Internet Explorer Popup Manager

Pop-up Manager blocks most unwanted pop-up windows from appearing. Pop-up windows that are launched when the end user clicks a link will not be blocked.

End users and IT administrators can let specific domains launch programmatic pop-up windows. Developers will be able to use or extend the pop-up functionality in Internet Explorer for applications hosting Internet Explorer.

For end users, browsing the Web will be safer and less annoying, because unwanted pop-up windows will not automatically appear.

Features of the Popup Manager

Pop-up Manager is turned off by default. When the pop-up functionality is enabled, automatic and background pop-up windows are blocked in the Internet Zone, but windows that are opened by a user link click will still open in the usual manner (although this too is configurable). Note that sites in the Trusted Sites and Local Intranet zones never have their pop-up windows blocked, as they are considered safe. This can be configured in the Security tab in Internet Options.

You can enable Pop-up Manager by three different methods.

1. Prompt at first occurrence. A prompt appears before the first pop-up window appears that asks the customer to enable Pop-up Manager.

2. Tools menu. In Internet Explorer, you can click Tools, point to Pop-up Manager, and then click Block Pop-up Windows.

3. Internet Options. In Internet Explorer, you can click Tools, click Internet Options, click the Privacy tab, and then click Block pop-up windows. You can then click Options to configure Pop-up Manager settings as shown in Figure 1.

Figure 1: Pop-up Window Management Dialog

If a site launches a pop-up window that is blocked by Internet Explorer, a notification appears in the status bar and a sound is played. If a user clicks the notification in the status bar, a menu with the following options is presented:

• Show Blocked Pop-up Window. Reloads the pop-up window.
• Allow Pop-up Windows from This Site.Adds the current site to the Allow list. Sites can be added to this list in a setup application by an administrator.
• Block Pop-up Windows. Toggles Pop-up Manager on and off.
• Pop-up Window Options. Opens the Pop-up Window Managementwindow.

Note that there are new restrictions in Internet Explorer on the size and position of pop-up windows, regardless of the Pop-up Manager setting: Pop-up windows cannot be opened larger than or outside the viewable desktop area.

Internet Explorer also provides advanced configuration of Pop-up Manager settings.

The settings can be used as follows:

Web Site Allow List. You can add sites to the Allow list. Any site on the Allow list can open pop-up windows.

Block All Pop-up Windows. Pop-up Manager allows sites to open a pop-up window when the user clicks a link. This setting changes that behavior by blocking windows that are opened from a link. If this setting is enabled, you can allow pop-up windows to open by pressing ALT at the same time that you click the link.

Override Key. When Block All Pop-up Windows is enabled, you can allow pop-up windows to open by pressing ALT at the same time that you click the link.

Configure Sound. You can toggle whether or not Pop-up Manager plays a sound when a pop-up is blocked through the Advanced settings in Internet Options. You can also change the sound that plays. To do this, click Start, click Control Panel, and then double-click the Sounds and Audio Devices icon.

Zones. Customers can expand the scope of Pop-up Manager to include the Local Intranet or Trusted Sites zones in the Security tab of Internet Options.