How to Block Websites on Safari: Taking Control of Your Digital Space in Ways Apple Never Advertised

Digital boundaries have become as essential as physical ones. Just yesterday, a colleague mentioned how their teenager discovered a particularly disturbing corner of the internet, and it struck me how Safari—Apple's sleek, minimalist browser—doesn't exactly shout its content-blocking capabilities from the rooftops. It's almost as if Apple assumes we'll all just naturally gravitate toward wholesome content. Spoiler alert: the internet doesn't work that way.

Safari's website blocking features exist in this peculiar space between parental control and personal productivity tool. I've spent considerable time exploring these features, partly out of professional necessity and partly because I'm fascinated by how technology companies approach the messy reality of human behavior. What I've discovered is that Safari offers surprisingly robust blocking options, though they're scattered across different parts of macOS and iOS like breadcrumbs in a digital forest.

The Screen Time Revolution (Or How Apple Quietly Reinvented Parental Controls)

When Apple introduced Screen Time in 2018, they positioned it as a wellness feature. But let's be honest—it's become the Swiss Army knife of content restriction. On both Mac and iOS devices, Screen Time serves as your primary weapon against unwanted websites.

To access Screen Time on Mac, you'll navigate to System Preferences (or System Settings on newer versions). The interface feels almost apologetic about its power, tucked away under a innocuous clock icon. Once there, you'll find "Content & Privacy" lurking in the sidebar. Click it, and suddenly you're in control of what Safari can and cannot access.

The process differs slightly but significantly on iOS devices. You'll find Screen Time in Settings, where it sits prominently—Apple clearly expects more people to use it on phones and tablets. The logic makes sense when you consider how many parents hand iPads to their kids versus letting them loose on the family iMac.

Here's what nobody tells you about Screen Time's website blocking: it's actually more sophisticated than most third-party solutions. You can create allowlists (websites that are always permitted) or blocklists (sites that are always blocked). The real magic happens when you combine both approaches. I've found that starting with a blocklist and gradually building an allowlist creates the most balanced browsing environment.

The Nuclear Option: Restricted Mode

Sometimes you need more than a scalpel; you need a sledgehammer. Safari's restricted mode essentially turns the browser into a walled garden. When enabled through Screen Time, it blocks all websites except those you specifically approve.

This feature reveals something interesting about Apple's philosophy. They could have made this front and center, but instead, it's buried deep enough that you have to really want it. It's as if they're saying, "We'll give you the tools, but we're not going to make it easy to create a digital prison."

To enable restricted mode, you'll need to toggle on "Content & Privacy Restrictions" in Screen Time, then navigate to "Content Restrictions" and finally "Web Content." Choose "Allowed Websites Only" and brace yourself for the most restrictive browsing experience Safari can offer. Your allowed websites list starts empty—a blank canvas of digital possibility, or impossibility, depending on your perspective.

The Hosts File: Old School Meets New Browser

Now we're venturing into territory that Apple definitely doesn't advertise. The hosts file method feels like using a typewriter in the age of voice recognition, but it remains devastatingly effective. This approach bypasses Safari entirely, blocking websites at the system level.

On macOS, you'll need to channel your inner Unix administrator. Open Terminal (yes, that intimidating black window that looks like it belongs in a 1980s hacker movie) and type:

sudo nano /etc/hosts

You'll add lines like:

127.0.0.1 facebook.com
127.0.0.1 www.facebook.com

This redirects the blocked sites to your local machine, essentially making them unreachable. It's crude but effective, like using a padlock when everyone else is installing smart locks.

The beauty of the hosts file method lies in its universality. It affects every browser, every app, everything on your system that tries to reach those domains. The downside? It requires comfort with Terminal commands that can make grown adults weep. Also, you'll need to remember to include both www and non-www versions of sites, plus any subdomains you want to block. It's tedious work that makes you appreciate GUI interfaces.

Router-Level Blocking: The Household Approach

Here's where things get interesting from a philosophical standpoint. Blocking websites on individual devices assumes the problem is the device. But what if the problem is broader? What if you want to create an environment where certain content simply doesn't exist?

Most modern routers include website filtering capabilities. The exact process varies wildly—my Netgear Nighthawk has a completely different interface than my friend's Asus router—but the principle remains consistent. You're creating rules that affect every device on your network.

This method particularly shines for households with multiple devices. Instead of configuring Safari on every Mac, iPhone, and iPad, you set rules once at the router level. It's like installing a bouncer at your front door instead of posting guards in every room.

