How to Block Websites on Brave: Desktop and Private Windows

To block websites on Brave desktop, install a compatible website blocker from the Chrome Web Store and add the domains to its blocklist. Brave supports Chromium extensions. The extension must be active in the Brave profile and window you use.

Brave Shields protects browsing from ads, trackers, and other unwanted content. A focus block has a different purpose: it stops you from opening a chosen site. This guide explains desktop setup, private-window checks, and what to do on mobile.

How do you install a website blocker in Brave?

Open the extension's store listing in Brave, review the permissions, and add it to the browser. Brave's official extension instructions describe this process.

1. Open the Bouncer store listing in desktop Brave.
2. Choose the button to add the extension. Read the permission prompt before you confirm.
3. Open Bouncer from the Extensions menu. Open its dashboard.
4. Add the domain you want to block, such as youtube.com or reddit.com.
5. Open the domain in a new normal tab. Check that the blocker replaces the site with its block page.

These steps apply to the desktop browser on Windows, Mac, or Linux. If an employer manages your Brave installation, an administrator may control which extensions you can install.

Bouncer lets you start with up to five blocked sites for free. Pro adds schedules, daily allowances, and whitelist mode. See the plan details before you choose a feature that needs an upgrade.

Can Brave Shields block an entire website?

Shields is mainly a content and privacy protection system. Its official guide describes controls for ads, trackers, cookies, scripts, and fingerprinting. Blocking parts of a page is not the same as keeping a distraction site out of your work session.

If a page looks broken after you change a Shields setting, that does not prove you have a complete website block. A different page or part of the site may still work. A dedicated blocker gives you a clear rule list and a visible block result.

Advanced content filters can also restrict requests. Their scope depends on the rule and filter system. If your goal is a work-hours schedule, daily time budget, or a small allowed list, choose a tool that explicitly supports that workflow.

How do you check blocking in Brave private windows?

Open brave://extensions and inspect the blocker's details. Check the option that allows the extension in private or incognito browsing, if the extension and browser support it. Then open a fresh private window and try the blocked site.

Use two checks: open the home page directly, then open a link to a page inside the site. Also test the profile you use each day. A block in one profile is not evidence that it runs in another.

If you use Brave's private window with Tor, verify that mode separately. Do not assume a normal private-window result applies to Tor windows. If the extension cannot run in a mode you use, you need a different control for that mode.

Can you block sites only during work hours?

A blocker with schedules can restrict sites during selected hours and days. For example, block social sites from 9:00 to 12:00 on workdays while leaving them available later.

In Bouncer, schedules are a Pro feature. Create the blocklist first, then configure the schedule. Check it during an active period and after that period ends. An all-day rule is different from a schedule, so make sure the site is available when you intend it to be.

For a shorter session, use a focus timer. If you need research sites but want to restrict the rest of the web, read the whitelist mode guide. Test your document tools, sign-in pages, and references before you start.

How do you block websites on Brave mobile?

Do not apply these desktop extension steps to Brave on a phone. Use the controls that your phone and browser version support. A device-level restriction or a supported app blocker may be needed to cover both browsing and apps.

On an iPhone, review Screen Time content restrictions and check the result in Brave. On Android, review supported family or device controls. Android's app timers restrict apps; they are not automatically a website rule inside every browser.

Test the actual route you want to stop: the normal browser, private browsing where available, and the site's separate app. If you need a broader plan, the social media blocking guide separates browser and phone methods.

Why does the website still load after I block it?

The rule may not cover the URL or browsing mode you used. Check these items before you add a stronger restriction:

• Extension status: confirm the blocker is enabled in brave://extensions.
• Domain scope: check whether your rule includes www and other subdomains.
• Private mode: repeat the private-window check.
• Schedule: confirm the current day and time are inside the block period.
• Other apps: close the separate app or use an app-level control if that is where you keep browsing.

A rule for reddit.com should be a domain rule, not a broad keyword such as reddit, unless you intend to restrict URLs that mention it elsewhere. The keyword blocking guide explains that difference.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I need to use Chrome to install Bouncer in Brave?

No. Open the Chrome Web Store listing in Brave desktop and install the compatible extension there. The store name does not require you to switch browsers.

Will a Brave website blocker also block ads?

Website blocking and ad blocking are separate functions. Use a website rule to stop access to a site and review Shields for content protection.

Does clearing browsing history remove the blocklist?

Do not treat history removal as a way to manage blocker rules. Rules belong to the extension's settings; inspect those settings if you need to change a block.

Can I make the browser extension impossible to remove?

A personal browser extension cannot guarantee that a person with control of the browser will keep it installed. Use device or managed controls when you need stronger enforcement.

What should you do next?

Add one distraction domain in desktop Brave and check the browsing modes you use. Keep the rule that passes those checks. Then add a schedule or a longer list only when you know your work sites remain available.

Related Guides

• How to Block Websites on Edge: Desktop and InPrivate
• How to Block Websites by Keyword in Chrome
• Website Blockers You Actually Can't Bypass