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How to block websites on a schedule in Chrome

Free, takes two minutes · Updated

You probably don't need Reddit blocked all weekend, just between 9 and 5. A schedule blocks your sites during the hours you pick and lets them open the rest of the time, with nothing to switch on or off.

Bonk has a Schedule tab that does this for free. You can have a few schedules, each with its own days, times and sites.

Set up a schedule in five steps

  1. Add Bonk to Chrome from the Chrome Web Store.
  2. Click the Bonk icon in Chrome's toolbar and block the sites you want to schedule.
  3. Open the Schedule tab and click New schedule.
  4. Under Start from, pick a preset, or set your own days and times. The presets are Work hours (weekdays, 9 to 5), Study night (Sunday to Thursday, 7 to 10pm), Bedtime (every night, 11pm to 7am) and Weekends (all day Saturday and Sunday).
  5. Click Save.

The week grid at the top of the Schedule tab shows when you're blocked. From now on, Bonk blocks and unblocks your sites by itself using your computer's clock.

Block different sites at different times

In the schedule editor, the Block setting decides what the schedule covers. All sites blocks everything on your Sites tab. Pick lets you choose just some categories or sites, so social media can be blocked during work while a gaming block only runs at bedtime.

Schedules that run past midnight

If the end time is earlier than the start time, the schedule runs overnight. Bedtime, for example, starts at 11pm and ends at 7am the next morning. Setting the same start and end time blocks the whole day.

What happens between schedules

At the top of the Schedule tab, Between schedules decides what happens outside your blocked hours. Sites open means they're usable, which is what most people want. Blocked means your sites stay blocked all the time, and schedules don't matter.

Switch a schedule off without deleting it

Each schedule has an on and off switch. Turn one off for a holiday and back on when you're ready. Nothing else changes.

Strict schedules you can't edit while they run

A normal schedule can be changed at any time. Bonk Pro adds strict schedules, which keep running even if you turn Bonk off and can't be edited while they're active. For a free way to lock Bonk for a set time, see hard mode.

Add Bonk to Chrome, it's free

Questions

How many schedules can I have for free?

Three. Bonk Pro removes the limit. Schedules you already made are never taken away.

Does a schedule use my local time?

Yes. It follows your computer's clock and time zone.

Does Chrome have to be open for a schedule to work?

Chrome has to be running for Bonk to block anything. Schedules follow your computer's clock, so if you open Chrome during a blocked hour, the sites are already blocked.

Can a schedule block just one site?

Yes. In the editor, set Block to Pick and tick only the sites or categories you want.

What if I need a blocked site during work for a minute?

Turn the schedule off from its switch, or add the site as an exception. If you've set hard mode or a strict schedule, that's locked until it ends.

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