How to Block Websites on Chrome, Firefox, Edge, Safari, Android, and iOS

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There may be times when you want to block websites in order to prevent your children from accessing them, to control your addiction to social media websites, or to eliminate other types of distractions. Most browsers do not have a built-in way to block websites. Let’s look at some other methods for blocking websites on your favorite browser.

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How to Block Websites in Chrome on Desktop

The best way to block websites is to use a Chrome extension. One of the popular extensions is Block Site.

  1. Install the BlockSite extension by clicking on “Add to Chrome” on the download page followed by “Add extension.” Wait for the extension to install.

  1. Once installed, open the site and click on the BlockSite icon in the extensions bar. Click on the “Block this Site” button or click the Settings icon.

  1. Type the URL into the “Enter a web address box” and click on “Add item.” Add other addresses following the same method.

Some cool features of the extension include password protection, a built-in adult site blocker, and scheduling. The free version lets you block six websites. To block unlimited websites, you must upgrade to the premium version.

Other website blocker extensions you may like:

How to Block Websites in Firefox on Desktop

You can also block websites in Mozilla Firefox by installing the Block Site add-on, a Firefox-recommended extension. This extension allows you to set a password and schedule blocking. Follow these steps to set it up:

  1. Install the Block Site extension. Click on “Add to Firefox” followed by “Add” in the pop-up window.

  1. After the extension is installed, open the website you want to block and click the extension’s icon.

  1. A confirmation pop-up window will open. Click on “Ok.”

This is how the webpage will look after it’s blocked.

To add or remove websites or set a password:

  1. Right-click on the extension icon and select “Manage extension” to open the Block Site extension page.
  2. Click on the three-dot icon next to the extension name and select “Options.”

If you’re interested in protecting your privacy online, check out the best Firefox add-ons.

How to Block Websites in Edge on Desktop

Just like Chrome and Firefox, you can use an add-on like Block Site to block websites in Microsoft Edge.

  1. Open the Block Site extension page and click “Get.”

  1. Once installed, its icon will appear in the Extensions bar. Open the website you want to block and click on the Block Site icon.

  1. The Prompt window will appear asking you to confirm you want to block the website. Click “Ok.”

Tip: The Simple website blocker is another Edge add-on that can help in blocking websites, and Microsoft Family services can be used to block sites for child accounts.

How to Block Websites in Safari on Desktop

Mac offers a native feature to block websites using Screen Time functionality. Keep in mind that it will also block websites in third-party browsers installed on your Mac, such as Chrome, Edge, or Firefox. Follow these steps to set it up:

  1. Click on the Apple logo in the top-left corner of the screen and select “System preferences” from the menu.

  1. Click on “Screen Time” in the System Preferences window that opens.

  1. Click on “Content & privacy” from the left sidebar of the Screen Time window. If the screen shows that Content & Privacy Restrictions are off, click on “Turn on.”

  1. Choose “Limit Adult websites” next to Web content. If you want to restrict adult content only, this setting is enough. But since we are interested in blocking websites, click on the “Customize” button.

  1. Click on the “+” icon under the Restricted section and type the website URL to block it.

Use Screen Time Passcode for added security to ensure that no one can remove the blocked websites from the restricted list. If you want to block websites on the Safari browser alone, use the WasteNoTime extension Safari extension.

How to Block Websites on All Browsers

The methods described above are browser-specific and only work on a single browser. If you’re looking for a cross-browser blocking solution, Cold Turkey is an awesome tool for Windows and Mac. Other tools include FocalFilter and Freedom.

  1. Install the Cold Turkey tool on your Mac or Windows device.
  2. Once installed, the tool will ask you to install the Cold Turkey extension on the browsers installed on your computer. Click on “Install” next to the supported browsers.

  1. Open the Cold Turkey tool again on your computer and click on “Blocks” in the left sidebar. Click on “Add a new block” and add the websites you wish to block.

  1. After you create a block, make sure to enable it using the toggle next to it.

The free version lets you block an unlimited number of websites. You can even specify how long you want to block websites.

How to Block Websites on Android

Third-party apps such as BlockSite and StayFree Web can help you block websites on your Android phone. The apps will work in all browsers installed on your phone.

Follow the steps below to blow websites with the StayFree web app:

  1. Install the app on your Android phone.
  2. Grant the necessary permissions like Accessibility and Screen Overlay for the proper functioning of the app.
  3. On the app’s home screen, tap on the floating add (+) icon and enter the website URL. You can keep the “Block after” time as 0 or set it according to your preferences and tap on “Block website.”

Tip: If you use Google Families, you can use it to block websites for your child’s account.

How to Block Websites on iOS

Similar to Mac, Screen Time on iOS will help block websites. Follow the instructions below:

  1. Open iPhone Settings and go to “Screen Time.”

  1. Tap on “Content & Privacy Restrictions” and enable it on the next screen.

  1. Tap on “Content Restrictions” followed by “Web content.”

  1. Select “Limit Adult Websites,” and tap on “Add Website” under “Never Allow.” Type the URL you wish to block and press “Done.”

If you open the blocked website on your iPhone, you will get a content restricted error. Make sure to add the Screen Time passcode to your iPhone so that no one can allow the websites without your permission.

Tip: use the BlockSite app on iOS if you don’t like the idea of using Screen Time to block websites.

How to Block Websites Network-Wide on Your Home Wi-Fi

You can block websites across all devices on the same Wi-Fi network by modifying the router settings. Follow the instructions below:

  1. Open the router’s admin page and enter the username and password. You will find all this information written under the router.
  2. You need to look for the parental controls or blocked sites option inside the router settings under the Advanced or Security tab, depending on the router. Add the websites you want to block. You can even block websites using keywords.

How to Block Websites Using the Hosts File

Whether you’re on Windows, Mac or Linux, you can use the Hosts file to block specific websites. It may sound technical, but it’s really not that bad and may appeal to those who like the idea of blocking websites without having to mess around with third-party software. It will block the sites on all browsers.

Follow these instructions to block sites with the hosts file on each desktop platform.

Edit Hosts File in Windows

  1. Go to “C:\Windows\System32\Drivers\etc” and open the “hosts” file using Notepad.
  2. Scroll to the bottom, then under all the hash symbols (you can delete everything marked with the hash symbol if you like so you have a clean sheet), type “127.0.0.1” followed by “localhost.”
  3. On the next line, type “127.0.0.1” followed by the address of the site you want to block, then repeat this step for every other site you want to block.

Edit Hosts File in Linux and Mac

The process is the same as for Windows, except you need to navigate to the “/etc” directory to open the hosts file (with superuser permission).

Block Explicit Content from Google

If you simply want to restrict explicit content such as pornography, images of violence, etc., from appearing in Google search results, the easiest way is to enable SafeSearch Filters.

  1. Open Settings” option at the bottom.
  2. Select “Search Settings” from the menu.

  1. Check the box next to “Turn on Safe Search”.

The disadvantage of this method is that it does not allow you to choose which websites to block manually.

To further avoid distractions, find out how to stop Chrome notifications and block YouTube channels.

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Mehvish Mushtaq

Mehvish is a tech lover from Kashmir. With a degree in computer engineering, she’s always been happy to help anyone who finds technology challenging. She’s been writing about technology for over six years, and her favorite topics include how-to guides, explainers, tips and tricks for Android, iOS/iPadOS, Windows, social media, and web apps.

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