Pop-ups on iPhone and iPad are blocked by default in Safari. When a bank login, payment page, or PDF download needs a new window, switch the blocker off for a minute, then turn it back on.
After iOS 18, Safari settings live under Settings, then Apps, then Safari. Open that screen and look for Block Pop-ups in the General section.
In this guide, I have covered:
Contents
Where to find the Safari pop-up setting in iOS 18 and later
If you opened Settings and can’t find Safari, you’re not lost. Apple moved it. Since iOS 18, Safari settings no longer sit at the top of the Settings app. They live under Apps on every iPhone and iPad that runs iOS 18 or later.
Open Settings, scroll down, and tap Apps. Tap Safari, then look for Block Pop-ups in the General section near the top. Apple documents the same path in its Block pop-ups in Safari guide for iPhone, and the iPad layout is identical.
Turn on the pop-up blocker
Not sure the blocker is on? Safari leaves Block Pop-ups on by default. You can confirm it in a few taps.
- Open the Settings app on your iPhone or iPad.
- Tap Apps, then tap Safari.
- Tap the Block Pop-ups toggle so it turns green.
Once the switch is green, Safari ignores pop-up windows and stops sites from triggering redirect chains. The same Apps > Safari screen holds the cookie controls, so the rest of the toggles are close by.
Turn off the pop-up blocker
A bank login or payment page won’t open? Some sites still rely on pop-ups to work, including payment gateways, bank login flows, and PDF download buttons. Flip the toggle off, finish the task, then turn it back on.
- Open Settings, then tap Apps.
- Tap Safari in the list.
- Tap the Block Pop-ups toggle so it turns gray.
ALERT: Turn the toggle back on as soon as the pop-up you needed has finished loading. Leaving it off also re-enables the redirect chains that phishing pages use to hijack a tab.
Hide a single pop-up banner without turning off the blocker
If one banner on a page is bothering you, such as a cookie consent dialog, newsletter popover, or sign-in overlay, Safari’s built-in Distraction Control can hide that element on the current page. The global block stays on, and the hiding lasts until you reload the tab.
Open the page, tap the page menu in Safari’s address bar, then choose Hide Distracting Items. Tap the element you want removed, pick its width, and tap . Apple’s Safari privacy support page groups this with Block Pop-ups as a way to filter what shows up while you read.
Per-site pop-up controls are not available on iOS
Wish you could allow pop-ups for one trusted site only? On iPhone and iPad, you can’t. macOS Safari lets you allow or block pop-ups for individual sites under Safari > Settings > Websites > Pop-up Windows. The Apps > Safari screen on iOS exposes one global toggle only.
For most people, the right balance is to leave Block Pop-ups on and switch it off briefly when a single site needs a pop-up. For blocking whole sites rather than just their pop-ups, follow the Safari site blocking guide, which uses Screen Time.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where did Safari go in Settings on iPhone?
Since iOS 18, Safari lives under Apps in the Settings app. Open Settings > Apps > Safari to reach Block Pop-ups and the rest of Safari’s options. iPad follows the same layout.
Why are pop-ups still appearing after I block them?
Block Pop-ups only stops traditional pop-up windows and redirect chains. Banners, cookie consent dialogs, and sign-up overlays are part of the page itself, so the global toggle cannot remove them. Use Distraction Control from the page menu to hide a single overlay, or install a content blocker for wider filtering.
Is the Safari pop-up blocker on by default?
Yes. The Block Pop-ups toggle is on out of the box on every iPhone and iPad Apple currently ships. Turning it off requires you to follow the steps above and flip the switch yourself.
Can I allow pop-ups for one site only?
No. iOS Safari exposes only the single global toggle under Apps > Safari. There is no per-site allowlist for pop-ups on iPhone or iPad, unlike macOS Safari’s Websites tab. Toggle Block Pop-ups off only for the short window you need, then turn it back on.
Does turning off Block Pop-ups affect cookies or other Safari settings?
No. The toggle is independent of every other setting on the Apps > Safari screen. Cookies, privacy, website data, and content blockers each have their own switch.
