“I want to block YouTube on Windows, but I always end up disabling the extension.”
How to block YouTube without relying on willpower
Add YouTube to a focus mode before you start work so you do not have to make the same choice before every video. On Windows, REACH uses its Chrome extension to block the entire youtube.com domain while the session is active. Because the block works by domain, it cannot leave a specific playlist open. Prepare the mode, add youtube.com, and start the session when you are ready to work.
REACH keeps YouTube blocked in Chrome for the length of your session. Join the waitlist and we will email you when you can try it.
REACH is in free public beta. Join the waitlist and we will let you know when you can try it. No card, no ads.
Decide before you start
A standalone extension leaves you to make another decision when your attention is already slipping. With a prepared mode, you choose what to block before work begins.
REACH blocks the domain only while a focus session is active. Access returns when the session ends, so the block lasts for the work period you set.
Why timers fall short
A timer you can dismiss with one click records your intention but leaves access unchanged. Browser extensions also cover only one source of distraction while other desktop apps remain available.
REACH puts website blocking in the same mode that can close distracting Windows apps. The session can cover YouTube along with a game, chat app, or launcher.
How REACH blocks YouTube
The Chrome extension receives rules from REACH through a local bridge and blocks the entire domain during an active session. A rule can take up to about one minute to start or stop.
If the local bridge is unavailable, browsing remains open to avoid an accidental lockout. REACH can therefore be bypassed.
When to use another option
Use another option if you need to allow one YouTube path, block Firefox or Edge, or protect the block with administrator controls. REACH also cannot replace network policy for families, classrooms, or managed teams.
REACH may suit people who work in Chrome on Windows and want YouTube blocked for a set focus session, with access restored when the session ends.
What this answer does not cover
- Website blocking currently works only in Chrome.
- The block covers all of youtube.com, including every playlist and path.
- Rules can take up to about one minute to start or stop.
Questions on this page
Can REACH block only one YouTube playlist?
No. Website control works by full domain, so the session blocks all of youtube.com.
Does YouTube return when the session ends?
Yes. Web rules apply only during an active focus session and can take up to about one minute to clear.
Does it work in Firefox or Edge?
Not yet. The beta uses a Chrome MV3 extension.