The trade-off comes in flexibility. Router-level blocking is all-or-nothing for everyone on your network. Your teenager can't access social media? Neither can you. It forces a kind of digital solidarity that can be either feature or bug, depending on your family dynamics.

Third-Party Solutions: When Safari's Built-in Tools Aren't Enough

I'll admit to some skepticism about third-party website blockers. There's something unsettling about giving another company control over your browsing. But after testing several options, I've grudgingly accepted that some offer genuinely useful features beyond what Apple provides.

Apps like 1Blocker, AdGuard, and BlockSite integrate with Safari through its content blocker API. They offer more granular control than Screen Time, including the ability to block sites during specific hours or after you've spent a certain amount of time on them. It's like having a digital nanny who actually understands nuance.

The installation process for these apps typically involves downloading from the App Store, then enabling them in Safari's preferences. On iOS, you'll find them under Settings > Safari > Content Blockers. On Mac, they appear in Safari > Preferences > Extensions. The fact that Apple makes you jump through these hoops tells you something about their ambivalence toward third-party blockers.

The Psychology of Blocking

After years of helping people configure website blocking, I've noticed patterns that nobody talks about. The sites people block reveal our collective struggles: social media platforms dominate the blocklists, followed closely by news sites and shopping destinations. We're essentially trying to protect ourselves from our own impulses.

There's also the phenomenon I call "blocking theater"—people who elaborately block websites on their work computer while leaving their phone wide open. It's like locking your front door while leaving the windows open. Effective blocking requires honest self-assessment about where and how you actually access problematic content.

Blocking on iOS: A Different Beast

iOS presents unique challenges and opportunities for website blocking. The mobile operating system's sandboxed nature means some desktop methods simply don't work. You can't edit a hosts file on an unmodified iPhone. But iOS also offers features unavailable on Mac.

The Shortcuts app, for instance, can create automated blocking scenarios. I've built shortcuts that enable website restrictions during work hours or when I arrive at specific locations. It's automation meeting self-control in ways that feel almost magical.

Focus modes in iOS 15 and later add another layer. You can create different Focus modes with different website restrictions. Your "Work" focus might block social media while your "Personal" focus blocks work-related sites. It's compartmentalization for the digital age.

The Limits of Technical Solutions

Here's an uncomfortable truth: determined users will find ways around any blocking system. VPNs, proxy servers, alternative browsers—the tools for circumvention are numerous and easily accessible. This reality forces us to confront what we're really trying to achieve with website blocking.

In my experience, the most effective blocking combines technical measures with personal commitment. The blocks serve as speed bumps, not walls. They create friction that gives your better judgment time to kick in. Think of them as digital pause buttons rather than permanent solutions.

Future Considerations

Apple's approach to website blocking continues evolving. Recent iOS updates have introduced more granular controls, and macOS keeps adding Screen Time features previously exclusive to iOS. The trend suggests Apple recognizes the growing need for digital boundaries, even if they're reluctant to make blocking a headline feature.

The rise of AI and machine learning also promises more intelligent blocking. Imagine Safari learning your productivity patterns and automatically suggesting sites to block during focus periods. Or blocking that dynamically adjusts based on your stress levels or sleep patterns. The future of website blocking might be less about manual configuration and more about intelligent assistance.

Making Peace with Blocking

Website blocking in Safari ultimately reflects a larger struggle with digital abundance. We live in an era of infinite content, and our stone-age brains aren't equipped to handle it. Blocking websites isn't admitting defeat—it's acknowledging reality and taking practical steps to manage it.

Whether you choose Screen Time's user-friendly approach, dive into hosts file editing, or embrace third-party solutions, remember that the goal isn't perfection. It's progress. Every blocked distraction is a small victory in reclaiming your attention and time.

The tools exist. Safari provides more options than most users realize. The question isn't whether you can block websites—it's whether you're ready to admit which ones need blocking. And in that admission lies the first step toward a healthier relationship with the internet.

Authoritative Sources:

Apple Inc. macOS User Guide. Apple Support, support.apple.com/guide/mac-help/welcome/mac.

Apple Inc. iPhone User Guide. Apple Support, support.apple.com/guide/iphone/welcome/ios.

Ritchie, Dennis M., and Ken Thompson. The UNIX Time-Sharing System. Bell System Technical Journal, vol. 57, no. 6, 1978, pp. 1905-1929.

Stevens, W. Richard. TCP/IP Illustrated, Volume 1: The Protocols. Addison-Wesley Professional, 2011.

Tanenbaum, Andrew S., and David J. Wetherall. Computer Networks. 5th ed., Pearson, 2010.