Safari lets you block sites using Screen Time on both Mac and iPhone, or by using parental controls if you share a device

The most straightforward way to block a website in Safari is through Screen Time, Apple's built-in tool for managing device usage. On a Mac, you can set up Screen Time to restrict access to specific websites. On iPhone and iPad, you can block sites through Screen Time as well, though the process differs slightly between devices. If you share a device with family members, parental controls offer another route. Safari itself does not have a native "block this site" button, so you will be using Apple's system-level tools instead.

Screen Time blocks work across Safari and other browsers on the same device, so the restriction applies system-wide rather than to Safari alone. Once you add a site to your blocked list, attempting to visit it will show an error message, and you can unblock it anytime by returning to your Screen Time settings.

Key Takeaways

  • Screen Time on Mac lets you block websites by opening System Settings, selecting Screen Time, and adding sites to the "Restricted Websites" category under App Limits.
  • On iPhone and iPad, you block sites through Settings > Screen Time > Content & Privacy Restrictions > Restricted Websites, then add the URL you want to block.
  • Parental controls work the same way but require a separate Apple ID for the person whose access you are restricting.
  • Blocked sites will show an error message when you try to visit them, and you can unblock them anytime by returning to Screen Time settings.
  • Screen Time blocks work across Safari and other browsers on the same device, so the restriction applies system-wide.

Blocking websites on Mac using Screen Time

Open System Settings and click Screen Time in the sidebar. If you have not set up Screen Time yet, click Turn On and follow the prompts. Once Screen Time is active, click App Limits in the left menu, then click the Add Limit button (or the plus sign).

Select Websites from the category list. A new window will open showing two sections: Allowed Websites and Restricted Websites. Click the plus sign under Restricted Websites and type the full web address of the site you want to block — for example, example.com. You can add multiple sites by clicking the plus sign again for each one. When you are finished, click Add to save your changes.

Once a site is in the Restricted list, Safari will display a message saying the site is blocked when you try to visit it. You will see an option to request time, which sends a notification to whoever set up Screen Time on that Mac. If you are blocking the site on your own device, you can simply remove it from the Restricted list anytime by opening Screen Time again, clicking App Limits, selecting Websites, and clicking the minus sign next to the site name.

Blocking websites on iPhone and iPad

Open the Settings app and tap Screen Time. If Screen Time is not yet turned on, tap Turn On Screen Time and choose whether this is your device or a child's device. Once Screen Time is active, tap Content & Privacy Restrictions.

Tap Restricted Websites (you may need to scroll down to find it). You will see two sections: Always Allowed and Never Allowed. Tap the Add Website button under Never Allowed and enter the web address you want to block. Repeat this step for each site you want to restrict. When you are done, tap Back to save your changes.

When you try to visit a blocked site in Safari, you will see a message saying the site is restricted. Unlike Mac, iPhone does not offer a "request time" option for blocked websites — the block is immediate. To unblock a site later, return to Settings > Screen Time > Content & Privacy Restrictions > Restricted Websites, swipe left on the site name, and tap Delete.

Using parental controls to block sites on a shared device

If you are setting up restrictions for someone else on a shared device, you will use parental controls instead of your own Screen Time settings. On Mac, open System Settings, click Family in the sidebar, select the family member you want to restrict, and click Screen Time. From there, follow the same steps as above — click App Limits, select Websites, and add sites to the Restricted list.

On iPhone or iPad, open Settings, tap Family Sharing, select the person you want to restrict, tap Screen Time, then tap Content & Privacy Restrictions. The process for adding restricted websites is identical to the steps described above. The key difference is that the person whose device you are restricting will see a message asking them to request time if they try to visit a blocked site, and that request goes to you (the parent or account holder) rather than to themselves.

Parental controls require that you have set up Family Sharing with a separate Apple ID for each person you want to restrict. If you have not done this yet, go to Settings > Family Sharing and follow the prompts to invite family members and create their accounts.

What happens when you try to visit a blocked site

When you navigate to a blocked website in Safari, the page will not load. Instead, you will see a message stating that the site is restricted by Screen Time or parental controls. On Mac, you will have the option to Request Time, which sends a notification to the person who set up Screen Time. On iPhone and iPad, the request option appears only if parental controls are in place — if you blocked the site yourself using your own Screen Time, there is no request button.

The block applies across all browsers on that device, not just Safari. If you have Chrome, Firefox, or another browser installed, blocked sites will be restricted there as well. This is because Screen Time operates at the system level rather than within Safari alone. The restriction takes effect immediately and remains in place until you manually remove the site from your blocked list.

Unblocking a site or adjusting your restrictions

To remove a site from your blocked list, open System Settings (Mac) or Settings (iPhone/iPad) and navigate back to Screen Time. On Mac, go to App Limits > Websites > Restricted Websites. On iPhone, go to Content & Privacy Restrictions > Restricted Websites. Find the site you want to unblock and delete it from the list. The change takes effect immediately.

If you forgot your Screen Time passcode, you will need to reset it through your Apple ID. On Mac, open System Settings > Screen Time, click Options, and select Forgot Passcode? You will be asked to sign in with your Apple ID. On iPhone, go to Settings > Screen Time > Change Screen Time Passcode > Forgot Passcode? and sign in with your Apple ID. After resetting, you can create a new passcode and adjust your restrictions as needed.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can someone bypass a blocked website on Safari?

If they know the Screen Time passcode, yes — they can remove the site from the blocked list themselves. If you set up parental controls with a separate Apple ID, they cannot bypass the block without your password. For maximum security, use a strong passcode that is not easy to guess.

Will blocking a site on my Mac also block it on my iPhone?

No. Screen Time settings are device-specific. You must set up blocks separately on each device. If you use Family Sharing, parental controls will sync across all devices that person uses, but your own Screen Time restrictions do not.

Can I block a website temporarily, like just for today?

Screen Time does not have a built-in temporary block feature. You can set an App Limit with a time window — for example, blocking access between 9 AM and 5 PM — but to block a specific site for just a few hours, you would need to manually remove and re-add it to your restricted list.

What if the website has multiple domain names or subdomains?

You need to add each version separately. For example, if a site uses both example.com and www.example.com, add both to your restricted list. Some sites also use subdomains like mail.example.com or shop.example.com, which you would need to block individually.

Does blocking a site in Safari affect other apps that might link to it?

No. Screen Time blocks only web access through Safari and other browsers. If an app has its own built-in browser or links to content, those links may still work. Screen Time does not restrict app-level access, only web browsing.