How to Force SafeSearch on Mac
Learn how to force SafeSearch on Mac using the Hosts file, Terminal commands, your Content Policy, or device management.
If you're configuring your Mac to block online content, one step you've probably considered is making sure that SafeSearch is always enabled and not intentionally or accidentally bypassed. This guide will take a look at a few effective methods for enforcing SafeSearch on a Mac.
There are several ways to enforce SafeSearch:
- Network-level enforcement, such as modifying DNS settings.
- Device-specific implementation, including native Mac settings and browser configurations.
In addition to enforcing SafeSearch, you might want to consider blocking search engines that don't support SafeSearch.
We recommend combining several of the below approaches together so that if one enforcement layer fails, the other one can ensure that SafeSearch is still activated.
Important SafeSearch Considerations
Before enforcing SafeSearch, you should be aware Microsoft's Copilot Chat may not work properly depending on how you access it.
If SafeSearch is enforced, you'll see this message when trying to access bing's copilot feature:
Here are some possible work-arounds:
- Assign a schedule to the content policy SafeSearch rule to turn off bing safesearch during productive hours, then turn it back on during leisure time.
- Omit the bing entries and commands discussed later on.
Enable a SafeSearch Rule on Your Content Policy
This step only applies if you've connected your Mac device and have connected it to the Tech Lockdown content policy. This allows you to enforce SafeSearch on the network-layer of the Mac.
Create a SafeSearch Rule for Supported Search Engines
By default, this rule should apply to all search engines that support SafeSearch for all devices connected to your Content Policy.
Bing Chat is disabled by SafeSearch
Here are some workarounds if you need to use Bing chat on the device with SafeSearch enforced.
Block Search Engines that Don't Support SafeSearch
Following the instructions above won't block search engines that don't have a SafeSearch option. You can instead block all but a select group of search engines that you know support SafeSearch.
google.com google.co.uk bing.com duckduckgo.com search.yahoo.com yandex.com
Important note about rule order
Using the Terminal Application to Enforce SafeSearch
An additional layer alongside DNS-enforced SafeSearch is using the Mac's terminal application to configure SafeSearch natively on the Mac and for specific browsers.
To get started, you need to make sure that the Terminal application is configured correctly and that you can open it.
Exclude Bing if you use Copilot
Use the Defaults Command to Force SafeSearch on your Browser
Some browsers let you manually set SafeSearch through the Terminal application. This method works alongside the DNS-enforced SafeSearch.
Do the following for each command below:
Google SafeSearch if Google chrome is installed:
defaults write com.google.Chrome.plist GoogleSafeSearch -int 1
Bing SafeSearch if Microsoft edge is installed:
defaults write com.microsoft.edge.plist ForceBingSafeSearch -int 2
Add SafeSearch Hosts File Entries
In addition to the above terminal commands and DNS-level SafeSearch enforcement, you can update the Mac's hosts file to natively enforce SafeSearch across all browsers where the search engines are accessed.
