How to Block Safari on iPhone (or Just the Sites That Distract You)

To block Safari on iPhone, go to Settings > Screen Time > Content & Privacy Restrictions, turn restrictions on, open Allowed Apps & Features and switch Safari off. Safari disappears from your Home Screen until you turn it back on. If you only want to stop time-wasting browsing, it usually works better to block the distracting websites and keep Safari for maps, banking and links, either in Screen Time or with an app blocker like BlockMind.

Last updated November 4, 2026

BlockMind

Do you really want to block all of Safari?

Before you switch it off, think about what you use Safari for. It opens links from email and messages, booking confirmations, banking pages, restaurant menus and sign-in screens. Blocking the whole browser stops the distractions, but it also gets in the way of a lot of normal tasks.

There are three levels, from strongest to most flexible:

Turn Safari off completely, which hides the app.
Put a time limit on Safari, so you get a few minutes a day.
Block only the distracting websites, and keep Safari for everything else.

Option 1: Turn Safari off completely

Open Settings > Screen Time. Turn Screen Time on if it is not already.
Tap Content & Privacy Restrictions and turn the switch on.
Tap Allowed Apps & Features (on older iOS versions this is called Allowed Apps).
Switch Safari off.

Safari disappears from your Home Screen and App Library. To bring it back, return to the same screen and switch it on. If you set this for yourself, also set a Screen Time passcode that you do not know by heart, or ask someone you trust to set it, otherwise turning Safari back on takes five seconds. Our guide on how to stop bypassing Screen Time limits explains why this matters.

After switching Safari off, test what happens when you tap a link in your mail and messaging apps, so you are not surprised when you need to open something important.

Option 2: Limit Safari to a few minutes a day

Open Settings > Screen Time > App Limits > Add Limit.
Find Safari in the list (you can search for it) and select it.
Choose a daily limit, for example 15 minutes.
Turn on Block at End of Limit and tap Add.

When the time runs out, Safari shows a limit screen. The catch is the Ignore Limit button, which lets you add more time. Without a passcode, the limit is more of a reminder than a block.

The gap: other browsers

Blocking Safari does nothing about Chrome, Firefox, Edge or any other browser on your phone. If you install a second browser the day after you block Safari, you are back where you started. If your goal is to stop browsing, also limit or remove the other browsers. Many apps also open web pages inside the app itself, so test the apps you use most.

Option 3: Block only the distracting websites

For most people the real problem is a handful of sites: YouTube, Reddit, news sites, shopping, social media. You can block those and leave the rest of the web alone.

Go to Settings > Screen Time > Content & Privacy Restrictions > App Store, Media, Web & Games > Web Content.
Choose the option that limits websites.
Under Never Allow, add each site you want to block, for example youtube.com, reddit.com or x.com.
Open the sites in Safari and any other browser to check the block works.

If you want the opposite, only a few allowed sites and nothing else, see how to block all websites except a few on iPhone. The full walkthrough for the Never Allow list is in how to block websites on iPhone.

Which option should you use?

Goal	Best option	Trade-off
No web browsing at all	Turn Safari off, and remove other browsers	Links and some sign-ins become awkward
Less browsing overall	Safari App Limit with a passcode	Ignore Limit is easy without a passcode
Stop a few time-wasting sites	Block those websites	You need to list each site
Block sites only at certain times	An app blocker with schedules	Needs a separate app

Block distracting websites with BlockMind

Screen Time's website list is always on or always off, and you can turn it off yourself in seconds. BlockMind is an iPhone app blocker that adds the parts people usually miss:

Block the websites and apps together, so YouTube is blocked in Safari and as an app at the same time.
Block on a schedule, for example during work hours or after 22:00, and leave Safari fully open the rest of the day. See how to block apps at certain times.
Set a daily usage limit instead of a full block.
Add a turn-off cooldown from 15 minutes up to 24 hours, so you cannot switch protection off the moment you feel like browsing.
Use Strict Mode to lock your settings for a period you choose.

When you open a blocked site you see a message from your future self, and every day you keep your blocks builds a streak and grows your house. Read more about an iPhone app blocker with Strict Mode.

Related guides

Bottom line

You can hide Safari completely in Screen Time's Allowed Apps & Features, or give it a daily App Limit. But blocking the browser also blocks useful things, and other browsers still work. For most people, blocking the specific distracting websites, ideally on a schedule with a cooldown, gives the focus without breaking the phone.

FAQ

How do I block Safari on my iPhone?

Go to Settings > Screen Time > Content & Privacy Restrictions, turn it on, open Allowed Apps & Features and switch Safari off. Set a Screen Time passcode so it cannot be turned back on instantly.

Can I put a time limit on Safari?

Yes. In Settings > Screen Time > App Limits, add a limit for Safari and turn on Block at End of Limit. Without a passcode, the Ignore Limit button lets you add more time.

Does blocking Safari block other browsers?

No. Chrome, Firefox and other browsers keep working. Limit or remove them too, or block specific websites instead of the browser.

How do I block websites in Safari without blocking Safari?

Add the sites to the Never Allow list in Screen Time's Web Content settings, or use an app blocker like BlockMind to block chosen websites and apps on a schedule.