How to Block Websites on iPhone and iPad
Screen Time can block adult sites and any site you name. For whole categories, mobile data and managed fleets, you need DNS or MDM as well. This guide walks through all four methods and the gaps in each.
Four ways to block websites on iOS and iPadOS
iPhone and iPad give you fewer system controls than a computer, since there is no editable hosts file. The four realistic options differ in what they cover and who can switch them off.
Screen Time
- Covers
- Safari and apps using Apple's web views, on the device, on any network
- Categories
- Adult limit plus your own lists
- Bypass
- Known passcode, other browsers, a second device
DNS on a Wi-Fi network
- Covers
- All apps, on that one Wi-Fi network
- Categories
- Yes, with a category filter
- Bypass
- Mobile data, other Wi-Fi, VPN, Private Relay
Encrypted DNS profile
- Covers
- All apps, on every network including mobile data
- Categories
- Yes
- Bypass
- Removing the profile on unmanaged devices, VPN
MDM
- Covers
- Organization owned devices, locked settings
- Categories
- Yes, with a filter service
- Bypass
- Very hard on supervised devices
Before you start
- Update the deviceMenu names and options change between iOS releases. Install the latest update first so the steps match.
- Know who owns itA personal device uses Screen Time and profiles; an organization's device should use its MDM.
- Set up Family SharingFor children, managing from a parent's iPhone keeps settings in sync and passcodes private.
- List what must keep workingWrite down school, work and banking sites so you can allow them from the start.
Method 1: Screen Time content restrictions
Screen Time is built into every iPhone and iPad. Set it on the child's device directly, or from a parent's iPhone through Family Sharing, which keeps the settings in sync.
Older iOS versions label the middle step Content Restrictions. If the wording on your device differs, the Web Content setting is still inside Content & Privacy Restrictions.
1Open Screen Time for the right person
On the child's device, open Settings and Screen Time. From a parent's iPhone, open Screen Time and tap the child's name under Family.
2Set a Screen Time passcode
Choose a passcode the child does not know and that differs from the device unlock code. Without it, anyone can turn the restrictions off.
3Turn on Content & Privacy Restrictions
Tap Content & Privacy Restrictions and switch it on. This unlocks the content settings below it.
4Choose a Web Content level
Tap the store, media and web section, then Web Content. Choose one of the three levels described below.
5Add sites to Never Allow or Always Allow
Under Limit Adult Websites, add domains to Never Allow to block them, or to Always Allow to make sure a needed site works. Under Only Approved Websites, add every site the child may use.
6Lock account and profile changes
Further down Content & Privacy Restrictions, set account changes and similar options to Don't Allow, so a new profile or account cannot be added to get around the rules.
Screen Time web restrictions are designed around Safari. Reports differ on other browser apps, so test every browser you allow, or limit browser apps with app limits so Safari is the only one.
Method 2: set a filtering DNS server on a Wi-Fi network
You can point a single Wi-Fi network at a filtering DNS server directly on the iPhone. It is quick, but it only applies to that network.
Steps
- Tap the info button next to the connected network
- Tap Configure DNS and choose Manual
- Delete the existing servers and add the filter's addresses
- Tap Save and reconnect to the network
- Repeat for every Wi-Fi network the device uses
Limits
- Mobile data ignores this setting
- Other Wi-Fi networks ignore it
- Anyone can change it back in Settings
- A VPN or Private Relay can route around it
In most homes it is simpler to set the filtering DNS once on the router, which covers the iPhone and every other device. See how to block websites on a router.
Method 3: install an encrypted DNS profile
Since iOS 14 and iPadOS 14, Apple devices support encrypted DNS through configuration profiles. A profile from a category filter applies on Wi-Fi and mobile data, so blocking follows the device everywhere.
1Download the profile
Your filter provider gives you a profile link tied to your policy. Open it in Safari on the iPhone or iPad and allow the download.
2Install it in Settings
Open Settings, where a Profile Downloaded item appears near the top, or go to General, then VPN & Device Management. Tap the profile and Install.
