How to Block a Website on Safari

Do you want to know how to Block a Website on Safari? You might want to protect your kids from the constant trolling and bullying that happens on social media sites. Or, maybe you have decided to block all the sketchy websites that are known for showing adult or offensive content on your iPhone and Mac’s Safari browser. No matter the reason, you’ll be glad to know that blocking websites in Safari on your iPhone, iPad, or Mac is pretty easy.

With the digital age in full swing, it’s not unusual for kids under 12 to have an iPhone or iPad. If you want to set up an iPhone or iPad for your child, you might want to block access to websites that you don’t want them to see. If you have a MacBook, an iPad, or an iPhone, you probably use Safari. And if your kids use your Apple devices, they are also using the web browser. But even though you might want to have full control over your devices, there are some websites whose content isn’t appropriate for kids. It’s important to know how to Block a Website on Safari.

What is Safari?

Apple Inc. made Safari, which is a web browser. It is built into Apple’s operating systems, such as macOS, iOS, and iPadOS, and uses Apple’s open-source browser engine WebKit, which was based on KHTML. In January 2003, Safari first came out with Mac OS X Panther. Most of the time, Safari works the same as any other popular web browser.

Users can look at websites, save their favorites, and open several sites at once in different tabs. Safari was one of the first web browsers to support the new HTML 5 standard. It was made with the WebKit engine. It was also one of the first browsers to turn off support for Adobe Flash by default. The mobile versions of Safari have never worked with Flash.

The latest version of Safari for Mac OS is 11.1, which includes an update to Intelligent Tracking Prevention. This feature stops a certain website from keeping track of the pages you look at on other websites. This is called “cross-site tracking,” and it is a bad thing. The version of Safari on iOS is the same as the version on iOS, which is 12.1.

Why might you want to block a website on Safari?

1. Productivity and Focus: Blocking distracting websites can help you maintain focus and be more productive, especially during work or study sessions.
2. Parental Control: Parents may want to block certain websites to protect their children from accessing inappropriate or harmful content.
3. Security and Privacy: Some websites may contain malicious content or be potential sources of phishing attacks. Blocking such sites can help enhance online security.
4. Time Management: Blocking time-consuming websites or social media platforms can help you manage your time better and reduce distractions.
5. Addiction Control: Blocking certain websites can be helpful for individuals struggling with internet or website addiction.
6. Adult Content Filtering: Blocking adult or explicit content is important to maintain a safe browsing experience, especially for children or sensitive users.
7. Compliance and Regulations: In some organizations or educational institutions, certain websites may need to be blocked to comply with policies or regulations.

How to Block Websites on Your iPhone Using Screen Time

First, let’s look at how to permanently block a website on your iPhone. For example, if your child uses your iPhone, you should set up parental controls to block adult websites and other sites that are only for people of a certain age. To block a website on your iPhone Safari, do the following:

1. Go to Settings and click on Screen Time. If you’ve never turned on Screen Time before, tap Turn On Screen Time and then follow the instructions on the screen.
2. Tap Restrictions on Content and Privacy.
3. Content & Privacy Restrictions should be turned on. Tap Content Restrictions, then Web Content, then Limit Adult Websites. This setting doesn’t make sure that your iPhone will block all pornographic sites, though. So, if you want to block a certain website, do the next two steps.
4. Click Add Website next to Never Allow.
5. Type the website’s URL and then tap “Done” to save.

How to Restrict Website Access on Your iPhone Using Screen Time

You might not always want to permanently block a website on your iPhone’s Safari app. So, you can choose to just limit how long a website can be opened on your iPhone. This method is mostly useful for parents who want to limit how much time their kids spend on a certain site, like a social media platform. You can also use it to keep track of how much you use. Here’s how to stop your iPhone from letting people into a website:

1. Go to App Limits > Add Limit > Websites under Screen Time on your iPhone.
2. Choose a site from the list, or tap “Add Website” and type in the URL. Tap Done > Next after that.
3. Scroll to choose how long you can stay on the site. Click Add.
4. Slide the Use Screen Time Passcode switch on. Type in the passcode you want to use.

How to Block Websites on Your Mac Using Screen Time

You can also block any website on your Mac by using the Terminal app, but that’s a lot scarier. Also, it leaves room for something to go wrong. So, let’s use methods that are easier. They are like how you can block websites on an iPhone. Here’s how to use Screen Time to block a website on your Mac:

1. Click “Apple,” then “System Settings,” then “Screen Time.”
2. If you haven’t used Screen Time before, turn it on.
3. Go to Privacy & Content. Click the “Content & Privacy” button. Click “Restrictions on Content.”
4. Change the setting for Access to Web Content to “Limit Adult Sites“. Click on Customize, and then on the plus sign (+) next to Restricted. Type the address of the website into the URL field and click Done.
5. To save, click Done again.

How to Restrict Website Access on Your Mac Using Screen Time

Follow these steps on macOS to stop Safari from letting you into a site after you’ve been there for a while:

1. Click “Apple,” then “System Settings,” then “Screen Time.”
2. Next, click on App Limits and turn it on.
3. Click Limit Add. Sites can be found by scrolling down. Click the arrow to the right of the dropdown menu and type the website’s URL in the empty field.
4. In the Time field, you can choose the exact amount of time you want to spend on the chosen website.
5. To set a different limit for a site depending on the day, click Custom > Edit and type in the amount of time you want to spend scrolling through that site on a certain day.
6. When you’re done, click the Done button.

Questions and Answers