How to Turn On the Pop-Up Blocker in Chrome, Edge, or Safari

Pop-up windows are one of the main ways a computer ends up with a scary warning on the screen or software you never meant to install. The good news is that Windows and Mac computers come with a pop-up blocker already built into the web browser. Sometimes it gets turned off by accident, or you simply want to check that it's doing its job.

This guide walks through turning on the pop-up blocker in the three most common browsers: Chrome, Microsoft Edge, and Safari on a Mac. Pick the one you use and follow those steps. It only takes a minute, and you won't need to install anything new.

A quick note on what a pop-up actually is: it's a small extra window that opens on top of the page you're reading, often an ad, but sometimes a fake warning designed to scare you into calling a number or downloading something. Blocking pop-ups cuts most of those off before they ever appear.

How to turn on the pop-up blocker in Chrome

Chrome blocks pop-ups by default, so if you're seeing a lot of them, it's worth checking this setting.

1. Open Chrome and click the three dots in the top-right corner.
2. Select Settings.
3. On the left side, click Privacy and security.
4. Click Site settings.
5. Scroll down and click Pop-ups and redirects.
6. Choose Don't allow sites to send pop-ups or use redirects. This is the setting that keeps the blocker on for every website.

If one specific site you trust needs pop-ups to work — some banking or scheduling sites do — you can scroll down on that same page and add it to the "Allowed to send pop-ups" list, without turning off the blocker everywhere else.

How to turn on the pop-up blocker in Microsoft Edge

Edge also blocks pop-ups by default. Here's where to check the setting:

1. Open Edge and click the three dots in the top-right corner.
2. Select Settings.
3. On the left side, click Cookies and site permissions.
4. Click Pop-ups and redirects.
5. Make sure the toggle next to Block (recommended) is turned on.

Just like in Chrome, you can allow pop-ups for a single site you trust further down that same settings page, while leaving the blocker on everywhere else.

How to turn on the pop-up blocker in Safari on a Mac

Safari's pop-up blocker is also on by default, and it lives in a slightly different place.

1. Open Safari and click Safari in the menu bar at the top of the screen.
2. Select Settings.
3. Click the Websites tab.
4. In the left sidebar, click Pop-up Windows.
5. Next to "When visiting other websites," choose Block.

Safari lets you set this per site, too. If a site you already trust is listed, you can set that one site to Allow without changing the setting for every other website you visit.

Why this matters

A pop-up blocker won't stop every scam on its own, but it closes off one of the easiest ways a scary warning or unwanted program gets in front of you in the first place. Combined with keeping your browser and operating system updated, it's one of the simplest safety habits on a Windows PC or Mac.

It's also worth knowing that a pop-up blocker handles browser pop-ups specifically. It won't stop a phishing email or a phone call from someone pretending to be tech support — those need a different kind of caution, since they arrive outside the browser altogether.

What to do if you're stuck

If you follow these steps and the menu doesn't look quite like what's described here, your browser may have been updated with slightly different wording. Look for words like "Pop-ups," "Permissions," or "Site settings" in your browser's settings menu — the setting is there, even if the exact path has shifted a little.

If pop-ups keep appearing no matter what you set, or you're not sure whether a pop-up you already saw did any harm, that's worth a second look from someone who can check the computer directly rather than guess over the phone.

If you want quiet protection on your Windows or Mac computer — with a real Porchswing person to call — learn about PorchswingProtect. Or call us at (916) 521-0065 and we'll help you set it up.

Common questions

Will turning on the pop-up blocker stop ads on websites I visit?

It will stop pop-up windows, which is one kind of ad. It won't remove ads that are built directly into a page's layout, since those aren't technically pop-ups.

Can a pop-up blocker break a website I need to use?

Occasionally. Some sites use a pop-up window on purpose, for things like printing a receipt or opening a video call. If a site you trust isn't working right, you can add just that site to the allowed list instead of turning the blocker off everywhere.

Do I need separate pop-up blocker software?

No. The built-in blocker in Chrome, Edge, and Safari covers this already. If you'd like help making sure the rest of your computer is set up safely, that's something we can go over together.