Block Websites
Best Methods for Blocking Websites on iPhone in 2025
Block websites on iPhone using a variety of different methods based on the desired level of strictness. Prevent users from bypassing blocks so that websites remain blocked.
In 2025, there are several effective ways to block websites on an iPhone that are highly effective and difficult to disable. However, one of the biggest challenges you can run into as an adult is finding strategies for preventing intentional or accidental bypass of iPhone website blocking. Since apps downloaded from the App Store tend to be easily uninstalled or disabled, you need to consider other methods that aren't easily removed.
In 2025, blocking websites is not just a concern for parents or employers - adults want to block themselves from accessing certain websites. An adult might want to self-restrict from unknowingly accessing a phishing website or to build healthier online habits by blocking porn .
Choosing an Effective Website Blocking Approach
There are traditional website blocking approaches on the iPhone that are ideal if you're a parent managing a child's iPhone. However, Apple's built-in solution for blocking websites (Screen Time) is easily bypassed if you are an adult, and a child can bypass Screen Time restrictions if they're motivated enough.
Website blockers can also be downloaded from the App Store, but in most cases, it's too easy to disable them by toggling off that app's Screen Time permissions.
If reliable website blocking is important to you, then it's important to consider other effective approaches.
Blocking Websites with Supervised Mode
On iPhones, the most enforceable way (meaning, the most difficult to disable or undo) to block websites requires that you enable Supervised Mode on your iPhone. Supervised Mode allows you to install your own Config Files that manage restrictions on your iPhone, including whether certain websites should be blocked.
Supervised Mode can enable a restriction called Web Content Filtering on your iPhone. This is similar to Apple Screen Time Settings, although it's significantly more difficult to undo. That's why it's a reliable alternative to Screen Time if you're an adult.
Before you can install Config Files that manage websites, you'll need to ensure that Supervised Mode is correctly enabled (see our dedicated guide for Supervised Mode to learn more).
If you're iPhone has been set up correctly, then you should see a message like this when you open the Settings app:
A Config File configured to set up Web Content Filtering can then be installed on your iPhone and should work as expected. If you try to visit a blocked website in Safari, you'll see this instead of the website:
This Config File needs to be customized and created using an Apple Config Generator . For example, Tech Lockdown's Config Generator has options for enabling built-in adult content filtering and your own blocklist of websites:
Create your Own Website Blocklist
You can add website URLs directly to the generator, and block those websites after installing the Config File on your supervised iPhone:
Auto-filter Adult Content
Enable Apple's built-in adult content filter for Safari by toggling this option on in the Config Generator.
This also disables private browsing in Safari.
Block Websites with a DNS Content Policy
A DNS Content Policy is the best approach if you need to block thousands or millions of websites at once instead of individually. This is extremely important, depending on what type of content you're trying to block. For example, it's often not possible to create and maintain your own list of malicious websites to block security threats on your iPhone.
A Content Policy blocks internet-connected apps and websites by category, like Security Threats, Social Media, or Adult Content. You can add rules that block specific types of content to achieve a highly customized blocking setup for your iPhone.
Rules that you've configured on your Content Policy can then be applied to your iPhone by setting up a protected VPN profile. This is another reason why we often recommend Supervised Mode , since it can control VPNs and VPN settings more effectively than what is normally possible otherwise.
Our recommended setup with the Content Policy looks like this:
You can customize this rule to block websites individually by their domain, or generally by content category.
Block website categories and domains by keyword
To cover more ground, you can instead block entire website or app categories:
With over 120+ categories available, you can heavily control what your iPhone has access to without manually specifying thousands of domains.
You can also
block websites containing keywords
by using the domain selector to specify the words you want to match against. For example, you can block the mcdonalds keyword to block websites like mcdonaldsfanclub.net.
If an iPhone is used to browse to a website with the matching keyword, the website will be blocked.
Block Website Domains
If you have your own list of domains that you want to block, then these can be added to a block rule individually.
You can add your own custom domains or websites to a blacklist, which blocks the website entirely:
Schedule When Websites are Blocked
Sometimes, you might not want to block a website completely. Instead, you can choose to schedule when you have access to it, for example, if you want to reduce distractions at night:
You can also apply a schedule to a specific website or app.
