How to Block Steam and PC Games (Epic, Battle.net, Riot and More)

Gaming and work on the same machine

If your gaming PC is also your work PC, Steam is always one click from your IDE. For a lot of developers and students the problem is not one game but the launcher itself: the sale notification, the friend who is online, the "one match" that becomes four. Blocking PC games is harder than blocking a website, because games run locally. The trick is to understand what a network block can and cannot reach.

What blocking at the network level actually stops

• Stops: launcher sign-in, the store, downloads and updates, friends and chat, and online multiplayer. Competitive games like Valorant, League of Legends, Fortnite or Overwatch are effectively unplayable without their servers.
• Does not stop: single-player games already installed that can run offline. Steam's offline mode, DRM-free installs and emulators will keep working.

So a network block is very effective against online and live-service games and only partially effective against offline ones. For the latter, uninstalling plus a block on re-downloading is the realistic combination.

Free methods

1. Steam Families parental controls. In Steam, set up a family group and use its restrictions and playtime limits for a member account. It works best when someone else is the family admin.
2. Microsoft Family Safety. For a child account, you can set app and game limits on Windows. It is not designed for an adult restricting themselves.
3. Hosts file. Lines like 0.0.0.0 store.steampowered.com block the store pages, but Steam uses many hostnames and content servers, so expect gaps.
4. Uninstall the launcher. Crude but effective, as long as re-installing is blocked too.

Block Steam and other launchers with NoorI

1. Enroll the PC with the free Cloudflare One app (Windows setup; Mac works the same way).
2. In Content Policy, create a rule and add the apps you want blocked: Steam, Epic Games, Battle.net, Riot Games, Minecraft, Xbox Live, Poki (browser games) and others from the Gaming list.
3. Or add Cloudflare's broad Gaming category, which the Maximum preset includes.
4. Add a schedule if you want gaming only at weekends or after a set time.
5. Uninstall games you are trying to quit, so offline play is not an option.

App blocks, extra categories and schedules require Pro ($9.99/month, 7-day free trial). Note that Discord sits in the Gaming list but is a separate app: block it only if you mean to.

Consoles are a different story

The Cloudflare One app runs on Windows, Mac, iPhone and Android, not on PlayStation, Xbox, Switch or Steam Deck in gaming mode. For consoles use the platform's own parental controls or filtering on your router. Our router guide explains the router route and its limits.

Sticking to it

Gaming relapses are usually negotiated: "just tonight". Guardian Mode moves that negotiation to another person. Removing the gaming rule or pausing filtering needs their approval, then a delay you set (minimum 4 hours) before a 30-minute edit window. Use a standard Windows account so the Cloudflare One app cannot be removed. A weekend-only schedule is often more sustainable than a total ban. Blocking games for a child? Use per-child rules and see scheduling internet time.

Frequently asked questions

Will blocking Steam stop games I have already installed?

Online and multiplayer games will stop working because they cannot reach their servers. Single-player games that run offline can still launch, so uninstall those too.

Can I allow gaming only at weekends?

Yes. Put the gaming apps in a NoorI rule with a schedule active on weekdays only. Scheduling is a Pro feature.

Does NoorI work on Xbox, PlayStation or Switch?

No. The Cloudflare One app is not available for consoles. Use the console's own parental controls or router-level DNS filtering for those.