How do I block distracting websites on Mac for free?

The free Focuh Mac app blocks distracting sites across every browser at once using macOS Accessibility permission. Install it, add the sites you waste time on, and start a focus session — blocking stays on for that whole session in Chrome, Safari, Firefox, and Arc. For a no-install route you can edit the /etc/hosts file to point each domain at 127.0.0.1, which also covers every browser but takes a terminal and admin access.

Why is a Mac app better than a Chrome extension for blocking websites?

A Chrome extension only blocks Chrome. The moment you open Safari, launch a native app, or switch to Arc, the block is gone. A Mac app blocks at the operating-system level, so distracting sites stay blocked no matter which browser you reach for. It's also harder to disable mid-session, because it doesn't live at chrome://extensions where one click turns it off. For desktop focus, system-level blocking closes the gaps a browser extension leaves open.

Does blocking websites on Mac require Screen Time?

No. Screen Time is one option — it has content restrictions that can block specific sites in Safari — but it's clumsy for focus, syncs awkwardly across devices, and is weak outside Safari. You can instead use the free Focuh app, which blocks during focus sessions across all browsers, or edit the hosts file for a permanent system-wide block. Each works without touching Screen Time, and each is easier to aim at distraction rather than parental controls.

Will blocking websites on Mac also block them in Safari and Firefox?

It depends on the method. A browser extension only covers the browser it's installed in. The free Focuh app and the hosts-file edit both block at the system level, so a blocked site is unreachable in Safari, Chrome, Firefox, and Arc at the same time. If you regularly switch browsers to dodge a block, system-level blocking is the only approach that actually holds, because there's no second browser left to escape to.

Can I block apps on Mac, not just websites?

Yes. The free Focuh app blocks distracting native apps alongside websites during a focus session, using the same macOS Accessibility permission. That matters because some of the worst distractions — Slack, Messages, a desktop mail client, a native YouTube or Spotify app — aren't websites at all, so a website-only blocker misses them. Blocking the app and the site together closes the loop a browser extension can't reach.

How do I block distracting websites on Mac permanently?

Edit the hosts file at /etc/hosts and point each domain at 127.0.0.1. That block survives reboots and covers every browser until you remove the line yourself, which makes it the most permanent free option. The trade-off is friction: you need a terminal and admin rights, and there's no schedule or timer. If you want blocking that's strong during work but easy to lift on a break, a focus-session app fits better than a permanent hosts edit.

Can I schedule website blocking on a Mac?

Yes, in a couple of ways. Focuh ties blocking to focus sessions you start and time, so blocking switches on for the length of a session rather than running all day. If you want fixed daily windows — say 9am to noon every weekday — a tool with recurring schedules handles that, and the hosts file gives you an always-on block you toggle by hand. Match the method to whether you want blocking by session, by schedule, or always on.

Is the free Mac website blocker actually free?

Yes. The Focuh Mac app is free, with no subscription, no premium tier, and no cap on how many sites or apps you block. It uses macOS Accessibility permission to block at the system level, includes a focus timer and a kanban task board, and syncs with Google Calendar. The hosts-file method and Screen Time are free too, since they're built into macOS. None of these three require paying to block distracting websites on a Mac.

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How to Block Distracting Websites on Mac (Free) — 2026

June 25, 202611 min readFocuh

You sit down to work, block YouTube in your Chrome extension, and three minutes later you're watching it in Safari instead. The block did exactly what it promised — it blocked Chrome — and your distraction simply walked through the next door. This guide shows you how to block distracting websites on Mac for free at the system level, so a blocked site stays blocked in every browser and every app, not just the one you happened to lock down.

The fast answer

To block distracting websites on Mac for free, use the Focuh desktop app. It blocks sites across Chrome, Safari, Firefox, and Arc at once using macOS Accessibility permission, and the block stays on for the length of a focus session you start. Add the sites you waste time on, start a session, and they're gone everywhere on the machine until it ends. If you'd rather not install anything, you can edit the /etc/hosts file for a permanent system-wide block instead.

Why browser extensions leak on a Mac

A Chrome extension blocks Chrome. That's the whole sentence, and on a Mac it's a real limit, because you almost certainly have more than one browser. Safari ships with the system. Arc and Brave are everywhere now. The instant you switch, the block is gone — and your brain learns that switch fast.

