Website blocking techniques for deep focus sessions

You blocked the apps, sat down to work, and twenty minutes later found yourself reading the news in Safari. Sound familiar? Blocking apps without blocking websites leaves a back door wide open.

This guide covers how to block distracting websites on iPhone and iPad, which sites are worth blocking, and how to pair website blocking with focus sessions for deep, uninterrupted work.

Why block websites, not just apps

Almost every distracting app has a website that does the same job. YouTube, Reddit, X, news sites and online stores all work in a browser, often without even signing in. When the urge hits and the app is blocked, your thumb looks for the next easiest option, and the browser is always there.

Some distractions only live on the web: news sites, sports scores, forums, deals. If those are your weak spot, blocking apps won’t touch them at all.

How to block websites on iPhone and iPad

With Limit

In Limit, you can add websites to any block, right next to apps and app categories. Start a Block Now session to block them for as long as you need to focus, or add them to a Recurring Session to block them on a schedule. The sites are blocked in Safari, and because iOS enforces the block through Screen Time, it holds even when Limit is closed.

With Screen Time’s content restrictions

Apple’s Screen Time can also block specific websites. Under Content & Privacy Restrictions, open the Web Content setting, choose Limit Adult Websites and add sites to the Never Allow list. It’s free and built in, but it’s all or nothing: the sites stay blocked until you remove them, with no schedules and no timers. That makes it good for sites you never want to visit, and awkward for sites you only want to avoid while you work.

Don’t forget your other browsers

If you use another browser alongside Safari, such as Chrome or Firefox, add that browser app to your focus blocks too, so a blocked site is never just one app away.

Which websites to block

Start with the sites you visit without deciding to. A good first list for most people:

• Social media on the web: instagram.com, tiktok.com, x.com, facebook.com and reddit.com
• Video: youtube.com and any streaming sites you use
• News and sports: your go-to news site and anywhere you check scores
• Shopping: the stores and deal sites you browse when you’re bored

Keep the tools your work depends on: documentation, your calendar, your team’s tools and, if you really need it, email. If a site mixes work and distraction, block it during deep work and give it a set time later in the day.

What a deep focus session is

A focus session is a fixed stretch of time for one task, with distractions removed before you start. It works for two reasons.

First, deep work needs a warm-up. It takes time to load a complex problem into your head, and every interruption throws part of it away. Second, switching has a cost. Research by Sophie Leroy on “attention residue” found that when people move from one task to another, part of their attention stays stuck on the first, and their performance on the next one suffers.

Even a quick look at a website mid-session leaves some of that residue behind. Blocking removes the temptation before it starts.

How long should a focus session be?

• 25 minutes, then a 5-minute break. The classic Pomodoro Technique is great for getting started, or for tasks you’ve been putting off.
• 45 to 60 minutes. Suits most focused work once you’re used to it.
• Up to 90 minutes. Good for deep, creative or complex work, followed by a longer break.

Start shorter than you think you need. Finishing a 25-minute session feels good and builds the habit. Abandoning a two-hour one does the opposite.

How to run a focus session, step by step

1. Pick one task and its first step. “Write the introduction” beats “work on the report”.
2. Choose a length that fits the task and your energy.
3. Block distracting apps and websites for the whole session.
4. Silence notifications. Turn on Do Not Disturb or a Work Focus, so messages wait until you’re done.
5. Keep a “later” list. When you think of something to look up, write it down instead of opening a browser.
6. Take a real break. Stand up, stretch, get some water or look out of a window. Scrolling might feel like a break, but it keeps your mind busy.

Make focus a routine

The real gains come when focus sessions stop being a special effort. Put them on a schedule:

• Work Time: block distracting apps and sites on weekdays from 09:00 to 17:00, or just during your most productive morning hours.
• Study time: block games, video and social media during the hours you’ve set aside for studying.
• One deep work block a day: the same time every day, protected like a meeting.

The bottom line

Blocking apps without blocking websites leaves the door half open. Add the web versions of your distractions to your blocks, cover your other browsers, and pair it all with focus sessions of a length you can keep up. You may be surprised how much one uninterrupted hour can get done.

New to blocking? Start with the complete guide to app blocking.