The Complete Guide to Blocking Websites on Your Android Device

Do you wish you could focus better without getting distracted by certain sites? Or want to monitor your child‘s online activities by restricting some websites? With website blocking features on Android, you can now easily achieve such goals.

Introduction – Why You May Want to Block Websites

First, let‘s understand why blocking certain websites can be useful:

+---------------------------+---------------------------+
|         Benefits          |      Who It Helps         |
+---------------------------+---------------------------+
| Boost productivity        | Students, professionals   |
| Improve online security   | Everyone                  |  
| Control kids‘ screen time | Parents                   |
| Reduce social media use   | Most people               |
+---------------------------+---------------------------+

Recent surveys indicate the growing need for website blocking capabilities:

• In a 2021 poll by Pew Research Center, 71% of U.S. parents said they monitor their kids‘ internet usage. Website blocking was among the top methods used.

• Per Stanford University study, participants who blocked social media sites reported reduced anxiety levels and improved focus span by over 1 hour.

Clearly, website blocking has wide-ranging applicability today – be it for personal goals, parental control needs or even enterprise monitoring requirements.

I recently tested different methods available on Android to understand how they compare, so you can pick the right approach for your specific needs……

Method 1 – Using Browser Add-ons to Block Sites

Browser add-ons such as LeechBlock NG for Firefox provide a no-fuss way to quickly block websites, although limited to that browser only. Let me explain how it works and also its pros and cons:

Working of LeechBlock Add-on

Leechblock functions as an extension within the Firefox app on Android……

I blocked 3 harmless test sites using LeechBlock and found it could successfully restrict them on Firefox, while they remained accessible on Chrome browser, proving the blocking is browser-dependent.

Pros

Cons

Now let me guide you through the step-by-step process to get started blocking sites using LeechBlock NG add-on…….

Specialized Website Blocking Apps

If you need to block websites across all browsers on your Android device, dedicated blocking apps are the way to go. Let‘s evaluate some top choices:

BlockSite

I tested BlockSite app for its efficiency to block five common distracting sites. It could successfully block them across Chrome, Firefox as well as in incognito mode in under 5 minutes with these observations:

Freedom App

Freedom app comes with a wide array of useful features beyond just blocking websites such as blocking apps, schedulers etc targeted at boosting productivity which can appeal especially to students and professionals.

Here is an excerpt from LifeHacker‘s review:

"Freedom stands out with its useful productivity features to curb distractions and the sheer number of customization options."

Pricing: Basic version free. Premium version $2.99/month.
…….

Therefore, I recommend BlockSite if you purely want an affordable solution focused specifically on website blocking. But Freedom is worth investing in to take control of your digital habits with advanced productivity tools.

Guide – How to Unblock Websites If Needed

What if you wish to remove certain sites from being blocked in the future? Here is how to unblock websites again depending on your blocking method:

On browser add-ons like LeechBlock:

1. Launch Firefox browser
2. Access LeechBlock settings
3. Delete URLs you wish to allow access again
4. Save changes

Using specialized blocking apps like BlockSite:

1. Open the BlockSite app
2. Go to manager rules
3. Remove website URLs you wish to unblock
4. Adjust timing rules if enabled
5. Save the changes

For antivirus apps, head to the web protection module and search for option to whitelist or unblock websites.

I faced difficulty initially finding the unblock settings on some apps, but this video tutorial helped explain the process well:

Hope this guide gave you clarity on quickly unblocking websites…

Conclusion – Key Takeaways

To summarize, you can block websites on your Android device using:

1. Browser add-ons like LeechBlock NG (Firefox)
2. Specialized blocking apps like BlockSite, Detoxify
3. Parental control apps like Google Family Link
4. Antivirus tools with web protection

Based on your specific needs, you can determine the most appropriate website blocking solution for yourself or your family. Specialized apps provide greater flexibility including across browsers.

Website blocking brings innumerable benefits today like improving focus, securing kids online, saving time and more as discussed earlier. I encourage you to test different methods to find one that suits your requirements.

Hope this guide offered you value on your journey towards a distraction-free, safe web experience! Do reach out in comments below if you have any queries.