How to Block All Websites Except a Few on iPhone

Last updated October 28, 2026

BlockMind

Quick answer

• Where: Settings > Screen Time > Content & Privacy Restrictions > App Store, Media, Web & Games > Web Content.
• Setting: Allowed Websites, then add each site you want to keep.
• Result: every other website is blocked in browsers on the device.
• The catch: it is always on, and anyone with the passcode can switch it off.

Blocklist vs allowlist: which do you need?

Most people block websites with a blocklist: you list the distracting websites and everything else stays open. That works until a new feed or news site takes their place. An allowlist flips it. You list the few sites you actually need, such as your email, a course platform or work tools, and the rest of the web is closed. It is the strictest option on iPhone, and it is useful for exam weeks, deep work sprints, or a phone you only want to use for a handful of things.

If you only need to shut a few sites, start with how to block websites on iPhone instead.

How to set up a website allowlist with Screen Time

1. Open Settings and tap Screen Time. Turn it on if it is off.
2. Set a Screen Time passcode so the restriction cannot be removed in one tap. For a stronger lock, let someone else choose it.
3. Tap Content & Privacy Restrictions and switch it on.
4. Tap App Store, Media, Web & Games, then Web Content.
5. Choose Allowed Websites. On older iOS versions this may be called Allowed Websites Only.
6. iOS adds a few sites to the list by default. Swipe left on any you do not want and delete them.
7. Tap Add Website, enter a title and the address, for example mail.google.com or your school's learning site, and repeat for each site you need.

How to fix sites that break

Allowlists are strict, and modern websites often depend on more than one address. If a site on your list will not load or sign you in, these are the usual causes:

• Sign-in pages on another domain. Many services send you to a separate login address. When you see a blocked page, check its address and add that domain.
• Different subdomains. A site may use www., app. or a country version. Add the exact address you see in the address bar.
• Links that go somewhere else. Shortened links and redirects will be blocked unless their final address is on your list.
• Search. If you want to look things up, add your search engine, but remember the results will mostly lead to blocked pages.

Build the list in one sitting: open each tool you use, note any blocked address, add it, and test again until your normal workflow runs without errors.

Test every browser and in-app browser

After setting it up, try a blocked site in Safari and in any other browser you have installed. Then tap a link inside a messaging or social app, since many apps open links in their own built-in browser. If something still gets through, block that app with an App Limit. Our guide on how to block apps on iPhone shows how.

Where the allowlist falls short

• No schedule. It is on all day, every day. Switching it off for the evening means opening Settings and typing the passcode, which is exactly the habit you are trying to avoid.
• It only covers websites. Apps are untouched, so the social and video apps on your phone still open unless you limit them separately.
• You may hold the passcode. If you set it yourself, you can undo it in seconds when an urge hits.
• It can be too strict. Daily life needs maps, banking, delivery tracking and countless sign-in pages. Many people give up on an allowlist after a few days because something important keeps breaking.

A more flexible option: a scheduled website blocker

For most people, the goal is not a phone that can only open five websites. It is a phone that cannot open the distracting ones when it matters. A blocker like BlockMind handles that with a blocklist that runs on your terms:

• Block distracting websites and apps together, so the feed is closed in the browser and the app at the same time.
• Block right now, on a schedule, or after a daily usage limit, for example during study hours or after 10 pm.
• Add a turn-off wait of 15 minutes up to 24 hours, so you cannot cancel a block on impulse.
• Turn on Strict Mode to lock your blocking settings for a period you choose.
• Unlock new house phases as your streak grows, so staying focused feels like progress instead of punishment.

See the best app blocker for iPhone for a comparison, or how Strict Mode works.

Which setup should you use?

A simple study routine with an allowlist

Before a study block, switch on the allowlist with only your course site, notes and email. Put the phone out of reach, work for a set period, then take a planned break. If you would rather not touch Settings every day, use a scheduled blocker instead. Our guide on how to stay focused while studying covers the full routine.

Related guides

• How to block websites on iPhone
• How to block X (Twitter) on iPhone
• Can Focus mode block apps on iPhone?
• How to limit screen time on iPhone

Bottom line

To block every website except a few on iPhone, use Screen Time's Allowed Websites list and add each domain your tools need, including sign-in pages. It is free and strict, but it has no schedule and ignores apps. If you want distracting websites and apps blocked only when it matters, a website blocker like BlockMind is easier to keep using.