- Mac Os Edit Hosts File
- Apple Mac Host File
- Edit Hosts File Mac
- Hosts File For Mac
- Edit Hosts File Mac App
- Host File Mac Os
Ever heard of host files? Most of us often confuse host files with DNS files but they’re actually pretty different. So, before we jump on understanding how to edit hosts file on Mac first let’s understand the basic difference between hosts file and DNS.
Mac Os Edit Hosts File
How to reset your Mac's Hosts file. When you're ready to undo your changes and restore where your Mac's Hosts file routes to, you can do so by replacing the current host file with a new set of terms. You don't need Terminal for this reset. Make sure Finder is selected on your Mac. Click on Go in the Mac menu bar. Click on Go to Folder. How to Edit Hosts File on Mac with TextEdit. Another way for editing hosts file on Mac is via apart from using Mac terminal text editor is TextEdit. Navigate to Finder Go Go to Folder Now type /private/etc/hosts and tap on Go. Copy the hosts file on your Mac’s desktop and then double click the file to make changes. Edit Host File in Android using Host Editor Root This is the most simplest method to edit Host file in Android devices, however this method require root access because Host file located in the secure section of the OS and restricted to general users. There are plenty of application available on Google Play just to edit Host file.
Hosts File Vs DNS
Most of us are under a common impression of associating DNS with host files but the fact is they’re a lot different. DNS (Domain Name System) is basically a database or a huge directory which includes a list of which web address name belongs to which IP address.
On the other hand, hosts file are localized to a specific device. So, when we’re talking about Mac hosts file it is a pretty important document which maps hostnames to specified IP addresses. This concept is actually similar to how we store contact names on our smartphone. For instance, the contact name acts as a web address and the phone number is the IP address.
Editing Hosts Files on Mac
When it comes to editing hosts file on Mac, the concept is pretty simple. It’s like simply rerouting the IP address of a specific web address. We’ve often seen a message on browser saying “Cannot find the webpage which you’re looking for” right? This basically happens when a particular web address is linked to an incorrect IP address. It’s just like hitting a wrong number from your cell phone, when we try to reach a contact, the phone rings and still we ‘re unable to connect with the respective person due to incorrect entering of contact details.
Here are a few important benefits of editing hosts file on Mac that’ll help you in understanding this concept in a better manner.
10 Mac Terminal Commands You Should TryBeyond macOS skin, there’s a whole another world known as Mac command line. This article will describe how to use..
Benefits of Editing Hosts File on Mac
Once we reroute a web address to a specific IP address here are a few perks that you might experience:
Enhanced Productivity: If you’re running a small business, then blocking a few social media websites like Facebook, YouTube, Twitter can help your employees to stay focused on their work.
Network Testing: While developing a new network or developing a new website project, you can reroute the web address to a different IP address so that the real website doesn’t get affected while web development is in progress.
Block Malicious Websites: If you happen to know about any malicious web sites, then rerouting these web pages to a secure landing page can prevent your system from any potential threat.
Increased Speed: As the hosts file are localized to your Mac or a specific device, finding a web page can tremendously speed up your browsing experience as compared to DNS.
How to Edit Hosts File on Mac with Terminal
Before you proceed further on editing hosts file on Mac, make sure you have the administrator privileges of your device beforehand.
- Launch the Terminal on Mac either by via Spotlight search or Finder window.
- In the Terminal window, type: sudo nano /etc/hosts and hit enter. This command will allow you to access Nano text editor which is where we edit hosts file.
- Now here you need to enter the alternative IP address which you want the website to reroute. Then hit tab and then type the web page address or domain name. Suppose, if you want to block access to a website say YouTube, then enter an invalid IP address first like 001.0.0.100 hit tab and then type www.youtube.com.
- Save changes by tapping Control + O keys and then hit control + X to exit Nano text editor.
- Before you entire move out of terminal window type: sudo killall -HUP mDNSResponder and hit enter to clear all DNS caches.
Also Read:-
11 Best Free VPN For Mac in 2020Looking for privacy and security while surfing internet on Mac, then check out the free and best VPN services for..