Default-Deny Website Blocking
One of the most effective approaches is called the Default-Deny approach. It works like this:
- Choose a category of website or app: This could be social media, entertainment, or anything else.
- Block the category on your Content Policy: This ensure that, by default, a website of this category will be blocked on your devices.
- Enable exceptions individually: Specifically choose which websites you want to have access to. This can be done with the help of a whitelist.
For example, say you want to reduce how much time you spend on social media. You may still want access to a specific platform, like LinkedIn. Following the Default-Deny approach, here's what rules you would enable:
This is the most comprehensive way to block websites on your iPhone.
Enforcing Supervised Website Blocking
Config Files can be restricted so that they can't be removed easily. For example, if you're using Tech Lockdown's Apple Config Generator, ensure that Removal Protection is enabled:
If you're an adult, I recommend choosing to require special unlock steps to remove the Config. Otherwise, if you're working with an accountability partner, you might specify a removal passcode instead.
Prevent Website Blocking From Being Bypassed
Enforcing a website blocker that depends on Screen Time can't be done reliably. However, if you're using an app that blocks websites using a VPN, it won't depend on Screen Time and can be reliably enforced.
If you're using a website blocking VPN like we discussed earlier, this connection can be enforced reliably. Here's how:
Normally, a user could download another VPN app or manually add a VPN connection in the iPhone's settings. The user could then switch to this VPN and completely bypass a website blocking VPN. This config file ensures that doesn't happen.
Normally, a VPN connection is easily deleted with the iPhone's settings.
However, this can be restricted if Supervised Mode is enabled and you've installed a properly customized Config File.
We go into more detail in our dedicated guide for enforcing content filtering on iPhone .
Enforce a DNS Content Policy
A filtered VPN manages all internet traffic on your iPhone, including web browsers and other apps. To add even more layers to your blocking system, you can enable additional DNS settings on your iPhone that will kick in if the VPN is disabled. These DNS settings block the same kinds of websites and apps as you could with the filtered VPN.
Enforced DNS settings will show up on an iPhone like this, and can't be toggle off by the user:
We go over how to do this in our dedicated guide for enforcing DNS on iPhones .
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I block apps as well as websites?
There are a few effective ways to restrict apps on an iPhone. Our app blocking guide for iPhone showcases a few key points:
- Disabling internet-dependent apps with a DNS Content Policy using the same website blocking VPN referenced in this guide.
- Use Supervised App Blocklists to natively restrict apps from the App Store or any other place that an app can be downloaded.
What's an iPhone Config File?
Apple Config Files (sometimes referred to as profiles) allow you to make sweeping changes to settings on an iPhone. This approach allows you to reliably protect specific iPhone settings and prevent a user from overriding them. If a config file is enforced, even the owner of the device cannot override the enforced settings, making config files an ideal approach for Adults who are setting up guardrails around their iPhone usage.
Is Screen Time an effective way to block websites on an iPhone?
Screen Time can be effective, but it has several drawbacks you should consider:
- It's relatively easy to disable Screen Time if you are the owner of the Apple ID used on the iPhone. This makes it an ineffective for adults who are trying to restrict themselves from accessing addictive websites.
- Screen Time doesn't provide website categories other than the Limit adult websites option. It can be tedious to add your own list of URLs to block, whereas as DNS Content Policy is much more comprehensive with its use of categories.
- Screen Time is designed for productivity, not necessarily blocking content. There are certain features that aren't possible with Screen Time alone, such as blocking images on social media, that are possible with more advanced methods.
What is Supervised mode exactly?
Supervised mode allows you to enable more restrictions for an iPhone.
There are a bunch of restrictions that supervising your iPhone unlocks for you, such as:
- Creating app blocklists.
- Protecting certain iOS settings
- Lock certain features more effectively than Screen Time.
We highly recommend this option, since it's the most reliable approach available on the iPhone.
Can I block websites on other devices?
Yes, you can block websites on all kinds of devices, especially if you are using a DNS Content Policy . In fact, one of the biggest benefits of a content policy is that you can add website blocking rules and manage them from a central dashboard. Then, you just need to connect your devices for them to benefit from those rules.
For example, you can connect your home router to your content policy to block content across all devices connected to your home's Wi-Fi. You can also install a website blocking VPN on your devices to connect them to your content policy when roaming away from home.