Screen Time is the best answer to how to block pornography on iOS devices. Powered by a parental control tool “This is My Child’s iPhone” and option to create a unique passcode only a trusted person or a parent can know, it provides reliable protection from porn content.
Even when you block it, porn finds its way to appear in front of your eyes. And honestly? Even the most confident person can doubt they can block all porn from their life because it’s everywhere.
But you’re not the problem. The times we live in are.
Porn doesn’t live on “porn sites” anymore. It’s designed to grab attention in TikTok feeds, YouTube thumbnails, Reddit threads, Discord servers, and algorithm-driven Reels. Even built-in parental controls can’t keep up because they were built for blocking porn sites, not filtering content inside apps.
But we can fix this properly. Our guide will show you exactly how to block porn on every device you own — iPhone, Android, Mac, Windows, your home router, and inside the apps where explicit content actually hides. No more guessing, gaps, or “I thought I had it covered.” You’re about to learn what actually works.
Key takeaways:
- Don’t guess how to block pornography, but ban it on multiple layers: device-level settings (Screen Time on iPhone, Family Link on Android), network-level filtering (router DNS settings), and app-based protection for real-time AI filtering.
- Built-in controls might help, but they have significant gaps: browsers can bypass them, social media apps serve sexualized content, and kids can find workarounds.
- Here is how to ban porn most effectively: install device restrictions, get a full-scale porn content blocker like the Canopy AI-powered tool, and maintain a conscious approach about why these protections matter.
Why Blocking Porn Matters Today
As explicit content becomes more extreme and accessible, understanding how to block porn websites is a necessary measure for basic online hygiene. And the risks rise for children, as they can encounter porn accidentally through search engines, social media, or pop-up ads.
It’s not an isolated problem: understanding how to block porn matters to everyone. If you’re not aware of what does porn do to the brain, you’ll get hooked easily (especially if you’re vulnerable to it).
Without proper protection and understanding how to stop watching porn, your device becomes a portal to unlimited graphic material that:
- changes your brain and perception of life,
- influences your relationship expectations,
- feeds your fantasies with prescribed scenarios, and
- normalizes behaviors that don’t reflect healthy sexuality.
That’s why you need a guide that explains how to block porn on Internet comprehensively, including both device-level and network-level protection.
6 Main Ways How to Block Porn
Learning how to block pornography effectively means understanding all your options and controlling all the access points it can get to you:
- Device settings: iOS Screen Time or Android Family Link let you restrict adult content, block specific websites, and limit app downloads directly on phones, tablets, and computers.
- Parental control apps: Tools to detect and block explicit content in real time across. Depending on the software chosen, they can be more comprehensive than device settings because they analyze actual content, not just website URLs.
- Browser extensions: Apps that help to block all porn sites by adding filtering to Chrome, Safari, or Firefox. They’re helpful for personal accountability but don’t protect apps.
- Router-level content filter: An upper-level method of how to limit porn that blocks adult content for every device connected to your home WiFi by filtering traffic at the network level.
- DNS filters: They are similar to router filtering but can be configured on individual devices.
- Mobile carrier restrictions: Settings that let you enable content filters through your cellular provider, blocking adult websites when using mobile data.
The most effective approach to prevent porn is combining device restrictions and browser extensions for basic protection, adding a parental control app for real-time content filtering in other places, and installing router- and mobile carrier-level filtering to cover all devices on your home network.
How to Block Porn From Your Life: Step-by-Step Instructions
In this part of the guide, we’ll provide exact guidance on how to block pornography from your phone, computer, WIFi router, social media, and apps, and why getting a parental control app is the best choice to tackle the problem.
How to Block Porn on Phones (iPhone & Android)
The exact way how to limit porn on phones is to use built-in parental controls like Screen Time for iPhone and Family Link for Android, combined with browser restrictions and app-level blocking. Although they won’t block porn from social apps (we’ll show how to block pornography there later), it’s the necessary first step to get rid of it.
Let’s see how to block porn sites on iPhone and iPad.
How to block porn on iPhone / iPad (iOS Screen Time)
Block or limit time on problematic sites: Set time limits or completely block apps on your phone/tablet:
- Go to Screen Time → App Limits.
