How to Block Websites on Microsoft Edge in Windows 10

The following blog is about instructions on how to block websites on Microsoft Edge in Windows 10. It is a workaround and not the browser setting.

Microsoft Edge is the default web browser in Windows 10 out of the box. The company has replaced it with Internet Explorer to complete other modern browsers available in the market such as Chrome, and Firefox.

By the time, the company has introduced lots of useful features, and one of them is a parental control feature. Users can take help of this security feature to block certain sites on Microsoft Edge browser in Windows 10. It could be social networking sites like Facebook or the Pornography sites. Of course, no one would like their family members to access these type of sites.

Parental Control feature is the part of Edge browser for a long time. And blocking sites using this feature is not much useful. Now what to do in this situation? The best solution is to block the whole domain on the Edge browser.

How to Block Websites on Microsoft Edge in Windows 10

Unfortunately, there is no such setting available in the Edge browser and due to this reason users left with no other choice, but to use the host file to block sites in Windows 10.

In this method, you need to modify the host file and mention the sites which you want to block on the Edge browser. If you’re interested in going with this method, then here is what you need to do:

Launch Hosts file in Windows 10. You can check out this blog to learn the right way to open the host file in Windows 10.

Here’s how hosts file looks like when you open it in the Notepad.

Here, you need to type links of the sites which you want to block from opening in the Edge browser. Suppose, you want to block Facebook and YouTube, then here is how you need to type it:

• To block Facebook, type this: 127.0.0.1 www.facebook.com
• To block YouTube, type this:  127.0.0.1 www.youtube.com

Update: 18/03/2019

After following the above workaround, if sites are still opening then instead of using 127.0.0.1 before web address use 0.0.0.0. For example: 0.0.0.0 facebook.com

NDepending on the requirement, you can type as many websites you want to block.

Once done, click on the Save button and close the file.

After modifying the host file, if you try to visit Facebook, YouTube and other sites which you have blocked; then you will notice that the site is not opening and showing you message i.e., Can’t reach this page or similar.

Tip – The plus point of this method, is that accompanied by Edge browser, it will also block websites on Chrome, Firefox and other browsers too.

That’s it!

You can check previous blog post on how to fix Block Website Using Hosts File Not Working – Fixed

As of writing this blog post, this is the only way to block sites on Edge browser. Maybe, the company in the future will introduce a better option for achieving the same thing.

Find my blog post on “How to Block Websites on Microsoft Edge in Windows 10” useful? If face any difficulties in blocking sites using this method, let us know in the comments we will love to assist you.

Viney Dhiman

Himachali, Mechanical Engineer, Snooker Lover, Avid drinker of Scotch, Content Creator, Traveller and Shorter than you (probably).