How to Block Pornhub on Devices for Children and Adults

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Norah Hayes
Updated on December 23, 2024 Preview 17.0K Preview 0
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Watching porn can have negative effects on children and teens. Pornhub, the most popular porn site in the world, clearly states that its content is for adults only. However, minors can easily access Pornhub by simply clicking the “I am 18 or older - Enter” button.

Addiction to porn can also be bad for adults, contributing to anxiety, depression, and low self-esteem. Overcoming this addiction is challenging since temptations are just at your fingertips.

So, how can you manage these issues? One effective step is to block access to porn sites like Pornhub. This article discusses how to block Pornhub on computers and phones. Whether you want to limit porn access for your children or yourself, you will find the article helpful.

 

What to know

  • People access Pornhub by visiting pornhub.com or mobile.pornhub.com in a browser on their computer, phone, or tablet.
  • You won’t find a Pornhub app in the Google Play Store or App Store, as such apps are not allowed. There isn’t a desktop app either.
  • Blocking the Pornhub site is enough.
  • Each of the first four methods discussed in this article works on at least three platforms, such as Windows, Mac, and mobile devices.
  • While the last method doesn’t directly make pornhub.com inaccessible, it can still help.

 

Method 1. How to block Pornhub easily with a website blocker

Applies to: Mac, Windows, iPhone, iPad, and Android

Available for both computers and mobile devices, website blocker AppCrypt can help you easily block pornhub.com (including mobile.pornhub.com) and other adult sites. It’s easy to set up.

On Mac and Windows

1. Download and install AppCrypt.

Free Download macOS 10.12 or later Free Download Windows 11/10/8/7

2. The first time you launch this tool, set a password.

If you are looking to prevent your own access to Pornhub, I recommend asking someone else, like a family member or friend, to set the password for you.

a password setup screen

3. On a Mac, click the tool’s icon in the menu bar and choose Open Main Window. On a Windows PC, simply click the icon in the taskbar.

clicking a lock icon in the menu bar bringing up an Open Main Window option

Now enter the password to access the main window.

a password entry screen

4. Click the Web Block tab.

the Web Block tab

If you are using Windows, clicking this tab will prompt you to install a required extension on your chosen browsers. No installation is needed on Mac.

a dialog asking for installation of an extension

5. Do any or some of the following:

the Web Block tab showing that the site "pornhub.com" and the keyword "porn" are added and an Import dropdown menu

  • Enter pornhub.com in the URL field and click Add. This will block access to pornhub.com, including its mobile version.
  • Enter the keyword “porn” in the URL field and click Add. This will block all URLs containing this keyword, making numerous porn sites, including Pornhub, inaccessible.
  • In the Import dropdown menu, select the Porn Sites category. This will block many popular sites in this category, including the one in question.

The blocking applies to major browsers, such as Chrome, Safari, Edge, and Firefox (Windows only), including both regular and incognito/private browsing modes. You can go to the tool’s App Lock tab to lock any unsupported browsers if needed.

There are several methods for unblocking, such as removing the site or keyword from the block list or quitting AppCrypt. However, any of these requires the password. If your child or you don’t know the password, the restriction can’t be bypassed.

Tip 1: This tool has a schedule feature. If you want to make sure that Pornhub is permanently blocked and not affected by schedules, go to Exceptions > Always Block and add sites or keywords to block there.

the Always Block tab

Tip 2: You can configure preferences to enhance effectiveness. For example, setting the tool to launch when the computer starts makes sure that the tool and blocking are active all the time.

the Preferences window

 

On Android, iPhone, and iPad

1. Install AppCrypt from the app store.

GET IT ONGoogle Play Download on theApp Store

2. Open the tool. On an Android phone or tablet, set a password when prompted. On an Apple device, go to Preferences > Notifications to set your password.

a password setup screen on a phone

3. In the Web Block tab, enter pornhub.com in the URL field and tap Add.

the Web Block tab

Alternatively, if you are using an iPhone or iPad, turn on the Adult Blocking option in Preferences. This will block adult sites including Pornhub.

the Preferences tab showing an Adult Blocking option

Blocking applies to almost all mobile browsers.

 

Method 2. How to use Apple’s Screen Time for Pornhub blocking

Applies to: Mac, iPhone, and iPad

Apple’s Screen Time allows you to set limits for website access, providing an easy way to prevent your children or yourself from visiting pornhub.com.

On Mac

1. Open System Settings (or System Preferences in older macOS versions).

2. Choose Screen Time and turn it on.

Screen Time main screen

3. Choose Content & Privacy and turn it on.

4. Go to Content Restrictions > Web Content and select the Limit Adult Websites option.

the Web Content section showing three options for Access to Web Content, with one being Limit Adult Websites

From now on, websites deemed adult content by Apple will get blocked on Safari on this Mac. If someone tries to visit pornhub.com, a message will appear saying “You can’t see pages on this website”. However, the site is still accessible on other browsers.

Tip: To prevent your child from unblocking Pornhub by changing your Screen Time settings, you can set a Screen Time passcode. However, if your child uses an administrator account, you will need to convert it to a standard one to be able to set a passcode. Therefore, the blocking may not be that effective for anyone with an administrator account.

 

On iPhone and iPad

1. Open the Settings app.

2. Tap Screen Time and turn it on.

3. Choose whether it’s your or your child’s iPhone.

4. Choose Content & Privacy Restrictions and enable it.

Screen Time main screen on iPhone

5. Go to Store, Web, Siri & Game Center Content > Web Content.

6. Select Limit Adult Websites.

the Web Content screen showing three options, with one being Limit Adult Websites

7. In the main screen of Screen Time, tap Lock Screen Time Settings. Set a passcode and then re-enter it for confirmation.

