How to Disable Pop-Ups on Safari: 3 Effective Solutions

Pop-ups are a common nuisance that can disrupt your online activities. Safari pop-ups are small dialog boxes that appear in the browser without your permission. These intrusive windows are not only distracting but also pose potential security risks. Although there are some useful pop-ups, the number of malicious adware is much higher.

If you are tired of incessant pop-ups on Safari while surfing the web with Safari, you’ve come to the right place. In this guide, I’ll walk you through the steps to disable pop-ups on Safari so that you can regain control over your browsing experience. Let’s dive right in.

Are Safari Pop-Ups Dangerous?

While not all pop-ups on Safari are inherently dangerous, they can potentially pose risks to your online security and overall browsing experience. Pop-ups on Safari can range from harmless advertisements to more malicious content, such as phishing scams or attempts to install malware on your device.

Here are a few reasons why Safari pop-ups can be considered risky:

1. 🛡️ Malware Distribution: Some pop-ups may contain links or prompts that, when clicked, can initiate the download and installation of malicious software on your device without your consent. This can lead to various security issues, including data breaches, system vulnerabilities, and unauthorized access to your personal information.
2. 🎣 Phishing Attempts: Certain pop-ups may mimic legitimate websites or services, attempting to deceive you into providing sensitive information such as passwords, credit card details, or personal identification. These phishing attempts can result in identity theft, financial loss, or unauthorized account access.
3. 🌐 Browser Hijacking: Pop-ups can redirect your browser to suspicious or unwanted websites, potentially altering your browser settings, modifying search results, or injecting additional advertisements. This can disrupt your browsing experience, compromise privacy, and expose you to further risks.
4. 🚫 Unwanted Content and Distractions: Even non-malicious pop-ups on Safari can be highly irritating, disrupting your workflow and diminishing your overall browsing experience. Constantly dealing with pop-ups can hinder productivity and make it difficult to focus on the content you are trying to access.

To mitigate these risks and ensure a safer browsing experience, it is recommended to block or disable pop-ups on Safari, use reputable ad-blocking extensions, keep your browser and security software up to date, and exercise caution when interacting with unfamiliar or suspicious pop-ups.

How Do I Know Which Pop-Ups to Block on Safari?

Determining which pop-ups to block depends on your personal preferences and requirements. Here are some general guidelines to consider before your disable pop-ups on Safari:

1. 🚫 Intrusive or unwanted pop-ups: Most users prefer to block pop-ups that are intrusive, annoying, or unrelated to their current browsing activities. These can include excessive advertisements, promotional offers, or pop-ups that disrupt the user experience.
2. ⚠️ Malicious or suspicious pop-ups: It is advisable to block pop-ups that appear suspicious or potentially contain malware, phishing attempts, or deceptive content. These pop-ups may trick you into providing personal information or downloading harmful software.
3. ❌ Non-essential pop-ups: Evaluate the necessity of pop-ups that are not critical to the functionality of a website. These may include subscription requests, survey prompts, or notifications that might not be relevant to your needs. Blocking non-essential pop-ups can help declutter your browsing experience.

How to Disable Pop-Ups on Safari

Pop-up advertisements can be highly disruptive, diverting your attention and hindering your browsing experience. Fortunately, Safari offers effective measures to regain control and eliminate these pesky pop-ups.

Below, I’ve shared some tried and tested methods to disable pop-ups on Safari.

1. Enable Safari’s Pop-Up Blocker

Safari offers a powerful built-in feature to combat intrusive pop-ups. You can effortlessly enhance your browsing sessions by enabling Safari’s pop-up blocker. This pop-up blocker will disable pop-ups on Safari, ensuring a smoother and safer online journey.

Follow these steps to enable Safari’s pop-up blocker:

1. Open Safari on your Mac, click Safari in the menu bar at the top of the screen and select Settings from the drop-down menu.

2. In the Settings window, navigate to the Websites tab.

3. Look for the Pop-up Windows option on the left sidebar and click it.

4. In the main window, click the drop-down menu next to When visiting other websites and select Block.

5. Once you have made the desired changes, close the Settings window, and the next time when you use Safari, it will disable pop-ups.
6. If you want to allow pop-ups, click the drop-down menu next to When visiting other websites and select Allow.

2. Block Pop-Ups for Specific Sites on Safari

While you may need to allow pop-ups from specific sites, such as online banking, web applications, or educational websites, you don’t need them for all websites. You can easily disable pop-ups on Safari for specific websites.

