How to Unblock Websites on School Chromebook Devices: VPNs, Proxy Servers & More in 2024

By Arthur Sabayi

Last update: June 5, 2024

Quick Summary: How to Unblock Websites on School Chromebook Devices

Quick Summary: How to Unblock Websites on School Chromebook Devices

The best way to unblock websites on a school Chromebook is by using a VPN. It hides your online activities behind an encrypted wall and lets you switch between multiple servers easily to bypass restrictions. ExpressVPN can get you sorted with a 30-day money-back guarantee.

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Methods to Unblock Sites on Chromebook: At a Glance 

1. Use a VPN
2. Use proxy servers
3. Find the site’s IP address
4. Use a mobile hotspot
5. Tweak the site permissions
6. Use the mobile version
7. Use the Wayback Machine

School Chromebooks are an efficient way for students to get class assignments done. However, they come with strings attached. You generally can’t access social media, streaming platforms or any website unrelated to schoolwork. Fortunately, there are ways around that. I’ll show you how to unblock websites on school Chromebook devices using the best VPNs.

The most effective way of unblocking a school Chromebook is by using a virtual private network (VPN), which switches you to a new IP address that’s not blocked. Other solutions include using proxy servers, using mobile hotspots, changing Chromebook site permissions or accessing the mobile versions of the blocked sites.

If you need a certain website for an assignment, or you just want to use the school’s free internet to get Netflix unblocked and watch a few shows, this guide is for you.

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Bypass School Restrictions With a VPN

A virtual private network does more than bypass your school network’s website blocks. Since the free school WiFi you’re using is public, there’s a chance it may host malicious users who want to see what you’re doing online. A VPN encrypts your data, making it impossible to intercept.

You also get a wide selection of servers for unblocking almost any website, with the ability to switch to another IP address as many times as you want if you get blocked. VPNs can also boost your speeds by improving how you’re routed to your ISP network, which is perfect for streaming and gaming.

Be warned that your school’s network may block VPN websites.If you can’t access any of the top 10 VPNs, take your Chromebook off campus and connect it to another network. As long as the restrictions are applied on the school network and not the devices themselves, the new network will let you download all the apps you need from the Chrome Web Store.

How to Unblock Websites on School Chromebook With a VPN: Step-by-Step Guide 

Here are the steps to access websites on a school Chromebook with a VPN. For demonstration purposes, I’ll use ExpressVPN. If you’d prefer not to pay that much, I recommend taking advice from our best cheap VPN article.

1. Subscribe to a VPN 

Subscribe to a VPN price plan that fits your budget. ExpressVPN has a seven-day free trial on Android devices and a 30-day money-back guarantee if you purchase any plan.

2. Download and Install the VPN

Download the VPN app compatible with Chromebook from the Google Play store by clicking the “install” button.

3. Sign In to Your Account 

Open the ExpressVPN app on your Chromebook, enter your login credentials and sign in.

4. Connect to a VPN Server

Connect to a server using the available options depending on the website you want to unblock. For instance, ExpressVPN has over 3,000 servers in 105 countries, and I connected to New York to unblock Peacock TV.

For some additional streaming tips, we’ve got an article on how to watch Netflix with ExpressVPN.

How to Unblock Blocked Websites Without VPN Providers

Premium VPNs are expensive, and most free ones limit your monthly traffic. Fortunately, you can use other tools to unblock websites on your school Chromebook.

Use a Proxy Server

A proxy server is a system that provides a gateway between your device and the internet. It provides you with a virtual IP address that takes the place of your real one, similar to how VPNs work. If school administrators try to intercept your traffic, all they will see is the proxy’s IP address, eliminating the risk of anyone accessing your personal data.

Proxy servers are the best VPN alternative for many reasons. First, proxy servers are free, which is good for students who don’t have the budget for a VPN. Proxy servers don’t require any installation, so even if your Chromebook is confiscated, there won’t be an app that can get you into trouble. 

However, proxy servers are not encrypted. While that sometimes gives them better speeds than VPNs, dedicated school network administrators can see what you’re doing. The lack of encryption also exposes you to other dangers, especially on public WiFi, so ensure you never enter any sensitive personal information into a proxy site.

How to Use a Proxy Server to Unblock Sites on Chromebook 

Here’s how you can unblock sites on your Chromebook using a proxy server.

• Open a Web Proxy
  • You can choose from many free proxy websites. IPRoyal is a good option that has a free version with free proxy IPs available.
• Enter the Blocked Website URL
  • Type the URL of the blocked website into the proxy. 
• Start Browsing Anonymously
  • Click on “visit anonymously” and wait for the proxy to retrieve the blocked content.

Find the Site’s IP Address

All websites have an IP address — we only use domain names because they’re easier to remember. Most school networks only apply blocks to domain names instead of the actual IP address, giving you a window of opportunity.

To unblock a site like Netflix, you need to find the website’s IP address, paste it into the address bar and hit enter to open it. DNS Lookup is among the best online resources for finding a website’s IP address.

However, the school district can still see your activity. This is a quick workaround for your Chromebook, but since most network blocks target IP addresses rather than domain names, this solution is unlikely to work every time.

How to Use a Site’s IP Address on a Chromebook 

• Find the IP Address
  • You first need to find the blocked website’s URL. You can do this through the Chromebook terminal or the DNS Lookup site. 
• Search With the IP Address
  • Copy the IP address you retrieve, paste it into the search bar and hit enter. This should open the blocked website. 

Use a Mobile Hotspot 

If the blocked website is crucial, you can create a mobile hotspot for your school computer to bypass the restrictions. Assuming your school’s site restrictions are set up on its network, they won’t apply if you’re using mobile data. However, since you’re using your phone’s data to get online, you might incur a high phone bill.

