The simplest way to block a site on Safari
Safari does not have a built-in feature to block individual websites directly from the browser settings. Instead, you block sites through your device's Screen Time settings (on iPhone, iPad, or Mac), which prevents Safari from loading those pages across all your apps. On a Mac, you can also use the parental controls in System Settings if you are setting restrictions for another user account.
The fastest method is to use Screen Time, which takes about two minutes to set up and works when ready. When you try to visit a blocked site, Safari shows a message saying the site is restricted and will not load the page.
Key Takeaways
- Safari itself has no block feature, but Screen Time on your device can prevent access to specific websites across all apps.
- On iPhone or iPad, open Settings, tap Screen Time, then Content & Privacy Restrictions, then Web Content, then Limit Adult Websites, and add sites to the Never Allow list.
- On Mac, open System Settings, click Screen Time in the sidebar, enable Content & Privacy, then choose Web Content and add sites to Limit Adult Websites or Never Allow.
- You can also set up parental controls for another user account on Mac through System Settings, which blocks sites for that account only.
- Blocked sites cannot be accessed through Safari, Chrome, or any other browser on that device unless you remove them from the block list.
Blocking sites on iPhone or iPad using Screen Time
Open the Settings app and tap Screen Time. If you have not set up Screen Time before, tap "Turn On Screen Time" and follow the prompts. You will be asked to set a Screen Time passcode — this is a four-digit code that prevents someone from removing the restrictions without your permission. Write this code down somewhere safe, because Apple cannot recover it if you forget it.
Once Screen Time is on, tap Content & Privacy Restrictions. Toggle the switch to turn it on. Then tap Content Restrictions, scroll down, and tap Web Content. You will see three options: Unrestricted Access, Limit Adult Websites, and Allowed Websites Only. Tap Limit Adult Websites.
Under "Never Allow", tap the plus sign and type the web address of the site you want to block. Type only the domain name — for example, type example.com, not https://www.example.com. Tap "Add" and the site moves to the Never Allow list. Repeat this for each site you want to block. The next time you or anyone using this device tries to visit one of those sites in Safari, the page will not load and a message will appear saying the site is restricted.
Blocking sites on Mac using Screen Time
Click the Apple menu in the top-left corner and select System Settings. In the sidebar, click Screen Time. If Screen Time is not already on, click "Turn On" and set a passcode when prompted. The passcode works the same way as on iPhone — you will need it to change or remove restrictions later.
Click Content & Privacy in the left panel. Make sure the toggle is on. Then click Web Content. You will see the same three options as on iPhone: Unrestricted Access, Limit Adult Websites, and Allowed Websites Only. Select Limit Adult Websites.
In the "Never Allow" section, click the plus sign at the bottom. Type the domain name of the site you want to block — again, just the domain, like example.com. Press Enter and the site is added to the list. You can add as many sites as you need. When anyone tries to visit a blocked site in Safari or any other browser on this Mac, the page will not load.
Using parental controls for another user account on Mac
If you are setting up restrictions for a child or another person who has their own Mac user account, you can use parental controls instead of Screen Time. This method works only if you are the account administrator. Open System Settings and click General in the sidebar, then click Parental Controls (or Family on newer Mac versions).
Click the lock icon in the bottom-left corner and enter your administrator password. Then click the plus sign to add a user account to manage. Select the account you want to restrict. Click Web and choose Limit Adult Websites. Add the sites you want to block in the "Never Allow" section, using the same domain-name format. This blocks those sites only for that account, and the restrictions are enforced every time that user logs in.
What happens when someone tries to visit a blocked site
When you or anyone else tries to open a blocked site in Safari, the browser shows a message saying "This website is restricted" or "Cannot Open Page" depending on your device and iOS or macOS version. The page does not load at all. The blocked site cannot be accessed by typing the address directly, clicking a link, or searching for it — Safari will not load it under any circumstance.
If the person trying to access the site knows the Screen Time passcode, they can go back to Settings or System Settings, remove the site from the Never Allow list, and access it again. This is why the passcode is important — without it, the restrictions cannot be changed.
Removing a site from the block list
To unblock a site, go back to the same place where you added it. On iPhone or iPad, open Settings, tap Screen Time, tap Content & Privacy Restrictions, tap Content Restrictions, tap Web Content, and tap Limit Adult Websites. Find the site in the "Never Allow" list, swipe left on it (or tap Edit and then the minus sign), and tap Delete.
On Mac, open System Settings, click Screen Time, click Content & Privacy, click Web Content, and find the site in the Never Allow section. Click the minus sign next to it to remove it. If you are using parental controls instead, the process is the same — find the site and click the minus sign to delete it from the list.
Why Safari does not have its own block feature
Safari relies on your device's system-level restrictions rather than browser-specific settings. This means any block you set up works across all apps on your device, not just Safari. If you block a site through Screen Time, you cannot access it in Chrome, Firefox, or any other browser either. This design prevents someone from straightforward switching browsers to get around the restriction.
If you want to block sites only in Safari and allow them in other browsers, Safari does not offer that option. Your only alternative would be to use a third-party app designed for content filtering, though most of these require more technical setup and may not work as reliably as the built-in Screen Time feature.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I block a site without setting a passcode?
You can turn on Screen Time without a passcode, but then anyone can remove the blocked sites from the list without your permission. If you want the restrictions to actually stay in place, you need to set a passcode. Without one, the block is only a suggestion.
What if I forget my Screen Time passcode?
On iPhone or iPad, you can reset it using your Apple ID if you set that up when you created the passcode. Go to Settings, Screen Time, Change Screen Time Passcode, and select "Forgot Passcode?" On Mac, there is no built-in recovery option — you will need to reset your Mac or contact Apple Support. This is why writing down your passcode somewhere safe is important.
Does blocking a site on my iPhone block it on my iPad too?
No. Each device has its own Screen Time settings. If you want to block the same sites on multiple devices, you need to add them to the block list on each device separately. However, if you use Family Sharing and set up parental controls through that, you can manage restrictions for family members across their devices from one place.
Can the person using the device see which sites are blocked?
They can see that a site is blocked when they try to visit it, but they cannot see the full list of blocked sites unless they know the Screen Time passcode and go into Settings to look. The block list is not displayed anywhere else on the device.
Will a VPN let someone bypass a blocked site?
No. Screen Time blocks at the device level, before any app — including a VPN app — can access the internet. A VPN cannot bypass a site blocked through Screen Time on iPhone, iPad, or Mac.