How to Block Adult Sites

Adult websites can be blocked on any computer and in any browser to prevent adult-themed content from showing up in Web searches and on specific websites. There are several methods for blocking adult sites; including modifying Parental Controls on Windows and Mac computers, using browser extensions or add-ons that block adult content, and modifying the SafeSearch settings in your preferred search engine.

Method 1

Blocking Adult Sites in Windows 8

1. 
   1
   Log into an administrator account on your Windows 8 computer.
2. 
   2
   Open “Control Panel” and click on “Network and Internet.”
3. 
   3
   Click on “Internet options.” The Internet Properties window will display on-screen.
4. 
   4
   Click on the “Content” tab.
5. 
   

   <a href="http://us-ads.openx.net/w/1.0/rc?cs=7f348626a2&cb=1454086829231&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.wikihow.com%2FBlock-Adult-Sites&c.width=726&c.height=106&c.tag_id=21083&c.taglink_id=36306&c.scale=1.0027548&c.url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.wikihow.com%2FBlock-Adult-Sites&c.params=&c.impression_type=26&c.placement_id=ad0.5557548782128396" ><img src="http://us-ads.openx.net/w/1.0/ai?auid=538150158&cs=7f348626a2&cb=1454086829231&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.wikihow.com%2FBlock-Adult-Sites&c.width=726&c.height=106&c.tag_id=21083&c.taglink_id=36306&c.scale=1.0027548&c.url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.wikihow.com%2FBlock-Adult-Sites&c.params=&c.impression_type=26&c.placement_id=ad0.5557548782128396" border="0" alt=""></a>
   5
   Click on the button that reads “Family Safety.”
6. 
   6
   Click on the user account for which you want adult sites blocked.
7. 
   7
   Select “On” next to “Family Safety.”
8. 
   8
   Click on “Web filtering.”
9. 
   9
   Select the option that reads, “can only use the websites I allow.”
10. 
    10
    Select a restriction level from the options provided. Most of the options provided will block adult sites by default, as noted in their descriptions. For example, if you want a particular user to only view websites approved for use by children, select “Designed for children.”
11. 
    11
    Close the Internet options window. Adult websites will now be blocked going forward for that particular user.^[1]

Method 2

Blocking Adult Sites in Windows 7 / Vista

1. 
   1
   Log into your Windows 7 or Windows Vista computer using an administrator account.
2. 
   2
   Click on the “Start” button and select “Control Panel.”
3. 
   3
   Click on “Set up Parental Controls” below the section labeled “User Accounts.”
4. 
   4
   Click on the user account for which you want adult sites blocked.
5. 
   5
   Click “On” next to “Parental Controls.”
6. 
   6
   Click on “Web Filter.”
7. 
   7
   Click on “Block Some Websites or Content.”
8. 
   8
   Select “High” or “Medium” when prompted to choose a Web restriction level. “High” will restrict the user’s Web browsing to children’s websites only, whereas “Medium” will allow the user to browse all other websites that lack adult content.^[2]
9. 
   9
   Close the Control Panel window. All adult sites will be blocked for that particular user going forward.^[3]

Method 3

Blocking Adult Sites on Mac OS X

1. 
   1
   Click on the Apple menu and select “System Preferences.”
2. 
   2
   Click on “Parental Controls.”
3. 
   3
   Click on the user account for which you want adult sites blocked.
4. 
   4
   Click on “Enable Parental Controls.”
5. 
   5
   Click on the tab labeled “Content.”
6. 
   6
   Select your preferred option below “Website Restrictions.” If you want your computer to automatically block all adult websites, select “Try to limit access to adult websites automatically" (automatic).” NOTE: Using this method will filter adult content from internet searches as well.
7. 
   7
   Close the System Preferences window. Going forward, that particular user will no longer be able to view and visit websites that feature adult content.^[4]

Method 4

Blocking Adult Sites using Browser Extensions / Add-ons

1. 
   1
   Open the Internet browser you use regularly for browsing the Web.
2. 
   2
   Navigate to your browser’s extensions or add-ons menu. For example, if using Google Chrome, click on the Chrome Menu button and select “Extensions” from the left pane. If using Firefox, click on the "Tools" ► "Add-ons" menu.
3. 
   3
   Select the option to browse, or get more extensions. A new tab will open in your browser session that allows you to search for more extensions.
4. 
   4
   Type keywords into the search field to locate extensions and add-ons that block adult sites. For example, type “parental controls” or “block adult sites.”
5. 
   5
   Browse through extensions and add-ons until you find an extension you can download that blocks adult sites. Examples of such extensions are WebFilter Pro and Website Blocker.
6. 
   6
   Select the option to download or add the extension to your Web browser. Based on the extension you download, you may need to modify certain settings to ensure adult content is blocked.

   • Contact the developer of the extension or add-on directly if you need further assistance with using the extension to block adult sites.

Method 5

Blocking Adult Sites using SafeSearch in Google

1. 
   1
   Go to Google’s Search Settings page at http://www.google.com/preferences.
2. 
   2
   Place a checkmark next to “Filter explicit results.”
3. 
   3
   Scroll to the bottom of the Web page and click on “Save.” Going forward, any sexually-explicit content will be automatically filtered and removed from Google Search.

   • Your SafeSearch settings will reset if you delete browser cookies. When deleting cookies from your Web history, you must re-enable SafeSearch in the Search Settings menu.^[5]

Method 6

Blocking Adult Sites using SafeSearch on Yahoo

1. 
   1
   Go to Yahoo at https://www.yahoo.com/ and sign in with your Yahoo username and password.
2. 
   2
   Perform a Yahoo search using the keywords of your choice.
3. 
   3
   Point to the gear icon located at the top right corner of your session and select “Preferences.”
4. 
   4
   Select “Strict” from the SafeSearch dropdown menu.
5. 
   5
   Scroll to the bottom of the Web page and click on “Save.” Going forward, adult sites will be blocked as long as you are logged in to your Yahoo account.^[6]

Method 7

Blocking Adult Sites using SafeSearch on Bing

1. 
   1
   Navigate to the Bing website at http://www.bing.com/.
2. 
   2
   Click on the gear icon at the top right corner of your Bing session.
3. 
   3
   Select “Strict” below the SafeSearch section.
4. 
   4
   Scroll to the bottom of the Web page and click on “Save.” Going forward, any sites with adult-themed content will be blocked from Bing search results.

   • Your SafeSearch settings will reset if you delete cookies from your browser. When deleting cookies from your Web history, you must re-enable SafeSearch in the Bing Settings menu.

Warnings

Some adult-themed content may still show up even when blocking adult sites using any of the methods outlined in this article. To avoid visiting adult sites indefinitely, especially when children are present, be sure to only visit websites that you trust, and avoid clicking on any suspicious links