1. How to Block Websites on Android Using BlockSite
Unfortunately, there’s no built-in way to block websites in Chrome on Android. Since Android’s version of Chrome doesn’t offer extensions, you can’t even turn to third-party add-ons to do the job.
While you can block sites using add-ons in Firefox, that’s not a great solution because it only blocks them in one browser. Your child could easily open another browser (or install a new one from Google Play) to get around the blockage.
Instead, you can look at a free app called BlockSite. The service is also available on desktop, where it works in a similar way as the mobile offering.
After installing the app, you’ll need to grant it accessibility permission to properly block sites. To block a website, tap the Plus button on the main screen. Simply enter a web address and tap the check mark in the top-right to save it. Now when you try to visit that website in any browser, you’ll find it blocked.
More BlockSite Features
BlockSite allows you to go a bit further. In addition to blocking websites, you can also block apps on your device. This is handy if you want to hand your phone to a child without worrying that they’ll access sensitive information.
The app also allows you to apply blocks only at specific times. Tap the Clock icon above the list of apps and you can choose the start and end times to set the block. It also lets you set what days of the week the schedule applies to.
Tap the Adult Block tab at the bottom of the screen and you can block access to all adult sites with just a tap. Of course, nothing is perfect, but this lets you knock out the worst offenders in one go.
Open the three-dot Menu in the top-right and open the Settings for two useful utilities. If you use BlockSite on your computer, you can use the Sync BlockSite option to sync your blocklist. More importantly, use the Password Protection feature to keep children from disabling the blocks. You can set up a PIN or pattern to secure the app and prevent changes to your blocked sites and apps.
With a passcode protecting the app, adult sites blocked, and any other sites and apps you want to restrict added, BlockSite is the best way to block websites on Android. It works on all Wi-Fi or mobile networks, isn’t easy to disable, and is simple to set up.
However, it does have one major downside: your child can easily uninstall the app, removing all blocked website restrictions. You can use an app like AppLock to prevent access to the uninstall option, but even this isn’t perfect, as you can uninstall apps from many locations around Android. Instead, setting up Google Family Link, which lets you hide certain apps, may be a better option
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