How to block Instagram on your computer

Updated 13 October 2026

The short answer

Instagram’s own time reminders only nudge you. To stop opening instagram.com on a computer, add it to a website blocker extension like Stillwood, or block it in your hosts file.

Method 1: pause Instagram with Stillwood

Install Stillwood for Chrome and pick Instagram on the first screen.
Choose when to be protected: work hours, all the time, or only when you press “Start focus”.
When you open Instagram, Stillwood pauses and asks what’s pulling you there. Often the honest answer is “tired”, and a 5-minute break away from the screen helps more than the feed.
To shut Instagram completely during focus time, switch it to “Closed” in settings.

Method 2: block it in the hosts file

Add these lines to your hosts file (C:\Windows\System32\drivers\etc\hosts on Windows, /etc/hosts on Mac) and restart the browser:

127.0.0.1 instagram.com
127.0.0.1 www.instagram.com

This blocks Instagram in every browser on that computer, with no schedule and no exceptions.

Method 3: make it less tempting

Sign out of Instagram in your work browser.
Turn on Quiet mode in the Instagram app so notifications don’t pull you back in.
Keep Instagram for your phone, at a set time of day, instead of an open tab next to your work.

Questions

Can I block Instagram but keep it on my phone?

Yes. A Chrome extension only works in that browser on that computer. Your phone app isn’t affected.

Does Instagram have a built-in time limit?

Instagram can remind you after a set amount of time, but it doesn’t block anything. You can dismiss the reminder and keep scrolling.

Can I let myself in for a few minutes?

Yes. In “Pause & ask why” mode you can open Instagram for 10 minutes, and Stillwood brings you back when the time is up.