- Set time limits or completely block browsers (Safari, Chrome), social media (YouTube, Instagram, TikTok, Snapchat), or any app potentially accessing explicit content.
- Under “Always Allowed,” remove apps that shouldn’t be accessible during downtime.
Limit specific adult websites: Use the iOS tool for blocking porn sites:
- Go to Screen Time and enable the toggle on Communication Safety.
- Although it won’t automatically block all porn sites, iOS will blur inappropriate content and provide guidance and age-appropriate resources to your kid.
Set comprehensive content restrictions: Add a basic protection layer for age-sensitive content on the apps:
- Go to Screen Time and enable the toggle on Content & Privacy Restrictions
- Go to App Store, Media, Web & Games → Content Restrictions.
- In Apps, set a relevant age rating (4+, 9+, 12+, or 17+) to prevent downloading apps serving adult content.
- In Apps, restrict explicit (set Clean) content in Music, Podcasts, News, and Books.
- In the Web Content menu, choose Limit Adult Websites.
- If you look for the solution to how to stop searching porn, disable Siri Web Search.
Disable private browsing: Add an extra protection layer to prevent bypassing content filters:
- Go to Content & Privacy Restrictions → Content Restrictions → Web Content.
- Double-check that private browsing is blocked.
Enable Screen Time with parental control: Ask your trusted one or do it as a parent:
- Open Settings → Screen Time and tap “Turn On Screen Time.”
- Choose “This is My Child’s iPhone” (if a parent) or ask your trusted one to do this.
- Create a unique Screen Time passcode that only you (or your trusted one) will know.
How to Block Porn on Android:
Android devices use Google Family Link and Chrome browser settings to restrict content. Let’s see your options how to block porn on Android.
Set time limits and app blocks: Limit mindless scrolling on your phone/tablet:
- Open Settings → Digital Wellbeing & parental controls → Dashboard.
- Set timers for the apps you choose.
- Enable “Focus mode” to temporarily block distracting apps during vulnerable hours.
- Schedule “Bedtime mode” to pause apps and grayscale screen during late-night hours when porn relapse risk is highest
Block adult websites in Chrome: Check out how to block porn on Google:
- Open Chrome → Settings → Privacy and security → Safe Browsing → Enable “Enhanced protection.”
- Install BlockSite extension (via Chrome Web Store on desktop) and enable “Adult Content” blocking.
- To prevent bypass, block alternative browsers (Firefox, Brave) in Play Store parental controls
Enforce SafeSearch: Add an extra protection layer to filter explicit content from Google Search, Images, and partially from YouTube:
- Open Google app → Profile → Settings → General.
- Toggle “SafeSearch filter” ON.
- An alternative way: visit google.com in the browser → Settings → SafeSearch filters → Turn on “Filter explicit results”
Filter content with DNS settings: Here is how to limit porn on Android by filtering pornographic websites at network level before they load:
- Go to Settings → Network & Internet → Private DNS → “Private DNS provider hostname.”
- Enter “family-filter-dns.cleanbrowsing.org” and tap “Save.”
Set up Google Family Link: The parental tool you can use for your kid:
- Download Google Family Link .
- Create a supervised Google Account for your child or link their existing account.
- Follow setup prompts to establish parental supervision and manage content filters, approving apps, setting screen time, and viewing activity.
How to Block Porn on Computers (Mac, Windows, Chromebook)
To block porn on computers, as on phones, a sigle best porn blocker won’t work. You should combine several tools — namely, operating system parental controls with browser restrictions and network-level filtering. As computers offer more control and more workarounds than phones (multiple browsers, easier access to system settings), the computer-level porn blocking is trickier.
That’s why it’s better to start configuring your block settings with your phone and then strengthen them on a desktop.
How to Block Porn on Mac
Here is how to block porn on Mac:
- Open System Settings → Screen Time → Turn on Screen Time → Create passcode.
- Go to Content & Privacy → Web Content → Select “Limit Adult Websites.”
- Click “+” under “Never Allow” to manually add specific porn sites.
- For strictest blocking, choose “Allowed Websites Only” (whitelist mode).
