TL;DR
To block websites on Google Chrome on Mac:
- Open the Apple menu, go to System Settings, and click on Screen Time.
- Select Content & Privacy, then click Content Restrictions.
- Under Access to Web Content, choose Limit Adult Websites.
- To allow specific websites only, select Allowed Websites Only, click Customize, and add the websites you want to allow.
Tried and Tested ✅: The methods and steps mentioned in this article have been tried and tested firsthand by Ojash Yadav on his MacBook Pro M3 and rechecked for errors on Hashir’s MacBook Air M2.
Every time I tried to work, I’d end up on random websites instead. Sound familiar? I knew I had to put a stop to it. I found some simple ways to block those distractions on Chrome, and I’m here to share what worked for me.
I’ve already covered how to block websites on Safari, so check that out if you’re also a Safari user.
How to Block Websites on Google Chrome on Mac
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Below, I’ve outlined seven ways to block websites on Chrome for Mac users, tailored to different needs and skill levels:
1. Using Screen Time
(for macOS 10.15 Catalina or later)
Follow these steps to use Screen Time to block websites on Google Chrome:
- Open the Apple menu and click System Settings.
- Click Screen Time in the System Settings window and select Content & Privacy.
- Click Content Restrictions.
- A new window will appear. Click the drop-down icon next to Access to Web Content and select Limit Adult Websites.
If you also want to allow specific websites only, follow these steps:
- Follow the above steps from 1 to 3, and instead of Limit Adult Websites, select Allowed Websites Only in the Web Content window.
- Click the Customise button that appears.
- In the new window, click the + button in the bottom left corner.
- Type in the name and URL of the website you want to allow and tap Done.
- The website you add will appear in the list.
- Click Done to close the window.
2. Installing an Extension
Here’s how to use a Chrome extension to block websites on Google Chrome on Mac:
Warning ⚠️: Not all website-blocking extensions are secure. Always choose extensions with high ratings and good reviews to avoid potential privacy risks.
- Open Chrome and visit the Chrome Web Store.
- Type website blocker in the search bar on the top-left. Also, select the Extension option to filter the results.
- Select a highly-rated extension from the results.
- Click Add to Chrome to install it.
- Access the extension settings and add the URLs you want to block.
You can also block websites in Chrome’s Incognito mode by using the same extension. After installing the extension, go to Chrome’s menu, select More Tools, then Extensions, find the installed blocker, click Details, and toggle on Allow in Incognito.
3. Using a Website Blocker App
Follow these steps to use Focus (website blocking app) to block specific websites on Mac:
- Download and install Focus through Setapp.
- Open the Focus app from your Applications folder or Launchpad.
- Click the Focus icon in the menu bar at the top of your screen, and select Preferences.
- In the Preferences window, go to the Websites tab.
- Click the + button to add a new website to the block list. Type the URL of the website you want to block and press Enter.
- Repeat the previous step to add any other websites you want to block.
- To start blocking, click the Focus icon in the menu bar and choose Focus Time. The blocked websites will now be inaccessible during your session.
- To stop blocking, click the Focus icon again and select Unfocus. The websites will become accessible once the session ends.
4. Enabling SafeSearch to Block Adult Websites
Here’s how to use SafeSearch to block adult websites on Google Chrome:
- Sign in to your Google account.
- Go to Google’s Search Settings page.
- Scroll down and click SafeSearch.
- Here, you’ll see three options: Filter, Blur, and Off.
- Select Filter to prevent explicit content from showing up on your browser. You’ll see a SafeSearch filtering is now on notification at the bottom of the screen.
5. Blocking With the Built-in Parental Controls
(for macOS Mojave or earlier)
Follow these steps to block websites on Google Chrome using parental controls:
- Open System Settings and select Users & Groups.
- Find the padlock icon in the bottom left corner and click it.
- When prompted, type your administrator password.
- In the left sidebar, select the user account you wish to block specific websites on.
- Find and check the box labeled Enable parental controls on the right.
- Then, click the button labeled Open Parental Controls.
- You’ll be prompted to enter your administrator password again.
- Then, navigate to the Web tab and select the option that says Try to limit access to adult websites.
- Next, click the Customize button.
- In the customization options, add the particular websites you want to block to the list labeled Never allow these websites and click OK.
6. Blocking With a Wi-Fi Router
Your Wi-Fi router can also block websites, ensuring any device connected to the network cannot access those sites. Here is how to do it:
- Find your router’s IP address, typically printed on a label on the router itself.
- Enter your router’s IP address into the search bar of your Chrome browser.
- You’ll be prompted for your router’s login information, often on the router itself.
- Once you have entered the login credentials, you can access and modify your Wi-Fi router’s settings.
- Search for the page in the settings that lets you block websites. This may differ between routers, but it’s typically found under the Security tab and often within the Parental Control section.
- In the router settings, block the websites of your choice under the Security tab.
- Navigate to the Template tab and follow the on-screen instructions to add the URLs you wish to block.
Modifying router settings to block websites may disrupt other network services. Be sure to understand your router’s features before making changes.
7. Using Terminal
You can also use Terminal to block websites on Google Chrome:
- Open Terminal on your Mac by typing Terminal in Spotlight search (Command ⌘ + Spacebar).
- Before blocking a website, back up the hosts file using Terminal. To do this, type the following command and press Enter:
sudo /bin/cp /etc/hosts /etc/hosts-original
- Enter your admin password and press Enter.
- Type the following command to open the hosts file and press Enter:
sudo nano -e /etc/hosts
- Go to the bottom of the line using the arrow keys.
- Type 127.0.0.1 and the website address you wish to block. For example, to block Facebook, type the following in Terminal:
127.0.0.1 www.facebook.com
- Type all the websites you want to block in separate lines.
- Press Control ^ + O and Enter. This will save the file.
- Then, press Control ^ + X to close the file.
This will block the websites you mentioned.
Surf Safely by Blocking Websites on Google Chrome
Keeping your digital life safe and distraction-free can be a hassle, but knowing useful things, like blocking unwanted websites, can make this experience more to your liking. Now that you know how to block websites on Chrome, here are some more tips for you to optimize your browsing experience:
- Disabling pop-ups on Safari can help reduce annoying screen interruptions.
- Blocking ads on your Mac will keep you focused and free from distractions.
- Removing unnecessary browser extensions could help you maintain a clutter-free Mac.