How to block Reddit on Chrome when you need to focus

Updated 13 October 2026

The short answer

Reddit has no built-in time limit, so the practical way is a website blocker extension in Chrome. Add reddit.com to a blocker such as Stillwood and choose when it applies; subdomains like old.reddit.com are covered too.

Why “just one quick look” turns into an hour

Reddit never runs out: there’s always another thread and another reply. Most visits don’t start with a decision, they start with a hand that opens the tab on its own. That’s why a short pause before the page loads works better than willpower.

Method 1: pause Reddit with Stillwood

Install Stillwood for Chrome and pick Reddit on the first screen.
Choose when to be protected: weekdays 9:00–18:00, all the time, or only during a focus session.
When you open Reddit, Stillwood pauses and asks what’s pulling you there: bored, tired, stuck, or “it just opened itself”.
Want Reddit gone completely during work? In settings, switch it from “Pause & ask why” to “Closed”.

Over a week you’ll see how often Reddit tried to take your time, and why, which is usually more useful than any block.

Method 2: block it in the hosts file

To block Reddit in every browser, add these lines to your hosts file (C:\Windows\System32\drivers\etc\hosts on Windows, /etc/hosts on Mac), then restart the browser:

127.0.0.1 reddit.com
127.0.0.1 www.reddit.com
127.0.0.1 old.reddit.com

It’s all or nothing: no schedule, and you need to edit the file again to undo it.

Method 3: cut the triggers

Turn off Reddit’s email digests and push notifications in your Reddit settings.
Sign out of Reddit on your work computer, so the feed isn’t personalised.
Remove Reddit from your browser’s shortcuts and bookmarks bar.

Questions

Does blocking reddit.com also block old.reddit.com?

In Stillwood, yes: adding reddit.com covers its subdomains, including old.reddit.com. In the hosts file you need a separate line for each one.

Can I allow Reddit for a few minutes?

Yes. On the pause screen you can open the site for 10 minutes. When the time is up, Stillwood brings you back.

How do I block Reddit on my phone?

Use Screen Time on iPhone or Digital Wellbeing on Android to set a daily limit for the Reddit app and the browser.