How to block pornography content from other websites:
- Set up DNS filtering: System Settings → Network → Select connection → Details → DNS
- Click “+” and add CleanBrowsing Family Filter: 185.228.168.168 and 185.228.169.168
- Or OpenDNS Family Shield: 208.67.222.123 and 208.67.220.123.
Restrict suspicious app downloads:
- In Screen Time → Content & Privacy → Apps → Set age restrictions (4+, 9+, 12+, 17+).
- Block specific apps under App Limits that could access explicit content.
- Prevent app deletion without passcode.
How to block porn with Mac parental control tools:
- Set up Family Sharing: System Settings → Family → Add family member.
- Create Apple ID for your child and enable “Ask to Buy” for app purchases.
- Configure Screen Time restrictions remotely from your device.
- Monitor their activity, set downtime schedules, and adjust limits as needed.
How to Block Porn on Windows
How to block porn websites: You’ll need to download an external blocker for your computer
- Use Cisdem AppCrypt or ColdTurkey Blocker for blocking all porn sites with one click.
- Install BlockerX Chrome extension to filter adult-content websites.
- For extra protection, set up Ever Accountable or similar accountability software that monitors your browsing activity.
How to block pornography content from other websites:
- Install Microsoft Family Safety for built-in filtering in the Edge browser (most reliable option for Windows).
- Add BlockSite extension or connect Google Family Link for Chrome browser protection.
- Set up router-level DNS filtering (CleanBrowsing or OpenDNS) to cover Firefox and other browsers that lack native parental controls.
Restrict suspicious app downloads:
- Enable app and game restrictions in Family Safety settings to require approval before downloads.
- Block specific apps or limit installations to age-appropriate content only through the Family Safety dashboard.
- Remove any VPN apps that could bypass content filters and monitor the app request history regularly.
How to block porn by implementing activity monitoring and time limits:
- Enable activity reporting at account.microsoft.com/family to track browsing history and blocked content attempts.
- Set screen time limits to reduce unsupervised browsing during vulnerable hours like late night.
- Add specific URLs to your custom block list manually and review activity reports weekly.
How to Block Porn on Chromebook
How to block porn websites with Google extensions:
- For blocking, download BlockerX from Chrome Web Store.
- For real-time explicit content filtering, install BlockP.
- Additionally, you can test free extensions like Stop-it v2 or Ninja Adult Porn Blocker.
How to block pornography content from other websites:
Configure DNS filtering at the system level:
- Chromebook Settings → Your connected network → Name Servers.
- Select “Custom name servers” and enter CleanBrowsing Family Filter DNS (185.228.168.168 and 185.228.169.168).
- Verify configuration using DNS Leak Test and flush your browser cache to ensure new settings take effect.
Restrict suspicious app downloads:
For this, you’ll need to set up accountability software and a trusted person:
- Install Accountable2You Chrome extension to monitor all browsing activity and send reports to a trusted accountability partner.
- Configure alert notifications so your partner receives immediate alerts when objectionable content is viewed.
- Add custom keywords for specific temptations.
How to block porn with Google Family Link parental control: An alternative way to share with a trusted partner or to protect your child:
- Add your child’s Google Account to Google Family Link and navigate to Manage Settings → Filters on Google Chrome → Try to block mature sites.
- Turn on Restricted Mode for YouTube, enable SafeSearch enforcement, and apply Google Admin policies for school-managed Chromebooks.
- Enable app approval settings so installation requests require authorization, block VPN apps, and set screen time limits with bedtime schedules through families.google.com.
Generally, parental mode apps are more reliable as they prevent you from violating your own rules and can detect explicit material thanks to their in-built tools. They can also work constantly across devices and generally make the task of how to avoid porn sites easier for you.
How to Block Porn on WiFi Router (Network-Level Filtering)
Access your router’s admin panel by typing your router’s IP address into a browser:
- Commonly 192.168.1.1 or 192.168.0.1 (check your router’s label).
- Log in with your admin credentials (often printed on the router or set during initial setup).
- Look for DNS settings under Internet Settings, WAN Setup, or Advanced Settings, depending on your router brand.
Replace your current DNS servers with filtering DNS addresses (save and reboot router after):
- CleanBrowsing Family Filter: Primary DNS: 185.228.168.168, Secondary DNS: 185.228.169.168.
