The simplest way to block a website in Chrome

Chrome does not have a built-in website blocker, but you can block a site in about two minutes using a free extension. The most straightforward option is BlockSite, which you install from the Chrome Web Store, then add websites to a blocklist. When you try to visit a blocked site, you see a message instead of the page.

If you want to block sites only during certain hours — say, social media after 9 p.m. — extensions like LeechBlock NG let you set schedules. If you need to block sites on a shared computer where other people use Chrome, you can use Chrome's built-in parental controls instead, which work across all accounts on that device.

The extension route works best if you are the only person using Chrome on your computer and you want to block yourself from visiting certain sites. Parental controls work better if you are managing what someone else can see.

Key Takeaways

  • Chrome has no native blocking feature, so you need a free extension from the Chrome Web Store to block websites.
  • BlockSite is the most common choice and lets you add sites to a blocklist that shows a stop page when you try to visit.
  • If you want to block sites only during certain times of day, extensions like LeechBlock NG offer scheduling.
  • For a shared computer where you want to restrict what other users see, Chrome's parental controls work across all accounts without needing an extension.

Installing and using BlockSite

Open Chrome and go to the Chrome Web Store by typing chrome.google.com/webstore into the address bar. Search for "BlockSite" in the search box at the top left. Click the blue "Add to Chrome" button on the BlockSite page. A popup will ask you to confirm — click "Add extension".

Once installed, you will see a small BlockSite icon in the top right corner of Chrome, near the address bar. Click it to open the extension menu. Click "Add a site to blocklist" and type the website address you want to block — for example, twitter.com or reddit.com. You do not need to type "https://" or "www." — just the domain name works.

After you add a site, try visiting it. You will see a message saying the site is blocked instead of the actual page. To unblock a site later, click the BlockSite icon again and remove it from the list.

Using Chrome's parental controls on a shared computer

If other people use Chrome on your computer and you want to restrict what they see, parental controls are built into Chrome and do not require an extension. Open Chrome and click the three-line menu in the top right corner. Go to Settings, then click You and Google on the left side. Click Parental controls.

Chrome will ask you to set up a supervised account. You create a Google account for the person whose browsing you want to manage, then sign into Chrome with that account. Once the account is supervised, you can manage it from your own account by going back to the parental controls page and choosing which sites to block.

Parental controls explore to that specific Chrome account, so if you have set up a supervised account for a child or another user, they cannot bypass the blocks by signing out and signing into a different account on the same computer. The blocks follow the account, not the device.

Blocking sites by time of day with LeechBlock NG

If you want to block a site only during work hours or after a certain time, LeechBlock NG lets you set schedules. Go to the Chrome Web Store, search for "LeechBlock NG", and click "Add to Chrome". Once installed, click the LeechBlock icon in the top right corner and click the settings gear.

In the settings, you can add websites to block and set the days and times when they should be blocked. For example, you could block social media sites Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., but allow them on weekends. You can also set a time limit — block a site after you have spent 30 minutes on it, for instance.

LeechBlock NG also has a "nuclear option" called Lockdown Mode, which you can set up manually to block all sites on your blocklist when ready, even if the scheduled time has not arrived yet. This is useful if you need to focus right now and do not want to wait for the schedule to kick in.

What happens when you try to visit a blocked site

When you navigate to a blocked website, you do not get an error message — instead, you see a page that says the site is blocked. With BlockSite, you see a red stop sign and a message. With LeechBlock NG, you see a countdown timer and a message explaining why the site is blocked and when it will be unblocked.

Some extensions let you set a PIN or password to unblock a site temporarily if you need to. This adds friction — you have to type a code instead of just clicking through — which is the whole point. It gives you time to reconsider whether you actually need to visit that site right now.

Removing an extension or turning off parental controls

If you install an extension and decide you do not want it anymore, click the three-line menu in the top right corner of Chrome, go to More tools, then click Extensions. Find the extension you want to remove and click the trash icon next to it. Confirm the removal.

If you set up parental controls and want to turn them off, go back to Settings > You and Google > Parental controls and click the option to remove supervision from the account. You will need to sign in with the account that set up the parental controls to make this change.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can someone bypass a blocked website if they know the PIN?

Yes — if you set a PIN to temporarily unblock a site, anyone who knows the PIN can use it. The PIN is meant to slow you down, not to prevent someone else from accessing the site. For stronger restrictions on a shared computer, use parental controls instead, which require a separate Google account to manage.

Will blocking a website in Chrome block it on my phone too?

No. Extensions you install in Chrome on your computer only work in that browser on that device. If you want to block sites on your phone, you need to install a separate app or use your phone's built-in parental controls. Android and iPhone both have native options for this.

What if I block a site by accident and forget the PIN?

Open the extension settings and remove the site from your blocklist, or uninstall the extension entirely. You do not need the PIN to manage the blocklist — only to temporarily unblock a site when it is already blocked. If you set up parental controls, you will need to sign in with the managing account to make changes.

Do I need to pay for a website blocker?

No. BlockSite, LeechBlock NG, and most other website blockers are free. They may offer paid versions with extra features, but the free versions block websites just fine. Chrome's parental controls are also completely free.

Will a blocked website still load in the background?

No. When a site is blocked, the page does not load at all — you see the blocker's message instead. This means the site cannot track you or run scripts in the background. The blocking happens before the page even starts to load.