How do I turn off the pop-up blocker on my Mac?

Mac
1

I’m trying to access a few websites that need pop-ups to sign in or show important info, but my Mac keeps blocking them. I’ve checked Safari and Chrome settings, but I’m not sure what I’m missing or if there’s a system setting getting in the way. Can someone walk me through the correct steps to fully disable or manage the pop-up blocker on a Mac so these sites work properly?

2

This trips a lot of people up on Mac, since there are multiple spots to check. Here is a straight checklist.

  1. Safari pop‑ups for all sites
  1. Open Safari.
  2. Menu bar at top > Safari > Settings.
  3. Go to the Websites tab.
  4. On the left, click Pop-up Windows.
  5. At the bottom, “When visiting other websites” set to:
    • Allow, if you trust what you visit.
    • Or Block and Notify, then you click the small icon in the address bar when a popup is blocked.

Also check the list in the main box. If the site you want is listed, change its setting to Allow.

  1. Safari content blockers

If you use any content blocker or extension:

  1. Safari > Settings > Extensions.
  2. Turn off ad-block or popup-block extensions.
  3. Or whitelist your target sites inside the extension options.
  1. Chrome on Mac
  1. Open Chrome.
  2. Click the three dots in the top right.
  3. Settings > Privacy and security.
  4. Site Settings > Pop-ups and redirects.
  5. Set to “Sites can send pop-ups and use redirects” if you want global allowance.
    Or:
    • Leave it blocked.
    • Under “Allowed to send pop-ups and use redirects” add the exact site:

Also check “Ads” and “Javascript” in Site Settings. Some login popups break if JS is blocked by an extension.

  1. Chrome per-site quick check

On the problem site:

  1. Click the lock icon in the address bar.
  2. Click Site settings.
  3. Look for Pop-ups and redirects.
  4. Set to Allow for that domain.
  1. System level and third party blockers

macOS itself does not have a separate popup blocker control, it goes through the browser. The missing piece is often:

  • An ad blocker app, like AdGuard, 1Blocker, etc.
  • A security suite, like Norton, Kaspersky, etc.
  • A VPN app with filtering.

Check menu bar icons at the top right. Quit those tools one by one, then reload the page and test the popup. If it works after you quit one app, adjust settings in that app to allow the site.

  1. Test with another browser

Install Firefox if you do not have it.

  1. Open the same site in Firefox.
  2. Go to Settings > Privacy & Security > Permissions > Block pop-up windows.
  3. Uncheck, or click Exceptions and add the site.

If the popup works only in Firefox, you know Safari or Chrome or an extension is still blocking.

  1. Common gotchas
  • Some sites open login in a new tab, not a classic “popup”. If the tab never appears, an extension might be blocking redirects.
  • Strict content blocking modes in Safari (Settings > Privacy) or iCloud Private Relay rarely interfere, but you can try disabling them briefly for testing.
  • If your browser runs in “private” mode with special extensions, test in a normal window.

Once you narrow it down to a specific blocker or setting, keep things locked down by only allowing the specific sites that need popups, not every site.

3

One thing I’ll push back on a bit from @codecrafter’s checklist: I wouldn’t jump straight to “allow all pop‑ups.” That usually just invites sketchy stuff. It’s better to track down what is actually blocking and only open the door for the specific site.

Since you already poked at Safari and Chrome settings, here are the spots people usually miss:

  1. Profile / managed Mac stuff

    • If this is a work or school Mac, IT might have a config profile forcing certain blocking rules.
    • Go to System Settings > Privacy & Security > Profiles (or “Profiles” in older macOS under System Preferences).
    • If you see a profile from your company/school, some browser policies might be locked. In that case, your changes in Chrome/Safari won’t fully stick.
    • You can’t safely remove those yourself if it’s a managed machine; you’d need IT to loosen pop‑up rules for the site.

  2. DNS / network level filters

    • Some “clean web” / “family filter” things work outside the browser and kill pop‑ups/redirects before they reach you.
    • Check:
      • Any “security” apps from your ISP.
      • Router filters if you’re at home with a fancy router.
      • Pi‑hole / NextDNS / Cloudflare Family, etc.
    • Quick test: connect your Mac to your phone’s hotspot and try the site again.
      • If pop‑ups suddenly work, the blocker is on your normal network, not the Mac itself.

  3. Chrome profiles & Chrome policies

    • Chrome can have different settings per profile. If you use more than one profile, you might have pop‑ups blocked differently.
    • Click your profile icon in Chrome (top right), check which profile you’re on, and test in a Guest window.
    • In the address bar, type chrome://policy and hit enter.
      • If you see stuff like DefaultPopupsSetting set by an organization, again that’s managed and may override your local setting.

  4. Safari website data “corruption”

    • Sometimes the site thinks you already rejected a pop‑up or it’s stuck in a bad state.
    • In Safari, go to Settings > Privacy > Manage Website Data.
    • Search for the site’s domain.
    • Remove its data, then reload the site and try again.
    • Annoying, but I’ve had this fix weird “login window never appears” issues.

  5. Use the “click triggered” workaround

    • Some blockers are stricter with automatic pop‑ups but allow ones opened by a direct click.
    • If the site is using “auto” pop‑ups, try:
      • Right‑click where the login link is (or inspect the code if you’re comfortable).
      • Open link in new tab or new window manually.
    • Not elegant, but works as a workaround when you can’t fully control the blocker.

  6. Test in a bare‑bones environment

    • Create a temporary new macOS user:
      • System Settings > Users & Groups > Add User
    • Log into that new account, open Safari/Chrome without signing into iCloud/Google, so no extensions sync in.
    • Try the site.
    • If pop‑ups work fine there, the culprit is almost certainly an extension, synced setting, or profile restriction in your main account.

From what you described, if both Safari and Chrome “should” be allowing pop‑ups but they still don’t appear, my money is on one of:

  • Work/school management profile
  • A network‑level filter
  • A synced extension or Chrome policy

I’d start with the hotspot test and chrome://policy. If those look clean, then new macOS user test next. That at least tells you if the issue is your account config or something external.