Blocking websites on your or your child’s Android device can be very beneficial. It protects your child from potentially harmful websites, helps you stay focused on your tasks, and keeps you from getting distracted during working hours.
Blocking websites on Android devices could also help keep your private information safe from hackers.
Here is how to block websites on Android using:
How To Block Websites On Android Using Chrome
We will first discuss how to block Android websites that use the Google Chrome web browsing app.
Blocking websites on Google Chrome for mobile has never been easier, all thanks to the dedicated efforts of the engineers over at Google.
Follows these steps to block websites on all Android devices that use Google Chrome.
Step 1. Open The Google Chrome App
Step one is simple enough. Open the Google Chrome app. The app can be located among your installed applications.
If you have trouble finding the app, try using your phone’s built-in search function. Tap the search bar and type in “Chrome.” Once you’ve found the app, tap the Chrome icon to launch the application.
Step 2. Open Google Chrome Settings
Step two is to open the settings tab inside Google Chrome. To open the settings tab, tap on the vertically aligned dots at the top of your screen, next to the address bar.
Once you’ve tapped the bubbles, select the “Settings” option from the drop-down menu.
Step 3. Choose The “Site Settings” Option
Step three is to select the “Site Settings” option under the settings tab. You can change Google Chrome’s settings to tailor your web browsing experience.
Useful options to consider changing are “Protected content,” “Automatic downloads,” “Ads,” and “Pop-ups and redirects.”
These are a few settings that will help keep your device secure.
Step 4. Save Your Changes
Step four is to save the alterations you have made to your site settings. To keep your changes, tap on the arrow pointing to the left at the top left of your screen.
Tapping this icon will back you out of each sub-menu you selected to access the site settings. Once you are back in your browser tab, your settings have been saved.
Step 5. Enjoy Surfing The Web
Step five is to enjoy your newly updated web surfing experience. Google does a great job protecting your online activity through its secure web browser.
Note: Visiting potentially harmful websites always risks your Android device being breached by online hackers.
Blocking Websites On Android With Firefox
Not all Android users use Chrome as their preferred mobile browsing application.
In this section, we will run through the steps you need to take to block websites on Android using Firefox.
Step 1. Download A Blocking Extension
To block websites on your Android device using the Firefox web browsing application, you must download the “Block Site” extension.
To download this extension, Open Firefox and enter the following into the URL bar – https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/android/.
Once the page has loaded, search for “Block Site” and click “Add to Firefox.”
The Block Site extension will allow users to specify which websites they want to block. The extension allows users to block unwanted URLs, protect users from data leaks, and lets users block websites for a short period.
Step 2. Configure The Block Site Extension
To customize the list of websites you want Firefox to block, you must open the settings inside the Block Site extension.
To do this, go to the “Add-ons” page and open Block Site. Swipe to the bottom of the screen and select “add URLs.” Type in or copy and paste the URLs of all the websites you wish to block.
Step 3. Save Your Settings
Block site will automatically save your settings once you have listed all the URLs you want to be blocked.
You can close the “Add-ons” tab once your list of URLs is complete.
Blocking Websites On Android With Opera
Opera is another preferred website browsing application that many Android users enjoy.
Though there are no built-in website-blocking features within Opera, users can still use the same extension we suggested earlier.
Step 1. Download A Blocking Extension
Like before, we need to add a website-blocking extension to Opera. To do this, open Opera and enter https://addons.opera.com/en/ into the URL address bar.
Once the page has loaded, locate the “Block Site” extension by typing in the search bar. Click add, and Opera will automatically initiate the Block Site extension.
Step 2. Update Block Site’s Extension Settings
Next, you need to update the settings inside Block Site. To change the settings, you need to open the extension Block Site, which can be found under the “Add-ons” section previously mentioned.
Once you have located the Block Site extension, tap the extension and scroll down to add the URLs you wish to block.
Step 3. Save Block Site Settings
To save the list of URLs you have given Block Site, close the “Add-ons” tab.
Block Site will remember the websites you have listed and keep your settings automatically.
Step 4. Relax
Now you can relax knowing Block Site will free your browsing experience from all those pesky and potentially harmful websites.
Block Websites On Android With Microsoft Edge
If you are a parent, you should consider using Microsoft Edge to keep your child safe once they discover the internet. Microsoft is very children’s safety when it comes to online browsing.
You can manage your child’s online browsing through the Family tab on your Microsoft account more securely.
Step 1. Log Into Your Microsoft Account
First, you need to sign into your Microsoft account. The simplest way to do this is through your desktop computer, as changing these settings on your mobile device could prove more challenging.
Visit www.microsoft.com and sign in by selecting the icon at the top right of your screen.
Step 2. Add A Family Member To Your Account
Once logged in, select the “Add a member” option and input the child’s details. Once the details have been updated, an invite link will be sent to your child’s device.
Accept the link on their device to complete the process.
Step 3. Update Your Blocking List
Step three is to go back to your desktop, and under the family section, you need to navigate to the Web browsing section.
This section can be found under the “Family” section. Once you’ve clicked on “Family,” click on “Your Family” and then on the “Content restrictions” button.
Once inside, add all the websites you wish to restrict.
Step 4. Install Microsoft Edge On Your Child’s Device
Next, you want to install Microsoft Edge on your child’s Android device.
To do this, go to the app store and search For “Microsoft Edge.”
Click install and wait for the download to complete.
Step 5. Link Your Childs Account To Microsoft Edge
Lastly, you need to link the account specified in your “Family” section to the Microsoft Edge browser installed on your child’s Android device.
To do this, tap the “Link account” option on the device and add the details you specified on your desktop.
Congratulations, you have successfully protected your child by blocking websites on their Android device.
If you want to take things further for your child or yourself, you can also block apps on Android devices to limit screen time or increase productivity.