How to Block Websites in Chrome Without an Extension (and When You Need One)

If you want to know how to block websites in Chrome without installing anything, there are four real options: Chrome's own URLBlocklist policy, Google Family Link for a child's account, the computer's hosts file, and filtering on your router or DNS. Each one works, but each needs admin rights or a parent account, and none of them can block a site only during work hours. This guide shows how to set up each method, what Chrome's Site settings and SafeSearch can't do, and when an extension is the simpler choice.

Extension: https://chromewebstore.google.com/detail/website-blocker/kniediipngcpmbmpeacaoinhoeipfina

Can you block websites in Chrome without an extension?

Yes. Chrome has no "block this site" button in its normal settings, but you can still block a website in Chrome with tools that sit outside the browser's menus:

• Chrome policy (URLBlocklist): the built-in, admin-level method that companies and schools use. It blocks sites in Chrome for every profile on the computer.
• Google Family Link: a parent manages blocked and approved sites for a child's supervised Google account.
• The hosts file: an operating-system file that stops a domain from loading in every browser and app on that computer.
• Router or DNS filtering: blocks domains for every device on your home network.

The sections below go through each method, starting with the one built into Chrome itself.

How to block websites in Chrome with the URLBlocklist policy

Chrome reads "policies", settings that an administrator sets outside the browser. The URLBlocklist policy holds a list of URL patterns, and Chrome refuses to open any page that matches. Older guides call it URLBlacklist; Chrome renamed it URLBlocklist, and the exceptions policy URLWhitelist became URLAllowlist. You need administrator rights to set it, and the steps depend on your operating system.

Windows: add URLBlocklist in the registry

1. Press Windows + R, type regedit and confirm the administrator prompt.
2. Go to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Policies. Create the keys Google, then Chrome inside it, then URLBlocklist inside that, if they don't exist yet. The full path is HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Policies\Google\Chrome\URLBlocklist.
3. Inside URLBlocklist, add one String Value per site. Name the first one 1 and set its data to the pattern, for example youtube.com. Add 2, 3 and so on for more sites.
4. Restart Chrome, or open chrome://policy and click Reload policies.

If you prefer a command, an administrator Command Prompt can add the same entry in one line: reg add "HKLM\SOFTWARE\Policies\Google\Chrome\URLBlocklist" /v 1 /t REG_SZ /d "youtube.com" /f. Change the value name (/v 2, /v 3) for each extra site.

Linux: drop a JSON file in the policies folder

Google Chrome on Linux reads policy files from /etc/opt/chrome/policies/managed/. Create the folder with sudo mkdir -p /etc/opt/chrome/policies/managed, then save a file such as blocklist.json in it (with sudo) containing:

{"URLBlocklist": ["youtube.com", "facebook.com", "reddit.com"]}

Restart Chrome or reload policies at chrome://policy. The file must be valid JSON; if Chrome can't read it, the policy simply doesn't appear on that page.

macOS: use a configuration profile

On a Mac, Chrome policies are deployed with a configuration profile, normally pushed by an MDM (mobile device management) tool, for the com.google.Chrome preference domain. That is the right route for a school or company that already manages its Macs. For a single personal Mac it is a lot of setup, and the hosts file (below) or an extension is usually the easier way to block websites in Chrome.

How the URL patterns work

• example.com blocks the domain and all of its subdomains, so youtube.com also blocks www.youtube.com and m.youtube.com.
• .example.com (with a leading dot) blocks only that exact host and not its subdomains.
• You can add a path, such as example.com/games, to block only that part of a site.
• * blocks every site. Combined with URLAllowlist, it turns Chrome into an "allow only these sites" browser.
• URLAllowlist makes exceptions. It is set the same way (a URLAllowlist key on Windows, a "URLAllowlist" list in the JSON file), and an allowed pattern takes precedence over a matching block.

Check that the policy works

Open chrome://policy. URLBlocklist should be listed with your sites and a status of OK. Now try a blocked site: Chrome shows an error page with the code ERR_BLOCKED_BY_ADMINISTRATOR, explaining that your administrator or organization has blocked the page (the exact wording varies by Chrome version). The Chrome menu and settings will also say the browser is managed by your organization. That label is expected whenever any policy is set, and it disappears when you remove all policies.

Limits of the policy method

• Needs admin rights: you can't set it from a standard user account, which is also why a standard user can't simply undo it.
• Applies to everyone: it blocks the sites in every Chrome profile on the computer, Incognito windows included. You can't block a site for one person and not another on the same machine.
• No schedules or limits: a site is either blocked or not. There is no "block after 30 minutes" or "block 9 to 5 on weekdays".
• Chrome only: other browsers on the computer are not affected (Microsoft Edge has its own policy of the same name under its own registry key).
• A plain error page: you can't change the message that appears.

