How to Block a Website on Chrome: 5 Methods That Work

Whether you want to keep a child away from certain sites, stop yourself wasting time on social media, or keep a shared computer safe, you may want to block a website on Chrome. Chrome on a personal computer does not have a simple “block this site” setting, but there are five reliable ways to do it, depending on who you want to block and on which devices. This guide explains each one, from the easiest to the most thorough.

This is an independent guide and is not affiliated with Google.

Which method should you use?

Goal	Best method
Protect a child on their own account	Google Family Link (method 1)
Block a site for everyone on home Wi-Fi	Router parental controls (method 2)
Block a site on one Windows PC, all browsers	Hosts file (method 3)
Quick personal focus block	A trusted extension (method 4)
Work or school computer	Ask the IT administrator (method 5)

Method 1: Google Family Link (for children)

Family Link lets parents manage a child’s supervised Google Account. Its Chrome controls apply when the child is signed in to Chrome on an Android device, a Chromebook, or a Windows or Mac computer.

1. Install the Family Link app on your phone and set up supervision for your child’s Google Account if you have not already.
2. In Family Link, select your child.
3. Go to Controls > Content restrictions > Google Chrome.
4. Choose Manage sites > Blocked, tap Add and enter the website address.

You can also choose Only allow approved sites, which blocks everything except a list you create; useful for young children. Microsoft Family Safety offers similar web filtering for Microsoft Edge on a child’s Windows account. Our parental controls guide walks through both.

Method 2: Block the site on your router

Most home routers have a parental control, access control or URL filter section. Blocking a site there applies to every device on your Wi-Fi, including phones, tablets and smart TVs.

1. Log in to the router’s settings page in a browser. Our guide on how to log in to your router shows how to find the address and password.
2. Look for Parental Controls, Access Control, Security or URL Filter. Many internet providers’ apps include the same feature.
3. Add the website’s domain, for example example.com, and save.

Limitations: the block does not apply when a phone uses mobile data or another Wi-Fi network, and some routers can only block whole domains, not individual pages.

Method 3: Use the Windows hosts file (all browsers, one PC)

The hosts file tells Windows where to find websites before it asks the internet. Pointing a site to an empty address blocks it in Chrome, Edge and Firefox on that computer.

1. Select Start, type Notepad, right-click it and choose Run as administrator.
2. In Notepad choose File > Open, go to C:\Windows\System32\drivers\etc, change the file type to All files and open hosts.
3. At the bottom, add one line per address, for example: 0.0.0.0 example.com 0.0.0.0 www.example.com
4. Save the file and restart Chrome.

To undo it, delete those lines and save. Be careful not to change other lines in the file. If the site still loads, Chrome may be using a cached result; clear the cache as shown in how to clear cache and cookies or restart the PC. On a Mac the equivalent file is /etc/hosts, edited in Terminal with administrator rights.

Method 4: A website blocker extension

The Chrome Web Store has extensions that block sites with a few clicks, often with schedules and focus timers. This is the quickest option for blocking distractions for yourself.

• Pick an extension with many users and reviews, a clear privacy policy and a known developer. Blocking extensions need permission to read the sites you visit.
• Remember that anyone using the computer can remove or switch off an extension, so it is not a reliable way to restrict children.
• Review your extensions now and then and remove any you no longer use; see how to manage and remove browser extensions.

Method 5: Work and school computers

On a managed Chromebook or a Chrome browser managed by an organisation, the administrator can block or allow sites centrally with Chrome’s URL blocking policy. Users cannot change these settings themselves. If you need a site blocked or unblocked on a school or work device, ask the IT team.

Blocking sites on phones

• Android: Chrome has no blocklist setting. Use Family Link for a child’s phone or your router for home Wi-Fi.
• iPhone and iPad: open Settings > Screen Time > Content & Privacy Restrictions, turn restrictions on, then find the Web Content option and add sites under Never Allow. Check that the block works in each browser installed on the device.

Things to keep in mind

Blocking is a useful barrier, but not a perfect one. A determined teenager may switch to mobile data, use a different browser or install a VPN. Combine technical controls with clear family rules, and teach children how to recognise phishing and other online risks. If a site is dangerous rather than just unwanted, Chrome’s Safe Browsing warnings will also stop most known malicious pages; leave Settings > Privacy and security > Security > Standard protection or Enhanced protection switched on.