Chrome blocks most pop-ups automatically — you just need to know where to check
Chrome comes with a built-in pop-up blocker that is turned on by default. It catches the vast majority of unwanted pop-ups before they reach your screen. If you are still seeing pop-ups, the blocker may have exceptions for certain sites, or you may need to adjust your settings. The steps below show you how to see what Chrome is blocking, allow pop-ups on sites you trust, and turn off the blocker entirely if you need to.
Most of the time, you will not need to do anything — Chrome handles pop-ups in the background. But knowing where to find these settings and how to use them means you can take control when a site you trust needs to show you a pop-up, or when you want to see what Chrome has been blocking.
Key Takeaways
- Chrome's pop-up blocker is on by default and blocks most pop-ups automatically without any action from you.
- When Chrome blocks a pop-up, a small icon appears in the address bar — click it to see what was blocked and allow pop-ups from that site if you choose.
- You can allow pop-ups from specific websites while keeping the blocker on for everywhere else by adding sites to your exceptions list.
- If you turn off the pop-up blocker entirely, you lose protection on all sites, so it is better to add exceptions for the few sites where you need pop-ups.
Where to find Chrome's pop-up blocker settings
Open Chrome and click the three vertical dots in the top right corner. Select Settings, then click Privacy and security in the left sidebar. Choose Site settings. Scroll down and click Pop-ups and redirects. This page shows you whether the blocker is on or off and lists any sites you have allowed to show pop-ups.
The default setting is Blocked (recommended), which means Chrome is stopping pop-ups. If you see Allowed instead, the blocker is off and pop-ups will appear on all sites. You can toggle this back to Blocked at any time. The toggle switch is at the top of the page, and changing it takes effect immediately.
How to allow pop-ups from a specific website
When Chrome blocks a pop-up, a small icon appears in the address bar on the right side — it looks like a box with an arrow or a circle with a slash through it, depending on your Chrome version. Click that icon. A menu will appear showing the pop-ups that were blocked. Click Always allow on [website name] to let that site show pop-ups from now on.
You can also add sites manually without waiting for a blocked pop-up. Go to Settings > Privacy and security > Site settings > Pop-ups and redirects. Under Allow, click Add. Type the website address (for example, example.com) and click Add. That site can now show pop-ups whenever you visit it.
To remove a site from your exceptions list, find it under Allow and click the trash icon next to it. Chrome will go back to blocking pop-ups from that site. You can add and remove sites as many times as you need to.
When to turn off the blocker entirely
You should rarely need to turn off the pop-up blocker completely. Most legitimate websites that require pop-ups — like online banking portals or document upload tools — work fine with the blocker on because they are designed to request permission rather than force pop-ups through. If a site tells you to disable the blocker, add that site to your exceptions list instead.
If you do decide to turn off the blocker, go to Settings > Privacy and security > Site settings > Pop-ups and redirects and toggle the setting to Allowed. Be aware that you will then see pop-ups on every website you visit, including ads and potentially unwanted content. You can turn it back on at any time by returning to the same setting and toggling it to Blocked. Turning the blocker back on does not remove any sites from your exceptions list — those remain allowed even after you re-enable the blocker.
Pop-up blocker icons and what they mean
When Chrome blocks a pop-up, you will see a small icon in the address bar. The exact appearance varies by Chrome version, but it is always on the right side of the address bar, near other permission icons like the camera or microphone symbols. Click it to see details about what was blocked and choose whether to allow pop-ups from that site.
Some sites may also show a message saying "Pop-ups were blocked" with a button to view them. This is Chrome's way of letting you know something happened. You can click the button to see the blocked pop-ups, or ignore it and move on. The blocked content does not load unless you explicitly allow it, so you are not missing anything by leaving it blocked.
Blocking pop-ups on mobile Chrome
Chrome on Android and iPhone also blocks pop-ups by default. The process for allowing pop-ups from specific sites is slightly different. Open Chrome, tap the three dots in the bottom right (Android) or top right (iPhone), and go to Settings. Tap Site settings, then Pop-ups and redirects. You can toggle the blocker on or off, or add sites to your exceptions list the same way you would on desktop.
On mobile, the icon that appears when a pop-up is blocked may be harder to spot because the address bar is smaller. If you do not see it, try tapping the address bar area or looking for a notification at the top of the screen. Mobile Chrome also shows a small notification banner when it blocks a pop-up, which you can tap to see what was blocked and allow pop-ups if needed.
What to do if pop-ups keep appearing despite the blocker
If you are still seeing pop-ups even though the blocker is on, the pop-ups may be coming from a site you have already allowed, or they may be embedded in the page itself rather than true pop-ups. Check your exceptions list under Settings > Privacy and security > Site settings > Pop-ups and redirects. If you see the site listed under Allow, remove it by clicking the trash icon next to it.
Some ads and notifications that appear on a webpage are not technically pop-ups — they are part of the page design — so the pop-up blocker does not stop them. If you want to block those, you may need to use an ad blocker extension, which is a separate tool from Chrome's built-in pop-up blocker. Extensions are available in the Chrome Web Store, but be cautious about which ones you install and read reviews before adding one to understand what data they collect and how they work.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Chrome's pop-up blocker slow down my browser?
No. The blocker runs in the background and has no noticeable effect on Chrome's speed or performance. It is designed to be lightweight and does not consume meaningful system resources.
Can I block pop-ups on some sites but not others?
Yes. Keep the blocker on (the default setting) and add only the sites where you need pop-ups to your exceptions list. This way, Chrome blocks pop-ups everywhere except the sites you have allowed.
What if a website says I need to disable the pop-up blocker to use it?
Try adding that site to your exceptions list instead of turning off the blocker entirely. Go to Settings > Privacy and security > Site settings > Pop-ups and redirects, click Add under Allow, and type the website address. This lets that one site show pop-ups while keeping protection on everywhere else.
Will blocking pop-ups prevent me from seeing important notifications?
Legitimate notifications from websites you use regularly — like banking alerts or message notifications — are usually designed to work with the blocker on. If a site you trust is not showing notifications, add it to your exceptions list rather than disabling the blocker entirely.
Can I see a list of all the pop-ups Chrome has blocked?
Chrome does not keep a permanent log of blocked pop-ups. You can only see pop-ups that were blocked during your current browsing session by clicking the icon in the address bar when it appears. Once you close the tab or navigate away, that information is not stored.