Chrome blocks popups by default, and you can turn that off in Settings
Chrome's popup blocker stops most popups from opening automatically. If you need a website to show popups — for a login screen, a document viewer, or a tool that requires a new window — you can turn the blocker off entirely, or you can allow popups only on specific sites. The fastest route is to add the site to an exception list so popups work there but stay blocked everywhere else.
You have two main options: disable the blocker for one site at a time using the address bar icon, or change the setting in Chrome's full Settings menu. Most people find the address bar method faster because it takes just one click and keeps the blocker active on every other site.
Key Takeaways
- You can turn off the popup blocker for all sites in Chrome Settings under Privacy and Security, or allow popups only on sites you choose.
- The quickest way to allow popups on one site is to click the popup blocker icon in the address bar when you visit that site.
- Turning off the blocker entirely exposes you to unwanted popups on most websites, so adding specific sites to an exception list is usually safer.
- After you change popup settings, you may need to reload the page or open a new tab for the change to take effect.
Allow popups on a single website using the address bar
When Chrome blocks a popup on a site you're visiting, a small icon appears in the address bar on the right side — it looks like a stacked-window symbol or a speech bubble with a slash through it. Click that icon to see a list of blocked popups.
At the top of the popup list, you'll see a toggle or button that says "Always allow popups and redirects on [website name]" or similar wording. Click it. Chrome will add that site to your exceptions list, and popups will now open on that site without being blocked. You may need to reload the page to see the change take effect.
This method is the safest because it keeps the blocker on for every other site. You only disable it where you actually need it.
Turn off the popup blocker for all websites in Settings
If you want to disable the popup blocker entirely, open Chrome and click the three vertical dots in the top right corner. Select Settings from the menu.
On the left side of the Settings page, click Privacy and security. Then click Site settings. Scroll down until you see Popups and redirects and click it.
You'll see a toggle at the top labeled "Popups and redirects" with options below it. The toggle should currently be set to Blocked. Click the toggle to switch it to Allowed. Chrome will now permit popups on all websites.
Be aware that turning off the blocker entirely means you may see unwanted popups on many sites. Most people find it better to add only the sites they need to an exception list instead.
Manage your popup exceptions list
If you've already added sites to your exceptions list and want to see them, go to Settings, then Privacy and security, then Site settings, then Popups and redirects. Scroll down to the section labeled "Allow" — this shows all the sites where you've turned off popup blocking.
To remove a site from the exceptions list, find it in the "Allow" section and click the trash icon or X button next to it. Chrome will go back to blocking popups on that site. You can also add sites to this list manually by clicking "Add" in the "Allow" section and typing the website address.
Keep in mind that Chrome treats different subdomains as separate sites. If you add "example.com" to your exceptions list, popups will be allowed there, but "mail.example.com" will still have the blocker on unless you add it separately.
Reload your page after changing popup settings
After you turn off the popup blocker or add a site to your exceptions list, the change may not take effect immediately on the page you're viewing. Press Ctrl+R on Windows or Command+R on Mac to reload the page, or close the tab and open it again.
If you're still not seeing popups after reloading, double-check that you added the correct website address to your exceptions list. Sometimes a page fails to load a popup for reasons other than Chrome's blocker — the site itself may not be sending one, or another extension might be blocking it instead.
Check if a popup is actually blocked
To confirm that Chrome is blocking a popup and not something else, look for the popup blocker icon in the address bar. If you see it, Chrome blocked the popup. If you don't see it, the site itself may not be sending a popup, or another extension might be blocking it.
If you have other browser extensions installed, some of them may also block popups independently of Chrome's built-in blocker. Check your extensions by clicking the puzzle-piece icon in the top right of Chrome and looking at what's installed. You can turn off individual extensions to see if one of them is the culprit. This is especially common if you've installed ad blockers or privacy extensions.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why does Chrome still block popups even though I turned off the blocker?
You may have turned off the blocker for all sites but the page you're visiting is still blocked. Reload the page with Ctrl+R or Command+R. If that doesn't work, another extension may be blocking popups instead. Check your installed extensions in the puzzle-piece menu.
Can I allow popups on a website without turning off the blocker everywhere?
Yes. Click the popup blocker icon in the address bar and select "Always allow popups on this site." This adds only that site to your exceptions list and keeps the blocker on for everywhere else.
What's the difference between popups and redirects?
Popups are new windows that open on top of the page you're viewing. Redirects are when a site sends you to a different page automatically. Chrome's popup blocker controls both. The setting is called "Popups and redirects" because they're managed together.
If I allow popups on a site, will I see ads?
Possibly. Some websites use popups for legitimate features like login windows or document viewers, while others use them for advertisements. Turning off the blocker for a site means all popups from that site will open, not just the ones you want.
How do I know if a site is trustworthy enough to allow popups?
If you recognize the site and you need a popup feature to use it, it's usually safe to allow popups there. If you're unsure about a site, try using it without allowing popups first. You can always add it to your exceptions list later if you need to.