How to Unblock a Website or App on a Mac

Gertrude blocks internet access by default. Websites are allowed through keys grouped into keychains. Installed Mac apps can either use a keychain or be granted unrestricted internet access.

Unblock a website with a public keychain

Public keychains are prebuilt for popular websites and apps. Try one before creating your own keys.

1. Sign in to the Gertrude parent website.
2. Select Children, choose your child, and open their Mac settings.
3. Select Manage filtering, then Add keychain.
4. Select Public keychains and search for the website or service.
5. Select the keychain, click Add keychain, and then click Save settings.

Changes are sent to the child’s Mac automatically. Reload the website after the settings have been saved.

Unblock a website with your own keychain

If there isn’t a public keychain for the website:

1. Select Keychains in the parent website.
2. Click Create keychain, enter a name, and click Create keychain again.
3. Open the new keychain and click Create key.
4. Enter the website address. For most websites, you can leave the other options unchanged.
5. Click Create key.
6. Return to the child’s Manage filtering screen, click Add keychain, and select your new keychain.
7. Click Save settings, then reload the website on the child’s Mac.

A website may load only partially after you create its first key. If that happens, see why a website can still look broken.

Grant an app unrestricted internet access

For an installed app that should be allowed to make any internet request:

1. Select Children in the parent website, choose your child, and open their Mac settings.
2. Find the Apps section and click its button. It says Pick apps when the child has no blocked apps yet, and Manage apps otherwise.
3. Under Unrestricted internet apps, click Pick apps to grant internet or Grant internet to apps.
4. Select the app and click Grant internet.
5. Click Save settings.

Grant unrestricted internet only to an app you trust. If you want to allow only specific addresses for the app, use keys instead.

Want to understand how keys work?

Read the complete guide to unblocking websites and apps on a Mac.