Penn Computing
Computing Menu Computing A-Z
Computing Home Information Systems & Computing Penn

Configuring Your Web Browser To Allow Pop-up Windows

Most web browsers include a feature to block pop-up windows. While this may eliminate unwanted or bothersome pop-up windows, the feature sometimes can impede the functionality of legitimate or useful websites.

Some popular Penn-affiliated websites requiring pop-ups include U@Penn, PennPortal, and the Penn Online Directory.

Follow the instructions below to configure your web browser to allow pop-up windows for your selected websites.

Note: If you have installed third party applications to block pop-ups, be sure to consult the vendor documentation to allow pop-up windows for desired websites.

Firefox 3.0.x (Windows/Mac OS)

  1. Open Firefox, then go to the web page that you want to allow pop-ups.
  2. In Firefox's URL window, highlight the entire web address of the current page, then choose the Copy command from the Edit menu.
  3. Select Options... from the Tools menu (Windows) or Preferences... from the Firefox menu (Mac OS). The Options (Windows) or variable (Mac OS) dialog box displays.
  4. In the top panel of the dialog box, click on the Content icon to display the Content dialog box.
  5. On the Content dialog box, ensure the Block pop-up windows checkbox is selected, then click the adjacent Exceptions... button.
  6. Right-click or control-click in the Address of web site: field, choose Paste from the dropdown menu, then click the Allow button. The selected webpage is added to the list of Allowed Sites.

    Notes: Pasting the web address of a page you wish to allow pop-ups is recommended, rather than typing the generic main web address. For example, you might visit www.example.com/requirepopup.html, but the page is actually hosted at popup.example.com/forms/popupform.html. In this example, you must allow popup.example.com, not www.example.com. Note also that entire websites must be allowed, not individual directories or pages, so in this example Firefox will automatically add the top level popup.example.com to its Allowed sites.

  7. Close any remaining dialog boxes.

Safari 3.2.x (Mac OS)

Safari for Mac OS has no per-website control over blocking pop-ups windows. Pop-ups are either blocked, or they are not. To allow pop-ups:

  1. From the Safari menu, ensure the Block Pop-Up Windows option is not checked. Unchecking this option will allow pop-ups.
  2. To block pop-ups once again, check Block Pop-Up Windows in the Safari menu. You can use a keyboard shortcut: [command key]-K.

Internet Explorer 6.0 (Windows XP SP2 and SP3)

Windows XP Service Pack 2 (SP2) introduced default pop-up blocking behavior for Internet Explorer. When a website attempts to launch a new pop-up window, you may see dialog boxes alerting you of pop-up windows that have been blocked. Follow the instructions below to allow pop-up windows on a per-website basis.

  1. Open Internet Explorer, then go to the web page that you want to allow pop-ups.
  2. In Internet Explorer's Address field, highlight the entire web address of the current page, then choose the Copy command from the Edit menu.
  3. From the Tools menu, select Pop-up Blocker → Pop-up Blocker Settings... The Pop-up Blocker Settings dialog box opens.
  4. Right-click in the Address of Web site to allow: field, then choose Paste.

    Notes: Pasting the web address of a page you wish to allow pop-ups is recommended, rather than typing the generic main web address. For example, you might visit www.example.com/requirepopup.html, but the page is actually hosted at popup.example.com/forms/popupform.html. In this example, you must allow popup.example.com, not www.example.com. Note also that entire websites must be allowed, not individual directories or pages, so in this example Internet Explorer will automatically add the top level popup.example.com to its Allowed sites.

  5. Click the Add button. The selected website is added to the list of Allowed sites.
  6. Click the Close button to close the Pop-up Blocker Settings dialog box.

Internet Explorer 7.0 (Windows XP SP2 and SP3/Windows Vista SP1)

When a website attempts to launch a new pop-up window, you may see dialog boxes alerting you of pop-up windows that have been blocked. Follow the instructions below to allow pop-up windows on a per-website basis.

  1. Open Internet Explorer, then go to the web page that you want to allow pop-ups.
  2. In Internet Explorer's Address field, highlight the entire web address of the current page, then right-click and choose the Copy command.
  3. From the Tools menu, select Pop-up Blocker → Pop-up Blocker Settings The Pop-up Blocker Settings dialog box opens.
  4. Right-click in the Address of website to allow: field, then choose Paste.

    Notes: Pasting the web address of a page you wish to allow pop-ups is recommended, rather than typing the generic main web address. For example, you might visit www.example.com/requirepopup.html, but the page is actually hosted at popup.example.com/forms/popupform.html. In this example, you must allow popup.example.com, not www.example.com. Note also that entire websites must be allowed, not individual directories or pages, so in this example Internet Explorer will automatically add the top level popup.example.com to its Allowed sites.

  5. Click the Add button. The selected website is added to the list of Allowed sites.
  6. Click the Close to close the Pop-up Blocker Settings dialog box.
top

Information Systems and Computing
University of Pennsylvania
Comments & Questions


University of Pennsylvania Penn Computing University of Pennsylvania Information Systems & Computing (ISC)
Information Systems and Computing, University of Pennsylvania