How to block porn on iPhone and Android (and what blocking cannot do)
Key takeaways
- iPhone has a free built-in adult website filter in Screen Time.
- On Android, a family-filter Private DNS blocks adult sites across browsers and apps.
- A block you can switch off in ten seconds will not hold in a weak moment, so give the passcode to someone else.
- Blocking makes porn harder to reach. It does not handle the urge, so pair it with a plan for that.
How to block porn on iPhone with Screen Time
Screen Time is built into every iPhone and costs nothing. On iOS 26:
- Open Settings and tap Screen Time.
- Tap Content & Privacy Restrictions and turn it on.
- Tap App Store, Media, Web & Games, then Web Content.
- Choose Limit Adult Websites. This filters many adult sites in Safari and other supported browsers.
- To block a site the filter misses, tap Add Website under Never Allow and enter its address.
Labels can differ slightly between iOS versions. If you cannot find a setting, search for "Web Content" in the Settings search bar.
Make it harder to switch off
- Set a Screen Time passcode that is different from your phone passcode.
- Ask someone you trust to choose that passcode for you, or write it down and hand it to them. If you know the code, the block only lasts until your next hard moment.
- In the same Content & Privacy Restrictions screen, you can also stop changes to accounts and passcodes, which makes it harder to work around.
How to block porn on Android with Private DNS
Android has no adult filter built into the system for your own phone, but most recent Android phones support Private DNS. Pointing it at a family-filter service blocks adult sites in every browser and app that uses the phone’s normal connection. One free option is Cloudflare for Families:
- Open Settings and go to Network & internet (on Samsung phones: Connections, then More connection settings).
- Tap Private DNS.
- Choose Private DNS provider hostname and enter family.cloudflare-dns.com.
- Tap Save, then open a browser to check that sites load normally.
Private DNS can be switched back off in Settings, and a VPN app can bypass it, so it works best as friction rather than a wall. Menu names vary by phone maker; if you cannot find it, search Settings for "Private DNS".
Turn on SafeSearch in Google
SafeSearch hides explicit results in Google Search, including images and videos. Go to google.com/safesearch while signed in and turn on Filter. It applies wherever you use Google signed in to that account, on any device.
SafeSearch only covers Google results. It does not block sites you visit directly, so combine it with Screen Time or Private DNS.
How to make a block stick
- Remove the easy workarounds: delete apps and browsers you do not need, and sign out of accounts you tend to drift into.
- Keep your phone out of the bedroom at night. No filter is as reliable as distance.
- Use the strongest settings at your riskiest times, and do not argue with your past self about them in the moment.
- If you share a home Wi-Fi network, many routers let you set a family-filter DNS for every device at once.
What blocking cannot do
A block stops easy access. It does nothing about the boredom, stress, loneliness or late-night habit that sends you looking in the first place, and a determined urge can usually find a way around it. That is why people who rely only on a blocker often feel they are back where they started the moment it fails.
Pair your block with a plan for the urge itself: know your triggers, keep a one-minute response ready, and track your days honestly. If you are weighing up monitoring software such as Covenant Eyes, see our Covenant Eyes alternative page.
Frequently asked questions
How do I block porn on my iPhone for free?
Open Settings, then Screen Time, then Content & Privacy Restrictions and turn it on. Tap App Store, Media, Web & Games, then Web Content, and choose Limit Adult Websites. Set a Screen Time passcode, ideally one someone else chooses, so it is harder to switch off.
How do I block adult websites on my phone permanently?
No setting is completely permanent on a phone you control, but you can make it hard to undo. On iPhone, use Screen Time with a passcode someone else keeps. On Android, set Private DNS to a family-filter service and remove VPN apps. Keeping your phone out of the bedroom at night adds a block no software can match.
Do porn blockers work?
They reduce easy access, which helps many people, especially early on. They are also easy to work around in a weak moment, so they tend to work best alongside habit changes, such as planning for triggers and having a response ready for urges.
Is UNHOOK a porn blocker?
No. UNHOOK does not block, filter or monitor anything on your phone. It helps with the part a blocker cannot: getting through urges, learning your patterns and seeing your progress add up. Many people use it alongside the built-in blocks on this page.