How to Block Websites on Safari (iPhone): 3 Methods Compared
Whether it's distracting sites or destructive ones, iOS gives you several ways to block websites in Safari. Here are all three methods, their weaknesses, and how to set each one up.
Method 1: Screen Time restrictions (built-in, limited)
iOS has a basic blocker under Settings → Screen Time → Content & Privacy Restrictions → Content Restrictions → Web Content. Choose "Limit Adult Websites" or "Allowed Websites Only," and add specific URLs to the never-allow list.
Weaknesses: the adult filter misses enormous numbers of sites, adding sites manually is one-at-a-time, and if you know your own Screen Time passcode you can disable it in ten seconds. It's a speed bump, not a wall — fine for kids' devices, weak for adult self-control.
Method 2: A Safari Content Blocker (the right way)
Content Blockers are Apple's purpose-built technology for this: an app extension supplies Safari with blocking rules, and Safari enforces them natively. They're fast (no proxy or VPN slowdown), private (your browsing never leaves the device), and comprehensive (they work in private tabs too).
This is what Rewire uses. Setup:
- Download Rewire and tap Start Journey — the app prepares its blocklist automatically.
- Open Settings → Apps → Safari → Extensions → Rewire Blocker → toggle On.
- Safari immediately blocks over 950,000 explicit websites, and the list refreshes itself daily.
The advantage over manual methods is scale and maintenance: new sites appear constantly, and a community-maintained blocklist keeps up so you don't have to.
Method 3: DNS filtering (network-level, fiddly)
You can point your phone's DNS at a filtering service, which blocks lookups for known bad domains across all apps. It works, but: it can slow browsing, breaks on some networks, often requires a paid service to customize, and is easily bypassed by switching DNS back. For most people it's more maintenance than protection.
Which should you use?
For serious self-control — especially against explicit content — the Content Blocker approach wins on every axis: coverage, speed, privacy, and private-tab enforcement. Pair it with app-level blocking for browsers other than Safari (Rewire shields Chrome and other apps entirely using Screen Time technology), and add your personal trigger sites to the custom blocklist.
Two minutes of setup buys you a wall that's standing at 2 a.m. when you aren't.
Start your journey today
950,000+ sites blocked, daily Scripture, streak tracking, and a brotherhood — everything in this guide, in one app.