BlockMyself

Block Inappropriate or Distracting Content

Light Accountability (Not Very Technical)

 

iPhone

On an iPhone, use Apple’s built-in Screen Time controls to filter web content and restrict apps:

  1. Enable Content Restrictions: Open Settings and go to Screen Time. If not already on, tap Turn On Screen Tim eand set a passcode (have someone else set the passcode for accountability, if possible). Now tap Content & Privacy Restrictions and toggle it On  🔗 i5apps.com  🔗 support.apple.com.
  2. Block Adult Websites: Under Content & Privacy, select Content Restrictions > Web Content. Choose “Limit Adult Websites.” This will automatically filter many adult sites in Safari and other apps 🔗 support.apple.com  🔗 support.apple.com. You can add specific sites to the “Never Allow” list by tapping Add Website under Never Allow and entering the URL of any site you want to block 🔗 i5apps.com.
  3. Allowed Websites Only (Optional): For stricter control (e.g. for a child), select “Allowed Websites Only.” This whitelists a few kid-friendly sites and blocks everything else. You can add or remove sites from the allowed list as needed 🔗 support.apple.com.
  4. Restrict App Downloads and Explicit Content: Still in Content & Privacy Restrictions, set Content Restrictions for apps and media. For example, under Apps, choose an age rating (like 12+ or 17+) to block apps with mature content 🔗 support.apple.com. You can also set App Store Purchases to “Don’t Allow” to prevent installing or deleting apps without permission  🔗 support.apple.com (this stops someone from adding a new unfiltered browser).
  5. Use Screen Time Passcode: Ensure you have a Screen Time passcode enabled (in the Screen Time menu). For accountability, have a trusted person set this passcode so only they can change the settings. This prevents you (or your kids) from easily undoing the restrictions.

With these steps, your iPhone will block inappropriate websites system-wide (Safari, in-app browsers)  🔗 support.apple.com and limit adult content in apps. It’s a free solution using iOS’s built-in features.

 

Android

Most Android phones don’t have a single switch for adult content, but you can achieve similar protection with Google’s Family Link parental controls or a safe browsing app:

  1. Google Family Link Setup (For Child’s Device): Download Google Family Link on your phone (parent) and on the child’s Android. Create a Google account for your child if they don’t have one. Follow the prompts to link your child’s device to Family Link. Once set up, open the Family Link app (on the parent phone), select your child, and go to Manage settings > Filters on Google Chrome  🔗 support.google.com.
  2. Enable Chrome Web Filtering: In Family Link’s Chrome settings, choose “Try to block explicit sites.” This setting makes Chrome attempt to block sexually explicit or violent websites 🔗 support.google.com  🔗 support.google.com. You can also add specific URLs under Blocked sites to always block them, and add any important ones under Approved sites  🔗 support.google.com. (Incognito mode will be disabled for managed accounts 🔗 support.google.com.)
  3. Restrict Apps and Play Store Content: In Family Link, go to Manage settings > Google Play. Set an appropriate age filter for apps/movies, and turn on Require approval for any new app installs. This way, the child cannot install new apps (like alternative browsers or unwanted apps) without permission 🔗 safety.google.
  4. YouTube and Search: Family Link will automatically turn on SafeSearch for Google searches and Restricted Mode for YouTube when possible 🔗 support.google.com. It’s good to double-check those are enabled in the Google app and YouTube app settings.
  5. Alternate Solution (For Personal Device): If you’re an adult user securing your own phone (not using Family Link), you can install a free filtering app. For example, “Adult Block” (available on Google Play) uses a constantly updated DNS filter to block pornographic content on the device. It’s easy to use and even has an uninstall protection feature 🔗 findmykids.org  🔗 findmykids.org. Simply install it and follow the in-app instructions to enable the VPN-based filter. Similarly, apps like SPIN Safe Browser can be used for web browsing with built-in porn blocking.

Using these methods, your Android device will have porn sites filtered on Chrome and other browsers (if you use a safe VPN app, it covers all web traffic). Note: Family Link’s web filter works only in Chrome; it will automatically block unsupported browsers on the child’s device 🔗 support.microsoft.com 🔗 support.microsoft.com. If you are not using Family Link, consider uninstalling or disabling other browsers and using a filtered browser exclusively.

(Optional: Other free apps to consider include CleanBrowsing DNS (requires downloading their app from cleanbrowsing.org, since it’s not on Play Store 🔗 findmykids.org) and BlockSite. BlockSite can block adult sites by category on Android; however, its free version may be limited to a couple of categories or custom entries 🔗 thewindowsclub.com 🔗 thewindowsclub.com.)