Below, I’ve shared the steps to block pop-ups for specific sites on Safari for Mac:

1. Open Safari on your Mac, select Safari in the menu bar, and click Settings.

2. In the Settings window, click the Websites tab.

3. In the left sidebar, find and click Pop-up Windows.

4. Find the website you want to block pop-ups for in the list.

5. Click the dropdown menu next to the website’s name, and select Block to prevent pop-ups from appearing on that particular site.

6. You have successfully configured Safari to block pop-ups for a specific website, tailoring your browsing experience to your preferences. Now, when you open this particular website, Safari will block pop-ups.

3. Disable Pop-Ups for an Active Website on Safari

Sometimes, you may encounter a website that bombards you with unwanted pop-up windows, hindering your browsing experience. Lucky for you, Safari offers a convenient solution by allowing you to disable pop-ups for an active website.

You don’t have to open settings or other folders, you can disable pop-ups on Safari for a website right from your browser. Here are the steps to disable pop-ups for an active website on Safari:

1. Open Safari and go to the website you want to block pop-ups from.
2. Right-click the website URL in the middle of the Safari address bar and select Settings for [website name].

3. Here, you’ll see Allow next to Pop-up Windows.

4. Click the drop-down menu button and select Block.

5. Close the dialog box by clicking anywhere outside of it on the webpage.
6. Now, Safari will block pop-ups for this active website.

How to Block Pop-Ups on Other Browsers on Mac

If you’re using a web browser other than Safari on your Mac and find yourself plagued by intrusive pop-up windows, you’ll be glad to know there are ways to block them as well.

Here’s a step-by-step guide on how to block pop-ups on popular browsers on Mac, including Google Chrome and Firefox:

1. Google Chrome

1. Open Google Chrome on your Mac.

2. Click the three dots at the top right corner of the screen and select Settings.

3. On the next window, click Privacy and security in the left pane and select Site settings on the right.

4. In Site Settings, click Pop-ups and redirects. You may have to scroll down.

5. Under Default behaviour, select Don’t allow sites to send pop-ups or use redirects.

6. Now, Google Chrome will disable pop-ups.

2. Mozilla Firefox

1. Open Mozilla Firefox on your Mac.

2. Click the three lines at the top right corner of the screen and select Settings.

3. Select the Privacy & Security tab on the left.

4. Scroll down to the Permissions section and check Block pop-up windows.

5. Now, Firefox will block pop-ups on all websites.

How to Allow Safari Pop-Ups on Mac

If you’re using Safari on your Mac and you come across a website that requires pop-ups to be enabled for certain functionalities, you can allow Safari to display pop-ups for that specific site.

Here’s a step-by-step guide on how to allow Safari pop-ups on Mac:

1. Open Safari on your Mac, click Safari in the menu bar and select Settings.

2. In the Settings window, click the Websites tab.

3. Look for the Pop-up Windows option in the left sidebar and click it.

4. In the right pane, click the drop-down menu next to When visiting other websites and select Allow.

5. Safari will now allow pop-ups for all websites.

Block Ads and Pop-Ups to Browse Safely With MacKeeper

You can conveniently enable or disable pop-up blockers if you own an iMac, MacBook Air, MacBook Pro, or any other Mac machine. However, there may be instances where certain pop-ups continue to appear despite your settings. In this case, you can use MacKeeper’s StopAd to disable pop-ups on Safari and block other annoying ads.

To utilize MacKeeper’s StopAd feature and take advantage of its ad-blocking capabilities, follow these steps:

1. Download and install MacKeeper.
2. Launch MacKeeper on your Mac and click StopAd in the left sidebar.

3. Click Open.

4. Enable the StopAd feature by clicking the Enable button next to the Safari extension.

5. Next, click Open Safari Preferences.

6. Check the little boxes next to MacKeeper StopAd permissions.

Now, you can enjoy a safer and faster browsing experience as the annoying ads and intrusive elements are effectively removed by StopAd.

Don’t Let Safari Pop-Ups Distract You

Disabling pop-ups on Safari empowers you to take control of your browsing experience. You can effectively disable pop-ups on Safari by following the simple steps outlined in this guide.

To further enhance your browsing experience, follow these tips:

• Learn how to block ads on Mac to avoid maximum distractions and stay focused.
• Corrupt browser extensions can cause your Safari to crash or run slow. Remove browser extensions on Mac to prevent Safari from crashing and improve your productivity.
• Clear your browser cache on Mac regularly to prevent performance issues and enhance your browsing experience.

Frequently Asked Questions