Now, any browsers installed on the iPhone won’t be able to open pornhub.com.

 

Method 3. How to use Microsoft’s Family Safety for Pornhub blocking

Applies to: Windows and Android

Family Safety, Microsoft’s parental control tool, helps parents easily block adult sites like pornhub.com on their children’s Windows and Android devices.

Note: For a Windows PC, make sure that your child’s user account is a non-administrator one.

1. Go to account.microsoft.com/family/home. Sign in with your Microsoft account.

2. Click Add a family member.

3. In the dialog that appears, choose Member and click Next.

4. In the Add member dialog, enter your child’s email address, click Next, and then click Invite.

the Add member dialog

5. Have your child to sign into the email and click Accept Invitation in the invitation email.

6. On the new page that opens, click Join now, which will prompt you to sign into your child’s Microsoft account and join the family group.

7. Now your child’s profile appears on your Family Safety page. You can connect your child’s device to Family Safety.

  • Windows: Add your child’s Microsoft account to his or her computer in Windows Settings.
  • Android: Download the Microsoft Family Safety app and sign in with your child’s Microsoft account.

8. Click your child’s profile and then the Edge tab.

9. In the Filter settings section, turn on the Filter inappropriate websites and searches option.

the Filter settings section showing that the Filter inappropriate websites and searches option is enabled

From now on, websites deemed mature content by Microsoft will be blocked on Edge on the device where your child is signed in, and all non-Edge browsers will be blocked. This will block pornhub.com and other adult sites.

 

Method 4. How to restrict Pornhub access by configuring your router settings

Applies to: All devices

If your home router has parental controls, web filtering, or a similar feature, you can make pornhub.com inaccessible on any devices connected to your network. Since the blocking is at the network level, it can affect both children’s and adults’ devices.

Note: Pornhub will become accessible whenever a device uses mobile data or is connected to a different network.

Here, I will use the TP-Link AX1800 router as an example to show you how to use this method. While the feature on your router may be located in different settings or have different options, the following steps can still be helpful. For more information on this feature in routers, see this article.

1. Log into your router’s settings through a browser with the default or your changed username and password.

2. Go to Advanced > Parental Controls.

3. Optionally, create a profile for yourself or your child and specify the device(s) used. Some routers don’t have this option.

4. In the Keyword Filter section, type pornhub or simply porn in the Input keyword field and click the Add icon.

the Keyword Filter section show the keyword "porn" below the Input keyword field

5. Click Save.

Now access to the site is restricted. If the option to create individual profiles isn’t available, the blocking will apply to all browsers on any connected devices. If profiles are available, the blocking will only apply to the specified devices.

I recommend changing the default username and password if you haven’t done so already. If your child discovers how you block websites, he or she can easily change your settings using the default login information.

 

Method 5. How to block Pornhub on computers by editing the hosts file

Applies to: Windows and Mac

The hosts file on a Windows PC or Mac is an operating system file that matches website names (such as pornhub.com) to their IP addresses. It tells the computer how to locate websites.

To block access to pornhub.com on your child’s or your own computer, you can edit the hosts file to tell the computer to find this site in a wrong location. However, if you are not comfortable with technology, this method may not be for you.

Note: The blocking won’t work if a VPN is used.

On Mac

1. Open the Terminal app.

2. Enter “sudo nano /etc/hosts” and press the return key.

3. Enter your administrator password and press the return key. Now the hosts file is open and editable.

4. In a new line, enter “127.0.0.1 pornhub.com”. In another new line, enter “127.0.0.1 www.pornhub.com”.

a Terminal window showing the hosts file content

5. Press Control-O, then the return key, and finally Control-X.

Now the editing is applied and saved. If someone tries to visit Pornhub on this computer, a message indicating that the connection fails will appear.

 

On Windows

1. Open the Notepad app as an administrator.

2. In File Explorer, go to C:\Windows\system32\drivers\etc.

3. Open the hosts file in Notepad.

4. In a new line, enter “127.0.0.1 pornhub.com”. Start a new line and enter “127.0.0.1 www.pornhub.com”.

a Notepad window showing the hosts file content

5. Press Control-S to save the editing.

 

Method 6. How to block pornhub.com from search results using SafeSearch

Applies to: All devices

This method doesn’t actually block access to any websites, but it can still be helpful.

Here’s a scenario. Your child enters an innocent search term in the search box but misspells it, leading to mature search results, with Pornhub appearing as the first search result and displaying horribly inappropriate content.

Luckily, SafeSearch can help prevent this. Most major search engines, such as Google and Bing, have a SafeSearch feature.

Whether you use a search engine through a browser or its app, you can easily enable this feature. The following steps use Google Searches’ web version as an example to show you how to enable the feature.

1. Go to google.com.

2. Click Settings > Search settings > Privacy & Safety.

3. In the Content section, choose SafeSearch.

4. In the SafeSearch setting, select the Filter option.

a screen showing three options, with one being Filter

This will block adult sites from appearing in the search results, even when terms like “pornhub” are searched.

 

Conclusion

While Pornhub is banned in some countries and some states in the US, it’s still widely accessible to all ages, including children. To prevent your children and teens from being exposed to the content on this site, you can block it. If you are an adult with porn addiction, I also recommend restricting access. The methods discussed in this article can help you block Pornhub in both situations. Most of these methods have password protection. For adults, it’s a good practice to have someone else to set the password for you.

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Norah Hayes

Norah Hayes likes to share her tips on how to improve focus and stay motivated at work. She believes it is essential to eliminate all online distractions during work hours.

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