How to unblock and access Blocked or Restricted Websites

A dynamic IP address — one that changes with each use — will let you bypass this restriction. It’s the same trick phone spoofers use to keep calling you from different phone numbers.

How to Unblock Websites & Access Restricted Content

Whether it’s school, work, the country you’re traveling in, or something else preventing you from accessing websites, there are always ways to bypass blocked content. Access your favorite sites and content with our tips on how to unblock websites, then try our blazing-fast VPN to get around content blocks immediately.

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Written by Nica Latto
Published on September 1, 2022

Whatever your reason for needing to unblock websites, there are several ways to do it. We’ve compiled a list of the 13 most effective ways to bypass blocked websites. If you want to know why sites restrict content or the legality of getting around content blocks, skip down to our sections on why websites get blocked and whether it’s legal to unblock them.

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1. Unblock websites using a VPN

Using a VPN is the easiest and most reliable way to get around content blocks and unlock the URLs you want. A VPN (virtual private network) routes your internet traffic through a remote server, letting you choose your virtual location. When you connect to a website with a VPN, the website thinks that the virtual location shown by your VPN is your actual location, which means your real location is masked and you can unblock content. And that’s just one of the benefits of a VPN — VPNs also encrypt your connection, securing your data and protecting any personal information like credit card details you enter when shopping online. Here’s how to unblock websites with a VPN on both desktop and mobile: First, download and install your VPN — get a free trial of AVG Secure VPN right here:

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Now you need to set up your VPN on Windows or get your VPN set up on Mac — this is straightforward if you use a reputable and well-designed app. Turn on the VPN and select a server location. If the content you want to access is location-specific, select a location where that content is available. If you just want to secure your traffic and hide your IP address, select Optimal location (or a similar setting) for the fastest speeds. A VPN lets you access blocked sites on mobile too. Now you’re browsing anonymously and securely from a hidden location. VPNs let you unblock websites, protect your online privacy, and stay safe on public Wi-Fi. A VPN is the easiest, most comprehensive tool to bypass content blocks. But if you’re using a public computer at a library or need to unblock websites at school, a VPN may not be the best option, because you need to download it. Some content providers have also started blocking known VPN IP addresses, so your VPN might not work on the sites or services you want to use. Thankfully, when VPN providers realize one of their IPs has been blocked, they usually open new addresses to provide more options. Pros:

• Highly secure
• Encrypts your data and connection
• Can unblock most websites
• Some VPNs are optimized for streaming and bypassing geo-blocking
• Good VPNs offer customer support

Cons:

• Not free (most reputable VPNs aren’t free)
• Requires downloading
• Often slow — but, there are ways to speed up your VPN connection

2. Unblock websites using Tor

Tor is another option for getting around content blocks and bypassing geo-restrictions. Tor — or The Onion Router — routes your online traffic through many layers of encryption, hence its name. Tor lets you access the web anonymously and get around most content restrictions.

While Tor offers strong online privacy, its downside is slow speeds. That’s because the Tor network and browser are an open-source project maintained by volunteers. Another downside is that you usually can’t install Tor on a school, work, or public computer.

Here’s how to unblock websites using Tor:

Go to the Tor website and follow the directions to install the Tor browser. Then, open Tor and configure it (if necessary).

After that, connect and enter the onion to get anonymous access to whatever sites you need.

Tor is a good website unblocker, but you probably can’t download it at school or work.

Pros:

• Secure and encrypted
• Free
• Run by a non-profit, so no data mining
• Lets you access the dark web
• Works well to unblock many sites

Cons:

• Can’t bypass some specific blocks against Tor nodes, including Netflix
• Slow speeds
• Requires downloading
• No customer service to help configure Tor properly

3. Unblock websites using a web proxy

A web proxy works well for quickly unblocking content on public computers, or if you need a website unblocker for school — often for Chromebooks, which run Android apps — and you can’t download a VPN or Tor. You’ll connect to a proxy server first, and then on to your desired website — hiding your actual location in the process.

Learning how to unblock websites on a school computer or Chromebook is easy when you use a web proxy. To use a proxy server, go to a proxy website, enter the URL of the actual website you want to visit, and press a button to access it.

The downside is that before visiting the site you want, you need to navigate to the web proxy first — every time, in every tab. It can be a little annoying and generally isn’t great for streaming content online. And, though web proxies are usually free, they don’t provide the same privacy and security protections as a VPN or Tor.

The HMA web proxy is a trusted website unblocker. Simply navigate to the HMA web proxy site, enter the site you want to access, choose your server, and go.

A web proxy is a quick and easy unblocker for school or work.

Pros:

• No installation required
• Works on public computers and school Chromebooks
• Often free
• Can bypass basic content blocks

Cons:

• May break some website functionality
• Doesn’t safeguard private personal data
• Not optimized for speed
• Not guaranteed to unblock all sites
• You have to open the web proxy every time you visit a new site

4. Unblock websites using a browser extension

A proxy extension is like a more convenient web proxy, and it’ll get you around content blocks on a school computer very quickly. A proxy extension sits right in your browser, so you won’t waste time constantly navigating to the proxy — it’s ready whenever you want to access blocked content.

