How to Allow Safari Pop-Ups on macOS or iOS

This guide shows you how to allow pop-ups in Safari on your Mac, iPhone, or iPad. Pop-ups are often blocked by default to prevent spam, but some legitimate sites—like banking portals, school systems, or ticketing services—need them to work. You’ll learn where the setting lives on each device and how to enable it safely.

What You’ll Need

• A Mac running macOS (any recent version, from Catalina to Sonoma or later)
• An iPhone or iPad running iOS/iPadOS (any recent version)
• Administrator access on the Mac if you need to change settings for other users (usually not required for your own account)

Step-by-Step

On macOS (Safari for Mac)

1. Open Safari on your Mac.
2. From the top menu bar, click Safari and then select Settings… (or Preferences… in older macOS versions).
3. Click the Websites tab at the top of the Settings window.
4. In the left sidebar, scroll down and click Pop-up Windows.
5. You’ll see a list of currently open websites on the right. To allow pop-ups for a specific site, find it in the list and change the dropdown next to it from Block to Allow.
6. To allow pop-ups for all websites (not recommended), set the When visiting other websites dropdown at the bottom to Allow.
7. Close the Settings window. Your changes are saved automatically.

On iOS (iPhone and iPad)

1. Open the Settings app on your iPhone or iPad.
2. Scroll down and tap Safari.
3. Scroll down to the General section.
4. Find the Block Pop-ups toggle. If it’s green (enabled), tap it to turn it off. When the toggle is gray, pop-ups are allowed.
5. Note: iOS does not have per-site pop-up settings like macOS. Turning off Block Pop-ups affects all websites.

Quick Alternative for a Single Site (macOS)

1. If you’re on a website that needs pop-ups, look in the Smart Search field at the top of the Safari window.
2. Click the small shield icon or the aA icon (depending on your macOS version).
3. Choose Website Settings.
4. Next to Pop-up Windows, select Allow from the dropdown.
5. Click Done. This only affects the site you’re on.

Common Mistakes

• Turning off pop-ups globally on iOS: On iPhone/iPad, you can’t allow pop-ups for just one site. If you disable the toggle, all sites can show pop-ups, which increases the risk of spam or malicious windows. Consider re-enabling it after you’re done with the site.
• Looking for the wrong setting on Mac: Some users search for “pop-ups” in the Safari menu or in System Settings. The correct place is Safari > Settings > Websites > Pop-up Windows.
• Forgetting to refresh the page: After changing the setting, you must reload the page for the change to take effect. A simple refresh (Cmd+R on Mac, or pull-to-refresh on iOS) is often needed.
• Confusing pop-ups with redirects: Some sites open new tabs instead of pop-ups. The “Block Pop-ups” setting only affects small separate windows, not new tabs. If you’re seeing new tabs, that’s normal Safari behavior, not a pop-up.

Tips

• Allow only for trusted sites: On macOS, use the per-site setting whenever possible. It keeps the default blocking for everything else.
• Use Reader Mode if a site is cluttered: If a site has annoying pop-ups but you still need content, try Reader Mode (click the aA icon and select Show Reader). This often hides pop-ups without changing your settings.
• Check for a pop-up blocker extension: If you have third-party ad blockers or pop-up blockers installed, they may override Safari’s settings. Disable them temporarily to see if that’s the issue.
• On iOS, re-enable blocking after use: Since iOS lacks per-site controls, it’s safer to turn Block Pop-ups back on after you’ve completed your task on the site that needed it.

Troubleshooting

Pop-ups still blocked after enabling?

• Make sure you’ve refreshed the page. If not, press Cmd+R (Mac) or pull down to refresh (iOS).
• Check if you have a content blocker extension (like AdBlock or uBlock Origin) that has its own pop-up settings. Disable it temporarily or add an exception for the site.
• On macOS, verify you changed the setting for the correct website. The list in Settings > Websites > Pop-up Windows only shows sites you have open. If the site isn’t listed, use the “When visiting other websites” dropdown.
• If you’re using Safari on iOS and the site still doesn’t work, the site might be using a different kind of window (like a modal dialog) that isn’t controlled by the pop-up blocker. In that case, the issue is on the site’s side.

Pop-ups are allowed but not appearing?

• Some pop-ups are triggered by a click or a form submission. Try interacting with the page again (e.g., clicking a button) to trigger the pop-up.
• Check if the pop-up is opening in a new tab instead. On Mac, look for a new tab next to your current one. On iOS, tap the tab icon (two overlapping squares) to see all open tabs.

Changed settings but nothing happened?

• Quit Safari completely (Cmd+Q on Mac, or swipe it away from the App Switcher on iOS) and reopen it. This ensures all settings are reloaded.

Frequently Asked Questions

1. Is there a way to allow pop-ups for just one site on iPhone?
No, iOS does not offer per-site pop-up settings. You can only turn the blocker on or off globally. A workaround is to use a different browser (like Chrome or Firefox) that may have per-site settings, but that’s outside Safari.

2. Why does Safari block pop-ups by default?
To protect you from intrusive ads, phishing attempts, and malicious windows. Pop-ups are often used for scams, so Safari blocks them unless you explicitly allow them.

3. Will allowing pop-ups slow down my Mac or iPhone?
No, allowing pop-ups doesn’t affect performance. It simply lets websites open additional windows. However, those windows might contain ads or scripts that could slow down the page temporarily.

4. Can I allow pop-ups for a site but still block ads?
Yes. The pop-up setting is separate from ad blocking. You can allow pop-ups for a site while using an ad blocker extension (on Mac) or a content blocker (on iOS). The ad blocker will still filter ads within the pop-up windows.

5. How do I know if a pop-up is safe?
Only allow pop-ups from sites you trust. If a pop-up asks for personal information, passwords, or payment details, close it immediately. Legitimate sites rarely ask for sensitive info in a pop-up.

6. What if I accidentally allowed pop-ups for a malicious site?
Go back to the settings and change the site’s permission to “Block” (on Mac) or turn Block Pop-ups back on (on iOS). Clear your browsing history and cookies for that site if you’re worried. Also, consider running a security scan.

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