How to Connect to a Mobile Hotspot on a Chromebook 

• Create a Mobile Hotspot
  • You can create a mobile hotspot on an Android or iOS device. On Android, go to Settings > Portable Hotspot > Set Up Portable Hotspot. Create a network name and password, and connect your Chromebook. On iOS, go to Settings > Cellular > Personal Hotspot > Allow Others to Join. Set up a password and then connect the Chromebook device.
• Connect Your Chromebook
  • Connect your Chromebook to the newly created mobile hotspot and access the blocked websites.

Tweak the Site Permissions

This method changes the status of a website so the school blocks don’t apply. Like the IP address method, this is potentially convenient but unlikely to work — it requires you to have administrative privileges over your Chromebook. This is a long shot, but it’s possible if your school IT officer is sleeping on the job.

How to Alter Chromebook Site Permissions 

You can tweak the Chromebook site permissions and expand internet access using the following steps.

• Launch Your Chrome Browser
  • Click on the three-dot menu button to open the settings.
• Open the “Privacy and Security” Section
  • Once you’ve opened this section, open the site settings, go to “additional content settings” and click on “insecure content.” 
• Locate the Blocked Website
  • Find the website you want to access under the tab labeled “not allowed to show insecure content.” Then click the three-dot menu button next to it and select “remove.” That should give you access.
• Allowlist the Website
  • If the blocked website isn’t available there, you can add it yourself by going to the “allowed to show insecure content” tab, clicking “add” and then entering the URL.

Use the Mobile Version 

Although it’s not guaranteed, sometimes switching to the mobile version of the restricted website can work. However, most mobile and desktop website versions have the same URLs, domains and IP addresses. Only a few sites have mobile versions, but they include some of the most-visited sites, like Facebook, X/Twitter and Wikipedia. 

It’s also highly likely that the school admin has covered all their bases and blocked the mobile version — but it’s still worth a shot.

How to Find the Website’s Mobile Version

Some sites have a separate mobile version. This is common with social media sites. For example, the Facebook desktop site address is https://www.facebook.com/ while the mobile version’s address is m.facebook.com.Type the mobile version into your Chromebook browser and see if it’s not blocked already.

Use the Wayback Machine

The Wayback Machine is an internet archive that stores older versions of every website that has ever been indexed on Google search. Web domains and IP addresses can change over time, so using an older address that isn’t restricted can let you access these websites. However, there’s no guarantee that you’ll find an archived version of the site you want to unblock.

How to Unblock Sites via the Wayback Machine

Here’s how you can unblock a site via the Wayback Machine.

• Get the Blocked URL
  • Copy the URL of the blocked website or note it down somewhere.
• Open the Wayback Machine
  • Launch the Internet Archive Wayback Machine and paste the URL into the box at the top. Try the most recent saves of the blocked site. If those are blocked too, keep going back until you find a link that works.

Extra Tips to Bypass School-Blocked Sites & Apps: YouTube, Instagram & More 

You can use other hacks to bypass school-blocked sites and apps on your Chromebook. Here are some that stood out for me.

• HTML-PDF Converter: You can use an HTML-to-PDF converter to generate a PDF containing everything on the blocked website you’re trying to access. This tool is free; you only need to enter the blocked URL to create the site without opening it.
• URL Shortener: This is effective as it converts the blocked URL into a shorter version that the system doesn’t flag down. However, this may not work if your school network filters content based on the IP addresses too, since that can’t change.
• Tor Browser: This gives you the anonymity you need while letting you bypass restricted websites without getting into trouble with the school administration. However, your speeds may be reduced, and there’s a risk of encountering malware.

Is There a Free Unblocker for School Chromebooks?

Proxy servers are a good free alternative if you want to unblock school Chromebooks. There are countless free options online, like hide.me, which you can use as many times as you need. However, proxy servers only unblock restricted websites without hiding your online footprints, so the school admin can still see what you’re doing.

Using a free but reliable VPN like Proton VPN is the best free option (as long as you have the ability to download apps). It grants you encryption to avoid being monitored by the school, along with free servers to unblock more restricted websites. 

Conclusion

Schools block social media and streaming sites for a reason, but a VPN is your best shot if you need to access blocked sites. VPNs encrypt your traffic, blocking anyone from monitoring the sites you visit. At the same time, they offer multiple servers to unblock content from different parts of the world easily.

Proxy servers are the second best option, but they lack encryption. Other alternatives include the Wayback Machine, URL shorteners and the Tor Browser.Switching to mobile data or tweaking the blocking settings in your Chromebook are things you can try, too.

If you’re a student trying to access restricted websites, what is your favorite go-to tool? Have you ever used a VPN, and how was the experience? Drop your feedback in the comments below, and thank you for always reading our blog.

FAQ: Website Unblocker Tips for School Chromebooks

• How Do I Unblock a Website Blocked By an Administrator on Chrome? 

  You can unblock a website blocked by an administrator on Chrome by using a proxy server, changing the Chrome permission settings or switching to a hotspot created by your mobile phone.

• How Do I Turn Off School Restrictions on Chromebook?

  You can turn off school restrictions on Chromebook by removing restricted websites from the Chrome blocklist and adding them to the allowlist within the Chrome settings.

• What’s the Best Unblocker for a School Chromebook?

  A VPN is the best unblocker for a school Chromebook. You can use its servers to bypass any restrictions while protecting your online movements with solid encryption.

• How Do You Unblock Everything on a Website? 

  Using a VPN is the most effective method to unblock everything on a website.