How to block websites in Safari on iPhone/iPad

If you have children, they frequently use your iOS device, and you want to control the type of content when they browse the web in Safari. Fortunately, Apple allows you to do that. If you want to automatically limit all adult content to keep blacklist specific websites far from your kids, you can find everything in Settings & Restrictions. Here is how to do it.

How to limit adult content in Safari

If you want to prevent your kids from hitting links that take them to adult websites, or there are only a few sites you want them not to show up, you can then use the automatic settings as well as the blacklist feature. To do so:

1. Open the Settings app from your Home screen.
2. Tap on General > Restrictions.
3. Tap on Enable Restrictions and enable it
4. Enter a 4-digit password, which your children cannot guess.
5. Type in the password again to confirm it.
6. Select Websites below Allowed Content.
7. Tap on Limit Adult Content.

This will then block most of the adult content from accessibility in Safari.

How to limit adult content in Safari in iOS 12

Before getting started, you need to make sure that you have already set up Screen Time on your iOS 12 iPhone/iPad. To do so

1. Open Settings from your home screen.
2. Tap Screen Time > Content & Privacy Restrictions.
3. Tap Content Restrictions > Web Content.
4. Select Limit Adult Websites

How to block specific websites in Safari

If limiting adult content is good enough, or you notice a URL slipped through the cracks, you block any URL you want.

1. Open the Settings app from the Home screen.
2. Tap on General > Restrictions.
3. Select Enable Restrictions.
4. Enter a 4-digit password that your kids cannot guess.
5. Type your password again to confirm
6. Under Allowed Content, tap on Websites.
7. Tap Limit Adult Content.
8. Add a Website below NEVER ALLOW.
9. Type in the URL of the website you want to block and tap on Done when you finish.

Repeat this process for each site you want to block.

How to block specific websites in Safari in iOS 12

Before getting started, make sure you have already set up Screen Time on your iOS 12 iPhone. After that, follow the below steps.

1. Launch Settings app from your screen.
2. Tap Screen Time > Content & Privacy Restrictions.
3. Tap on Content Restrictions >Web Content.
4. Choose Limit Adult Websites option
5. Add a Website below NEVER ALLOW.
6. Type in the URL of the website you want to block.
7. Tap on Done when you finish.

Also read: How to Create Siri Shortcuts in iOS 12 

Block everything and whitelist only specific sites in iOS 11

If you’d like to make sure nothing is accessible except the specific websites allow, you can disable everything and re-enable the sites you consider permission.

1. Go to Settings > General > Restrictions and enable it
2. Type in a 4-digit password that only you know.
3. Type it again to confirm your choice
4. Tap on Websites > Specific Websites Only > Add a Website
5. Type in the URL of the website you want to allow.

If your phone is running iOS 12, you can block everything and whitelist only specific sites in Safari by following these steps:

1. Open Settings app from your home screen.
2. Tap on Screen Time > Content & Privacy Restrictions
3. Navigate to Content Restrictions > Web Content > Allowed Websites Only.
4. Tap on Add Website and enter the URL of the website you want.
5. Tap on Done when you finish.