How to Block a Website on Mac

This wikiHow teaches you how to block a website on a Mac. While there isn't a built-in way to block your own access to a certain website, you can download an app called SelfControl or Cold Turkey to block sites for a set amount of time....

Method 2 of 3:

Using Cold Turkey

  • Picture 16 of How to Block a Website on Mac

    Go to https://getcoldturkey.com in a web browser. You can use any web browser on your Mac.

  • Picture 17 of How to Block a Website on Mac

    Click Download Now. It's the green button in the middle of the webpage.

  • Picture 18 of How to Block a Website on Mac Click Download for macOS. It's the grey button in the box labeled "Basic". This is the free version of Cold Turkey. The free version allows you to block websites on Safari, Chrome, and Firefox for a set period of time.
  • The green button is the Pro version of Cold Turkey. It costs $25 and allows you to set daily time limits, block applications, and more.
  • Picture 19 of How to Block a Website on Mac

    Click on the "Cold_Turkey_Mac_Installer.pkg" file. This file can be found in your Downloads folder, or at the bottom of Safari or Chrome when you download the file.

  • Picture 20 of How to Block a Website on Mac Follow the instructions to install Cold Turkey. Once you click on the install file, follow the on-screen instruction to install Cold Turkey:
  • Click Continue in the lower-right corner fo the Installer window.
  • Click Continue to install the app for all users on your computer.
  • Click Install.
  • Enter the password for your Mac username.
  • Click Close once the installation is finished.
  • Picture 21 of How to Block a Website on Mac Click the Spotlight Picture 22 of How to Block a Website on Mac and type in "Cold Turkey". The spotlight search is in the upper-right corner of the menu bar. Once you type in the app name, a list of matching searches should show up below the search bar.
  • Picture 23 of How to Block a Website on Mac Click Cold Turkey Blocker.app. This opens the Cold Turkey Blocker app.
  • Alternatively, you can click on "Cold Turkey Blocker.app" in your Applications folder.
  • Picture 24 of How to Block a Website on Mac Click Install next to the web browsers you use. This opens the Extension install page in the web browser. The Cold Turkey extension is available for Safari, Chrome, and Firefox.
  • The Safari extension is automatically installed when you install the Cold Turkey app.
  • Picture 25 of How to Block a Website on Mac

    Open your web browser. You will need to install the extension and enable it on your web browser. When you open your web browser, the install page should already be open.

  • Picture 26 of How to Block a Website on Mac

    Click Install in the web browser. This displays a pop-up asking if you want to add the extension to your web browser.

  • Picture 27 of How to Block a Website on Mac Add the extension to your web browser. The way this is done is slightly different from one web browser to the next. Use the following steps to add the Cold Turkey extension to your web browser.
  • Safari:
  • The Cold Turkey extension is added to Safari automatically.
  • Chrome:
  • Click Add to chrome in the pop-up at the top.
  • Click Add extension.
  • "Firefox:'
  • Click Allow
  • Click Add.
  • Click Ok.
  • Picture 28 of How to Block a Website on Mac Enable the extension in your web browser. The extension must be enabled in your web browser. If it is not enabled, Cold Turkey will shut down your web browser within 30 seconds. Use the following steps to check to see if Cold Turkey is enabled on your web browser.
  • Safari:
  • Click Safari in the menu bar at the top of the screen.
  • Click Preferences in the drop-down menu.
  • Click the Extensions tab.
  • Click the checkbox next to "Cold Turkey".
  • Chrome:
  • Click in the upper-right corner of Chrome.
  • Click More Tools in the drop-down menu.
  • Click Extensions.
  • Click the toggle switch below the Cold Turkey extension. It should be blue.
  • Firefox:
  • Click in the upper-right corner of Firefox.
  • Click Add ons.
  • Click Extensions in the sidebar to the left.
  • Click Enable next to Cold Turkey.
  • Picture 29 of How to Block a Website on Mac Open the Cold Turkey app again. If should be in the Dock at the bottom of the screen. If it's not already open, you can search for the app using the Spotlight Search icon, or click on it in your Applications folder in the Finder.
  • If you see a pop-up with a green button that says "Restart Required" next to any web browser. Click the green button to restart your browser. Then click Close.
  • Picture 30 of How to Block a Website on Mac Click Edit block lists. It's the green button at the bottom of the "Dashboard" page.
  • Alternative, you can click the "Block Lists" option in the menu to the left.
  • Picture 31 of How to Block a Website on Mac Click + Add a new block list. This creates a new list of blocked sites.
  • Cold Turkey also has a pre-installed list called "Distractions" with 54 common sites already listed.
  • Picture 32 of How to Block a Website on Mac

    Type a name for the list. Use the bar at the top labeled "New Block List" to type the name of your block list.

  • Picture 33 of How to Block a Website on Mac Type a web address at the top of the list and press Return. Use the bar that says "Type URL, then press the return key" to enter a website you want to block. For example, if you want to block Facebook, you would type www.facebook.com. Add as many websites as you want.
  • To remove a website from the list, click the website, then click Remove.
  • Picture 34 of How to Block a Website on Mac Click Save. When you are finished entering all the websites you want to block, click Save to save the list.
  • To Edit a block list, click the "Block Lists" option on the left, they click Edit below a list name.
  • Picture 35 of How to Block a Website on Mac

    Click the Timers option. It's below an icon that resembles a clock in the menu to the left.

  • Picture 36 of How to Block a Website on Mac

    Click the calendar icon next to a block list name. The Timers screen displays all block lists you have created. Click the icon that resembles a calendar next to the block list you want to use.

  • Picture 37 of How to Block a Website on Mac Click the day, hour, and minute you want the timer to end. You can set the timer for as many days as you want.
  • If you want to set an hourly timer, click the current day.
  • Picture 38 of How to Block a Website on Mac

    Click the toggle switch to activate the timer. It's on the left side across from the list name. This displays a confirmation pop-up.

  • Picture 39 of How to Block a Website on Mac Click Yes. This confirms that you want to set a timer and blocks the websites in the block list for the set amount of time.
  • WARNING: Once you set a timer, you cannot turn it off until the timer runs out.
  • David Pac David Pac

    Update 24 March 2020

    ncG1vNJzZmismaXArq3KnmWcp51ktbDDjK2mZpqcpLCsecBmrp6ao57BpnnOp2SmmZM%3D