How to Block Porn on iPhone Permanently (Every Browser & App)
Short answer: open Settings → Screen Time → Content & Privacy Restrictions → Content Restrictions → Web Content → Limit Adult Websites. That filters adult sites in Safari and most apps for free. The catch: it's easy to switch off in a weak moment — so the real move is to lock it behind a passcode you don't control, or use a dedicated blocker that's built to resist being disabled. Here's how to do both.
Method 1: Apple Screen Time (free, built in)
Every iPhone has a basic adult-content filter built in. It's the fastest way to add friction today:
- Open Settings and tap Screen Time (turn it on if it isn't already).
- Tap Content & Privacy Restrictions and toggle it on.
- Tap Content Restrictions → Web Content.
- Select Limit Adult Websites. This auto-filters known adult sites in Safari and most in-app browsers.
- (Optional) Under "Never Allow," add specific sites you want blocked by name.
The critical step almost everyone skips
A filter you can turn off in ten seconds isn't protection — it's a speed bump. At 2am, willpower is at its lowest and that toggle is right there. So set a Screen Time passcode you don't control: have a partner, friend, or accountability person set it and keep it. Now the filter can't be disabled on impulse. That single step is the difference between a filter and a real block.
Method 2: A dedicated blocker app (stronger, harder to bypass)
Screen Time's filter is a good start, but it has real gaps — a determined user can find unfiltered sites, switch browsers, or disable it if they know the passcode. A dedicated blocker closes those gaps:
| Screen Time only | Dedicated blocker | |
|---|---|---|
| Cost | Free | Usually paid |
| Coverage | Safari + most apps | Every browser + app |
| Hard to disable | Only if someone else holds the passcode | Built-in friction / delay to turn off |
| Help in the moment | None | Reset / coach when an urge hits |
This is exactly what StopMe is built for: it walls off adult content across Safari and every app (using Apple's own Screen Time technology under the hood), and it's designed to be hard to switch off in a weak moment. It also adds the part a plain filter can't — a 60-second reset and a coach in your corner for the moment an urge actually hits, plus a private streak that keeps you moving. Everything stays on your device.
Get StopMe on iPhone — start free →Why blocking works (when willpower doesn't)
Blocking isn't about being weak — it's strategy. An urge is a wave that peaks and passes in a few minutes. If the option isn't there during those few minutes, the wave breaks and you're through it. You're not white-knuckling a decision at your lowest point; you already made the decision at your strongest. That's why removing easy access is one of the most effective steps anyone trying to quit can take.
Blocking is step one. For the full playbook, read how to quit porn for good, or take the free 2-minute dependency test to see where you stand.
Common questions
Can my kids or I get around the block?
A basic filter, yes — with effort. That's why the passcode-you-don't-control step (or a purpose-built blocker with disable-friction) matters. The goal is to make bypassing it slow and deliberate enough that the urge passes first.
Does this drain battery or slow my phone?
No meaningfully. Screen Time's filter is built into iOS; a good blocker runs efficiently on-device.
Not sure how deep it goes? Take the free test →This article is educational and not medical advice. If you're in crisis, call or text 988 (US) to reach the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline.