Pax Add to Chrome

How to block websites in Chrome: five ways compared

Chrome has no built-in block list for personal use. Here are the five ways that do work, from an extension to the hosts file, DNS filtering, Chrome policy and Family Link, with steps and which to choose.

Updated · 3 min read

Chrome will happily save your passwords and translate a page, but it won’t let you block a website from Settings. You need one of five workarounds. They differ in how much they block, how hard they are to undo, and whether they’re meant for you, your children or a whole office.

Which to choose

  • To focus at work: a focus extension that blocks sites only during focus sessions.
  • To block a site everywhere on your computer: the hosts file.
  • To block for every device at home: a DNS filter on your router.
  • For a child: Family Link. For a company: Chrome’s URLBlocklist policy.

The five ways at a glance

MethodBlocksEffortUndoBest for
Focus extensionChrome only1 minuteEasyYour own focus
Hosts fileAll browsers on one computer5 minutes, admin rightsEdit the file againA site you never want
DNS filterEvery device using that DNS10–20 minutesChange DNS settingsA household
URLBlocklist policyChrome on managed computersIT setupOnly by an adminA company or school
Family LinkA child’s Google account10 minutesOnly by the parentChildren

1. A focus extension

An extension can block sites inside Chrome, and the good ones can tie the block to your work time rather than to the whole day. In Pax:

  1. Open Settings › Focus and turn on Block distracting sites.
  2. Type a site, such as youtube.com, and press Block. Chrome asks you to allow Pax on that one site.
  3. Keep Only during focus sessions on, and the site is blocked while a focus timer runs and opens normally on breaks.

A blocked site shows a calm page with the time left in your session. Because the block lifts on breaks, you’re less tempted to switch it off for good.

2. The hosts file

The hosts file tells your computer where a domain lives. Point a site at 0.0.0.0 and it won’t load in any browser.

  • Windows: open Notepad as administrator, then open C:\Windows\System32\drivers\etc\hosts.
  • Mac: in Terminal, run sudo nano /etc/hosts.

Add one line per address, including the www version, then save:

0.0.0.0 youtube.com
0.0.0.0 www.youtube.com

Restart Chrome if the site still opens. To undo, delete the lines.

3. A DNS filter

Services such as NextDNS let you keep a block list in the cloud and apply it to any device that uses their DNS. Set it on your router and every phone, laptop and TV at home follows the same list. Free tiers are usually enough for a household.

4. Chrome’s URLBlocklist policy

On managed computers, administrators can set the URLBlocklist policy (up to 1,000 entries) through Group Policy on Windows or a configuration profile on a Mac. Check it at chrome://policy. Google documents the steps in its Chrome Enterprise help. It’s powerful, but meant for IT teams rather than personal use.

5. Family Link

For a child’s Google account, Family Link lets a parent allow or block sites in Chrome, and the child can’t change it. It’s the right tool for children, not for managing your own habits.

Questions people ask

Does Chrome have a built-in way to block a website?

Not for a normal personal profile. Chrome can block sites through admin policy (URLBlocklist) on managed computers, or through Family Link for a child’s account, but there is no block list in ordinary Settings.

What is the easiest way to block a site for myself?

A focus extension. It takes a minute, only affects Chrome, and can block sites only while you’re working.

How do I block a site on every browser?

Edit the hosts file, or use a DNS filter such as NextDNS. Both block the site for every browser and app on that computer or network.

Can someone get around these blocks?

Yes, anyone with admin rights on the computer can undo them. For self-control that’s fine; for children, use Family Link or a router-level filter.

Keep reading