Web content blocker is a Surfshark One and Surfshark One+ feature that allows you to block access to your chosen website categories. These include, but are not limited to, adult, drug, gambling, weapon, and even scam websites.
NOTE: As long as the web content blocker feature is on, you cannot access any of the website categories you selected to block.
As long as the web content blocker feature is on, you cannot access any of the website categories you selected to block.
Set up and use the Surfshark web content blocker feature
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Tap Settings on the bottom right of the screen:
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Tap Web content blocker:
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Tap Set up this device.
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Type in the name of the device and tap Next.
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Select the categories you want to block by tapping the square next to them. Once done, tap Save.
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Afterward, you will see a notification in the Surfshark app that the Web content blocker is now active.
NOTE: If you haven’t added Surfshark to VPN Configurations before, you’ll have to do so to proceed.
Web content blocker troubleshooting on iOS
Trusted mobile network
If you marked your mobile network as a trusted network for Auto‑connect, the web content blocker will not run on that network. Remove the network from Trusted networks in the Auto‑connect settings to enable the web content blocker.
Browser cache or delay
The Surfshark web content blocker may not block sites immediately after you enable the web content blocker because of browser caching. Try killing the browser and restarting it, waiting a bit, and/or clearing your browser cache.
Another VPN is running
If a different VPN app is active on your device, neither the Surfshark app nor the web content blocker feature will work. Disable the other VPN and open the Surfshark app to restart it.
VPN protocol
If you wish to use the web content blocker feature alongside an active Surfshark VPN connection, make sure that Surfshark is connected with the WireGuard® protocol. If you’re connected using IKEv2 or OpenVPN, switch Surfshark to WireGuard®.
Bypasser conflict
The web content blocker feature won’t block a website added to Bypasser. If there is a certain website that may belong to a specific web content blocker category and you wish to block it, consider removing it from the Bypasser list first.
All websites stop loading after enabling the web content blocker feature
If your browser stops loading websites after turning it on, turn off the web content blocker or remove the Surfshark VPN profile in your device settings. Then try reconnecting.
To restart the Surfshark web content blocker, follow these steps:
- Open Settings.
- Select Web content blocker.
- Toggle the web content blocker to the off position.
Settings not synced with the admin panel
The web content blocker settings may take up to 1 hour to sync with the admin panel. You can force a sync by opening the Surfshark app and going to web content blocker settings.
Category changes are not applied immediately
If you update your web content blocker categories and notice that websites from the new categories are not immediately blocked, DNS caching may be causing the delay. To resolve this, try toggling Airplane Mode on and off, reconnecting to your network, or restarting the VPN connection.