The most commonly used browser globally is Google Chrome, safe, trustworthy, quick, and offers many features, unlike others. However, sometimes websites get blocked on Chrome by Google or by the user by accident. In this case, to open a blocked site, you must be sure if the blocked site is safe and important for you to visit. This guide will explain you steps on how to unblock websites in Chrome:
Steps on How To Unblock Websites on Chrome
There are four methods to unblock blocked websites on Chrome, and you can try anyone first.
Check The Restricted Sites List
Method 1: Check The Restricted Sites List
There is a Restricted Sites list maintained by Windows 10 that can block websites mentioned in the list. This is very helpful for blocking off unethical websites, especially in public places like the Library. To check if the website is in the Restricted website list, follow these steps.”
Note: You will not be able to access the Restricted Sites list in public places as the access to these files would require administrator access. But you can surely try them on your home computer.
Step 1: Open Google Chrome Browser and click on three dots located in the top right corner.
Step 2: From the drop-down menu, click on Settings.
Step 3: Once the Settings tab opens, scroll down until you see Advanced in the left panel options and click on it.
Step 4: Now, scroll down by clicking anywhere on the right panel until you reach Open Proxy Settings.
Step 5: A new window labelled as Internet properties will open. Click on the Security tab and then click on the Restricted Sites icon in the box.
Step 6: Click on the Sites button to open the Restricted Sites window and check the list of sites in the box labelled as Websites.
Step 7: If this box contains any website you want to access, click on it, and then click on the Remove button next to the box.
Step 8: Finally, click on the Close button and relaunch Google Chrome. Check if this method of unblocking blocked websites has worked by accessing your intended site.
Method 2: Reset The Hosts File
Windows 10 maintains a host file that contains mapping of IP addresses to hostnames. This file is generally located at the following location:
C:\Windows\System32\drivers\etc
You can copy the above path and paste it into the address bar on the File Explorer’s top. It will navigate you directly to the required path where you will find the Hosts file. Follow these steps to open blocked sites:
Step 1: Right-click on the Hosts file and click on Open With on the context menu.
Step 2: Choose the Notepad application, and it will open in Edit mode.
Step 3: If you find your website URL listed here, then you can delete this particular line only.
Step 4: Save the changes and close the Notepad.
Step 5: Restart the Chrome browser and check if this method of unblocking websites has worked.
Method 3: Use A Virtual Private Network
A Virtual Private Network or VPN helps the users access those blocked sites blocked by the government or other authorities like schools or organizations. For example, many organizations block social media sites like Facebook on their network because they believe that the employees would be less productive, spending time on Facebook in-office hours.
If you have tried the above two methods and are assured that the blocked website you want to visit appears to be blocked on different computers and networks around you, then the best possible way to access that website is through a VPN application. There are many VPN apps available on the internet, but I recommend using Systweak VPN, one of the quickest and most convenient apps. Once the VPN is active on your system, you can connect to a different country’s server other than yours and surf the internet.
Method 4: Use Chrome Extensions
An alternative to VPN’s are Chrome extensions, which are not very powerful as a VPN but can open blocked sites for you. However, these will not be useful for any other apps like streaming Netflix content not available in your region, etc. These extensions work only with the Chrome browser and help unblock blocked websites. There are many extensions, and one of them, which I have used in the past before the Systweak VPN, is Zenmate.
Step 1: Open Chrome browser and click on the three dots on the top right corner, and from the dropdown that appears, click on More Tools> Extensions.
Step 2: The Extension tab will open where you have to click three horizontal lines on the top left corner and then click on Open Chrome Web Store, located on the bottom left corner.
Step 3: A new tab will open to locate the Search box on the upper left section and type Zenmate and press the Enter Key.
Step 4: Click on the result that displays ZenMate Free VPN, and then on a new page, click on the Add to Chrome button on the upper right section.
Step 5: Once the extension is added, it will ask you to enter your email address for the registration process, and then it will provide an option to turn on/off whenever you wish to use it.
This extension will open blocked sites for you and make them accessible.
The Final Word On How To Unblock Websites On Chrome?
It is important to respect the policies laid down by your government or institution regarding blocked sites. However, many such websites have been mistakenly blocked or due to other reasons. The above methods will help you to unblock any website, but you must be careful not to violate any policies laid down by your internet provider.
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