Why a blocked website may still open

Time to Read: 4 minutes

If you have added a website to Blocker Web but it still opens in your browser, there are a few common reasons why this can happen.

In most cases, the website has either already been loaded, the browser is using cached data, or another setting on the computer is bypassing the normal blocking method.

Check that manual URL blocking is turned on

See also: How to use Popular Website Presets Article

First, make sure Manual URL Blocking is turned on in Blocker Web.

If manual URL blocking is turned off, websites can still be added to your blocked list, but they will not be actively blocked until blocking is enabled.

Go to the Blocked URLs tab and check the Protection Status panel.

If it says OFF, turn manual URL blocking on.

Close and reopen your browser

Some browsers keep websites open in the background, even after they have been blocked.

After adding a website to Blocker Web, close your browser completely and open it again.

You may also need to close any already-open tabs for that website.

Clear your browser cache

See also: Adding Blocklist Sources in Blocker Web Article

A website may still appear because parts of it are already saved in your browser cache.

Try clearing the browser cache, then reopen the website.

This is especially useful if the page appears to load but does not fully work.

Try using a private browsing window

Open a private or incognito window and try visiting the blocked website again.

This can help confirm whether the normal browser cache or saved session is causing the site to appear.

Check the website address

Make sure the domain has been added correctly.

For example, use:

facebook.com

instead of:

https://www.facebook.com/profile/example

Blocker Web works best when you add the main domain name.

Some websites use multiple domains

Many large websites use more than one domain to load content.

For example, a platform may use separate domains for images, videos, login pages, mobile pages or shared content.

This is why Popular Website Presets may add several related domains instead of only one.

If only part of a website is blocked, you may need to add additional related domains or use a preset if one is available.

Secure DNS may bypass blocking

Some browsers include a setting called secure DNS, private DNS or DNS over HTTPS.

This can sometimes allow websites to bypass normal local blocking.

If blocked websites still open, check your browser network or privacy settings and try turning off secure DNS.

Common places to check:

Chrome: Settings > Privacy and security > Security > Use secure DNS
Edge: Settings > Privacy, search, and services > Security > Use secure DNS
Firefox: Settings > Privacy & Security > DNS over HTTPS

After changing this setting, close and reopen the browser.

A VPN may bypass blocking

If you are using a VPN, proxy service or privacy browser, it may route traffic in a way that avoids local blocking.

Try disconnecting the VPN and testing the website again.

Antivirus or security software may interfere

Some antivirus and security suites include their own web protection, firewall or network filtering features.

These can sometimes change how websites are loaded or filtered.

If blocking does not behave as expected, check your security software settings.

Apps may still work even if the website is blocked

Blocking a website in Blocker Web mainly targets website domains.

Some apps may use different servers, background services or built-in connections that are not the same as the normal website address.

If an app still works, you may need to block additional related domains or use Internet Lock if you want to block all internet access temporarily.

Restart the computer

If a website still opens after checking everything above, restart the computer.

This helps clear old network sessions and makes sure the latest blocking changes are being used.

Summary

A blocked website may still open because of browser cache, already-open tabs, secure DNS, VPNs, related domains, apps using different connections, or security software.

For best results, make sure manual URL blocking is on, add the main domain, close and reopen your browser, then test again.