To get started, use terminal to open the hosts file:
sudo nano /etc/hosts
Now, copy/paste the following entries to the bottom of the hosts file:
# Google SafeSearch 216.239.38.120 google.com 216.239.38.120 www.google.com 216.239.38.120 google.co.uk 216.239.38.120 www.google.co.uk # Bing SafeSearch 204.79.197.220 www.bing.com 204.79.197.220 bing.com # DuckDuckGo SafeSearch 52.149.247.1 duckduckgo.com # Yahoo SafeSearch 98.137.11.163 search.yahoo.com 98.137.11.163 www.search.yahoo.com # Yandex SafeSearch 77.88.55.80 yandex.com 77.88.55.80 www.yandex.com ## Youtube Safe Search ## 216.239.38.119 www.youtube.com 216.239.38.119 m.youtube.com 216.239.38.119 youtubei.googleapis.com 216.239.38.119 youtube.googleapis.com 216.239.38.119 www.youtube-nocookie.com
Block Non-SafeSearch Search Engines
Not all search engines support the SafeSearch feature. You can block most of them by added these entries to the end of your Hosts file:
0.0.0.0 a.searx.space 0.0.0.0 beezboo.com 0.0.0.0 boomle.com 0.0.0.0 darmarit.org 0.0.0.0 dogpile.com 0.0.0.0 dynabyte.ca 0.0.0.0 ecosia.org 0.0.0.0 engo.mint.lgbt 0.0.0.0 eulie.de 0.0.0.0 fireball.de 0.0.0.0 gibiru.com 0.0.0.0 gigablast.com 0.0.0.0 go.mail.ru 0.0.0.0 haku.ahmia.fi 0.0.0.0 haku.lelux.fi 0.0.0.0 hmsearx.h0meserver.com 0.0.0.0 jsearch.pw 0.0.0.0 lite.qwant.com 0.0.0.0 lukol.com 0.0.0.0 metacrawler.com 0.0.0.0 metager3.de 0.0.0.0 metager.de 0.0.0.0 metager.org 0.0.0.0 metasearch.nl 0.0.0.0 mijisou.com 0.0.0.0 mojeek.com 0.0.0.0 neeva.com 0.0.0.0 nibblehole.com 0.0.0.0 nigma.eu 0.0.0.0 nova.rambler.ru 0.0.0.0 null.media 0.0.0.0 openworlds.info 0.0.0.0 oscobo.com 0.0.0.0 peekier.com 0.0.0.0 ransack.i2p 0.0.0.0 recherche.aol.fr 0.0.0.0 recherche.catmargue.org 0.0.0.0 results.excite.com 0.0.0.0 roteserver.de 0.0.0.0 search.0xcb.dev 0.0.0.0 search.activemail.de 0.0.0.0 search.anonymize.com 0.0.0.0 search.aol.ca 0.0.0.0 search.aol.co.uk 0.0.0.0 search.aol.com 0.0.0.0 search.azkware.net 0.0.0.0 search.biboumail.fr 0.0.0.0 search.bluelock.org 0.0.0.0 search.brave.com 0.0.0.0 search.disroot.org 0.0.0.0 search.ethibox.fr 0.0.0.0 search.gougeul.org 0.0.0.0 search.jigsaw-security.com 0.0.0.0 search.jpope.org 0.0.0.0 search.lgbtq.cool 0.0.0.0 search.mdosch.de 0.0.0.0 search.modalogi.com 0.0.0.0 search.nebulacentre.net 0.0.0.0 search.opentunisia.org 0.0.0.0 search.paulla.asso.fr 0.0.0.0 search.privacytools.io 0.0.0.0 search.seds.nl 0.0.0.0 search.snopyta.org 0.0.0.0 search.spaeth.me 0.0.0.0 search.st8.at 0.0.0.0 search.stinpriza.org 0.0.0.0 search.yahoo.com 0.0.0.0 searchencrypt.com 0.0.0.0 searchx.mobi 0.0.0.0 searx.32bitflo.at 0.0.0.0 searx.alec.ninja 0.0.0.0 searx.bar 0.0.0.0 searx.bbaovanc.com 0.0.0.0 searx.be 0.0.0.0 searx.canox.net 0.0.0.0 searx.ch 0.0.0.0 searx.com.au 0.0.0.0 searx.decatec.de 0.0.0.0 searx.deepak.pro 0.0.0.0 searx.devol.it 0.0.0.0 searx.dojocasts.com 0.0.0.0 