MacBook – How to disable opening Safari on macOS

catalinamacbook proscreen-time

I would like to disable opening Safari on my Mac. I don't want to delete or modify it in any way, I only want to prevent myself from opening the application itself (If I search for it, or try to open it, it shouldn't run).

I tried using Screen Time's Content Restrictions by going to the Content and Privacy Section > Apps > and unchecking Safari.

But Safari still opens when I am distracted and look for it.

Is there any way to stop Safari from opening?

I'm using macOS Catalina. Would updating to Big Sur / higher version help?

Best Answer

You could perhaps configure the Parental Controls to prevent browsing by limiting the websites you can view. (Big Sur may have slightly improved controls than Catalina.)

https://support.apple.com/en-gb/guide/mac-help/mchl8490d51e/11.0/mac/11.0

Though of course, there's nothing to stop you from turning the controls off.

Ultimately, I would suggest that the best solution is a non-technical one.