Pros:

• Proxy extensions in the Chrome Web Store are vetted by Google for security
• Usually encrypts your browser connection
• Can choose your server location
• Usually free
• Won’t disrupt any of your other chrome security extensions

Cons:

• Requires installation on your computer
• May show ads
• May not be optimized for streaming content

If you can’t download a VPN or Tor (maybe your school or business forbids it), and don’t want to use a proxy, but still need to unblock something quickly, there are some other quick methods to access blocked websites that might work.

The following methods for unblocking sites aren’t as reliable as the options outlined above, but they can be effective site unblockers in a pinch.

5. Use a URL shortener

If your school or work network is using a very basic blocking method, using a URL shortener might help. Services like TinyURL shorten a website’s URL, which will help you unblock websites without a proxy, VPN, or Tor. For example, if your school blocks Facebook, you can create a different (shortened) URL to access it. Here’s how it works:

Go to a URL shortening site like is.gd, TinyURL, or Bitly.

Enter the website you want to unblock into the URL field, then click the button to shorten it.

URL shortening sites can help you bypass basic content blocks.

Copy your new, shorter URL and paste it into your computer browser. If you’re lucky, you’ll successfully bypass the website access restriction and get to the site you want.

Using a URL shortener may help unblock sites.

Pros:

• No downloading required
• Free
• Quick and easy

Cons:

• May or may not work to unblock sites
• No security

6. Try switching protocols

If your school or work network uses a basic blocking method that filters out a simple list of URLs, you might be able to get around it by switching from HTTPS to HTTP (or vice versa). For example, if https://www.somewebsite.com is blocked, http://www.somewebsite.com might still work.

But it’s important to note that HTTP is an unsecured protocol and should be avoided whenever possible. And never enter any personal information or passwords into a site using just HTTP, because of potential security vulnerabilities that can be exploited.

Pros:

• No downloading required
• Free
• Quick and easy

Cons:

• May or may not work to unblock sites
• No security; HTTP protocol is unsecure

7. Use the Google cache

Caching is when a service like Google or your browser keeps a local copy of a commonly visited site so that it loads faster when you visit it again. That means you might be able to access the cached version of a restricted website.

To get to a cached version of a site, just type in cache: before the site address in the Google search bar. Click the down arrow, then click Cached. If you’re lucky, you’ll be able to bypass the content block by visiting the cached version of the site.

Viewing the cached version of a site may help you get around content blocks.

Pros:

• No downloading required
• Free
• Quick and easy

Cons:

• May or may not work for all blocked content
• May display outdated content
• No security

8. Use Google translate

Another Google-based workaround is to use Google translate to unblock websites. This method for accessing restricted sites might not show the page you want to view perfectly, but it may be enough to let you read the content you’re looking for.

Here’s how to use Google translate to unblock websites:

Go to Google Translate, choose a random language for the from field and English for the to field, and paste your desired website or URL into the box.

Click the link, and hopefully you can view it as an unblocked website. But be aware that some elements on the page may break.

Using Google Translate may give you access to unblocked sites.

Pros:

• No downloading required
• Free
• Quick and easy

Cons:

• May or may not work as a true website unblocker
• May break some website functionality
• No security

9. Use a dynamic IP address

Some websites block connections from certain groups of IP addresses due to spam or cybercrime concerns. If that includes your IP address, you won’t be able to visit that website.

A dynamic IP address — one that changes with each use — will let you bypass this restriction. It’s the same trick phone spoofers use to keep calling you from different phone numbers.

Most ISPs use dynamic IP addresses, so simply restarting your router may get you a new one. Otherwise, connecting to a VPN or proxy server is the easiest way to get a dynamic IP address.

If you’re on Windows, you can also use the Command Prompt to change your IP. Open your Command Prompt by simultaneously pressing the Win + R keys, then type cmd, and click OK. In the window that opens, type ipconfig /release (including spaces) and press Enter. Then type ipconfig /renew (including spaces) and press Enter, then close the Command Prompt.

Pros:

• Increases your online privacy
• If done manually, it’s free

Cons:

• May require a subscription
• Can involve some technical know-how

10. Use an IP address instead of a URL

Some rudimentary types of website blocking only target URLs — which means that if you enter the site’s IP address directly into your browser, you may be able to access it. You’ll just need to find the IP address first. Here’s how:

On Windows, open the Command Prompt and enter the command ping [website URL] or nslookup [website URL], replacing the text in brackets with the actual URL you’re trying to visit.

On Mac, open the Terminal and enter either of the same commands.

Pros:

Cons:

• Not guaranteed to bypass restrictions

11. Use an HTML to PDF converter

If you just want to read the contents of a particular webpage, and you don’t need to visit the actual site, you can use a PDF converter to convert the HTML source code into a readable PDF.