searx.dresden.network 0.0.0.0 searx.elukerio.org 0.0.0.0 searx.everdot.org 0.0.0.0 searx.feneas.org 0.0.0.0 searx.fmac.xyz 0.0.0.0 searx.foo.li 0.0.0.0 searx.forked.io 0.0.0.0 searx.fossencdi.org 0.0.0.0 searx.gnu.style 0.0.0.0 searx.gotrust.de 0.0.0.0 searx.guillaumea.fr 0.0.0.0 searx.handskemager.xyz 0.0.0.0 searx.hardwired.link 0.0.0.0 searx.info 0.0.0.0 searx.ir 0.0.0.0 searx.kvch.me 0.0.0.0 searx.lambda.li 0.0.0.0 searx.laquadrature.net 0.0.0.0 searx.lavatech.top 0.0.0.0 searx.lelux.fi 0.0.0.0 searx.libmail.eu 0.0.0.0 searx.likkle.monster 0.0.0.0 searx.linux.pizza 0.0.0.0 searx.lnode.net 0.0.0.0 searx.louifox.house 0.0.0.0 searx.lwhr.xyz 0.0.0.0 searx.lynnesbian.space 0.0.0.0 searx.mastodontech.de 0.0.0.0 searx.maxxblow.de 0.0.0.0 searx.monicz.pl 0.0.0.0 searx.mxchange.org 0.0.0.0 searx.nakhan.net 0.0.0.0 searx.netzspielplatz.de 0.0.0.0 searx.nevrlands.de 0.0.0.0 searx.nightmare.life 0.0.0.0 searx.ninja 0.0.0.0 searx.nixnet.services 0.0.0.0 searx.nulltime.net 0.0.0.0 searx.olymp.to 0.0.0.0 searx.openhoofd.nl 0.0.0.0 searx.openpandora.org 0.0.0.0 searx.operationtulip.com 0.0.0.0 searx.org 0.0.0.0 searx.ouahpiti.info 0.0.0.0 searx.pofilo.fr 0.0.0.0 searx.privatenet.cf 0.0.0.0 searx.prvcy.eu 0.0.0.0 searx.pwoss.org 0.0.0.0 searx.rasp.fr 0.0.0.0 searx.ro 0.0.0.0 searx.ru 0.0.0.0 searx.run 0.0.0.0 searx.rxyz.rocks 0.0.0.0 searx.semipvt.com 0.0.0.0 searx.simonoener.com 0.0.0.0 searx.slash-dev.de 0.0.0.0 searx.solusar.de 0.0.0.0 searx.sp-codes.de 0.0.0.0 searx.sulu.me 0.0.0.0 searx.sunless.cloud 0.0.0.0 searx.thegreenwebfoundation.org 0.0.0.0 searx.tuxcloud.net 0.0.0.0 searx.tyil.nl 0.0.0.0 searx.vitanetworks.link 0.0.0.0 searx.wegeeks.win 0.0.0.0 searx.win 0.0.0.0 searx.xyz 0.0.0.0 searx.zapashcanon.fr 0.0.0.0 searx.zdechov.net 0.0.0.0 searxzh.cn 0.0.0.0 seeks.hsbp.org 0.0.0.0 skyn3t.in 0.0.0.0 spot.ecloud.global 0.0.0.0 startpage.com 0.0.0.0 suche.aol.de 0.0.0.0 suche.dasnetzundich.de 0.0.0.0 suche.mexmail.de 0.0.0.0 suche.uferwerk.org 0.0.0.0 suchfeuer.de 0.0.0.0 timdor.noip.me 0.0.0.0 tromland.org 0.0.0.0 trovu.komun.org 0.0.0.0 unmonito.red 0.0.0.0 webcrawler.com 0.0.0.0 websearch.excite.co.jp 0.0.0.0 wtf.roflcopter.fr 0.0.0.0 www.finden.tk 0.0.0.0 www.gruble.de 0.0.0.0 www.perfectpixel.de 0.0.0.0 www.searxs.eu 0.0.0.0 yep.com 0.0.0.0 yippy.com 0.0.0.0 you.com 0.0.0.0 zoek.anchel.nl
To see your changes, flush your Mac's DNS first.
sudo killall -HUP mDNSResponder
Enforce SafeSearch with Screen Time
Another way that you can enforce SafeSearch is by using Screen Time settings. Screen Time let's you set adult sites as limited on Safari.
Force SafeSearch on a Managed Mac
For advanced Tech Lockdown users who've enabled device management on their Mac device, you have the option to enforce the Web Content Feature on your Mac. Doing this will enforce SafeSearch on supported browsers (like Google Chrome or Microsoft Edge).