How to Block a Website on Mac

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methods

1 Using the SelfControl App

2 Using Cold Turkey

3 Using Parental Controls

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Questions & Answers

Tips and Warnings

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Article Summary

Written by Travis Boylls

Last Updated: November 15, 2024 Tested

This wikiHow teaches you how to block a website on a Mac. While there isn't a built-in way to block your own access to a certain website, you can download an app called SelfControl or Cold Turkey to block sites for a set amount of time. You can also use your Mac's parental controls to block another account's access to certain sites.

Steps

Method 1

Method 1 of 3:

Using the SelfControl App

1. 
   1
   Navigate to https://selfcontrolapp.com/ in a web browser. SelfControl allows you to block a specific site for up to 24 hours for your own productivity. Once the site is blocked, there is no way to access it until the timer expires.

   • This is what makes SelfControl so efficient, but it also means that you need to exercise care when blocking a site.
2. 
   2
   Click Download SelfControl. It's a blue button in the middle of the page.
3. 
   3
   Open the SelfControl zip file. This is the file labeled "SelfControl-2.2.2.zip". You can find this file in your Downloads folder in The Finder, or at the bottom of Safari or Google Chrome when it is finished downloading. This extracts the "SelfControl.app" file from the zip file.
4. 4
   Click "SelfControl.app". This is the file that extracted when you clicked the SelfControl zip file. This starts the installation process for SelfControl.
5. 
   5
   Click Move to Applications Folder. This ensures that SelfControl is placed in your Applications folder so that you can easily find it.
6. 
   6
   Click Spotlight

   

   . It's the icon that resembles a magnifying glass. It's in the upper-right corner of the screen.
7. 
   7
   Type selfcontrol in the search bar. This displays a list of matching files and apps on your Mac.
8. 
   8
   Click SelfControl just below the search bar. This opens the SelfControl app.

   • You may receive a pop-up warning that says SelfControl.app is an application downloaded from the internet. If you see this pop-up, click Open.
9. 
   9
   Click Edit Blacklist. It's in the bottom-right corner of the SelfControl window.
10. 
    10
    Click +. This option is in the lower-left corner of the window.
11. 
    11
    Type in your website's address. Make sure you include the "www" before the website.

    • For example, you'd type in www.youtube.com to block YouTube.
12. 
    12
    Press ⏎ Return. This will add your website to the block list.
13. 
    13
    Set a block time. Click and drag the slider to the right to increase the amount of time for which the site is blocked. Dragging the slider to the left decreases the time.
14. 
    14
    Click Start when you're ready to block the site. It's at the top of the window. Doing so will block the site for the indicated amount of time.
15. 
    15
    Type an administrators username and password. Type the username and password associated with an administrator account on your Mac. This gives SelfControl the authorization needed to work.

Method 2

Method 2 of 3:

Using Cold Turkey

1. 
   1
   Go to https://getcoldturkey.com in a web browser. You can use any web browser on your Mac.
2. 
   2
   Click Download Now. It's the green button in the middle of the webpage.
3. 
   3
   Click Download for macOS. It's the grey button in the box labeled "Basic". This is the free version of Cold Turkey. The free version allows you to block websites on Safari, Chrome, and Firefox for a set period of time.

   • The green button is the Pro version of Cold Turkey. It costs $25 and allows you to set daily time limits, block applications, and more.
4. 
   4
   Click on the "Cold_Turkey_Mac_Installer.pkg" file. This file can be found in your Downloads folder, or at the bottom of Safari or Chrome when you download the file.
5. 
   5
   Follow the instructions to install Cold Turkey. Once you click on the install file, follow the on-screen instruction to install Cold Turkey:

   • Click Continue in the lower-right corner fo the Installer window.
   • Click Continue to install the app for all users on your computer.
   • Click Install.
   • Enter the password for your Mac username.
   • Click Close once the installation is finished.
6. 
   6
   Click the Spotlight

   

   and type in "Cold Turkey". The spotlight search is in the upper-right corner of the menu bar. Once you type in the app name, a list of matching searches should show up below the search bar.
7. 
   7
   Click Cold Turkey Blocker.app. This opens the Cold Turkey Blocker app.

