How to Get Rid of Pop Ups on Macbook
- You can block pop-ups on your Mac using the built-in Safari web browser, or on other web browsers like Google Chrome or Firefox.
- Blocking pop-ups on your Mac can help protect your computer by fending off phishing attempts or potential scams.
- Some websites use pop-ups to help features run properly — if this is the case on a site you're using, you can set your Mac to allow pop-ups on that site only.
- Visit Business Insider's Tech Reference library for more stories.
Blocking pop-ups on your Mac's web browser can save you from unwanted advertisements, protect you from potential scams and phishing attempts, or just help to reduce distractions.
However, many websites, like banks, colleges, and e-commerce sites like Amazon, use pop-ups as a central component of their platforms.
If you'd like to block pop-ups on your Mac when using Safari, you can do so by accessing Safari's Preferences menu, where you can also change the default settings for certain sites. You can also block pop-ups on your Mac using Google Chrome , or Firefox.
Here's how.
How to block pop-ups on a Mac using Safari
1. Launch Safari.
2. In your menu bar at the top of the screen, click "Safari." Find and click "Preferences" in the drop-down menu.
3. Once in Preferences, click on "Websites" — the icon that looks like a globe.
4. In the menu on the left, click "Pop-up Windows."
5. At the bottom, you will see "When visiting other websites:" and a dropdown menu. Click on it.
6. Select "Block" and Safari will begin automatically blocking all future pop-ups. If you'd like, you can also select "Block and Notify," which will make Safari alert you whenever a pop-up tries to appear, and allow you to choose whether you'd like to allow it or not.
How to allow pop-ups for individual websites in Safari
To allow pop-ups for some sites and block them for others, make sure the specific website you want to edit the settings for is open in Safari when you access "Preferences."
1. With the selected website open, go to Safari > Preferences.
2. Click "Websites," and find "Pop-up Windows" on the left-hand menu.
3. Here, under "Currently Open Websites," you'll see the URL of the site you have open in Safari and a drop-down menu with two blue arrows. Click on it.
4. Select "Block" or "Block and Notify" to block pop-ups on this individual website.
Again, some websites, like Amazon, use pop-ups for beneficial purposes, so you may need to occasionally unblock pop-ups to use certain websites.
If you'd like to allow all pop-ups on your Safari browser, read our article on how to allow them.
How to allow Safari to warn you about fraudulent sites
1. Launch Safari. Then go to Safari > Preferences.
2. In Preferences, find "Security" — the icon resembling a lock.
3. Make sure the "Warn when visiting a fraudulent site" box is checked. This will enable Safari to warn you before you visit an already flagged "blacklisted" site, typically containing malware or phishing content. Safari uses Google Safe Browsing, a service known to check sites for potential threats.
How to block pop-ups on a Mac using Google Chrome or Firefox
No matter what web browser you're using on your Mac computer, you should be able to block, or allow pop-ups. But most browsers do it in a different way than Safari, which is tied to your Mac's settings.
For Google Chrome, read our article on how to block Chrome pop-ups, or alternatively, our article on how to allow Chrome pop-ups.
Mozilla Firefox comes pre-packaged with a pop-up blocker, but if you'd like to turn it off, read our article on allowing Firefox pop-ups.
Related coverage from Tech Reference:
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What is a pop-up blocker? How to enable your web browser's pop-up blocker or disable it to access necessary pop-ups
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How to allow pop-ups on Firefox for specific websites, or turn off the pop-up blocker altogether
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How to stop pop-ups on a Windows 10 computer, both from the internet and your system
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How to block pop-ups on your iPad in Safari, for a smoother web-browsing experience
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How to stop pop-ups from appearing on your iPhone's Safari browser
Meira Gebel is a freelance reporter based in Portland, Oregon. She writes about business, culture, and technology for Insider. Her work has been featured in Digital Trends, Willamette Week, USA Today, and more. She is a graduate of Columbia Journalism School and San Francisco State University. Feel free to reach out to her on Twitter, where she can be found most of the time, @MeiraGebel.
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How to Get Rid of Pop Ups on Macbook
Source: https://www.businessinsider.com/how-to-block-pop-ups-on-mac