How to block porn on iPhone: 5 ways that actually work

By the Flamico team · Updated October 11, 2026 · 3 min read

Most people who want to quit porn don’t lose in the afternoon. They lose at night, alone, with a phone in their hand. A good block takes that easy door away. Here are five ways to block porn on an iPhone, from free settings to a full blocker, and how to stop yourself from undoing them in a weak moment.

1. Turn on “Limit Adult Websites” in Screen Time (free)

Apple has a built-in adult-content filter. It works across the system, so it covers Safari, Chrome and most in-app browsers.

1. Open Settings and tap Screen Time. Turn it on if it isn’t already.
2. Tap Content & Privacy Restrictions and switch it on.
3. Tap App Store, Media, Web & Games, then Web Content.
4. Choose Limit Adult Websites. Under “Never Allow”, add any specific site you want blocked too.
5. Go back to Screen Time and tap Lock Screen Time Settings to set a passcode.

The catch: if you set the passcode yourself, you can turn the filter off in ten seconds when an urge hits. Ask someone you trust to type a passcode you don’t know. And keep in mind the filter can’t catch every site, especially new ones.

2. Block explicit content in the App Store and apps

In the same App Store, Media, Web & Games screen, set Apps to the age rating you’re comfortable with (for example 12+), and turn off explicit content for music, podcasts, books and TV. This hides apps and media rated for adults. Also go back to Content & Privacy Restrictions and set Allowed Apps if there’s an app you don’t want available at all.

3. Use a family-safe DNS

A DNS filter blocks known adult domains before they load, in every app. Free options include Cloudflare’s “1.1.1.1 for Families” (1.1.1.3 and 1.0.0.3).

1. Open Settings → Wi-Fi and tap the ⓘ next to your network.
2. Tap Configure DNS → Manual, remove the existing servers, and add 1.1.1.3 and 1.0.0.3.

The catch: this only covers that Wi-Fi network, not mobile data, and it’s easy to change back. Setting the same DNS on your home router protects every device on your home network, including laptops and smart TVs.

4. Close the side doors with App Limits and Downtime

Porn often arrives through apps, not search. In Screen Time:

• App Limits: set a daily limit for the apps where explicit content tends to find you.
• Downtime: schedule your hardest hours (for example 11 PM to 7 AM) so only calls, messages and the apps you choose work.
• Communication Limits and unfollowing explicit accounts help too.

5. Use a blocker built for quitting: Flamico

The settings above are filters. They don’t know you’re trying to quit, they’re easy to switch off, and they don’t help when an urge hits. Flamico uses the same Apple Screen Time protection, then adds what the built-in settings are missing:

• Blocks porn in every browser and app, with millions of adult sites kept up to date.
• Hard to undo, on purpose. Removing a site takes 24 hours, and in strict mode trying to switch protection off locks your phone.
• Lock your phone in one tap when it gets loud, from 15 minutes to 24 hours. Calls and messages keep working.
• Night lock turns on by itself at your hardest hours.
• Help in the moment: your own motivational video, breathing with Mico, and an AI friend who’s there at 2 AM with zero judgment.

Make the block stick

Every blocker can be beaten by someone determined enough at 2 AM. What changes the outcome is what happens in the next ten minutes:

• Know your hard hours. Most urges hit late at night, or when you’re bored or stressed. Charge your phone outside the bedroom.
• Keep your reason in sight. Write down why you’re quitting, or record a short video for your future self.
• Ride it out. Urges peak and fade, usually within minutes. Here’s a 10-minute plan.
• Don’t quit after a slip. A slip resets a counter, not your progress. Here’s what to do next.

Questions people ask

Can I block porn on iPhone for free?

Yes. Screen Time has a free Limit Adult Websites setting: Settings, Screen Time, Content & Privacy Restrictions, App Store, Media, Web & Games, Web Content, Limit Adult Websites. It works in Safari and most other browsers, but you can turn it off whenever you know the Screen Time passcode.

Does Screen Time block porn in Chrome and other browsers?

Yes. Limit Adult Websites applies to web content across the system, so it affects Safari, Chrome, and most in-app browsers, not only Safari.

How do I stop myself from turning the blocker off?

Let someone you trust set the Screen Time passcode so you don’t know it, or use a blocker designed with delays. Flamico keeps a site blocked for 24 more hours after you ask to remove it, and in strict mode trying to switch protection off locks your phone.

Does private browsing get around Screen Time?

No. Content restrictions apply in private browsing too. On recent iOS versions, turning on Limit Adult Websites also prevents private browsing in Safari.