How to Restrict Specific Websites in Safari

To restrict specific websites in Safari on an iPhone, iPad, or Mac, you use the Screen Time settings built into iOS, iPadOS, and macOS. You can block a website entirely, or allow it only for a limited time, and the restriction applies across all browsers on the device, not just Safari.

Why You Might Need Website Restrictions

Website restrictions in Safari serve several practical purposes. Parents often use them to keep children from accessing adult content, gambling sites, or social media during school hours. Adults use them to block distracting sites like news or shopping while working. In shared household devices, restrictions prevent accidental visits to sites that could expose the device to malware or phishing. Screen Time’s website controls are also useful for enforcing your own productivity goals—blocking a site for the whole day is a stronger commitment than simply closing a tab.

How Screen Time Website Restrictions Work

Screen Time manages website access through two complementary mechanisms. The first is a content filter that automatically categorizes websites into groups like “Adult,” “Social Networking,” or “Gambling.” The second is an explicit allowlist and blocklist that overrides the filter for specific domains. When you add a domain to the “Never Allow” list, Safari immediately stops loading that site and shows a “Not Allowed” screen. The block applies to the exact domain you enter (e.g., example.com), but not to subdomains unless you also add them (e.g., news.example.com). The filter itself uses on-device classification, so it works even when the device is offline, but it is not perfect—some sites slip through, which is why the manual lists are important.

How to Block a Website on iPhone or iPad

On an iPhone or iPad running iOS 12 or later, follow these steps:

1. Open Settings and tap Screen Time.
2. If it is your device, tap Content & Privacy Restrictions and turn on the toggle at the top. If it is a child’s device, you may need to enter the Screen Time passcode.
3. Tap Content Restrictions → Web Content.
4. Choose Limit Adult Websites (this enables the filter) or Allowed Websites Only (this blocks everything except a short list of kid-friendly sites).
5. Under the “Never Allow” section, tap Add Website and type the domain, e.g., reddit.com.
6. Tap Done in the keyboard.

To unblock a site later, return to the same list and swipe left on the entry, or tap “Edit” and delete it. If you set a Screen Time passcode, you will need it to make changes.

How to Block a Website on Mac

On a Mac running macOS Catalina or later, the steps are similar but in System Settings (or System Preferences on older versions):

1. Open System Settings (or System Preferences) and click Screen Time.
2. Select Content & Privacy in the sidebar.
3. Click Content Restrictions tab, then Web Content.
4. Choose Limit Adult Websites or Allowed Websites Only.
5. In the “Never Allow” section, click the + button and type the domain.
6. Click Done.

On older macOS versions (Mojave and earlier), you can also use the parental controls in System Preferences, but the Screen Time method is the current standard.

What About the “Allowed Websites Only” Mode?

If you select Allowed Websites Only, Safari will block every website except those you explicitly add to the “Only Allow” list. This is the strictest option and is often used for very young children. The default list includes kid-friendly sites like Disney, PBS Kids, and National Geographic, but you can delete those and add your own. Note that this mode also restricts the search engine to a whitelisted one (usually Bing), and it may break links from allowed pages that point to non-allowed sites—the user will see a “Not Allowed” page instead of the linked content.

Common Problems and Solutions

One frequent issue is that a blocked site still loads in a different browser, like Chrome or Firefox. Screen Time’s web content restrictions apply to all browsers on the device, but only if the browser uses the system’s content filter. In practice, most third-party browsers on iOS are required to use the WebKit engine, so they do respect the restrictions. On Mac, however, Chrome and Firefox may not fully honor the Screen Time web filter—you may need to also use the app limit feature to restrict those browsers entirely.

Another problem is that the block does not work for subdomains. For example, adding youtube.com blocks the main site but not m.youtube.com or music.youtube.com. You should add each subdomain you want blocked. Also, some sites use multiple domains—e.g., a video player on player.vimeo.com—so you might need to block that too.

If you forget the Screen Time passcode, you can reset it using your Apple ID password, but only if you enabled that option when setting up Screen Time. Otherwise, you may need to erase the device and restore from backup, which is a last resort.

Comparing Screen Time to Other Methods

Screen Time is the only built-in method that works across all Apple devices and requires no extra software. Alternatives include:

• Parental control apps like Qustodio or Norton Family offer more granular reporting and remote management, but they cost money and require installing a profile.
• Router-level blocking (e.g., OpenDNS) blocks sites for every device on your Wi-Fi, but it does not distinguish between users on the same network.
• Browser extensions like BlockSite or LeechBlock work only in the browser where they are installed, and they can be easily disabled by the user.
• Editing the hosts file on a Mac is a technical workaround that blocks sites at the system level, but it requires terminal commands and is easy to break.

Screen Time is the best balance of simplicity and effectiveness for most people, especially if you are already in the Apple ecosystem.

Safety and Privacy Considerations

Screen Time restrictions are not a security boundary—they are a convenience and parental control. A determined user can often bypass them by using a VPN, a proxy, or a different device. If you are trying to block a site for yourself to avoid procrastination, be aware that you can simply turn off the restriction if you know the passcode. For children, the restrictions are more effective because they do not know the passcode, but they might still find workarounds like using a friend’s phone. Also, Screen Time does not log which specific sites were visited; it only shows time spent in categories unless you enable “Include Website Activity” in the Screen Time settings on the parent device. If you need detailed browsing history, you will need a third-party tool.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does blocking a website in Screen Time also block it in Chrome or Firefox?

On iPhone and iPad, yes—because all browsers are required to use the WebKit engine and the Screen Time filter applies system-wide. On Mac, Chrome and Firefox may not fully respect the web content filter, so you should also limit those apps using Screen Time’s App Limits feature to be safe.

Can I block a website for a specific time period, like only during work hours?

Screen Time does not allow scheduling for individual website blocks. You can use the “Downtime” feature to block all apps and websites during certain hours, but that is an all-or-nothing approach. For per-site schedules, you would need a third-party app like Freedom or Focus.

Why is the “Add Website” button grayed out?

This usually happens when “Content & Privacy Restrictions” is turned off. Make sure the toggle at the top of that screen is green. Also, if you are on a child’s device, you might be in the wrong mode—check that you are in “Content Restrictions” and not “App Limits.”

What is the difference between “Limit Adult Websites” and “Allowed Websites Only”?

“Limit Adult Websites” uses Apple’s filter to block adult content while allowing everything else, and you can add sites to the “Never Allow” list. “Allowed Websites Only” blocks everything except the sites you explicitly list in “Only Allow.” The latter is much stricter and is meant for young children.

Can I block a website without a passcode?

Yes, if you are using Screen Time on your own device and you have not set a passcode, you can change the settings freely. However, if you want to prevent others (or yourself) from changing the restrictions, you must set a Screen Time passcode.

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