How to Edit Hosts File on Mac with TextEdit
Another way for editing hosts file on Mac is via apart from using Mac terminal text editor is TextEdit.
- Navigate to Finder > Go > Go to Folder…
- Now type /private/etc/hosts and tap on Go.
- Copy the hosts file on your Mac’s desktop and then double click the file to make changes.
- Now just like we did on the terminal window, first type in the alternative IP address, hit tab, followed by a web page address.
- Once you’ve made the desired changes in the hosts file, save it and copy it back to the same location from where we fetched it, right back in the etc folder.
- Mac will prompt whether you want to replace this file with the previously existing one. Confirm and proceed further.
Best Security Tips And Tricks To Secure Your..Read this to know how you can secure your Mac as it is important to keep it in mind if..
So folks, here was a quick guide on how to edit Mac hosts file! We hope the above mentioned steps will help you in getting through!
For any other queries or feedback feel free to hit the comment box!
What is hosts file and how does it differ from DNS?
First of all, what is the hosts file, and how does it differ from the more commonly known DNS?
The Domain Name System is the database that corresponds an IP address’ “dotted quad” numerical format with a website’s alphabetized web address. It’s a giant directory of which name belongs to which IP address, like an online yellow pages.
Your Mac’s hosts file, however, is localized to your own device, like a list of contacts in your phone: The web address acts as your contact’s name — that’s how you find who you want to talk to — and the IP address is their cell phone number, which is your actual way of getting in touch with them.
How editing the hosts file works
Editing your Mac hosts file is a bit like changing the phone number in your contact book. If you save the contact details with the wrong name, well, it’s still going to connect to that person when you ring the contact. If, however, you entered an incorrect phone number in our contacts analogy, whether that’s an invalid number or one that links to someone else’s, then you have no chance of getting through to that particular cell phone.
Editing the hosts file reroutes the IP address, but only from your own Mac. Entering the web address will bounce you to a different IP address of your choosing (and therefore a different website) or to an invalid IP, which will give you an error page on your browser that says it can’t find the site you’re looking for.
Can it boost my Mac's speed?
Editing a hosts file is a way to speed up your browser performance. But if you're tired of half-measures and want some solid improvement, we recommend a full browser cleanup, including deletion of browser cache. Our personal favorite is CleanMyMac as it has a tool to uninstall browser extensions and the rest of the garbage Macs accumulate from the web, emails and message chats. Check it out — it's available for a free download here.
So why would you want to change your hosts file?
Typically if you enter a web address in your browser, it’s because you want to reach that IP address. So what are the benefits of rerouting?
- Network Testing: If you’re developing a network, you can reroute the real domain name to the development site to see how real users experience it. This will not affect other users accessing the real site.
- Block Malicious Sites: Apart from the risk of viruses and malware, undetected add-ons can also find their way into your system and begin slowing things down. Although it’s always worth investing in pop-up ad blockers, editing the hosts file prevents known malicious sites from being accessed. If a link or pop-up attempts to enter the site, your OS simply re-routes it and takes you to a safer page.
- Increased Speed: As we said earlier, finding a website via the DNS is like flicking through the yellow pages for the correct address. With the hosts file being localized to your Mac, this could potentially speed up your browsing by omitting the middle man.
- Improved Productivity: Maybe you or your team are getting distracted with social media sites or video streaming. Blocking access to time-wasting sites is a good way of keeping focused on the job at hand.
How to edit the hosts file with Terminal
Note: You will need administrator privileges, including the password, to edit the Mac hosts file.
1) Find the Terminal application on your system. You can do this by either:
- Use the Spotlight application to search for it.
How do i delet an app on mac desktop. However, using Terminal to removing Mac apps is easier than you think.Firstly, open Finder, click on the Applications Utilities, find Terminal application and then launch it.Next, type:sudo uninstall file://Next, drag the program icon from Applications into Terminal window and drop it there.
- Select Applications from the sidebar of a Finder window, and from there select Utilities and then double-click on Terminal.
