How to Block Apps on Safari: Step-by-Step Guide for Families and Safe Browsing

You opened Safari to look something up for work. Twenty minutes later, you’re three articles deep into something that has nothing to do with the task. You’re not distracted because you’re bad at focusing. You’re distracted because nothing in your browser was designed to help you stop.

Safari is the default browser on every iPhone, iPad, and Mac. The sites that pull people off task, whether that’s social media, news feeds, video, or forums, load instantly with zero friction. There’s no pause, no prompt, no moment to reconsider. Just the URL bar and a force of habit.

That’s what a Safari website blocker changes. A blocksite extension for Safari intercepts that reflex before it turns into a 20-minute detour. It doesn’t require willpower in the moment. It creates a small structural barrier at exactly the right point.

This guide walks you through how to install a Safari blocker on Mac and iPhone, which extensions are worth using, how they compare to Apple’s built-in Screen Time, and why the installation is actually the easy part. The harder, more important question is what to do with the friction once you have it.

Quick Takeaways

• Safari extensions for Mac install from the Mac App Store; iPhone/iPad users download the app, then enable it via Settings > Safari > Extensions
• BlockSite is the most-searched option for Safari blocking, but AppBlock and Focus Boost are strong alternatives worth knowing
• Apple’s Screen Time handles blocking without any third-party apps and syncs across all your Apple devices
• Blocking creates friction at the right moment; building awareness around the impulse is what makes the change stick

Before you install anything, check these three things:

1. Which macOS version are you on (Ventura or later uses Settings; older uses Preferences, the steps differ).
2. Whether you need blocking on Mac, iPhone, or both. The tools and setup paths are different for each.
3. Whether you want scheduling (blocks only during work hours) or round-the-clock restrictions. That determines which extension is worth your time.

You opened Safari to look something up for work. Twenty minutes later, you’re three articles deep into something that has nothing to do with the task. You’re not distracted because you’re bad at focusing. You’re distracted because nothing in your browser was designed to help you stop.

That’s what a website blocker for Safari changes. It’s not magic, and it’s not a substitute for good work habits, but it puts one useful obstacle between you and the reflex. This guide covers how to install one, what to look for when you’re choosing, and why the setup is the easy part.

Why Safari Distractions Are a Bigger Problem Than They Feel

Research from UC Irvine found it takes an average of 23 minutes and 15 seconds to return to the same depth of focus after one interruption. Not to resume the task. To reach the same mental state you were in before. A 2023 study from the same team found the average time on a task before self-interrupting had dropped to just 47 seconds.

Think about what that means in a browser. You open a new tab to check one thing. If it grabs you, that single check can cost close to half an hour of real focus.

A Crucial Learning survey of 1,600 workers found that 60.6% say they are rarely or never able to do 1-2 hours of deep work without a distraction. The average focused session lasts just 47 seconds before self-interruption.

Safari is the default browser on every iPhone, iPad, and Mac. The sites pulling people off task, whether that’s social media, news, video, or forums, load instantly there with no friction at all. The fix that consistently works is structural: add friction at the access point. A Safari website blocker doesn’t ask you to be more disciplined in the moment. It steps in before the automatic reflex can complete.

What a Safari Extension Actually Does (and Doesn’t Do)

A Safari content-blocking extension sits between your browser and the sites you’re trying to avoid. When you navigate to a blocked URL, the extension intercepts it and shows a block page instead.

What these extensions typically handle:

• Specific URLs or domains you add to a blocklist
• Whole categories like social media, news, or shopping
• Any URL containing a keyword you define
• Scheduled blocks tied to specific hours or days
• Optional redirects that send you somewhere more useful when a block triggers

What they don’t handle:

• Native apps. Instagram or TikTok on your phone is separate from Instagram.com in Safari. For app-level blocking, you need Screen Time’s App Limits.
• Other browsers. A Safari extension has no effect on Chrome, Firefox, or Edge on the same Mac.
• Automatic cross-device sync, unless the app you choose has that built in.

One thing worth clarifying for anyone who searched “blocksite extension safari”: BlockSite’s browser extension runs on Chrome, Edge, and Firefox. For Safari on Mac, BlockSite is a separate Mac App Store application that integrates with Safari once installed. On iPhone and iPad, the BlockSite app includes a Safari content blocker you enable through Settings.

How to Install a Site Blocker on Mac Safari (Step-by-Step)

Using BlockSite as the example, since that’s the most commonly searched option for Safari.

• Step 1: Open the Mac App Store and search for “BlockSite.” Download and install the app.
• Step 2: Open Safari. In the menu bar, go to Safari > Settings (macOS Ventura or later) or Safari > Preferences on older macOS versions.
• Step 3: Click the Extensions tab. Check the box next to BlockSite to enable it.
• Step 4: Click the BlockSite icon in your Safari toolbar. Type in the first domain or URL you want to block.
• Step 5: Recommended: open the BlockSite app and configure a schedule. Restricting sites only during your work hours is more sustainable than a round-the-clock block.
• Step 6: If you want accountability, enable password protection so you can’t impulsively undo a block in a moment of weakness.

