How Do I Enable Pop Ups in Google Chrome?

Quick Answer

On desktop, the safest fix is to allow pop ups for one site at a time. When Chrome blocks a window, a small icon with a red X appears on the right side of the address bar. Click it, choose "Always allow pop ups and redirects from this site," then refresh the page.

To allow pop ups everywhere, open Chrome menu, Settings, Privacy and security, Site settings, Pop ups and redirects, then choose "Sites can send pop ups and use redirects." On Android, the same toggle lives in Chrome Settings, Site settings, Pop ups and redirects. On iPhone, open Chrome Settings, Content Settings, and turn Block Pop ups off.

How to spot a blocked pop up

Chrome does not show a noisy warning when it blocks a pop up. Instead, a tiny browser window icon with a red X sits in the address bar, right next to the bookmark star. Hover over it and Chrome confirms it blocked a pop up from the site.

Click that icon and Chrome offers two choices: always allow pop ups from this site, or keep blocking them. Pick the first option and refresh the page. The pop up will open the next time the site tries to launch it.

Method 1: allow pop ups for one trusted site

This is the right move 90 percent of the time. You unblock the one site that needs a window without exposing yourself to scam pop ups everywhere else.

1. Visit the site that needs the pop up.
2. Click the blocked pop up icon at the right end of the address bar.
3. Choose "Always allow pop ups and redirects from [site name]."
4. Click Done, then refresh the page.

The setting is stored per site, so you can keep your global blocker on and still let your bank, university portal, or payroll site open the windows you need.

Method 2: allow pop ups for every site on desktop

Use this only if you are testing your own web app or working in a closed network. Leaving global pop ups on while you browse the open web invites ad and scam windows.

1. Open Chrome and click the three dot menu in the top right corner.
2. Select Settings.
3. Click Privacy and security in the left sidebar.
4. Click Site settings.
5. Scroll to the Content section and click Pop ups and redirects.
6. Under Default behavior, select "Sites can send pop ups and use redirects."

You can also reach the same panel by pasting chrome://settings/content/popups into the address bar.

Method 3: allow specific sites from the settings panel

If you want to whitelist several sites in one go without visiting each one:

1. Open chrome://settings/content/popups.
2. Next to "Allowed to send pop ups and use redirects," click Add.
3. Type the site URL, for example https://portal.myuniversity.edu, and click Add.
4. Repeat for any other trusted sites.

How to enable pop ups in Chrome on Android

1. Open the Chrome app and tap the three dot menu in the top right.
2. Tap Settings.
3. Scroll down and tap Site settings.
4. Tap Pop ups and redirects.
5. Toggle the switch on.

To allow a single site instead, tap the lock icon next to the address bar, choose Permissions, find Pop ups and redirects, and set it to Allow.

How to enable pop ups in Chrome on iPhone and iPad

1. Open the Chrome app.
2. Tap the three dot menu in the bottom right.
3. Tap Settings.
4. Tap Content Settings.
5. Tap Block Pop ups and turn the switch off.

Chrome on iOS does not support per site pop up rules because of Apple WebKit limits, so this is an all or nothing switch. Turn it back on after you finish whatever task needed the pop up.

Pop up still not appearing? Other things to check

• Third party extensions: ad blockers like uBlock Origin and AdGuard block pop ups separately from Chrome. Pause the extension on the site or whitelist the domain in the extension settings.
• Antivirus and parental control software: Norton, McAfee, and family network filters often have their own pop up blockers.
• Stale browser data: clear cookies and site data for the specific site, then try again. Old service workers sometimes block fresh pop ups.
• Site requires a click: most browsers only allow pop ups in direct response to a user click. Click the button on the page rather than waiting for an automatic launch.
• Wrong window: Chrome sometimes opens pop ups in a separate window behind the active one. Check your taskbar or Mission Control.

Should you turn off the pop up blocker for good?

No. Chrome blocks pop ups because most of them are advertising, redirects to sketchy domains, or fake virus warnings designed to scare you into installing malware. The per site allow list gives you the convenience of pop ups on the sites you trust without opening the door to everything else.

A good rule of thumb: allow pop ups for known portals you log in to, never for general browsing or news sites.

FAQs

Why does Chrome block pop ups by default?

Pop ups are abused for advertising, phishing, and malware. Chrome has blocked them by default since 2017 to protect users from misleading or harmful content.

Can I tell which site triggered a blocked pop up?

Yes. Click the blocked pop up icon in the address bar and Chrome lists the exact URL it tried to open. If it does not match the site you are on, that is a strong sign you should keep the block in place.

Does enabling pop ups affect Chrome on every device I use?

Only if you are signed in and have Chrome sync turned on for Site settings. Otherwise the setting stays on the device where you changed it.

What is the difference between a pop up and a redirect?

A pop up opens a new window or tab. A redirect navigates your current tab to a different URL. Chrome treats them together because both are commonly used by ad networks to interrupt browsing.

The takeaway

Click the blocked pop up icon in the address bar and allow the one site you trust. Use global allow only when you are testing or working behind a closed network, and keep the blocker on for everything else.