Best for: Power users, people who hate cookie banners, heavy web browsing.
❗ You may have adware. Download Malwarebytes for Mac (free version) and run a scan.
You will often see software like MacKeeper, CleanMyMac, or Norton advertising "Pop-up Blockers" as part of their suite.
If built-in tools aren't enough, especially for aggressive "adware" style pop-ups, third-party extensions offer enhanced protection. Block or allow pop-ups in Chrome - Computer - Google Help
Due to Apple’s App Store restrictions and performance requirements, modern blockers are not "apps" that run in the background; they are "Content Blockers" that hand a set of rules to Safari to enforce. This saves RAM and battery.
Wipr is the "set it and forget it" choice.
Here’s a ready-to-use social media post about using a pop-up blocker on a Mac, tailored for different platforms.
For Chrome: Settings → Privacy & Security → Site Settings → Pop-ups & redirects → toggle .
Apple has aggressively integrated privacy features into Safari, making the need for third-party software less urgent than it was five years ago.