 

Windows

For Windows 10/11, the easiest approach is to use Microsoft Family Safety (free with a Microsoft account) or basic built-in settings to filter web content and apps (check 🔗 Medium and 🔗 Full steps if more blocking is needed):

  1. Set Up a Family Account: Go to Settings > Accounts > Family & other users on the PC. Add a Child account (Microsoft account for your child, or create one). Log in with your parent Microsoft account at family.microsoft.com or the Microsoft Family Safety app on mobile to manage settings 🔗 answers.microsoft.com 🔗 support.microsoft.com.
  2. Enable Web Filtering: In the Family Safety settings for your child’s account, navigate to Content filters > Web and search. Turn on “Filter inappropriate websites and searches.” This will block many adult websites on that account when using Microsoft Edge 🔗 support.microsoft.com 🔗 support.microsoft.com. By default, other browsers (Chrome, Firefox) are blocked from running, to ensure the child can’t bypass the filter 🔗 support.microsoft.com. (Edge is required for the web filter to work properly.)
  3. Allowed/Blocked Lists: Still under Web and search settings, you can add specific URLs to Always allowed or Never allowed lists. For example, add any particularly concerning sites to the blocked list. You can also toggle “Only use allowed websites” if you want a whitelist-only mode (strict, only sites you permit will work) 🔗 support.microsoft.com 🔗 support.microsoft.com.
  4. App and Game Restrictions: In Family Safety, set Apps & games content restrictions. Choose an age limit (e.g., block apps rated above 17+) 🔗 answers.microsoft.com. You can also require that any app installations from Microsoft Store need approval. This prevents the user from installing web browsers or apps that might have adult content.
  5. Enforce Standard User: Have your child (or yourself, if self-monitoring) use a Standard (non-admin) Windows account for daily use. Keep the Admin account password with a parent or accountability partner. This way, the standard user cannot easily install new software or disable protections. (For instance, if you’re blocking yourself, ask someone you trust to be the admin.)

With these steps, inappropriate websites will be filtered on the Windows user account through Edge 🔗 support.microsoft.com 🔗 support.microsoft.com, and most adult content will be blocked or require permission. If you are setting this up for yourself and not a child, you may choose not to use Family Safety but instead use a third-party filtering tool or browser extension (see Medium level for those options). Still, using a standard user account with someone else holding admin rights is a powerful accountability measure even for non-technical users.

 

Mac

On a Mac, you can use Screen Time (Parental Controls) similar to the iPhone approach, since macOS has this built in:

  1. Enable Screen Time on Mac: Go to System Settings (or System Preferences) > Screen Time. If it’s your first time, turn it on and set a Screen Time passcode. Make sure to select the correct user account if you have multiple users.
  2. Turn On Content & Privacy Restrictions: In Screen Time settings for the user, enable Content & Privacy. Then click Content Restrictions. Under Web Content, choose “Limit Adult Websites.” This will auto-block many adult sites in Safari and other browsers on the Mac 🔗 support.apple.com 🔗 support.apple.com. You can add specific URLs under Restricted (Never Allow) to block particular sites, and add any important ones under Allowed, just like on iPhone.
  3. Allowed Websites Only (Optional): For a very young user, you could choose “Allowed Websites Only” and define a small list of safe sites. macOS provides a default list of child-appropriate sites when this is selected; you can edit this list.
  4. Restrict Apps by Age Rating: Still in Content Restrictions, set age limits for apps. For example, you can restrict Apps to 12+ to block apps rated for older teens/adults. You can also prevent the installation of new apps: under Store Restrictions, set App Downloads to “Don’t Allow” or require a password.
  5. Use a Separate Admin Account: As on Windows, consider using a non-admin account for everyday use. Enable Screen Time on that account and have an admin account (with the password held by someone else). This prevents the standard user from disabling Screen Time or installing unauthorized software.

These built-in Mac controls will filter out adult websites on all browsers (Safari, Chrome, etc., when using Limit Adult Websites, macOS intercepts network requests) and restrict apps above the set rating 🔗 support.apple.com 🔗 support.apple.com. The interface is user-friendly, making it suitable for non-technical users. (Optional: There are also free Mac apps like “Cold Turkey Blocker” which can block websites and apps across browsers 🔗 thewindowsclub.com 🔗 thewindowsclub.com. But in Light mode, Screen Time usually suffices. For example, Cold Turkey’s free version can block an unlimited number of websites and even lock you out of the entire internet temporarily 🔗 findmykids.org 🔗 findmykids.org. You might use such a tool if you need additional scheduling or want to block other content like gambling sites.)