How to Block Websites on a Chromebook

Edmund_McGowan · April 11

Chromebooks are fast, affordable, secure, and easy to use laptops that we’ve grown to love. Packed with innovative features and built-in virus protection, Chromebooks run Google’s very own operating system: ChromeOS. The simplicity and user-friendly nature of ChromeOS make it a perfect choice for a wide range of users, including children, college students, professionals, and the elderly. Every Chromebook provides accessibility, convenience and the world of opportunity that the internet offers.

While there’s no denying that the internet has massively contributed to the spread of information and education, there are two sides to every coin. There are many websites that you may not want your children or those in your care to access. In this article we’ll cover the reasons you might want to block certain websites, as well as how to block a website on your Chromebook using Parental Control. Finally, we’ll discuss how to blacklist websites that you don’t want little Timmy accessing, as well as methods to un-blacklist sites.

Reasons for blocking a website

Believe it or not, there are around 1.1 billion websites on the internet, but surprisingly only around 200 million of these are actively maintained and visited. Among these 200 million websites, there are some that are best avoided in order to protect your privacy, security, personal well-being, and of course, your productivity. Let’s consider a few common reasons that you may add a URL to your website blacklist:

Child protection: Way back in 2021, 93% of 3 to 18-year-olds in America had home internet access, with 87% of American teens between 13 and 17 reporting access to a desktop or laptop device. By preventing access to inappropriate or harmful content, children can enjoy a safer browsing experience. Various websites feature adult content, violence, misinformation, and even nefarious individuals who may harm young users. Blocking inappropriate websites that pose a risk to our children contributes to a safer, healthier digital environment.

Reducing screen time: Many Chromebook users already keep tabs on their children’s screen time via the Family Link app. Alas, some websites are designed to be addictive and keep you scrolling. Too much screen time can lead to all sorts of issues ranging from increased stress to insomnia, reduced productivity, and even eye strain. Blocking certain social media, streaming, gaming, and gambling websites can contribute to healthier, more balanced online habits, and overall well being.

Productivity boost: It’s no secret that social media, gaming, shopping, and other distracting websites can quickly eat up your school or workday. If you’re an employer, this may well be something you’re already familiar with. Employees wasting time on websites unrelated to work can really reduce efficiency, leading to lower productivity and missed deadlines. Block offending websites and your students or employees are bound to excel in a focused work or study environment.

Security enhancement: While some websites are designed to keep you scrolling, other malicious websites are designed to simply steal your data, to even install malware on your device on the sly. While Chromebooks are mostly virus free, avoiding websites that may pose a security risk helps to prevent malware, viruses, and phishing scams. By blocking websites that are known threats, you reduce your cybersecurity risks and keep important data secure.

How to turn on Parental Control on a Chromebook

If you’ve got children, then taking the step of turning on Parental control on your (or your kid’s) Chromebook is a decent start to creating a safer online environment. It’s a wise idea to first set up child accounts for the young Chromebook users in your family. After you’ve set them up with an account, setting up Parental Control on your Chromebook is a breeze. To block websites on a Chromebook, simply:

Open the Family Link app
Select your child
Tap Controls, navigate to Google Chrome and Web.
Choose the setting that’s right for your family:
Allow all sites: Your child can visit all sites, except the ones you manually block (more on that later)
Try to block explicit sites: Alas, no filter is perfect, but this approach should help to hide 18+ sexually explicit sites
Only allow approved sites: Your child can only visit the sites you allow

How to blacklist a website on Chrome

The Chromebook website blocker approach outlined above generally covers the bases for adult and inappropriate content. That said, if there are specific “problem" websites that you want to stop your child accessing, you need to manually enter the websites to stop access. Do this by following these steps:

Open the Family Link app
Select your child
Tap Controls, navigate to Google Chrome and Web
Under Manage sites, click Approved sites and Blocked sites
Select Add a website
Add a website, like www.badsite.com or simply the domain, like badsite.
Websites: Include the www. portion of the URL, like www.badsite.com instead of google.com.
If you block or allow a specific website, the permission doesn't apply to sites that begin or end differently, like www.badsite.co.uk or photos.badsite.com.
Domains: If you block or allow an entire domain, the permission also applies to sites that begin or end differently, like www.badsite.com and images.badsite.fr.

To un-blacklist a site for a child’s account, just follow the above steps until you reach the Manage sites section, then remove the blacklisted site from the Blocked site list. If there’s a website that your child has used but you’ve decided to block to help them focus on studies, then they can actually ask your permission to visit it by choosing:

Ask in person: Adult users can review the request from their children’s device, and approve or deny it with your Google Account password.
Ask in a message: You’ll get a notification in the Family Link app where you can approve or deny their request to access the blocked website.

Final thoughts on website blocking

We hope you’ve enjoyed today’s informative adventure into the world of blocking websites on Chromebooks. As Chromebook and Chromebook Plus technology continues to advance, new methods to block and unblock websites on ChromeOS devices will emerge. Check back with the Google support page for the latest information to ensure that you and your family stay safe online.