One practical note: start with two or three sites, not twenty. The highest-drain sites for most people are social media, one news source, and one video platform. Block those first and see what changes over the next week.

Expert tip: If BlockSite doesn’t appear in the Extensions tab after installation, quit Safari completely, reopen it, and check again. This is the most common setup issue on Mac and usually resolves itself on a full restart.

How to Block Sites on Safari on iPhone and iPad

Safari extensions on iOS work on iOS 15 and later. The setup is a bit different from Mac.

• Step 1: Go to the App Store and download your chosen extension app. The extension lives inside the app. Download the full app first.
• Step 2: Open Settings and scroll down to Safari. Tap Extensions.
• Step 3: Find the extension you just installed and toggle it on. Grant any permissions it requests.
• Step 4: Open the app to set up your block list and schedule.

Note: Apple’s content blocker API on iOS is more limited than the Mac equivalent. Extensions work in Safari but don’t have full visibility into your browsing the way a Mac app can. For tighter restrictions on iPhone, Screen Time tends to be more reliable.

If you want to use Screen Time instead: Settings > Screen Time > Content & Privacy Restrictions (enable it) > Web Content > Limit Adult Websites > add the site under Restricted.

This doesn’t require any third-party app and syncs across all Apple devices signed into the same Apple ID.

The Best Safari Extensions for Blocking Distractions (Compared)

• BlockSite is the most recognized name here. The free tier covers URL blocking and schedule mode; keyword blocking and categories need a paid plan. It works well if you want a simple setup with familiar branding.
• AppBlock offers more features for free, including keyword blocking and per-schedule allowlists. Worth comparing directly with BlockSite before committing to either.
• Focus Boost for Safari is Mac-only and built specifically for timed focus sessions. Lighter weight than the others and well-designed for people who want minimal configuration.
• 1Blocker is primarily an ad and tracker blocker with some site blocking capability. More useful for privacy than productivity.
• Apple Screen Time is the zero-install option. It syncs across devices and is harder to bypass than an extension, but it uses a blunt “Limit Adult Websites” filter that can block unintended sites.

If you want to go deeper on tools that work at the system level rather than inside the browser alone, 5 focus tools that remove digital distractions from your workday covers more options across the full operating system.

Using Apple Screen Time Instead of a Third-Party Extension

Screen Time doesn’t get enough credit for productivity blocking. It’s already on your device and requires no downloads.

On Mac:

1. Click the Apple menu, open System Settings.
2. Select Screen Time in the sidebar.
3. Turn on Content & Privacy.
4. Click Web Content > Limit Adult Websites.
5. Under Restricted, click the + and add the URLs you want blocked.

On iPhone:

1. Settings > Screen Time.
2. Content & Privacy Restrictions > enable.
3. Web Content > Limit Adult Websites > Restricted > add URLs.

The strongest case for Screen Time is family and parental use. Parents can set content restrictions for children on shared devices, add a Screen Time passcode so kids cannot undo the settings, and block specific websites or adult content categories across every Apple device on the same account. For personal productivity, the trade-off is precision. You can’t schedule blocks by time of day as flexibly as a third-party extension, and the category filter occasionally catches legitimate sites.

Why Blocking Alone Usually Isn’t Enough

Here’s a pattern that plays out often: someone installs a blocker and feels great for 48 hours. Then they check the site on their phone. Or they whitelist it “just once.” Or they find a similar site that wasn’t on the list.

This is not a failure of commitment. It’s how habits actually work. The blocker interrupts the behavior, but the underlying trigger, boredom, task anxiety, a mental gap between one piece of work and the next, is still there. When the usual exit is blocked, the brain finds another one.

What changes the pattern over time is awareness of the trigger, not just blocking the outlet. When a block page appears and you sit with that moment for three seconds before reaching for your phone, that’s useful data. What were you feeling before you opened the tab? Bored? Anxious? Just done with something and not sure what’s next?

Naming the trigger over time is what separates a temporary productivity boost from a real shift in browsing behavior. If you’ve ever installed a blocker and found yourself bypassing it within a week, still distracted after trying everything, it’s worth reading next.

ComfortZoneCheckin was built around this exact gap: adding a check-in moment between the impulse and the scroll, so the awareness builds alongside the friction rather than being left out entirely.

A Simple Setup That Actually Sticks

Here’s the practical version.

• Start with three sites.
  The highest-drain ones. If you’re not sure which to pick, the list of websites to block at work gives you a categorized starting point.
• Set a schedule.
  Block during your most important work window, not all day. For most people this is the first few hours of the day. Blocking everything forever tends to lead to resentment and workarounds.
• Use the block page as a pause, not a punishment.
  When one triggers, notice what you were feeling before you typed that URL. Just notice. No journaling required. That three-second pause is where habits gradually shift.
• Check in weekly.
  Which blocks did you bypass? Those sites still have pull. Adjust the password settings or narrow the schedule based on what you find.

Fewer, well-chosen blocks tend to outperform exhaustive lists. The goal is to interrupt the automatic reflex, not to make your browser unusable.

Frequently Asked Questions