Turn off pop-up blocker safari iphone

  • You can allow pop-ups on your iPhone using both the Safari and Chrome browsers.
  • To allow pop-ups in your iPhone's Safari app, head to the Safari section of the Settings app.
  • The iPhone Chrome app has a "Content Settings" menu that lets you block or allow pop-ups.

Most people consider pop-ups to be one of the internet's worst features. But despite how spammy they can be, a lot of legitimate websites use them for important reasons. For example, Amazon opens customer service chats in pop-ups, which some browsers block automatically.

Your iPhone's internet browser blocks pop-ups by default. But both Safari and Chrome let you change that and allow pop-ups.

Here's how to allow pop-ups in both Safari and Chrome on your iPhone.

How to allow pop-ups on an iPhone with Safari

Safari is your iPhone's built-in browser, so you'll have to use the built-in Settings app to change its options.

1. Open your iPhone's Settings app, then scroll down and tap Safari.

2. Under General, toggle off Block Pop-ups so the switch turns gray.

Flip the "Block Pop-ups" switch to the left. William Antonelli/Insider

How to allow pop-ups on an iPhone with Chrome

Chrome is a third-party web browser made by Google, and has its own in-app settings menu.

1. Open Chrome and tap the three dots in the bottom-right corner.

2. Select Settings.

Open Chrome's Settings menu. Google; William Antonelli/Insider

3. In the Settings menu, scroll down and tap Content Settings.

"Content Settings" is one of the last options on this page. Google; William Antonelli/Insider

4. Tap Block Pop-ups, then toggle off Block Pop-ups so the switch turns gray.

Toggle off the pop-up blocker. Google; William Antonelli/Insider

5. Tap Done in the top-right corner to save your change.

William Antonelli

Tech Reporter for Insider Reviews

William Antonelli (he/she/they) is a writer, editor, and organizer based in New York City. As a founding member of the Reference team, he helped grow Tech Reference (now part of Insider Reviews) from humble beginnings into a juggernaut that attracts over 20 million visits a month. Outside of Insider, his writing has appeared in publications like Polygon, The Outline, Kotaku, and more. He's also a go-to source for tech analysis on channels like Newsy, Cheddar, and NewsNation. You can find him on Twitter @DubsRewatcher, or reach him by email at .

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  • The iPhone has a built-in pop-up blocker that should stop most, if not all, pop-ups from ever appearing on your Safari browser or screen.
  • If you see pop ups, your iPhone's pop-up blocker might be turned off. You can find it in the Safari section of the Settings app. 
  • Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories.

Pop-ups are common annoyances on the web. In addition to pop-up ads, there are also pop-up windows that ask you to subscribe to newsletters or sign up for other site services. 

While there are some legitimate uses for pop-ups, most of the ones you'll encounter online are ads, spam, or just annoying. 

Thankfully, your iPhone includes pop-up blocking technology that can stop most pop-ups before you see them. 

Check out the products mentioned in this article:

iPhone Xs (From $999.99 at Best Buy)

How to stop pop-ups on your iPhone using its built-in pop-up blocker

The iPhone's pop-up blocker should be on by default, but it's possible you have, at some point, disabled it. Here's how to make sure you are blocking pop-ups on your iPhone.

1. Start the Settings app.

2. Tap "Safari."

3. In the General section, turn on "Block Pop-ups" by swiping the switch to the right. 

You can block pop-up windows by turning on "Block Pop-ups." Dave Johnson/Business Insider

How to stop pop-ups on an iPhone in other ways

The pop-up blocker should eliminate virtually all pop-ups on your phone, but if you still have trouble, you might need to clear your iPhone's cache to flush out a problem with the browser. Here's how to do that:

1. Open the Settings app and tap "Safari."

2. Tap "Clear History and Website Data."

Clearing your iPhone's cache can solve a number of common problems with Safari. Dave Johnson/Business Insider

3. Confirm your choice by tapping "Clear History and Data" in the pop-up window. 

You might also consider using a content blocker. Content blockers prevent ads from displaying on web pages. 

There are a number of content blockers available in the App Store (you can search for "content blockers" or "ad blockers"). You can manage your installed ad blockers in the Safari section of the Settings app, by tapping "Content Blockers."

Once you install a content blocker from the App Store, you can manage it in the Content Blockers section of Safari's Setting app. Dave Johnson/Business Insider

Read more coverage from How To Do Everything: Tech:

  • How to move apps and create app folders on any iPhone model

  • How to add bookmarks and favorites on an iPhone's Safari browser for quick access to your preferred webpages

  • How to delete or edit the saved bookmarks on your iPhone's Safari browser

Dave Johnson

Freelance Writer

Dave Johnson is a technology journalist who writes about consumer tech and how the industry is transforming the speculative world of science fiction into modern-day real life. Dave grew up in New Jersey before entering the Air Force to operate satellites, teach space operations, and do space launch planning. He then spent eight years as a content lead on the Windows team at Microsoft. As a photographer, Dave has photographed wolves in their natural environment; he's also a scuba instructor and co-host of several podcasts. Dave is the author of more than two dozen books and has contributed to many sites and publications including CNET, Forbes, PC World, How To Geek, and Insider.

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