A distracting or unsafe website does not have to stay open on your computer. The right fix depends on where you want the block to work: one child account, one browser, one Mac, one Windows PC, or every device on your home Wi-Fi.
Start with the built-in controls if you are managing a child account. Use browser extensions or blocking apps for personal focus, and save hosts-file edits for simple local blocks.
1. Start with Microsoft Family Safety on Windows
Best for a child account on Windows, Family Safety blocks websites through Microsoft Edge and lets you block other browsers so the child cannot simply switch apps.
- 1.Open Microsoft Family Safety.
- 2.Select the family member.
- 3.Open Content filters.
- 4.Turn on Only use allowed websites if you want an allow-list setup, then add the sites that should work.
- 5.Use Blocked sites to add websites you want to stop.
You can also do it from the web. Sign in to your Microsoft account, open Family Safety, select the family member, choose More options, open Go to overview, select Edge, turn Filter inappropriate websites and searches on, then add the site under Blocked sites.
To enforce that setup on Windows, open the family member card, go to Windows > Apps and games, select another browser or app, and choose Block app. Family Safety web and search filters work with Microsoft Edge.
2. Block a site on Mac with Screen Time
- 1.Open Apple menu > System Settings > Screen Time.
- 2.If you manage a child, choose them from the Family Member menu.
- 3.Open Content & Privacy and turn on Content & Privacy.
- 4.Open App Store, Media, Web, & Games.
- 5.Under Safari, choose Limit Adult Websites.
- 6.Click Customize, click Add below the restricted list, enter the website URL, then click Done.
Screen Time also supports an allow-list for a child account or shared Mac. Choose Allowed Websites Only, click Customize, click Add below the allowed website list, enter the website title and URL, then click Done.
3. Put Chrome for kids under Family Link
Use Family Link for a child using Chrome with a Family Link-managed Google Account, instead of old Chrome supervised-user instructions.
- 1.Open the Family Link app.
- 2.Select the child.
- 3.Tap Controls.
- 4.Open Google Chrome and Web.
- 5.Under Manage sites, tap Approved sites and Blocked sites.
- 6.Tap Add a website and add the website or domain.
For a stricter setup, choose Only allow approved sites, then add the sites the child is allowed to visit. On Windows, Mac, and Linux, Family Link Chrome settings do not apply after the child signs out of Chrome, switches profiles, or uses another browser.
4. Add a blocker extension for one browser
A browser extension is the fastest personal fix when you only care about one browser on your own computer.
Chrome: open Chrome Web Store > Extensions, search for a website blocker such as BlockSite or LeechBlock NG, click Add to Chrome, review permissions, click Add extension, then configure the extension block list.
Microsoft Edge: open Microsoft Edge Add-ons, search for a website blocker, click Get, review permissions, click Add extension, then add the blocked sites in the extension settings.
Firefox: open Extensions and themes or addons.mozilla.org, search for a blocker such as LeechBlock NG, click Add to Firefox, click Add, then configure the add-on options.
Safari on Mac: open App Store, search for a Safari extension or content blocker, click Get or Buy, then open Safari > Settings > Extensions, select the checkbox next to the extension, and configure it there.
5. Stop sites across your home Wi-Fi
- NETGEAR Orbi or Nighthawk: open the Orbi app or Nighthawk app, tap Parental Controls, select a profile, open History, swipe right on the website, and choose Set as Not Allowed.
- TP-Link Deco or Tether: open the Deco app or Tether app, open Parental Controls or Family, tap Get Started, create or select a child profile, then use Website Blocking or Block Websites.
- ASUS routers: open the router web UI, go to Firewall > URL Filter, turn on Enable URL Filter, select Black List, key in the URL, click +, then click Apply.
- eero Plus: open the eero app, select a profile or network-level content controls, open Block & Allow Sites, then add the blocked site or domain.
Use your router when the block needs to cover more than one computer. The exact menus vary by brand, but supported router apps and web interfaces put the control under parental controls, family profiles, URL filtering, or block-and-allow lists.
Router-level controls require a supported model and the right plan. NETGEAR and TP-Link features can require premium controls, a trial, current firmware, or a supported router, and eero site blocking requires eero Plus.