   • Alternatively, you can click on "Cold Turkey Blocker.app" in your Applications folder.
8. 
   8
   Click Install next to the web browsers you use. This opens the Extension install page in the web browser. The Cold Turkey extension is available for Safari, Chrome, and Firefox.

   • The Safari extension is automatically installed when you install the Cold Turkey app.
9. 
   9
   Open your web browser. You will need to install the extension and enable it on your web browser. When you open your web browser, the install page should already be open.
10. 
    10
    Click Install in the web browser. This displays a pop-up asking if you want to add the extension to your web browser.
11. 
    11
    Add the extension to your web browser. The way this is done is slightly different from one web browser to the next. Use the following steps to add the Cold Turkey extension to your web browser.

    • Safari:
      • The Cold Turkey extension is added to Safari automatically.
    • Chrome:
      • Click Add to chrome in the pop-up at the top.
      • Click Add extension.
    • "Firefox:'
      • Click Allow
      • Click Add.
      • Click Ok.
12. 
    12
    Enable the extension in your web browser. The extension must be enabled in your web browser. If it is not enabled, Cold Turkey will shut down your web browser within 30 seconds. Use the following steps to check to see if Cold Turkey is enabled on your web browser.

    • Safari:
      • Click Safari in the menu bar at the top of the screen.
      • Click Preferences in the drop-down menu.
      • Click the Extensions tab.
      • Click the checkbox next to "Cold Turkey".
    • Chrome:
      • Click ⋮ in the upper-right corner of Chrome.
      • Click More Tools in the drop-down menu.
      • Click Extensions.
      • Click the toggle switch below the Cold Turkey extension. It should be blue.
    • Firefox:
      • Click ☰ in the upper-right corner of Firefox.
      • Click Add ons.
      • Click Extensions in the sidebar to the left.
      • Click Enable next to Cold Turkey.
13. 
    13
    Open the Cold Turkey app again. If should be in the Dock at the bottom of the screen. If it's not already open, you can search for the app using the Spotlight Search icon, or click on it in your Applications folder in the Finder.

    • If you see a pop-up with a green button that says "Restart Required" next to any web browser. Click the green button to restart your browser. Then click Close.
14. 
    14
    Click Edit block lists. It's the green button at the bottom of the "Dashboard" page.

    • Alternative, you can click the "Block Lists" option in the menu to the left.
15. 
    15
    Click + Add a new block list. This creates a new list of blocked sites.

    • Cold Turkey also has a pre-installed list called "Distractions" with 54 common sites already listed.
16. 
    16
    Type a name for the list. Use the bar at the top labeled "New Block List" to type the name of your block list.
17. 
    17
    Type a web address at the top of the list and press Return. Use the bar that says "Type URL, then press the return key" to enter a website you want to block. For example, if you want to block Facebook, you would type www.facebook.com. Add as many websites as you want.

    • To remove a website from the list, click the website, then click Remove.
18. 
    18
    Click Save. When you are finished entering all the websites you want to block, click Save to save the list.

    • To Edit a block list, click the "Block Lists" option on the left, they click Edit below a list name.
19. 
    19
    Click the Timers option. It's below an icon that resembles a clock in the menu to the left.
20. 
    20
    Click the calendar icon next to a block list name. The Timers screen displays all block lists you have created. Click the icon that resembles a calendar next to the block list you want to use.
21. 
    21
    Click the day, hour, and minute you want the timer to end. You can set the timer for as many days as you want.

    • If you want to set an hourly timer, click the current day.
22. 
    22
    Click the toggle switch to activate the timer. It's on the left side across from the list name. This displays a confirmation pop-up.
23. 
    23
    Click Yes. This confirms that you want to set a timer and blocks the websites in the block list for the set amount of time.