HTML to PDF converter tools, like this one, will change the contents of any URL into a PDF document, including the text and pictures on the site. Then, you can either preview the PDF online or download it to read it later or print it.

Pros:

• Free and easy
• No installation needed

Cons:

• May not work with every blocked website
• No interaction
• You can’t visit the actual site

12. Use a private browser

One of the easiest ways to unblock sites and view blocked content is to use a web browser built for privacy and security. Not only will a private browser help prevent unwanted tracking while you browse, it can also help you access blocked websites without much work.

One such browser is AVG Secure Browser, which includes built-in access to AVG Secure VPN — together, they can help you bypass website access restrictions, while also encrypting your connection and concealing your online activity.

To start accessing blocked websites, first download and install AVG Secure Browser here:

How to unblock and access Blocked or Restricted Websites

Websites can be blocked at three levels: Computer level, Network level or the ISP/Governmental level. Some DNS services, such as Open DNS, too provide options to block certain types of websites for different users sharing the computer. Then, there are some software other than the built-in “Restricted Websites” in Internet Options that help in blocking a website. We’ll not be talking about how to block a website. Rather, we’ll focus on how to access a website that is restricted on your workstation by network admins and ISPs (Internet Service Provider).

How to access Restricted Websites

The article is an expansion of our other article on what to do when a website does not open. Some of the tips may be repeated in this article. So if you find that you are unable to open or access some websites, here are a few things you may want to try out.

Is The Website Down?

You may not be able to access a particular website due to some outages. Check with these website monitors. The check – Is a website up or down. It will tell you if a blog or website is working, online, up, down right now, or not to anyone or everyone.

Access Blocked Websites Blocked on a Computer

There are different options to access a website, and they depend on the mode used to block the site. For example, Open DNS employs a category system, and if you wish to go to a category that your parents have chosen to block it for you, it will provide a notification.

HTTP and HTTPS

The first thing to try is to add or remove an “s” to the “HTTP” preceding the website URL. For example, typing in https://www.facebook.com may open it for you because only “http://www.facebook.com” was blocked. Likewise, if it was “https” blocked, you can try “HTTP” only to see if you can access the website. The term “HTTPS” represents a secure connection while the “HTTP” is the unencrypted version of the website URL.

Internet Options – Restricted Websites & Content Advisor

If toggling between HTTP and https does not help, check the error message you are getting when trying to access. If it says “Due to Restrictions On This Account”, it could be a Family Safety Software. Not much can be done in this case except to try portable browsers that do not need to be installed and offer proxy as well. We’ll get to that in a while.

If there is no account-related message, probably the site has been blocked using Internet Options. Go to Internet Options in Control Panel and on the Security tab, click on Restricted Websites in the Internet Security Zone, and then on the button labeled “Sites” (See image below). Check if the URL of the website you wish to access is listed there. If yes, select the URL and click Remove. You’ll be prompted for confirmation. That done, the website should open without any problems on any of your browsers.

There is yet another method to block certain types of websites from opening – using the same Internet Options dialog box. Click on the Content tab. Based on your version of Windows, you might see “Content Advisor” or “Family Safety” button. This option is used to restrict certain types of websites from opening for different users. That means you can use the option to block websites at the user level. If you know the password, you can click the button and change the settings. If not, you will have to ask permission from your parents or network admin. Here too, you can use a portable browser to bypass restrictions.

Using A Portable Proxy Browser To Access Restricted Websites

You can download a portable browser that doubles up as a proxy such as KProxy. This product has both portable and installation type versions. The best thing about the website browser is that it offers online browsing without actually typing the website address in the main URL bar. Instead, you type the URL in the text box given in the middle of the KProxy website.

Using A Different DNS

When some website is banned in an area, it is the ISP blocking traffic to and from that website. Changing DNS settings from your ISP to something different might help you access the site. For example, you can change your DNS to Google Public DNS. To change DNS, right-click the network icon in the taskbar and select Open Network and Sharing. In the Window that appears, double-click on your network. It will bring up a dialog box and there you can change the DNS under IPv4.

Use a Proxy To Access Restricted Websites

Proxy websites are accessed only after entering the URL in your browser, and they will allow you to browse other websites by using the internet connection on that website. A Proxy server is like a proxy site – the difference being – you will be given an IP address that will get set up in your browser using which you will be able to surf the internet.

You may use proxy websites or programs to access websites blocked in your area. One such proxy is UltraSurf. This was specifically designed to allow the population of a certain country to access social networking sites. There are some websites that let you easily access and open blocked websites. OpenBlockedWebsite.com and HideMyAss.com are two such websites you may want to check out. They act as free web anonymizers that aim to unblock blocked websites and offer free anonymous web surfing. Also, check out Hola Unblocker.

These are some methods that will help you access websites restricted on your home network, corporate LANs, or the ones banned in your country.

If you have any ideas or tips to share, please use the comments box below.