicitly allow them site by site, your browser protects you from these attacks while still letting legitimate sites like SoundCloud use pop-ups for real features.
When you allow pop-ups from SoundCloud specifically, you are not opening yourself to pop-ups from every other website. Your permission applies only to soundcloud.com. If you visit a different website that tries to open a pop-up, your browser will still block it unless you have also allowed that site. This is why allowing pop-ups from one site does not significantly increase your security risk — you are making a narrow, specific choice rather than disabling your pop-up protection entirely.
Frequently Asked Questions
Will allowing pop-ups from SoundCloud let other websites send me pop-ups?
No. Your permission applies only to soundcloud.com. Every other website's pop-ups will still be blocked unless you separately allow them. You can safely allow pop-ups from SoundCloud without affecting your protection against pop-ups from other sites.
Can I undo this and block SoundCloud's pop-ups again?
Yes. In Chrome, Firefox, and Edge, go to Settings, find Site permissions or Pop-ups and redirects, locate soundcloud.com, and change the permission from "Allow" to "Block". In Safari, go to Settings, click Websites, select Pop-up Windows, find soundcloud.com, and change the dropdown to "Block".
What if SoundCloud is trying to open a pop-up that I did not ask for?
If SoundCloud is opening pop-ups you did not trigger, that is unusual and may indicate a problem with the site or an extension interfering with it. Try disabling your extensions one at a time to see if one of them is causing unwanted pop-ups. If the problem persists after disabling all extensions, contact SoundCloud's support team.
Do I need to allow pop-ups to use SoundCloud normally?
No. Most of SoundCloud's core features — playing music, creating playlists, following artists — work without pop-ups. You only need to allow pop-ups if you want to use specific features that open in new windows, such as sharing tracks or opening playlists in separate tabs.