3Check it is active
Under General, VPN & Device Management, then DNS, the filter should show as the active DNS. Visit a blocked test site to confirm.
4Protect it from removal
On a child's personal device, Screen Time restrictions on account and profile changes make removal harder. On an organization's devices, MDM can lock the profile.
Encrypted DNS also stops other networks from seeing or changing lookups. For background, read DNS over HTTPS and web filtering.
Method 4: MDM for school and company iPhones and iPads
Organizations that own their devices manage them with mobile device management. Devices enrolled through Apple's automated enrollment can be supervised, which allows the strictest controls.
| MDM setting | What it does for website blocking | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| DNS Settings payload | Sends all lookups to an encrypted category filter | iOS and iPadOS 14 or later; check your MDM's options for preventing users from turning it off |
| Web content filter configuration | Applies Apple's built-in adult filter, allow lists, or a filter provider's app | Behaviour and requirements vary by OS version and enrollment type |
| App restrictions | Blocks VPN apps, other browsers and app installs | Usually requires supervision for the strictest options |
| Profile and account locks | Stops users removing profiles or adding accounts | Supervised devices |
| Private Relay control | Keeps traffic visible to the organization's filter | Check your MDM's restriction options |
Payload names and supervision requirements change between iOS releases, so confirm the details in your MDM's documentation. Our article on MDM web content filter data explains where category data fits in.
How iPhone and iPad blocks get bypassed
Children and staff are resourceful. These are the gaps that come up again and again, with the setting that closes each one.
- Known passcodeIf the child watched you type the Screen Time passcode, everything is open. Change it and use one that differs from the unlock code.
- Mobile dataWi-Fi DNS and router filters do not apply on mobile data. Use an encrypted DNS profile or Screen Time on the device.
- iCloud Private RelayChanges how Safari traffic leaves the device. Turn off Limit IP Address Tracking on your network, or block the relay on networks that must filter.
- VPN appsA VPN tunnels lookups past your filter. Block app installs in Screen Time and the VPN / Proxy category. See blocking VPN apps.
- Another browserScreen Time is built around Safari. Limit other browser apps with age ratings or app limits.
- Changing the dateOlder tricks with date and time mostly affect time limits, not web limits. Keep the device updated.
- In-app browsersSocial and messaging apps open links in their own views. A DNS filter covers them; app age ratings help too.
- Mirror sitesBlocked sites reappear under new names. Category filtering with daily updates catches most of them.
Troubleshooting: the site still loads
When a block fails on an iPhone or iPad, the cause is usually the network path or the app, not the list itself. Check these first.
| What happens | Likely reason | What to try |
|---|---|---|
| Blocked at home, opens at a friend's house | The filter was only on your router or your Wi-Fi network | Install an encrypted DNS profile or rely on Screen Time on the device |
| Blocked in Safari, opens in another browser | Screen Time limits do not cover that browser on this version | Restrict other browser apps, or add a DNS filter that covers all apps |
| Website blocked, the app still works | The app uses other domains than the website | Block the service's related domains or the whole category, or limit the app itself |
| Filter worked, then stopped | A VPN app was installed, or the profile was removed | Check VPN & Device Management, restrict installs and profile changes |
| Safe sites are blocked | Apple's adult limit is cautious with some sites | Add them to Always Allow, or use category filtering with allow entries |
| Nothing seems filtered on Wi-Fi | Private Relay is on for that network | Turn off Limit IP Address Tracking for the network, then test again |
Why there is no hosts file option: iOS and iPadOS do not let users edit system files, so the hosts method used on computers is not available. DNS profiles and Screen Time fill that role on Apple's mobile devices.
Screen Time or a DNS profile?
Parents often ask which one to use. They are complementary: Screen Time manages the person, the DNS profile manages the sites.
