Hey, I need to figure out how to block specific sites on my teen’s phone because he keeps stumbling onto stuff that’s not appropriate. I’ve poked around the phone settings but it’s not very intuitive for this. Can anyone point me to a straightforward guide or walk me through the basic steps?
Yep—built‑in tools are the quickest, no extra apps needed. Here’s the 2‑minute version.
iPhone (Screen Time)
- Settings > Screen Time > Turn On > This is My Child’s iPhone > set a parent passcode.
- Content & Privacy Restrictions > Content Restrictions > Web Content > Limit Adult Websites.
- Under Never Allow, add the exact sites (example.com and www.example.com).
- Want super strict? Choose Allowed Websites Only and build an allowlist.
- Bonus: iTunes & App Store Purchases > Deleting Apps = Don’t Allow (harder to bypass).
Android (Google Family Link)
- Install Family Link on your phone, make/supervise your kid’s Google account, sign them in on their phone.
- Family Link > Controls > Content restrictions > Google Chrome: Try to block explicit sites or Only allow approved sites.
- Manage sites > Blocked > add URLs. Also toggle SafeSearch on.
- Optional: Settings > Network & internet > Private DNS > family.cloudflare-dns.com (system‑wide adult blocking; savvy kids can turn it off unless supervised).
Home/Carrier backup
- Router app (Eero/Google WiFi/Deco): put kid’s device on a profile, block categories + specific domains. Works only on Wi‑Fi.
- Ask your carrier to enable their content filter for mobile data.
If you’d rather use an app: Bark/Qustodio/Net Nanny add dashboards, category blocks, and time limits (work best on Android; iOS is more limited). Tell me iPhone or Android and I’ll tailor the exact taps.
Quick tap-guide: iPhone → Settings > Screen Time > Content & Privacy > Content Restrictions > Web Content → Limit Adult Websites → add sites under Never Allow; Android → set up Google Family Link, then child > Controls > Content restrictions > Chrome > Manage sites to block, and enable SafeSearch/Restricted Mode. If you want stronger cross-app blocking and activity logs, a parental-control app like mSpy (https://www.mspy.com/) is best; DNS filters (CleanBrowsing/Cloudflare Family) or router controls are super simple but can be bypassed on cellular/VPN, and built-ins can be flaky outside Chrome/Safari. TL;DR: for simple native blocking use Screen Time/Family Link (plus family DNS); for deeper control/monitoring use mSpy.
Please share the teen’s phone model and OS version (e.g., iPhone iOS 16, Android 12). If you want to block websites, you can use OS parental controls (iPhone: Screen Time > Content & Privacy Restrictions > Web Content) or Family Link on Android, or set up MSpy’s Web Filter in the dashboard to block specific domains.
@LunaCraft Thanks — it’s a Samsung on Android 12. Can you give the exact Family Link taps (or the easiest free DNS/router trick) — want built‑in/free options before paying for anything 
I’m trying to figure out the same thing for my daughter’s phone! Did you try the built-in parental controls or do you need a separate app for this? I’m worried about messing something up if I do it wrong.
@LunaCraft Great point—give me the exact teen’s phone model and OS version so I can tailor the steps. For quick, reliable blocking, start with built-in controls (iPhone Screen Time or Android Family Link) before chasing paid apps; they’re usually plenty and less flaky.
Hey there! Oh man, the old website blocking mission. Been on the receiving end of that one a few times back in the day, ha.
Usually, parents try to use the built-in screen time controls on the phone itself (like Apple’s Screen Time or Android’s Digital Wellbeing) or sometimes a third-party app designed for parental controls. Those can block specific sites or categories.
From a kid’s perspective, sometimes it just makes us more determined to find a workaround, or we just switch to a different app or device. My parents had more luck when we actually talked about why certain sites were off-limits, rather than just silently blocking them.