In this guide, we will show you the steps to block websites on your Microsoft Edge browser. There might be quite a reasons as to why you might consider carrying out the aforementioned task. For example, if you wish to prevent your children from accessing any site or if you want to block any malicious or harmful websites, then the below instructions shall come in handy. In this regard, many web browsers have a native option just for this purpose.
Unfortunately, Microsoft Edge doesn’t fall in this domain. As a result, there is a slew of concerns lined up across the Microsoft Support Forum for the same. If you are also on the same page, then fret not. There does exist a couple of handy workarounds that will help you out in blocking websites on your Microsoft Edge browser. Follow along for the instructions.
How to Block a Site on Edge Browser?
The below instruction set uses the 127.0.0.1 IP address. This is also known as the localhost or the loopback IP Address. This address isn’t used for networking purposes but is rather used to establish a connection with the machine on which you are currently working.
So while your PC might use a Private IP in the form of 192.168.0.1 (or likewise) for network purposes, this localhost is generally used by TCP/IP for internal tests before it moves over to the physical network for data transfers. As of now, we will be using this same IP Address to block websites on the Microsoft Edge browser. Likewise, we will also show you how to use a third-party app and carry out this task with minimal effort. Follow along;
Method 1. Manually Editing the Host File
- Make sure that you are logged in as an administrator on your Windows PC.
- Then open File Explorer and head over to the following location
C:\Windows\System32\drivers\etc
- Within the ‘etc’ folder, right-click on the hosts file and select the ‘Open with’ option. Choose Notepad from the list and click OK.
- Now scroll to the end of the file, type in 127.0.0.1 followed by the website URL that you need to block.
For example, if you wish to block Facebook, then the command will be as follows: 127.0.0.1 www.facebook.com
- Once you have done so for your website, hit the Ctrl+S shortcut keys to save this modification to the hosts file.
- That’s it. The website now stands blocked. If you try accessing it, you will be greeted with the ‘Can’t Reach This Page’ message, as shown below.
- If at any point in time, you wish to revert the changes and unblock the site, then just remove that line of command from the host’s file (in our case: 127.0.0.1 www.facebook.com) and save it.
Method 2. Using a Third-Party App
If dealing with the hosts’ file seems a daunting task, then you could also try out a third-party app that has been designed for this purpose. It only requires you to specify the sites that you need to block and the time limit for which it should be blocked. Here are the required instructions:
- To begin with, download and install the FocalFilter app on your PC.
- Once installed, launch the app and click on the ‘Edit My Site List’ button.
- Now type in the website (or websites) that you need to block and hit Save.
- You may now specify the time limit for which these sites should be blocked using the ‘Block for’ menu.
- Finally, when everything is done, click on the Block My Site List button and that’s it.
So this was all from this guide on how to block websites on the Microsoft Edge browser. We have shared two different methods for the same. If you have any queries concerning the aforementioned steps, do let us know in the comments section.
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