Whether wishing to disrupt your own bad habits, keep kids on track to complete their homework, or filter out adult-themed content, knowing how to block websites on a Google Chromebook is super handy. If you’ve worked with a Chromebook before, then you’ll know that its default web browser is Google Chrome. As such, here you’ll be learning how to block websites on Chrome.
To learn how to block websites on a Google Chromebook, see our tutorial below. For all additional information or any unanswered queries, please direct your attention to our FAQs at the end of the article.
Table of Contents
How to block websites on a Google Chromebooks (Chrome Extension)
- Open up the Chrome web browser on your Chromebook and sign in if prompted
- Now, go to the Google Chrome Web Store by searching for it in Chrome’s search bar, or by your Menu’s settings
- Once you’ve reached the Web Store, type ‘Site Blocker’ into the search bar and press Enter
- Have a look through the various site blocker extensions available to you, and decide upon the right one. Open it up by clicking on it.
- Next, hit the ‘Add to Chrome’ blue button, and allow it to install (confirm installation if necessary by clicking ‘Install extension’ in the relevant pop-up box).
- Now you want to access the extension. Do so by clicking the puzzle-piece icon for Extensions in the top-right corner, or by navigating like this: Menu > More tools > Extensions
- Next, open up your new Site Blocker extension
- Once opened, you can start adding websites to a list of websites the extension will block for you. To block, for example, YouTube: type in “www.youtube.com” and then click ‘Add’
- To secure your list of blocked websites even more, we highly recommend putting password protection on your blocker extension. This you should be able to do quite easily from the extension’s menus and settings.
Note: Most site blocker extensions allow you more control even than just a password, for example allowing you to block sites only at certain times. We find that this is ideal if you simply want to, for example, stop your child using a games website on your Chromebook whilst they’re doing their homework – between 6 pm and 8 pm for example.
Play around with the settings and functions of your blocker extension, blocking whichever websites you need to, and altering their individual permissions as and how you see fit.
And there you have it! It really is as straightforward as that. By following our step-by-step tutorial above, you can block any website you need to on your Google Chromebook.
For additional information and queries, see our FAQs below.
Frequently asked questions
What is a Google Chromebook?
A Google Chromebook is essentially any laptop device running Chrome OS, whether it is built specifically by Google, or by another manufacturer for Google. Chromebooks are built with minimal internal memory, as they are intended to operate by and large exclusively via Google’s cloud/online.
In other words, the applications, information, data, and files associated with Google Chromebooks are stored online, and can typically only be accessed when the device is connected to the internet. Google Chromebooks utilize mostly applications designed by Google, such as Google Docs, Sheets, and Slides.
Chromebooks tend to be lighter, slimmer, and more affordable than conventional laptops and PCs, thanks to their cloud-based design.
Why would I want or need to block websites on a Google Chromebook?
There are any number of reasons why you might want to block websites on your Chromebook.
Perhaps you’ve found yourself spending way too much time on gaming or gambling websites, and want to put an obstacle between you and an unhealthy obsession.
Maybe you need to restrict access to certain websites at certain times of day, to ensure you prioritise work.
Or, maybe you need to block specific websites which you are not happy for other users of the Chromebook (children, say) accessing.
What happens when I block websites on a Google Chromebook?
When you block websites using the blocker extension suggested above, you effectively stop said websites from being accessed by any user of Google Chrome on the Chromebook.
This means that if someone tries to type in the website’s address and visit it, they’ll be stopped. If they click an external link to the website, they’ll be stopped. Any interaction with the websites you’ve chosen to block on your Chromebook will be blocked altogether, and with immediate effect.
You can actually also choose to reinforce this blocking by enabling password protection in the Chrome extension, meaning that no one but you can ever unblock this website.
Can I unblock previously-blocked websites on a Google Chromebook?
Yes, you can, but if you’ve enabled password protection in the Chrome blocker extension, then you’ll have to input your password before you make any changes to website permissions.
All you have to do to unblock a previously blocked website is go into the blocker extension in Chrome, go into the settings/options menu, locate the list of blocked websites, and then by clicking on your chosen site’s options (usually three dots to the right or left of the site name) you can then choose to unblock it.
You can also use this same method to set specific times during the day to allow and block access to your chosen website(s), which may be equally handy for your needs.
