How to block Discord on a Mac (app and website, 2026)

Do you need to block the Discord app or the website?

Both, if you use both. Discord has a desktop app for Mac, offered on discord.com/download, and a web version that opens in a browser at discord.com. Blocking one does not block the other. A website block (hosts file, browser extension) stops the browser version. It may or may not stop the desktop app, because the app also talks to Discord's servers directly, and Discord does not publish the full list of hostnames the app uses. Do not rely on a hosts entry to block the app. Block the app as an app.

Discord also uses other domains for invite links, images and voice. Do not add guessed domains to your hosts file. Block the app as an app, block discord.com as a website, then test both.

Which method should you use to block Discord?

Use Screen Time App Limits for a free cap on the app, the hosts file for a quick block of the website, and Nudge when you want both the app and the website blocked on a session. For the general app method, see how to block apps on a Mac.

How do you block the Discord app with Screen Time App Limits?

Screen Time can limit how long an app is used per day. On macOS 26 and earlier, App Limits set limits for specific apps, app categories and websites. On macOS 27, Apple's guide sets Time Allowances by app category, such as Social Media, so you may need to limit the whole category Discord is in. A limit caps use; it does not remove the app.

• When the time is up, macOS shows a prompt that the person at the keyboard can usually dismiss with an extra allowance unless a Screen Time passcode is set. It limits time; it does not stop you opening Discord at the start of a work session. For a block that starts when a session starts, use a focus app.

1. Click the Apple menu, open System Settings and click Screen Time in the sidebar (you may need to scroll). Turn it on if needed.

2. Open App Limits (on macOS 27, Time Allowances).

3. Add a limit and choose the Discord app from the list of apps, or its category if you want a wider limit. On macOS 27, choose its category, such as Social Media.

4. Set a short daily time, then confirm.

5. Optional: turn on Lock Screen Time Settings so a passcode is needed to change it.

How do you block discord.com with the hosts file?

Point discord.com at an address that goes nowhere. Chrome reads the hosts file itself, and other browsers on this Mac that use the system resolver read it too. Safari follows it as well, unless iCloud Private Relay is on. Hosts entries do not support wildcards: each line covers one hostname only. List discord.com and www.discord.com.

With iCloud Private Relay on, Safari sends its web requests through Apple's relays, so a hosts entry may not apply there; turn Private Relay off for Safari, then open the site to confirm it is blocked.

• To unblock, open the file again, delete the lines and flush the cache again.
• It is a permanent block with no timer, and anyone who knows the trick can reverse it. If the desktop app still connects, that is expected; block the app with App Limits or a focus app.

1. Open Terminal and run:

   sudo nano /etc/hosts

2. Enter your Mac password. Move to the bottom of the file and add:

   0.0.0.0 discord.com
   0.0.0.0 www.discord.com

3. Press Control-O, then Return to save, and Control-X to exit.

4. Flush the DNS cache so the change applies now:

   sudo dscacheutil -flushcache
   sudo killall -HUP mDNSResponder

5. Quit and reopen your browser, then open discord.com and confirm it no longer loads. Quit and reopen the Discord app and see whether it still connects.

Can Screen Time or your browser block discord.com?

Screen Time has a web content restriction (System Settings, Screen Time, Content & Privacy, App Store, Media, Web & Games, Limit Adult Websites, Customize) where you add https://www.discord.com to the Restricted list. It is aimed at Safari, so test other browsers.

Neither Safari nor Chrome has a built-in website blocklist for personal use. Chrome relies on extensions or system-level blocks. An extension affects only its own browser. Step-by-step options are in the Chrome guide and the Safari guide. For the general method, see how to block websites on a Mac.

How do you block Discord on your iPhone too?

Use Screen Time on the iPhone. A block on your Mac does not carry over to the phone, and Nudge is a Mac app only. Menu names differ slightly between iOS versions.

1. On the iPhone, open Settings and tap Screen Time.

2. Tap App Limits, add Discord and set a time allowance.

3. To block the website, tap Content & Privacy Restrictions and switch it on, then tap App Store, Media, Web, & Games, then Web Content, then Limit Adult Websites. Under Never Allow, tap Add Website and enter discord.com.

How do you block Discord only during work sessions?

Use a focus app that blocks apps as well as websites, so Discord is shut while you work and reachable after. Add the Discord app and discord.com to a Nudge preset and start the session from the menu bar. Nudge blocks the apps and websites you picked while the session runs, and websites are blocked in Safari and Chrome.

• Discord is blocked while you work and reachable after the session ends. Nudge costs $9.99 once for Lifetime Access, with no subscription, and every Mac gets a 7-day free trial that needs no email, password or card.
• To compare other tools, read the best website blocker apps for Mac and app blocker vs website blocker.

1. Open Nudge and create a preset, such as Deep Work.

2. Add the Discord app to the apps to block, and discord.com to the websites to block.

3. Start the preset from the menu bar, or use Quick Focus for a one-off session.

4. Optional: add a schedule so the preset runs on the days and hours you choose.