- OpenDNS Family Shield: Primary DNS: 208.67.222.123, Secondary DNS: 208.67.220.123.
- Cloudflare for Families (Malware + Adult Content): Primary DNS: 1.1.1.3, Secondary DNS: 1.0.0.3.
Generally, router filtering provides comprehensive network-level protection, yet you’ll need to support it with other tools to block all porn, as DNS blocklists may not catch new pornographic domains and do not filter explicit content embedded in social media apps.
How to Block Porn on Social Media & Apps
Social media platforms and messaging apps have become major sources of pornographic content, as there is porn on Pinterest, Porn on Spotify, and even porn on Google Maps. Blocking all these websites is not possible or necessary, but you’ll need customized controls to address this issue there:
- TikTok protection: Enable Restricted Mode in TikTok settings (Privacy → Restricted Mode) to filter inappropriate content.
- Instagram: Here is how to block pornography on Instagram: Turn on Sensitive Content Control (Settings → Account → Sensitive Content Control → Limit) to reduce sexually suggestive content in Explore and Reels.
- Snapchat and YouTube controls: Enable Restricted Mode in settings.
- Reddit and Discord management: Use a parental control app that filters NSFW content in real time.
Note that all these measures are just basic-level protections — you’ll need a smart tool like Canopy that can dynamically detect explicit content in real time and hide it from you.
How to Block Porn on YouTube
YouTube’s massive content library includes inappropriate material that can reach children despite filtering efforts. Protecting kids requires understanding available blocking methods and their limitations to create layered defenses.
- SafeSearch: Filters explicit content from Google search results across all services. Must be locked through Family Link or children can disable it
- Restricted Mode: YouTube’s built-in filter using metadata, titles, and community flags that blocks age-restricted videos and content flagged as mature
- Profile-Based Limitations: YouTube Kids app and supervised Google accounts set content maturity ratings (9+, 13+, most content)
- Other app-blocking strategies: Check out the detailed instructions how to set parental controls on YouTube to see all your options
Although YouTube protection tools are effective, kids can easily bypass them by creating new, unmonitored accounts with false birthdates, accessing the platform through VPNs, alternative browsers, or third-party apps, or due to the limitations of the platform’s algorithms. That’s why it’s key to strengthen them with third-party blocking apps.
How to Block Porn Forever: Best Practices for Long-Term Protection
Effectively blocking porn isn’t a one-time setup — it requires ongoing attention, layered protection, and open communication. Still, there are no better measures when you have no doubt is porn bad:
- combine device, router, and app blocking as a multilayered defense system and
- be open and conscious about your choice and constantly search for alternatives to porn.
At the end of the day, your commitment and consistency matter most. The rest is handled by the software.
FAQs on How to Block Porn
How to block porn on YouTube?
To prevent porn on YouTube, configure Google SafeSearch, turn on Restricted Mode in the bottom of the YouTube page, set profile-based limitations, and get a smart tool like Canopy AI-powered porn blocker to avoid YouTube filtering loopholes.
How to ban porn with a parental control app and why it’s most effective?
Parental control apps effectively block all porn sites as they use AI-powered content analysis to detect and ban them in real time across all apps, browsers, and websites. Unlike other blockers, restrictions, and extensions that have their limits, apps like Canopy analyze images and videos as they load, catching explicit content in Instagram feeds, TikTok videos, Reddit posts, and anywhere else it appears.
How do I stop kids from bypassing porn filters?
Even when you succeed in blocking porn sites from kids, they may encounter it in unexpected places, like while watching YouTube or downloading suspicious apps. To prevent that from happening, start by blocking VPN app installations using Screen Time (iOS) or Family Link (Android) as they will require approval before downloading. Then, get an extra parental control app with VPN detection features to enforce content blocking even when kids attempt to hide IP addresses.
What is the best parental control app to block all porn?
Canopy porn blocker is highly effective for blocking porn sites. It uses patented AI technology to detect and block pornographic content in real time across all apps, browsers, and websites. Unlike basic website blockers, Canopy analyzes visual content as it loads and works on iOS, Android, Mac, Windows, and Chromebook with features like screen time management, app blocking, VPN detection, and activity monitoring — all from one dashboard.
