Popup
A popup or pop-up is a term with multiple meanings in various contexts. In computing, it refers to a graphical user interface element; in the arts, it describes interactive books or videos; in sports, it denotes specific plays like a baseball fly ball; in business, it includes temporary shops or restaurants; and it has other uses such as in appliances or vehicles. For detailed uses, see the relevant sections below. In computing, a pop-up is a graphical user interface (GUI) element consisting of a small window or dialog box that suddenly appears ("pops up") in the foreground of a user's screen, typically overlaying the current content in web browsers, applications, or operating systems.[1] These elements are designed to capture immediate attention for purposes such as displaying advertisements, notifications, alerts, or additional interactive options, and they can be triggered by user actions like clicks or automatically upon loading a page.[2] In web development, pop-ups often utilize JavaScript functions likewindow.open() to create new browser windows separate from the main interface.
The origins of pop-up advertisements trace back to the late 1990s, when Ethan Zuckerman, a developer at Tripod.com, invented the pop-up ad in 1997 to address advertisers' concerns about their banner ads appearing alongside inappropriate content on user-generated pages.[3] Zuckerman's innovation aimed to isolate ads in independent windows, but it quickly proliferated as a marketing tool, leading to widespread user frustration due to intrusive and deceptive implementations.[4] In 2014, Zuckerman publicly apologized for the unintended consequences, describing it as the "original sin of the web" that contributed to the erosion of user trust in online experiences.[5]
Pop-ups encompass several variants, including pop-up ads, which promote products or services and often include calls-to-action; pop-unders, that open behind the active window and remain hidden until the main page closes; and modal pop-ups, which require user interaction to dismiss before continuing.[6] While initially unregulated, their abusiveness prompted major browsers to implement blocking features: Microsoft introduced pop-up blocking in Internet Explorer with Windows XP Service Pack 2 in 2004, and Google Chrome followed suit by default in 2008, marking blocked instances in the address bar.[7] As of 2025, ethical pop-up design emphasizes user consent and timing, such as exit-intent triggers, avoiding popups before users can access main content, ensuring clear and easy dismissal options, and maintaining mobile responsiveness to balance engagement without disruption, though they remain a contentious tool in digital marketing with conversion rates varying by implementation.[8][9]
Beyond advertising, pop-ups serve functional roles in computing, such as context menus that display options upon right-clicking or tooltips providing brief information on hover.[10] In video games, "pop-up" can refer to a rendering artifact where distant objects suddenly appear as the player approaches, due to limited draw distance in 3D graphics—a technical limitation mitigated by modern hardware. Despite their utility, excessive or malicious pop-ups are associated with security risks, including malware distribution, underscoring the importance of built-in browser protections and user awareness.[11]
Computing
Pop-up window
A pop-up window is a graphical user interface (GUI) element consisting of a secondary window that appears over the primary application window, typically without direct user initiation, to display information, solicit input, or perform other interactions.[12] These windows emerged as part of early innovations in windowing systems, allowing multiple views to overlap and providing a mechanism for temporary overlays in computing environments.[13] The historical origins of pop-up windows trace to pioneering GUI systems in the 1970s, such as the Xerox Alto developed in 1973, which introduced overlapping windows and elements like pop-up menus that influenced modern secondary window behaviors.[13][14] Widespread adoption occurred with the release of Microsoft Windows 3.0 in 1990, which integrated pop-up dialog boxes as standard components for user interaction, marking a shift toward accessible personal computing interfaces.[15] This version emphasized improved window management, including temporary overlays for alerts and prompts, solidifying their role in mainstream software.[16] Pop-up windows are classified into two primary types: modal and modeless. Modal pop-ups, often used for critical alerts or confirmations, block interaction with the parent window until the user responds, ensuring focused attention on the secondary content.[17] In contrast, modeless pop-ups permit continued use of the underlying application, such as floating tool palettes that remain accessible without halting workflow.[17] In web browsers, pop-up windows are implemented primarily through the JavaScriptwindow.open() method, which creates a new browsing context for loading content, often in a separate tab or minimal window depending on browser settings.[18] For desktop applications on Windows platforms, developers use the Win32 API, specifically the CreateWindow or CreateWindowEx functions with the WS_POPUP style to generate these secondary windows, allowing customization of position, size, and behavior.[19][20]
Despite their utility, pop-up windows present user experience challenges, including interruptions during critical tasks that lead to disorientation and reduced productivity.[8] They also introduce security risks, such as phishing schemes where malicious pop-ups mimic legitimate alerts to deceive users into installing malware or disclosing personal data.[21] These concerns prompted the development of browser-based mitigations, with Microsoft introducing a pop-up blocker in Internet Explorer via Windows XP Service Pack 2 in 2004 to filter unsolicited windows and enhance user safety.[22]