Skip to main content
FocusMe can block websites in two ways: blacklist specific sites or block all websites and whitelist exceptions.

​
Block Some Websites (Blacklist)

The most common approach. You specify exactly which sites to block.

​
Adding a Website

On the Targets page (Step 1) of the Plan Wizard:
  1. Click Add Site
  2. Enter the domain — e.g., reddit.com, tiktok.com, instagram.com
  3. The site is added to your blacklist

Adding websites to the blacklist

The Add Site dialog

You don’t need https:// or www. — just the domain name. FocusMe automatically matches all variations including subdomains.

​
Matching by URL vs Title

FocusMe can match websites two ways: Example: Blocking youtube.com by URL blocks the entire site. Blocking YouTube by title catches it even if accessed through an embedded player or redirect.

​
Common Sites to Block

​
Block All Websites (Whitelist Only)

For maximum focus, block the entire internet and only allow the sites you need for work.
  1. On the Targets page, choose Block All Websites
  2. Add exceptions — sites that should remain accessible
  3. Everything else is blocked
Example: Block all websites but allow docs.google.com, github.com, and stackoverflow.com for a coding session.
When blocking all websites, be sure to whitelist any sites you need for authentication (SSO providers, OAuth redirects) or your blocking plan could lock you out of work tools.

​
Block Method

The Block method dropdown at the bottom of the Websites step controls what happens when you visit a blocked site:

The block method dropdown — choose how blocked sites are handled

The block page shown when you visit a blocked website (Show block page method)

Regardless of the method chosen, the site remains inaccessible — you cannot bypass it by:
  • Opening an incognito/private window
  • Using a different browser
  • Accessing a cached version
  • Using a URL shortener or redirect

​
Browser Extension

The FocusMe browser extension provides the most reliable website blocking. It communicates directly with the desktop app and can:
  • Detect URLs in real time
  • Block pages before they load
  • Work across all tabs and windows
Install it from focusme.com/download/addon — the link automatically detects your browser. Works with Chrome, Edge, Brave, Opera, Vivaldi, and Firefox.

​
Partial Blocking

You can block specific parts of a website while allowing the rest. For example:
  • Block youtube.com/shorts but allow regular YouTube videos
  • Block reddit.com/r/gaming but allow other subreddits
  • Block facebook.com but allow facebook.com/messages
To do this, add the specific URL path rather than just the domain. See the Partial Blocking guide →

​
Penalty

For Block plans, you can enable the Penalty to add escalating consequences when you repeatedly try to visit blocked sites. Instead of just blocking, the Penalty extends blocking time with each reoffence. Learn more about the Penalty →

​
Tips

  • Start broad, add exceptions. It’s easier to block everything and whitelist what you need than to chase every distracting site individually.
  • Use title matching for stubborn sites. Some sites use subdomains or redirects that can slip past URL matching. Title matching catches them regardless.
  • Combine with app blocking. If you block youtube.com but the YouTube desktop app is installed, block that too.
  • Use RegEx for patterns. If you need to block sites matching a pattern (e.g., all gaming sites), Regular Expressions give you powerful matching.