How To Block Websites On Browsers And Devices: Easy Fixes

August 30, 2024 By Johan Curtis No Comments 8 minutes

The internet is a safe place until an unsolicited ad pops up while browsing, and you forget what you were looking for. As a parent, you will take the necessary measures so that your kid never bumps into something they aren’t meant to. Similarly, you would want your employees to not click on some shady link(s) and risk the infrastructure of the entire company. This is why it is necessary to block websites that contain malware or unsuitable content immediately! This guide will tell you how you can exactly do that!

How to block websites

NOTE: The internet is a diverse place with a large variety of content bound to display things that you don’t wish to see. Nor would you want your children or other family members to view. Blocking websites that could be coontagious and carry malware is first of many steps to achieve total security while browsing. You need a seamless FastestVPN connection to block spammy ads and websites on the spot!

Well, there’s no need to worry. There are numerous techniques on how to block websites, no matter what device you own or what browser you’re operating; we’ve got a solution for you! Jump to the section that you are interested in right away!

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How to Block Websites On Chrome

You can tackle websites that display shady content and unsolicited ads in two ways. The first one is through Built-in Settings. There are two ways to do so:

By The View Site Information

Click on the View Site Information menu (the far left icon in the URL tab)
Click on Site Settings
Against each option like Location, Camera, and Microphone, etc., access the dropdown menu and click on Block for each option you want to block the website from accessing.

By Settings

Here’s how to block settings on any website with the information already stored in your Chrome:

Click on the three dots in the far right corner just beneath the close window icon.
Navigate to Settings at the end of the list.
Navigate to Privacy and Security in the left panel> Site Settings > View Permission and data stored across sites.
Click Block from the drop-down menu of the site you want to block. Block the website!

Block Websites On Chrome With an Extension

If you are operating through the Chrome web browser, here’s how you can block websites with Chrome:

Launch Chrome
Open Chrome Web Store
Search for the Block Site extension > press add to chrome
Add the extension
Check for the extension’s logo appearing near the address bar
Visit the website you wish to block
Tap on the extension
Press block this site
Now, the website is blocked.

How to Block Websites on Safari

Similarly, you can also block websites from your web browser, such as Safari. Here’s how:

In the top-left corner of your screen, click on the Apple Icon.
Access the dropdown menu and click on System Settings.
Navigate to the Screen Time option > Turn the toggle button ON.
Locate Content and Privacy and turn it ON.
Now, go to content restrictions and click on limit adult websites.
Click on the Customize button > Restricted > Input the website URL manually > Click +
Lastly, press Done

How to Block Websites on Windows

If you happen to be operating on a Windows device, here are a few ways to block websites.

How to Block Websites on Windows with a Website Blocking App:

It may sound more complicated and requires sound technical knowledge than it is, but you can block content through your window’s host file. This way, whenever you enter a specific blocked domain, the host file will redirect you elsewhere instead of loading that website. Here’s how to do it:

Open the File Explorer > Locate the hosts file in C:\WINDOWS\system32\drivers\etc directory
Navigate the hosts files
Open these files in your device’s NotePad as an administrator
Add 127.0.0.1 to the end of the file and manually enter the website URL.
Hit Enter.
Save the changes and close the hosts file.
Now open cmd or command prompt as an administrator.
Type ipconfig /flushdns. Now it is done!

Block Websites On Mac

To permanently block websites on a Mac, you must follow the same procedure as in Windows. The procedure involves some technical knowledge and commands to put in the Terminal app. See how you can do so:

Press Command + Space and search Terminal
Enter the command sudo nano /etc/hosts in the Terminal window. Hit Return and enter your admin password.
The hosts file will open.
Navigate to the bottom of the file and type 127.0.0.1 at the end of the file.
Type the URL of the website manually next to it and press Return.
Save the file with Command + O and close the nano text editor with Command + X.
Return to the Terminal window and type in the command sudo dscacheutil -flushcache > Press Return
This flushes the DNS cache immediately.

How to Block Websites on Android

You will have blocked websites on your Android in just a few clicks. Follow these steps:

Open Settings and navigate Digital Wellbeing & Parental Controls
Click Parental controls
Put a PIN lock for access.
Click Filters on Google Chrome and configure the new website restrictions.
Enter the URLs of the websites you aim to block and save these settings.

Block Websites on iOS

If you own an IOS device and wish to restrict or block certain content from your iPhone or iPad, here’s how you can do it effortlessly, thanks to Apple’s parental controls:

Open Settings > press Screen Time
Select Content and Privacy Restrictions and turn it on with the toggle button
Press Content Restrictions > Web Content
Choose between Limit Adult Websites or Specific Websites Only
The Limit Adult Websites feature limits adult websites on its own.
You will have to enter the URL of the website in case of Specific Websites only
Now press Done and save the changes.

Why Do You Need to Block Certain Websites?

There are several reasons why you may need to block websites permanently. A few of the significant reasons why many users block certain websites are:

To Protect Your Children

One of the most common reasons users block websites is to prevent their children from accessing that particular website. Kids are naive and don’t entirely understand the concept of internet safety. In today’s world, most children have access to a computer, whether it is for school or fun.

It indicates that at one point or another, your child is bound to stumble upon a website that it is not meant for them, and may distract them from whatever else they were doing. Not to mention the amount of adult content that is openly available on the web, which is why it is smarter for parents to set up parental controls on their windows.

Stop Employee Distractions

If you run a firm and most of your work requires a computer with an active internet connection, you may need to ensure that your employees take their work seriously while online.

In that case, restricting certain websites that could disrupt a smooth work flow is the best option.

Restrict Bandwidth Usage

In most cases, we share our internet connection with someone else. This could be family members, a roommate, or a visiting guest.

The problem with sharing the internet is that it could begin to cost you since people tend to visit bandwidth-heavy websites and download content that could drain your download limit. To prevent exceeding your download limit and cut down on bandwidth expenses, you should block any bandwidth-heavy websites so that access is no longer available.

To Prevent Downloading Malware

One of the many reasons that a user may wish to block a particular website is to protect themselves from potentially malicious software. They opt to block websites that come across as suspicious and a means of phishing.

Even though blocking is a solution to prevent such incidents, a more suitable option is to install an anti-virus for real-time protection. Complete your security by adding a VPN. While the anti-virus blocks incoming threats, a VPN will ensure that your internet experience remains anonymous and data is encrypted.

Conclusion

Blocking websites on your devices and browsers happens for a lot of reasons. You could be a mega security enthusiast who wants to do nothing with spammy websites and ads running on them. You could also be a parent trying your best, so your id doesn’t bump into something vulgar and obscene during their fun time on their iPads. Or, you could also be the owner of a startup or a firm trying your best to ensure that no malware ever enters your company’s computers. All these are why you must block websites on your browsers and devices when you see them. Not only blocking sites but having a secure VPN like FastestVPN for your protection helps you be aware of shady links and scammy websites whenever you bump into one. Get your subscription today!