Why do Apple pop-up blockers not work on MacOS nor iPadOS?

To clarify, Safari and all web browser that include a setting to block a Pop-Up only prevents the use of the PopUp HTML code to be displayed on a web page. Information on the Pop Up element is here, although the details are not that important.

https://css-tricks.com/newsletter/240-the-popup-element/

Safari is not designed, and never has been, to prevent the use of the Overlay element as it is used extensively on most web pages and blocking the Overlay element would break those pages. The same is true for the other browsers including Chrome and Firefox.

Since Safari does not have a built in Ad Blocker, you would need to download a third party Ad Blocker and they are also available as extensions on other browsers too. They are not 100% effective and in some cases content on the website will be blocked when it should not, but for the most part they will reduce quite a bit of the nonsense ads you will see.

Here is an example where none of these are Pop-ups that would be blocked when disabled in any of the web browsers. These all use the traditional HTML/CSS code used to render a web page and use Javascript to toggle their display on/off. They may look like they would be a Pop-Up and you may even consider them to be a Pop-Up, but technically they are not because they are not using the Pop-Up element in the website code.

The Block Pop-Up setting in Safari is for when a website uses that specific element in HTML/CSS to pop up a window on their webpage. If the website wants to show you an ad, they can still place it on their webpage that will look similar to the Pop-Up window and they are intentionally doing that for ad revenue when pop-ups are blocked.

Other times, like in your Free Shipping example, it is just a Text Box overlayed over the web page using the standard HTML/CSS coding used to create any website. The Overlay element used for coding a webpage is not the same as the Pop-Up element that is blocked with Safari. Preventing the Overlay element would break many websites as it is a common element used for webpage creation.

Apple does not have an Ad Blocker at all, and to prevent those ads that appear using the Overlay element, you would have to install a third party Ad Blocker Extension on Safari. These still are not 100% effective, but will block most ads. The ad blocker targets the ad itself, not the Overlay element.

Refer to another similar question and the advise that was provided there plus the advise provided by my colleague @ Luis Sequeira1

Safari Version 26.5 (21624.2.5.11.4) >>> Setting >>> Websites >>> Pop-up Windows

Configure the global setting at bottom

Configure each listed website to your liking

I am not completely sure, but I think that you are calling pop-ups may be really notifications.

If you get one, try this:

control-click and choose "Notification settings".

What do you see? My guess is that although you may have somehow a mismatch between what you see in Safari and what you see in System Settings.

Where are you seeing these pop-ups? In Safari? Or do you mean these Notifications that appear at the top right of the screen?

Are you using Safari? Or a third party browser?

In Safari, check your settings for Websites, specifically regarding Notifications and Pop-ups.

J Bertram wrote:

Traditionally, "Pop-ups" are windows that come up when using a browser on the internet.

.. so MacOS Safari; iPadOS Safari; and iOS Safari all allow pop-up windows while visiting websites, no matter what settings you have arranged in Safari.

Why? And how do we fix this?

Did you try a different Browser and compare your results?

Do you use an add blocker? I have adblocker Plus extension on both browser I run...

you can search the app store

ex. FireFox—on your "Nike.com" I see 30 things blocked—maybe your "popup" would be included.

ref: https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/extensions/

What I can say for individual website you may well NOT have total control of these "popup" offers.

Simply close them out...(?)

For Safari visit the Apples App Store: App Store - Apple

Well on my M5 Laptop, M4 Desktop , M4 Laptop and M2 Desktop each running Tahoe 26.5.1

Thanks to a long standing contributor @John Galt  just work

Then follow the instructions in link below

Stop unwanted Notifications

Phony "tech support" / "ransomware" popups and web pages

J Bertram wrote:

I don't use third party apps as workarounds for Apple programming that doesn't work. Typically, Google Chrome will not display these types of issues that Safari has. In this case, per Jim's response, it appears the companies have found a way to overlay windows over their main window and not trigger Apples pop-up blockers. Unfortunate. Terrible people out there.

There is nothing new here...

extension are not a work-a-round, they are provided to make your user experience more acceptable.

you can submit your feedback direct to the Product Team: Feedback - Safari - Apple

No one said you have to use Safari.app — It certainly is not my main working browser....

J Bertram wrote:

That was my post and was not referencing Safari pop up windows when I visit websites. These pop ups ask if I want free shipping or to enter for chances to win producst, etc.,... Safari pop up blocker USED TO WORK. Like all software that now doesn't at Apple something was changed in the base programming that renders Safari pop up blockers ineffective.

OP had written

" Every single day that I use Safari, I now have to cancel the pop up window asking to use my location. You can check the "remember for one day" box but it doesn't need to be said how ridiculous and annoying this is.