Screen Time is best for
- Time limits, downtime and app limits
- Allow only lists for young children
- Settings shared across a child's Apple devices
- Blocking app installs and purchases
A DNS profile is best for
- Blocking whole categories, not single sites
- Covering every app and in-app browser
- Working on mobile data and any Wi-Fi
- Logs that show what was blocked
Block categories, not just named sites
Screen Time's Never Allow list stops the sites you think of. A category filter starts from a database that already knows which domains are adult, gambling, proxy, malware or social sites, including ones registered yesterday.
59 categories
Choose groups such as Adult, Gambling, Dating, Social Networking or VPN / Proxy / Anonymizers.
New domains daily
About 300,000 newly registered domains categorized every day, rechecked after a week and a month.
Broad coverage
120 million categorized domains; the 20 million most visited cover 99.99% of web traffic and usage.
The full method is in how to block websites by category. To see how a site is classified, use the domain lookup tool. Which categories suit which ages is covered in screen time app and website categories.
Recommended setups
Combine methods so one covers the gaps of another. These pairings work for most homes and organizations.
Testing checklist
- Test on Wi-Fi and mobile dataTurn Wi-Fi off and try the blocked site again.
- Test in every browserSafari and any other browser app you allow.
- Test inside appsOpen a link from a messaging or social app.
- Check needed sitesSchool, work and banking sites should still load.
- Review after updatesMajor iOS updates can change settings screens. Repeat the test after each one.
- Check the filter logWith a DNS filter, the blocked lookup should appear in the activity log within moments.
Keep the conversation going with children as well. Technical blocks work best when the reasons are explained and there is a simple way to ask for a site to be allowed.
Our managed DNS filter for iPhone and iPad
Our managed DNS filter uses the same database we license to security vendors. Set it on the router for every device at home or in the office, or give each iPhone and iPad a private encrypted DNS link that works on mobile data too.
What you control
- Category switches per network or profile
- Always allow and always block lists
- Forced SafeSearch and restricted video modes
- Schedules for homework or work hours
What you see
- Activity log of blocked lookups
- Monthly reports per site
- Category trends and most blocked domains
Read more about SafeSearch and YouTube Restricted Mode at the DNS level.
iPhone and iPad website blocking FAQ
How do I block a specific website on an iPhone?
Open Settings, Screen Time, Content & Privacy Restrictions, then the App Store, Media, Web & Games section and Web Content. Choose Limit Adult Websites and add the site under Never Allow. Set a Screen Time passcode so the setting cannot be changed.
Does Screen Time block websites in Chrome on iPhone?
Screen Time web restrictions are designed for Safari and apps using Apple's web views, and results in other browsers have varied. Test every browser you allow, or limit other browser apps so Safari is the only one available.
Does changing DNS on iPhone Wi-Fi block websites on mobile data?
No. A DNS server typed into a Wi-Fi network's settings applies to that network only. To filter on mobile data as well, install an encrypted DNS profile, which applies on every connection.
Can my child remove a DNS profile from their iPhone?
On a personal iPhone a profile can be removed in Settings unless Screen Time restrictions prevent account and profile changes. On a supervised device managed by MDM, the organization can stop the user from removing it.
Does iCloud Private Relay bypass website blocking?
Private Relay changes how Safari traffic leaves the device and can bypass network DNS filtering. Screen Time web restrictions still apply on the device. Networks that need filtering can block the relay, and users can turn off Limit IP Address Tracking per network.
How do schools and companies block websites on iPads?
They use MDM, usually with supervised devices. The MDM pushes a DNS Settings or content filter configuration, blocks app installs and profile removal, and the network adds a category filter on top.
More device guides: block websites on a Mac and block websites on Android.
Filter every iPhone and iPad by category
Tell us how many devices and networks you manage, and we will suggest a setup. Product teams can license the database itself.
iPhone, iPad, iOS, iPadOS, Safari, Screen Time and iCloud are trademarks of Apple Inc. They are named only to identify the products discussed. Web Filtering Database is not affiliated with, sponsored or endorsed by Apple Inc.