How to Allow Pop-Ups on iPhones and iPads

This article explains how to turn off the pop-up blocker on an iPhone and iPad using Safari. Instructions apply to most versions of iOS.

How to Turn off the Pop-Up Blocker on iPhone and iPad

Safari’s built-in pop-up blocker is a welcome feature in iOS. By default, your iOS devices prevent web pages from opening pop-ups, but you can turn off the pop-up blocker on iPhone and iPad with just a few taps.

Unfortunately, you can’t specify a list of approved websites for which Safari can turn off the pop-up blocker as needed; it’s an all-or-nothing proposition in which the pop-up blocker is either on or off entirely. So, if you need to see a pop-up for a specific website, turn off the pop-up blocker, then turn it back on again later.

1. Go to Settings > Safari.

2. In the General section, tap the Block Pop-ups toggle. It will turn white to indicate it’s turned off.

3. Launch the Safari app. The changes will take place immediately, and you should be able to see pop-ups on websites that use them.

Why Disable the Pop-Up Blocker on iPhone and iPad?

The pop-up blocker in Safari is great most of the time, but there will always be some situations in which you find it’s important for pop-ups to work. Though this is arguably a sign of poor web design, some web pages depend on pop-up windows in order for you to get the information you need.

This is especially true of some financial websites like banking and credit card websites, which sometimes use pop-up windows to show account statements, PDF documents, and other documents; others might depend on pop-up windows to let you sign up for newsletters, get discount codes, or perform other services.

Some websites that open pop-ups on your desktop actually work fine with mobile browsers, but if you run into a problem using a website and realize you need Safari to allow pop-ups, you can turn the pop-up blocker off quickly.

Of course, it’s a good idea to turn the pop-up blocker back on again after you're done with the pop-up window, or else other websites will be able to open pop-ups without your permission. After all, Apple’s pop-up blocker is intended to make your browsing more convenient.