How to block Facebook on a computer or phone
Featured In
Are you looking to increase productivity? We’ll show you how to block Facebook on a computer or phone to work more efficiently.
How to block Facebook on a computer or phone
Social media is a massive source of distraction. Such websites can slow down work and make you use your time less efficiently. Facebook is the biggest social media platform and it’s also the biggest problem in that regard.
For that reason, you may want to block the Facebook website on your computer or phone to increase productivity.
Blocking Facebook on a computer using system commands
One of the most common ways to block Facebook on your Mac or Windows PC is to use system commands. Here’s what you need to do if you’re a Windows user:
- Find Notepad in the Start menu but don’t double-click it. Instead, right-click the app and choose “Run as Administrator.”
- Once the program opens, press “File” followed by “Open.”
- In your File Explorer menu, go to your Local Disc drive and open “Windows/system32.”
- Access your “Drivers” and launch your “etc.” folder.
- Click the prompt that lets you see all files.
- Right-click the host file and choose “Properties.”
- Activate “Full Control” from your “Security” tab.
- Launch your host file using Notepad and go to the bottom of the file.
- Press enter to add a new line and type in “127.0.0.1.”
- Hit the “Tab” button and enter facebook.com.
- To make sure all browsers block the website, type in the full URL next to the address. The line should look like this: 127.0.0.1 facebook.com https://www.facebook.com.
- Restrict the smartphone version by incorporating the appropriate URL: m.facebook.com.
- In your Notepad, navigate to “File” and press “Save as.”
- Select your hosts and click “Save.” Confirm your decision to replace the file by hitting the “Yes” button.
- Return to your command prompt. Type in “ipconfig/flushdns” to empty your DNS cache and remove any browser information.
- Close your browsers and reset your PC.
- Launch a browser and enter Facebook’s URL. If you can’t access Facebook, your restriction was successful.
Blocking this social network works similarly on a Mac:
- Open your Terminal app. You can do so by accessing your “Finder,” followed by “Applications” and “Utilities. Alternatively, search for the app in your Spotlight.
- While you’re in the Terminal, enter this command to open your host file: sudo nano/et/hosts. Tap enter.
- Tap enter and type in the administrator password.
- Head to the lower section of the file and enter a new line.
- Type in “127.0.0.1” and hit the “Tab” button. Enter Facebook’s URL and confirm that all your web browsers no longer have permission to visit Facebook. Here’s what your line should include: 127.0.0.1 https://www.facebook.com.
- Add the smartphone URL (m.facebook.com).
- Save your editor and leave your host file.
- Return to your Terminal.
- Enter this command into your Terminal to remove browser information and flush your DNS cache: sudo killall –HUP mDNSResponder.
- Restart your device and open a browser. Try accessing Facebook to verify your block. If Facebook doesn’t load, it works.
Blocking Facebook on iOS and Android devices
You may want to improve parental control by blocking the Facebook app on your kids’ iPhones, iPads, or Androids. Here’s how to do so on Apple devices:
- Open the settings on your iPhone or iPad, represented by a gear icon with a gray background.
- Scroll and press “General” in the top-right part of the page.
- Choose “Restrictions” and type in your passcode.
- Tap the “Installing Apps” toggle and select “Websites.”
- Navigate to the “Limit Adult Content” section and press “Add a Website” under the “Never Allow” window.
- Enter www.facebook.com to add Facebook’s address.
- Delete Facebook from the device and any third-party web browsers that don’t follow your restriction requirements. Firefox, Google Chrome, and Safari will automatically honor your preferences, but others may not if they have different privacy settings.
You’ll need to use another method to block or unblock Facebook on an Android smartphone. One of your best options is to install a dedicated blocking app.
How to block Facebook using dedicated blocking apps
BlockSite is a popular mobile app for blocking Facebook pages. Follow these steps to install it and restrict your social media:
- Go to Google Play and head to your search bar.
- Enter BlockSite and choose “Enter” or “Done.”
- Select the app and hit the “Install” button. Pick “Accept” if prompted.
- Open BlockSite from Google Play or your system and press “Get Started” in the lower part of the display.
- Open “Settings” and choose “Got It” at the bottom of your screen.
- Scroll down until you find BlockSite. Tap the page and select the gray switch. The switch should turn blue, indicating you’ve enabled your BlockSite. The app should also restart now.
- Return to BlockSite and press the “+” symbol in the lower-right section of the display to open your “Websites” tab.
- Type in Facebook’s address and you’ll no longer be able to access your Facebook account, Facebook profile, or any other feature.
Besides BlockSite, you can try a few other apps to block specific websites, not just Facebook:
- AppBlock – This app lets you temporarily block Facebook and other social media to help you focus.
- Flipd – Once you lock Facebook on Flipd, you won’t be able to access it until a timer expires, making it a powerful distraction blocker.
- Freedom – Freedom uses a VPN to restrict social media and prevent sites from bombarding you with notifications.
- SelfControl – This MacOS app lets you block many websites, email servers, and any other internet feature.
- Cold Turkey – Cold Turkey is a browser extension that allows you to block the entire internet for a certain period.
Speechify – Another way to boost productivity
If you’re looking for another way to boost productivity, Speechify is the right choice. This text to speech (TTS) software can complement your Facebook blockers to create a productive environment.
Whether you need to read a long email or document quickly, Speechify has the answer. It reads your content aloud up to 900 words per minute to help you finish your projects faster. Best of all, the AI-generated voices are highly immersive.
Test Speechify for free!
FAQ
How do I block Facebook on my computer?
You can block Facebook on your computer using your system commands. You’ll need to use Notepad or Terminal, depending on your operating system.
How do I block Facebook from my network?
You can restrict Facebook from your network through its firewall settings. Most platforms require you to enter Facebook’s IP address in the content filtering section.
How do I block Facebook on my phone?
There are many ways to block Facebook on your phone, such as using built-in settings and installing third-party apps.
How do I block Facebook on my kid’s computer?
You can block Facebook on your kid’s computer from your host file.
Cliff Weitzman
Cliff Weitzman is a dyslexia advocate and the CEO and founder of Speechify, the #1 text-to-speech app in the world, totaling over 100,000 5-star reviews and ranking first place in the App Store for the News & Magazines category. In 2017, Weitzman was named to the Forbes 30 under 30 list for his work making the internet more accessible to people with learning disabilities. Cliff Weitzman has been featured in EdSurge, Inc., PC Mag, Entrepreneur, Mashable, among other leading outlets.