    • WARNING: Once you set a timer, you cannot turn it off until the timer runs out.

Method 3

Method 3 of 3:

Using Parental Controls

1. 
   1
   Open the Apple Menu

   

   . Click the Apple logo in the top-left corner of the screen to prompt a drop-down menu.

   • This method will only block websites on Safari.
   • You can't block websites for your own account through parental controls, but you can block sites for another account.
2. 
   2
   Click System Preferences. It's in the second option in the drop-down menu below the Apple icon.
3. 
   3
   Click Parental Controls. You'll find this option in the System Preferences window. It has a yellow icon that resembles a big and little person.
4. 
   4
   Click the lock icon. This is in the bottom-left corner of the screen.
5. 
   5
   Enter your username and password. Doing so will unlock the menu and allow you to make changes to the parental controls settings.

   • You must be on an administrator account to do this.
6. 
   6
   Select a user. Click a user's account name in the left-hand pane. This will select the account.

   • You cannot select your own account.
   • If no users are listed, select "Create a new user account with Parental Controls" and click Continue.
7. 
   7
   Click Web. This tab is at the top of the window.
8. 
   8
   Check the "Try to limit access to adult websites" box. It's near the top of the window.
9. 
   9
   Click Customize. You'll find this option below the "Try to limit access to adult websites" text. Click it will take you to a menu.
10. 
    10
    Click + below the "Never allow these websites" heading. Doing so will open a text box.
11. 
    11
    Type in a website's address. This should be the address of the site that you want to block.

    • For example, to block Twitter, you'd type in www.twitter.com.
12. 
    12
    Press ⏎ Return. Doing so enters the address. Your specified site will now be blocked in the selected account's Safari browser.

Community Q&A

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Add New Question

• Question

  The IP address -- it is not clear on how to obtain it. 127.0.0.1 does not display in my browser on any of eight computers I work on. How can I block a website if I cannot display the IP?

  

  Community Answer

  127.0.0.1 (localhost) is a reserved IP address that loops back to your computer itself. It does not display anything because you likely don't have a web server set up on your computers. This IP address is used in this manual because it has no useful/distracting content. Rerouting facebook.com to this IP address effectively blocks attempts to access facebook.com.

  Thanks! We're glad this was helpful.
  Thank you for your feedback.
  If wikiHow has helped you, please consider a small contribution to support us in helping more readers like you. We’re committed to providing the world with free how-to resources, and even $1 helps us in our mission. Support wikiHow

  Yes No

  Not Helpful 1 Helpful 2
• Question

  How can I unblock the sites I have blocked? I have tried reversing what was written previously, but I can't edit the sites I entered.

  

  Community Answer

  You can modify the document by going to "/private/etc/hosts" in Finder. Simply double-click the "hosts" file, and it should open up in your default text editor.

  Thanks! We're glad this was helpful.
  Thank you for your feedback.
  If wikiHow has helped you, please consider a small contribution to support us in helping more readers like you. We’re committed to providing the world with free how-to resources, and even $1 helps us in our mission. Support wikiHow

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• Question

  Is the SelfControl app really safe? It won't give me any viruses?

  

  Community Answer

  It won't give you any viruses, but you cannot stop it once you start it. I would suggest using Cold Turkey because you'll have the option to turn it on and off as you wish.

  Thanks! We're glad this was helpful.
  Thank you for your feedback.
  If wikiHow has helped you, please consider a small contribution to support us in helping more readers like you. We’re committed to providing the world with free how-to resources, and even $1 helps us in our mission. Support wikiHow

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Tips

• Some routers let you block websites from their configuration page.
  Thanks

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• If you check the "Limit apps" option on the Apps tab of the Parental Controls menu, you can delete all web browsers but Safari from the selected account in order to prevent the user from bypassing the parental controls by using a different browser.
  Thanks

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