6. Use DNS filtering for adult or malware categories
DNS filtering works well when you want adult-content or malware filtering on a computer or across the router, but the free family resolvers below are not precise one-site blockers.
Cloudflare 1.1.1.1 for Families: use 1.1.1.3 and 1.0.0.3 for malware plus adult-content blocking. Use 1.1.1.2 and 1.0.0.2 for malware-only filtering. On Windows, go to Start > Settings > Network and Internet > your adapter > DNS server assignment > Edit > Manual > IPv4, then enter the DNS addresses.
OpenDNS FamilyShield: set your computer or router DNS servers to the FamilyShield addresses from OpenDNS. FamilyShield is preconfigured for adult-content blocking; OpenDNS Home is the customizable filtering product.
CleanBrowsing: choose Family Filter, Adult Filter, or Security Filter, then configure DNS on the device or router. CleanBrowsing lists Family Filter IPv4 as 185.228.168.168 and 185.228.169.168. On Android 9 or later, go to Settings > Network > Private DNS and enter family-filter-dns.cleanbrowsing.org.
7. Edit the hosts file for a simple local block
Use the hosts file for your own machine, not as your main parental-control system. It blocks a website on one computer, an administrator can edit it, and each subdomain needs its own entry.
Windows: open Notepad as administrator, open %WinDir%\System32\Drivers\Etc\hosts, add 127.0.0.1 the-site-you-want-to-block.com and 127.0.0.1 www.the-site-you-want-to-block.com, then click File > Save.
Mac: open Finder > Applications > Utilities > Terminal, run sudo nano /private/etc/hosts, add 127.0.0.1 the-site-you-want-to-block.com and 127.0.0.1 www.the-site-you-want-to-block.com, save the file, then flush DNS if the Mac keeps using the old lookup.
8. Switch to a dedicated blocking app
- Freedom: install Freedom from freedom.to, create or select Blocklists, add websites or preset blocklists, create a Session, choose the devices and duration, then start the session.
- Cold Turkey Blocker: install Cold Turkey Blocker from getcoldturkey.com/download, create or edit a block, add domains, URL patterns, or wildcards, add exceptions if needed, then start or schedule the block.
Dedicated blockers fit personal focus better than parental controls and are cleaner than editing system files when you want scheduled blocks across supported devices.
Use the official product pages for downloads. Coverage depends on the operating system, browser support, helper extensions, and product edition.
9. Skip old website blocking tricks
Old tutorials still point people to Chrome Supervised Users and Internet Explorer Content Advisor. Skip both.
Current Google-supported options are Family Link, extensions, or managed Chrome policies, and Microsoft retired the Internet Explorer 11 desktop app.
On work, school, or managed devices, use admin-managed controls instead of local hacks. Chrome admins can use URLBlocklist and URLAllowlist, Edge admins can use the standard URLBlocklist policy (Edge Web Content Filtering exceptions are a preview feature available through the Microsoft Edge management service for eligible EDU and SMB organizations), Firefox admins can deploy WebsiteFilter, and Apple device managers can use a Web Content Filter payload.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the easiest way to block a website on a child’s computer?
Use the built-in family controls first: Microsoft Family Safety for Edge on Windows, Screen Time on Mac, or Family Link for Chrome. These tools are designed for child accounts and give you clearer controls than editing system files.
Can I block a website in Chrome without Family Link?
Yes. On an unmanaged personal computer, use a Chrome Web Store blocking extension such as BlockSite or LeechBlock NG. Native Chrome desktop site blocking for personal profiles is not a current unmanaged-consumer Chrome feature.
Why does the blocked site still open in another browser?
The block is attached to the tool you used. Microsoft Family Safety web filtering works with Edge, and Family Link Chrome settings apply to Chrome. Block other browsers, use router controls, or use a blocking app when you need broader coverage.
Should I use DNS filtering to block one exact website?
Use DNS filtering for categories such as adult content or malware. Free family DNS resolvers are not a precise custom single-site block list.
Can a website block be bypassed?
Yes. Administrator access, DNS changes, VPNs, browser switching, profile switching, and hosts-file edits can bypass weak setups. For child devices, use account-based controls and keep the child account from having administrator access.
