How to block websites in Safari on iPhone and iPad

Written by the developer of The Blocker, one of the options below. Apple and Opal facts were checked on 28 September 2026 and are linked in Sources. Setting names can differ with your iOS version and language.

Block any site in two minutes

The Blocker is a Safari content blocker for iPhone and iPad (iOS 17.2 or later). It is not only for adult sites: block a social network, a news site or anything that eats your time.

1. Install The Blocker and turn it on in Settings → Apps → Safari → Extensions → The Blocker → Allow Extension. The setup guide has every step.
2. Open the Websites tab; the screen is called Block Rules. Tap + and type the site’s address, such as example.com.
3. Or, when you’re on the page in Safari, tap Share and block it from there.
4. Tap Test it on the Home tab. The page says Blocking is ON when Safari really blocks.

The free plan covers the adult category and up to 10 sites of your own; when the list is full, Block Rules shows “10 of 10 sites on the Free plan”. Pro gives you unlimited sites and whole categories such as social media, gambling and news.

Keep exceptions with Always Allow

Block Rules also has an Always Allow list. Sites on it stay open even when your other rules would block them, such as a school or work site caught by a wide category. Keep it short: every exception is a way around your rules.

Focus hours with schedules (Pro)

Some sites are fine in the evening but not at 10 a.m. With Pro, Schedules block the sites you pick during the hours and days you choose: work, study or sleep. Overnight works too, such as 23:00 to 07:00.

A simple split: sites you never want go in your main list, and sites you only want gone at certain times go in a schedule.

Make unblocking slower (Pro)

Pro adds a delay to unblock: Off, 10, 30 or 60 seconds before protection turns off. A short wait gives the urge time to pass, and you can cancel. In the current version, the delay applies when you switch off a blocking category, such as social media; removing a single site takes effect right away.

The free app lock, on by default, asks for Face ID, Touch ID or your device passcode before the app opens. These add friction, not a wall: anyone with your Screen Time passcode can switch things off. For a firmer setup, see how to make a blocker hard to turn off.

Apple’s free alternative: Screen Time’s Never Allow list

You can also block sites with no extra app. On iOS 26, Apple’s steps are:

1. Open Settings → Screen Time → Content & Privacy Restrictions, and turn it on.
2. Tap App Store, Media, Web, & Games → Web Content.
3. Select Limit Adult Websites, tap Add Website below Never Allow, and enter the site’s address (Apple, iOS 26).

This also turns on Apple’s adult filter, which limits access to “many adult websites” (Apple). Apple doesn’t list which other browsers follow it, so test any browser you use. Protect the settings with a Screen Time passcode that someone you trust keeps.

On iOS 27, Apple reorganized Screen Time, and its guide for your own iPhone doesn’t describe the web filter, so the steps may differ (Apple, iOS 27). For a child, it is in Settings → Family → your child’s name → Apps & Websites → Restrictions (Apple).

When you need to block whole apps, not sites

A website blocker can stop instagram.com in Safari, not the Instagram app. For apps, you need a tool built on Screen Time.

Apple’s schedules. On iOS 26, Downtime blocks apps and notifications for set hours; turn on Block at Downtime so restricted apps can’t be opened (Apple, iOS 26). On iOS 27, Apple replaced Downtime with Screen Time Schedule and Time Allowances (Apple, iOS 27).

Opal. Opal uses Apple’s Screen Time API to block whole apps as well as websites (Opal, App Store), and Opal says its Deep Focus sessions can’t be bypassed or cancelled (App Store). The free plan includes one rule with a schedule and app blocking; Pro adds Hard Mode (“You can’t turn Opal off”) (Opal pricing). On the App Store it is listed for iPhone only and needs iOS 18 or later.

Opal is stronger for app-level focus; The Blocker stays inside Safari. For a wider look, see the best porn blockers for iPhone, compared.

Tips: block what actually pulls you in

• Block your escape sites, not just the obvious ones. For a few days, notice which site you open when a task gets hard. That is the one to block.
• Schedule what you still need. News or social media can go in a work-hours schedule instead of your main list (Pro).
• Close the side doors. The Blocker covers Safari only. Remove other browsers, or block them with Screen Time, so Safari is your only browser.
• Test after changes. Tap Test it or open the test page. On iPad, also check Safari profiles and Private Browsing.

Download for iPhone

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