BlockTheWeb Support

Help with the BlockTheWeb Mac app, the Chrome extension, and the partner web app.

Before you start

• BlockTheWeb is in a private family Alpha. It protects Chrome Stable on macOS 14 or later only. Safari, Firefox, and Edge are not protected.
• Install the BlockTheWeb extension from the Chrome Web Store. Its item ID is kfiamjbpejfpbkmbacngbpgebnochdck.
• In Chrome, open the extension's Details and turn on Allow in Incognito. The Alpha needs the extension in regular and Incognito windows.

Common questions

The app shows "Repair required"

BlockTheWeb cannot confirm that Chrome is protected. Until it can, BlockTheWeb may close Chrome. Your partner gets an alert if this lasts more than two minutes.

1. Open chrome://extensions. Make sure BlockTheWeb is installed and turned on.
2. Open the extension's Details. Make sure Allow in Incognito is on.
3. In the BlockTheWeb menu bar icon, choose Repair Protection... and follow the steps.

When the app shows Protected again, you can browse.

The app says "Update the BlockTheWeb Chrome extension"

The Mac app and the Chrome extension must have the same version. Chrome updates extensions on its own, usually within a few hours. To update now, open chrome://extensions, turn on Developer mode, and click Update. Protection stays fail-closed until the new version connects.

How do I get time on a blocked site?

On the blocked page, choose 5, 15, 30, or 60 minutes and click Request access. Your partner gets an email and decides in the web app. An email alone cannot approve a request. If your partner approves, access ends at a fixed time. If your partner denies, your rules do not change. A request that nobody answers expires after 24 hours.

How do I invite my accountability partner?

1. In BlockTheWeb, open Settings, then Family Accountability. Choose Sign in with Google.
2. Enter your partner's email address and choose Invite partner.
3. Your partner opens the link in the email, signs in with the Google account for that same address, and accepts.

An invitation works once and expires after 24 hours. Each account can have five pending invitations and send ten invitation emails per day. During the Alpha, please write to us before you invite a new partner, so that we can enable email delivery to that address.

What does my partner see?

Your Mac's name, your email address, protection alerts, and the sites you ask to unblock with the minutes you asked for. Your partner does not see your browsing, your blocked attempts, or the pages you visit. The privacy policy has the complete list.

I changed my schedule. Why did my partner get an alert?

While you are paired, BlockTheWeb tells your partner when protection becomes weaker: a shorter or deleted schedule, a larger allow-list, deactivation, unpairing, or uninstall. The Alpha does not ask your partner to approve these changes first.

How do I uninstall BlockTheWeb?

1. In the BlockTheWeb menu bar icon, choose Uninstall BlockTheWeb... and follow the steps. If you are paired, your partner gets an alert.
2. In Chrome, open chrome://extensions and remove the BlockTheWeb extension.

How do I delete my account data?

Write to dev@blocktheweb.com from the email address of your account. We delete your account, devices, pairings, events, and requests within 30 days.