How to Block a Website on Safari With Screen Time

Safari doesn't have a block list of its own. Apple puts website blocking inside Screen Time, the same feature that tracks how long you spend on your phone. It's a little hidden, but it's free, built in and works across the whole device, not just one browser profile. Here's how to set it up on an iPhone, iPad and Mac, for yourself or a child.

Block a website on iPhone or iPad

1. Open Settings and tap Screen Time. Turn it on if you haven't already.
2. Tap Content & Privacy Restrictions and switch it on.
3. Tap Content Restrictions (on some versions, App Store, Media, Web and Games), then Web Content.
4. Choose Limit Adult Websites.
5. Under Never Allow, tap Add Website, type the full address and tap Done.

Try visiting the site in Safari and you'll see a message that it's restricted. Add as many addresses as you like.

Block a website on a Mac

1. Open System Settings and click Screen Time.
2. Click Content & Privacy and turn it on.
3. Choose Store, Web, Siri and Game Center Content, or Content Restrictions on newer versions.
4. Set web content to Limit Adult Websites, then click Customize.
5. Add the address under Restricted or Never Allow and click Done.

Set a Screen Time passcode first

Without one, anyone holding the device can go into Settings and turn the restriction off in seconds. Tap Use Screen Time Passcode (or Lock Screen Time Settings on a Mac) and pick a code that's different from the phone's own passcode. For a child's device, that's essential.

Your three web content options

Setting	What it does
Unrestricted	No blocking
Limit Adult Websites	Tries to block adult sites automatically, plus any you add to Never Allow
Allowed Websites only	Blocks everything except the sites you list

Allowed Websites only is the strictest and suits young children: they can only reach the sites you've approved. For older kids or for your own focus, Limit Adult Websites with your own Never Allow list is easier to live with.

Don't rely on the automatic filter alone

Limit Adult Websites isn't perfect. People on Apple's community forums report adult sites slipping through, so if there's a specific site you're worried about, add it to Never Allow by name rather than trusting the filter to catch it.

Blocking sites on a child's device

If your child has their own Apple Account in your Family Sharing group, you can set all of this from your own iPhone. Apple's newer Screen Time controls let parents manage the apps and websites a child can reach and approve their requests, so a blocked site can trigger an Ask to visit that comes to you. On older software, set the restrictions on the child's device itself.

What Screen Time blocking covers

• It applies to Safari and to web views inside many apps, which is broader than a browser extension.
• Other browsers on the same device may behave differently, so test the blocked site in each browser that's installed.
• It won't block a site's own app. Use App Limits or remove the app for that.
• Labels move between software versions, so if a menu name differs, look for Web Content inside Screen Time.

Block a site just for focus

If it's your own habit you're fighting, there's a gentler option: set an App Limit or a website limit in Screen Time, which gives you a daily allowance for a site rather than banning it. When the time's up, Safari shows a reminder. You can ignore it, but the nudge is often enough.

Check the block has worked

Always test it. Open Safari, type the blocked address in full and press Go. You should see a page saying you can't browse it because it's restricted. Then try a slightly different version, such as the address with www in front or a mobile version beginning with m. If any of those get through, add them to Never Allow as well. Ten minutes of testing now saves an awkward discovery later.

Unblock a site later

Go back to Web Content, find the address under Never Allow, swipe left on it on an iPhone, or select it and click the minus button on a Mac, and it's gone. You'll need the Screen Time passcode to make the change.

If you're also thinking about privacy on the same device, my look at whether DuckDuckGo is safe covers private searching inside Safari.

My verdict

Screen Time is the right tool for blocking websites in Safari: it's built in, works across the device and can be locked with a passcode. Add the exact sites you want blocked to Never Allow rather than trusting the adult filter alone, and use Allowed Websites only for young children. If you're cleaning up a Mac at the same time, see my verdict on CleanMyMac.

Frequently asked questions

How do I block a website on Safari on iPhone?

Settings, Screen Time, Content & Privacy Restrictions, Web Content, then add the site under Never Allow.

How do I block a website on Safari on Mac?

Use System Settings, Screen Time, Content & Privacy, and add the site to the restricted list.

Can Safari block websites without Screen Time?

Not with a built-in setting. Screen Time is Apple's tool for this.

Why can my child still open a blocked site?

Check a Screen Time passcode is set and that the exact address is in Never Allow.

Does Limit Adult Websites block everything?

No. Some adult sites slip through, so add specific ones by name.

How do I unblock a website in Safari?

Remove it from Never Allow in Screen Time's Web Content settings.