How to Block Websites on Chrome

This article describes three ways to block websites on Chrome using either a browser extension, a web proxy server, or your own router.

Block Websites on Chrome Using BlockSite

A few manual methods exist to block access to any website domain, such as editing your HOSTS file or downloading and installing a web filter or link scanner. However, these methods block websites on all browsers and not just Chrome.

A better solution to block websites on your Chrome browser is an extension called BlockSite. It lets you configure specific sites that you want to block.

1. Add the BlockSite Chrome Web Store extension to your Chrome browser. Once installed, you'll see a web page where you need to provide permission to BlockSite to access your browsing information.

   You'll see an option to choose a paid plan. Paid plans offer extra features and the ability to block more than six websites. You can use the free version by selecting the Skip button.

2. Next, you'll see the BlockSite configuration screen. Add individual sites by typing them into the top field and selecting the green plus icon to the right.

3. As an alternative, you can block sites on a schedule by selecting the Schedule button at the top of the window. Enter the time and days you want to enable blocking. Select Set Schedule.

4. Select Block by Words in the left menu to list generic words and block site types, which is helpful if you want to avoid something like shopping sites.

BlockSite helps cut down the time you spend visiting certain websites but doesn't replace parental controls. While you can add a password for it, you can't prevent someone from opening a different browser on the computer and visiting whatever website they want.

If you don't want to block websites entirely but instead limit the time you spend there, the StayFocusd Chrome plugin is another good option.

Filter Sites on Chrome with OpenDNS

A smarter way to block anyone using your computer or network from visiting certain websites is by setting up blocking somewhere other than your computer. The free OpenDNS Home service blocks websites on your network. It'll block all sites from all browsers, including Chrome.

1. First, sign up for OpenDNS Home by filling out the sign-up form and selecting Get a Free Account. You'll receive a confirmation email that you need to confirm.

2. The link will take you to an OpenDNS page where you'll select Add a network to get started.

3. The site will auto-detect your computer's IP address. You can add just this one IP or use the dropdown to select filtering for multiple IP addresses from your network. Select Add This Network to continue.

4. Give your OpenDNS network a friendly name that you'll remember. Confirm whether it's a dynamic IP address. Select Done.

5. Install the OpenDNS Updater for Windows or Mac. This software will update your computer's DNS settings and keep it updated even if your dynamic IP address changes. When it first launches, you'll need to sign in with the account details you used to sign up.

6. Back on the OpenDNS dashboard, on the Web Content Filtering menu, you can choose a generic filtering level to filter all adult sites, social networking sites, and more. You can also customize the list under the Manage individual domains section by typing the domain to block and selecting Add Domain.

   Once you're done setting everything up, restart your Chrome browser to ensure you're using the new DNS settings for your internet connection.

Block Websites on Chrome Using Your Router

Since your home router handles all internet traffic going in and out of your home network, you may be able to filter sites by keyword or domain from your router.

1. To configure your router to block websites, you'll first need to log into your router as an administrator.

2. In your router menu, find the Security or Parental Controls menu. Look for the Blocked Sites menu or something similar. You should see a form to enter keywords or domain names and add them to the block sites list.

3. Once you save these changes, you'll notice that your browser won't load the content when you attempt to visit that website. You'll see an error message instead.

Block Websites for an Organization

Corporations typically use Google's Chrome Enterprise administrator tool to control what URLs employees can visit. Google offers a guide for IT admins to configure a URL block list. This feature is for IT administrators and not accessible to home users.