Policies can do more than block sites. On Windows, the same registry branch can force-install an extension so it can't be removed from Chrome. Our guide to preventing Website Blocker removal with the Windows registry shows how, if you want schedules and limits that can't be uninstalled.

Block sites for a child with Google Family Link

If you're blocking sites for a child, Google Family Link is designed for that. The child needs a Google account supervised by your account. You then manage their Chrome settings from the Family Link app or from Family Link on the web.

1. Open Family Link and select your child.
2. Go to the content restrictions or controls for Google Chrome.
3. Choose whether to allow all sites, try to block explicit sites, or allow only approved sites.
4. Open the option to manage sites and add addresses to the Blocked list (or to the Approved list if you chose approved sites only).

Google renames these menus from time to time, so the labels in your app may differ slightly. The settings apply to Chrome on Android and to Chrome on a computer when the child is signed in with their supervised account. They don't apply to other browsers, or to Chrome when someone uses it without signing in to the child's account, so on a shared computer combine Family Link with the policy or hosts file method.

Block a website in Chrome with the hosts file

The hosts file maps domain names to IP addresses before your computer asks a DNS server. Point a domain at 0.0.0.0 and it can't load, in Chrome or anywhere else on that computer.

1. Open the file as an administrator. On Windows it is C:\Windows\System32\drivers\etc\hosts: run Notepad as administrator, then open the file (choose "All files" in the Open dialog). On macOS and Linux it is /etc/hosts: open Terminal and run sudo nano /etc/hosts.
2. Add one line per hostname at the end of the file:
   0.0.0.0 example.com
   0.0.0.0 www.example.com
3. Save the file.
4. Restart Chrome. If the site still loads, flush the DNS cache (on Windows, run ipconfig /flushdns in an administrator Command Prompt; on a Mac, run sudo dscacheutil -flushcache; sudo killall -HUP mDNSResponder) or restart the computer.

Things to know before you rely on it:

• No wildcards: each hostname needs its own line. Blocking example.com doesn't block www.example.com or m.example.com, so list every version you see.
• Whole domains only: you can't block one page or path, only a hostname.
• Every browser and app: the block also stops other browsers and any app on the computer that uses that domain, which is useful for distractions but can break an app you need.
• Admin rights: you need them to edit the file, and anyone with admin rights can remove the lines again.

Router or DNS filtering for the whole network

Many home routers have parental controls or a URL or domain filter in their admin page, and some DNS services let you keep a block list or block whole categories. Set it once and it covers every device on that network, phones and tablets included. The trade-offs: the options depend entirely on your router or provider, the filter usually works on domains rather than individual pages, and it stops working as soon as a device leaves the network or switches to mobile data. For how this compares with browser-level blocking, see our explainer on what a website blocker is and how it works.

What does not block websites in Chrome

Two Chrome settings sound like blockers but aren't:

• Site settings (Settings → Privacy and security → Site settings): these control what a site is allowed to do, such as notifications, pop-ups, location or camera access. You can stop a site from sending notifications, but you can't stop it from opening.
• SafeSearch: it filters explicit results out of Google Search. It doesn't block any website, and typing an address directly still opens the page.

Blocking websites in Chrome on Android and iPhone

Chrome on Android and iPhone doesn't run extensions, so no extension can block sites there. On Android, Family Link (above) is the realistic built-in option for a child's phone. On an iPhone, Apple's Screen Time has a web content setting where you can add sites to a "never allow" list; the menu names vary by iOS version. Router or DNS filtering also covers phones, but only while they are on your network.

Comparison: ways to block websites in Chrome without an extension

When an extension is the better choice

The built-in methods are made for administrators and parents. They are strict, but they are also all-or-nothing. If you're blocking distractions for yourself, an extension usually fits better:

• Schedules: block sites only on chosen days and hours with scheduled blocking.
• Time limits: allow a site for a set number of minutes, then block it, with flexible time-based rules.
• Attempt limits: let a site open a few times, then block it, with attempt-based blocking.
• Your own block page: show a custom message or redirect to a productive site instead of a plain error.
• Whitelist mode: block everything except the sites you allow, without editing policy files.
• No admin rights: it works on a work laptop or school computer where you can't edit the registry or hosts file.
• Quick changes: add or remove a site from the toolbar in seconds, without restarting Chrome.

There is an honest trade-off: a user can turn an extension off or remove it. Website Blocker can lock its settings with a password, needs Allow in Incognito to block in Incognito windows, and can be force-installed with the policy method above so it can't be removed. Our step-by-step guide on how to block websites on Chrome with the extension covers installing it, adding sites and choosing a block type.

Conclusion

You can block websites in Chrome without an extension: URLBlocklist for a computer you administer, Family Link for a child's account, the hosts file for every browser on one machine, and your router for the whole network. They suit firm, always-on blocks set by an administrator or parent. If you want to block sites for yourself, on a schedule or with time limits, and without admin rights, try the free website blocker extension from the Chrome Web Store.