System-level blocking closes that gap. Instead of living inside one browser, it works at the operating-system layer, so a blocked site is unreachable no matter which browser you open. It's also harder to disable on impulse, because there's no chrome://extensions toggle to flip. For the full breakdown of where each layer wins, see system-level vs browser website blocking.

How to block distracting websites on Mac with the free Focuh app

Download the free Focuh app for Mac and open it.
Grant Accessibility permission when prompted. macOS requires this for any app that blocks at the system level; it's the same permission window managers and automation tools use.
Add the sites you want gone — youtube.com, reddit.com, twitter.com, instagram.com, or whatever your particular time-sinks are. There's no cap on how many.
Start a focus session and set how long you want to work.

For that whole session, the blocked sites are unreachable in every browser on the Mac. When the session ends, they come back. Because blocking is tied to a session rather than a per-browser switch, you can't quietly disable it mid-focus without ending the session you committed to — which is the point.

How to block distracting websites on Mac without Screen Time

Screen Time can block sites in Safari through its content restrictions, but it's built for parental controls, not deep work. It's awkward to aim at your own distractions, weak outside Safari, and syncs across your devices in ways that get confusing. You don't need it.

Two free routes skip Screen Time entirely:

The Focuh app — session-based, all-browser, with a timer and task board built in.
The hosts file — a permanent, always-on block you control from the terminal.

To use the hosts file, open Terminal and run sudo nano /etc/hosts, then add a line like 127.0.0.1 youtube.com for each site. Save, and the site is unreachable in every browser until you delete the line. It's the most permanent free option, but there's no schedule, no timer, and it's easy to forget months later. For more on this route, see how to block websites on Mac.

Free ways to block distracting websites on Mac, compared

Method	Free?	Blocks all browsers	Blocks apps	Scheduling	Setup time
Focuh Mac app	Yes	Yes	Yes	Session-based	~3 min
Hosts file edit	Yes	Yes	No	None (always on)	~10 min
Screen Time	Yes	Safari only	Limited	Downtime windows	~5 min
Chrome extension	Yes	No (Chrome only)	No	Per-extension	~1 min
Cold Turkey (paid for schedules)	Partly	Yes	Yes	Yes (paid)	~5 min

The pattern is clear: the methods that block every browser are the system-level ones. An extension is fastest but narrowest; the hosts file is broadest but most permanent; the Focuh app sits in between, blocking everywhere but lifting cleanly when your session ends. For a wider roundup, see the best website blockers for Mac.

Blocking apps, not just sites

Some of the worst distractions on a Mac aren't websites. The native Slack app, Messages, a desktop mail client, the Spotify or YouTube apps — none of those have a URL for a website blocker to catch. If you only block sites, those apps stay wide open.

The free Focuh app blocks native apps alongside websites during a focus session, using the same Accessibility permission. So if your real problem is Slack pinging you every ninety seconds, you can block the app itself, not just its web version. That's a layer a Chrome extension structurally can't reach, and it's often the difference between a block that works and one you route around in five minutes. If you specifically want to silence chat apps, how to block Slack on Mac goes deeper.

Why system-level blocking beats willpower

Willpower is a weak firewall because it has to win every time, and the urge to switch tabs only has to win once. You don't decide to procrastinate; your hand opens a new tab while your conscious mind is still on the task. A system-level block intercepts that motion in every browser at once, so there's no easy second door to slip through.

The honest limit is the phone. Nothing on your Mac blocks your iPhone, so if you grab it the moment your laptop is locked down, you've just moved the distraction. For that, lean on iOS Screen Time alongside your Mac setup. But for the hours you spend actually working at a desk, blocking distracting sites and apps at the system level removes most of the friction-free escape routes — and that's usually enough to change a day.

Which option should you pick?

You want strong blocking that lifts on a break — use the free Focuh app and tie it to focus sessions.
You want a permanent, always-on block and don't mind the terminal — edit the /etc/hosts file.
You only ever use Safari and want something built in — Screen Time content restrictions will do.
Your distractions include native apps — block the apps and the sites together with the Focuh app.

No blocker fixes focus on its own. But on a Mac, the one that actually holds is the one that covers every browser instead of just the one you remembered to lock. Get the free Focuh app to block distracting websites and apps across your whole machine, or start with a free Chrome extension if your distractions live entirely in one browser.