With so much adult content floating around the web, parents are looking for a way to restrict their kids from accessing adult content on their iPhones.
Some adults are not comfortable with adult content, but they come across it while surfing the Internet.
The good news is that a built-in tool allows you to block websites on iPhone, iPad, and iPod.
These tools are flexible in that they can block specific websites. They can also create a list of sites that only kids can use, restricting them from harmful content.
Note: iOS 8 and iOS 11 users can find this feature in the Restrictions settings, while iOS 12 users can locate it in the Screen Time settings.
How to Access Restrictions
This feature allows you to block access to websites. This feature is located in the Screen Time settings or restrictions for older iOS.
This feature also hides apps, prevents certain kinds of communication, and blocks content.
A passcode protects this feature, so a child cannot bypass these restrictions.
To protect your surfing, you need not download an app or sign up for a service. It’s built-in and free.
How to Block Websites in iOS 8 to iOS 11
To block website contents in iOS 8 through 11, use the following restrictions settings below:
- Launch the Settings app on your iOS device
- Next, tap on General
- Tap on Restrictions.
- Then, enter a four-digit code to protect the settings.
- Tap Enable Restrictions and then enter the passcode you created earlier to confirm.
- While in the Restriction screen, go to the Allowed Content section and tap on Websites
- Tap on Limit Adult Content, then exit the Settings app.
How to Block Websites in iOS 12
- On your Home screen, tap on Settings
- Then tap Screen Time
- Next, select Content & Privacy Restrictions. Then, enter a passcode. The passcode can be any four-digit combination. This passcode prevents other people from changing the restrictions you have put in place.
- Tap Content Restrictions
- Then select Web Content and tap on Limit Adult Websites
After setting the restrictions, you can exit the Settings app to save the Screen Time settings.
While blocking adult content and websites may be useful, you may find out that some blocked sites that don’t have adult content allow others to slip through.
Apple doesn’t rate every website on the Internet, so it relies on the users’ ratings, which are sometimes imperfect.
You can set up a list of websites you want your kids to access if you notice your kids can still access adult content after it has placed the restrictions on their devices.
This feature is located on the same screen as Limit Adult Content. The iPhone is pre-configured with websites suitable for children; you can add and remove sites on this list.
How to Remove Websites from the Approved List
- Go to the restricted website screen. For iOS 12 users, tap Allowed Websites Only, while iOS 8-11 should tap on Specific Websites Only.
- Swipe to the left on any websites you want to remove from the list and then tap Delete.
Repeat step 2 for every website you want to delete.
How to Add Websites to the Approved List
- To add new websites to the list, scroll down to the bottom of the approved websites and tap on Add Websites.
- In the Title field, type in the website’s name
- While in the URL field, you can type or paste the website address.
- Tap Web Content to go back to the previous age.
- Exit the settings page when you’re done, and the sites will be added to the list automatically.
Whenever you or your kids visit a website not on the approved list, a message says the site is blocked.
The blocked site will display an Allow Website link, which can add the website to the approved list. If you add it to the list, you have to enter the passcode.
Blocking adult website content is not the only control you can use on your iPhone or iPad.
You can block music with explicit lyrics using the same settings, prevent in-app purchases, and more.
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