To allow pop-ups in the Firefox app on an iPhone, tap the menu button at the bottom of the screen, tap Settings, tap Browsing, and switch off Block Pop-up Windows. Sites can then open new windows. Switch it back on when you are done.
These steps cover the current Firefox app for iPhone and iPad, on iOS 27 and earlier iOS versions the app supports. Older Firefox versions put the switch in a different place, and the section on missing settings below covers those layouts.
Firefox blocks pop-ups by default because most are ads. Some trusted pages need them, such as a bank statement, a shipping label, a file download, or a “Sign in with Google” window. If a button on a site you trust does nothing when you tap it, a blocked pop-up is a likely cause.
This switch only affects Firefox. Safari and Chrome have their own settings: see Apple’s Safari pop-up guide or Google’s Chrome pop-up steps for iPhone and iPad.
Before You Start
- What you need: the Firefox app from the App Store. You do not need a Mozilla account.
- Allow pop-ups only for sites you trust: for example, your bank or a government site whose address you typed yourself.
Warning: the switch works for every site at once. Mozilla does not document a way to allow pop-ups for a single site in Firefox for iOS. While it is off, any page you visit can open extra windows, including misleading ads and fake virus alerts. Turn it back on as soon as the site you trust has finished its task.
How to Allow Pop-Ups in Firefox on iPhone
- Open Firefox on your iPhone. Any page or the Firefox home screen is fine.
- Tap the menu button. On an iPhone it sits at the bottom of the screen. A menu panel slides up.
- Tap Settings in the menu panel. The Firefox settings list opens.
- In the General group, tap Browsing. A screen with sections for tabs, links, media, and content opens.
- Find the Media section. It also holds the Autoplay setting, so that is a useful landmark.
- Tap the switch next to Block Pop-up Windows so it turns from blue to gray. Gray means the blocker is off and pop-ups are allowed.
- Go back out of Settings. If you see Done in the top corner, tap it. The change applies right away, and you do not need to restart Firefox.
Return to the page that needed the pop-up and repeat the action that failed, such as tapping the print, download, or sign-in button. If nothing happens, refresh the page first so it loads with the new setting. Reloading a page in the Firefox iPhone app shows where the refresh button is.
If You Do Not See Browsing or Media
Firefox for iOS has moved this switch more than once, so the path depends on the app version.
- Switch on the main Settings screen: some older versions list Block Pop-up Windows directly on the main Settings screen. Scroll the list until you see it.
- Switch under Privacy: other older versions put it in the Privacy (or Privacy and Security) section of Settings. Scroll down to that section and look for the same switch.
- Menu button looks different: the menu button may show three lines or three dots depending on the version and your toolbar layout. On an iPad it is at the top right.
- Still cannot find it: update Firefox from the App Store, then follow the steps above again. Current versions use the Browsing screen.
How to Check That It Worked and Turn Blocking Back On
The setting worked if the window you were waiting for opens, usually as a new tab. Look at the tab counter in the toolbar. If the number went up after you tapped the button on the site, the pop-up opened in another tab and you can switch to it.
To undo the change, open the menu, tap Settings, tap Browsing, and switch Block Pop-up Windows back on so it turns blue. Nothing else is affected. Your tabs, history, and saved logins stay as they were.
The same Settings list has a Homepage option if you also want to set the home page in Firefox on iPhone.
The Pop-Up Switch Is Not the Ad Blocker
Firefox for iOS has a second setting that can also stop pop-ups. Mozilla describes an optional Ad Blocker in its article on blocking ads in Firefox for iOS. According to Mozilla, it blocks many ads, ad-related trackers, and intrusive formats such as pop-ups and overlays. It is off by default, it is experimental, and it is being released gradually, so it may not be on your phone yet.
If you turned the Ad Blocker on, it can keep blocking a window even after you allow pop-ups. To check, go to Settings, scroll to Browsing, and look at Ad Blocker in the Content section. Mozilla also says you can reach it while browsing: open the menu on a web page and tap Ad Blocker.
| Setting | Where it is | What it stops | Default |
|---|---|---|---|
| Block Pop-up Windows | Settings > Browsing > Media | New windows a site tries to open | On |
| Ad Blocker | Settings > Browsing > Content | Many ads, ad trackers, pop-ups, and overlays | Off |
A Site Still Says Pop-Ups Are Blocked
Some sites keep showing a pop-up warning even with the switch off, because they detect the blocker incorrectly or because something else is in the way.
- Reload the page. A page that loaded while the blocker was on may not try again until it is refreshed.
- Check the Ad Blocker. Turn it off for the moment if it is on, as described above.
- Relax Tracking Protection for that site. The Strict level of Enhanced Tracking Protection can block some website functions. Tap the shield icon next to the address bar and switch protection off for that site, or press and hold the refresh button and tap Reload without Tracking Protection. Both are described in Mozilla’s guide to Enhanced Tracking Protection in Firefox for iOS.
- Clear the site’s stored data. The same shield panel has a Clear cookies and site data option. This keeps your history and bookmarks. For a wider cleanup, delete cookies and history in Firefox on iPhone. Expect to sign in to the site again afterward.
- Try the site in Safari. If the task is urgent and Firefox still won’t open the window, use Safari. Its Block Pop-ups switch is in Settings > Apps > Safari.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is it safe to allow pop-ups in Firefox on an iPhone?
It is reasonable for a short time on a site you trust, such as your bank or a government service you typed the address for. The risk comes from leaving the blocker off while you browse other sites. Close any pop-up that claims your iPhone has a virus, offers a prize, or asks you to call a phone number.
Can I allow pop-ups for just one website in Firefox for iOS?
Mozilla does not document a per-site option for the iPhone app. Block Pop-up Windows is a single switch for all sites. The practical approach is to turn it off, finish what you need on the one site, and turn it back on. If you need a standing exception for one site, Chrome for iPhone has an Always show option for that site.
Does allowing pop-ups remove cookie banners or newsletter boxes?
No. Those boxes are overlays drawn inside the page itself. They are not separate windows, so the pop-up switch neither blocks nor allows them. Firefox’s optional Ad Blocker can reduce overlays, though.
Will turning off the blocker stop website notifications?
No. Notifications are a different feature from pop-up windows. The pop-up switch only controls whether a site can open a new window or tab.
Do these steps work in Firefox on an iPad?
Yes, with one difference. Firefox for iPad is the same app, but the menu button is at the top right of the screen on an iPad. From there, the path through Settings and Browsing is the same.
Does this setting sync to Firefox on my computer?
No. The switch belongs to the iPhone app only. Firefox on a computer has its own pop-up setting under Settings > Privacy & Security > Permissions, with an Exceptions button for single sites, and changing one does not change the other.
Next Step
Once the bank, form, or label you needed has opened, go back to Settings > Browsing and switch Block Pop-up Windows on again so other sites cannot open windows on their own.
Matthew Burleigh is the founder, head writer, and editor of Solve Your Tech, which he launched in 2012. He has written technology tutorials since 2008 and worked in IT since 2003, including small-business support, IT management, and consulting. He holds Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in Computer Science from Arizona State University.
Matthew writes practical guides for Windows, iPhone and iPad, Microsoft Office, Outlook, Google apps, and Android. Solve Your Tech’s guides are checked step by step against the device or app maker’s own documentation and tested on his own devices whenever he has the hardware or software, with clear steps, sources, and update dates.
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