2) Once you have the Terminal window open, you can access the Nano text editor, which is where you will edit the hosts file. Type sudo nano /etc/hostsand hit Enter. You’ll then be prompted for your administrator password. Once you’ve entered it, hit Enter again and you will be in the Nano text editor.
The Nano text editor might look intimidating if you’re not used to coding on your OS, but don’t worry: it’s very simple, and very easy to do.
3) Use your keyboard arrow keys to position your cursor beneath the text that is already there. This is where you’re going to enter your alternative IP address. Type the IP address that you want the site to reroute to, hit tab, and then type the domain name you want to be associated with it. So, if you would prefer that YouTube reroutes to your homepage, simply type the numerical IP address of your site, hit Tab, and then type www.youtube.com. To add another entry, simply enter a new line of text.
If you have no particular alternative site in mind, or you simply want to block access to it entirely, you can either enter an invalid IP address, such as 000.0.0.100, or use 127.0.01, which always refers back to your own system.
4) Save the changes by pressing control and O, and then exit the Nano text editor by pressing control and X, which will return you to the main Terminal screen.
5) To make sure your Mac doesn’t get confused by the conflicting information from its hosts file and the DNS, before you exit the command line type sudo killall -HUP mDNSResponderand hit Return. This clears your Mac’s DNS caches so that the old directory doesn’t conflict with your newly updated hosts file.
How to edit the hosts file with TextEdit
An alternative to the Terminal application is to use TextEdit instead.
1) Click Finder > Go > Go to Folder..
Then type /private/etc/hosts and press Go. This will locate the hosts file in the ‘etc’ folder.
Then type /private/etc/hosts and press Go. This will locate the hosts file in the ‘etc’ folder.
2) Copy the file onto your desktop, and then double-click the copied file to edit it. In the open text file, add your line of alternative IP addresses just as you would in Terminal: First the rerouted IP address and then the corresponding domain name. Make sure that there is a space between the IP address and the domain name, otherwise it won't work.
If you don't want your Mac to access certain websites, use 127.0.0.1 for IP address. This will reroute the address back to your Mac. For example, if I wanted to block the access to Facebook on a particular Mac, I would edit hosts file to look like this:
Note: If the file is locked to prevent you from editing it, which is likely if you’re running on OS X 10.11 or later, you must disable SIP protection before you can make any changes.
3) Save the file, and then drag it back into the ‘etc’ folder. Your Mac will ask if you want to replace the file, which you do, and you will have to enter your administrator password to save the changes.
Remember, even if you own the domain name you are rerouting, the web address itself will not be affected. The hosts file only changes what happens on the Mac that contains it.
The risks of editing hosts file
Remember, you’re rerouting a domain to an IP address, not specifically a website. So if you have set one domain to be sent to another site, this depends on the IP address staying the same. If the destination website changes its IP address, your new route will no longer be valid, with the domain either ending up in a new website or producing an error message.
If your server is still taking too long to process requests, it may not be the DNS lookup that is slowing you down. It might be worth running a full clean of your OS to make sure the lag isn’t coming from your Mac.
How else you can protect privacy on your macOS
Anyone reading this is concerned enough about privacy and security to want to find a solution. As we’ve outlined in this article, there are several ways this can be done manually. Some of these fixes take time. Other solutions are fairly quick and easy to implement.
With CleanMyMac X, you can clean your system cache, user cache (which includes app and DNS cache history) and your browser cache. Of course, there is the manual way, as outlined in this article, or you can save a lot of time with one download and a few clicks to remove any digital footprints you want to delete.
Apple Mac Host File
If you want to clear cache safely and easily, here is how you can with CleanMyMac X:
Edit Hosts File Mac
- Launch CleanMyMac X (download it for free here)
- Select System Junk.
- Click Scan > Clean.
In case you need to remove just DNS cache, do the following:
- Go to the Maintenance module.
- Choose Flush DNS Cache.
- Click Run.
Hosts File For Mac
Done! Your DNS cache flushed.
Applications take up space on your hard disk and can slow your computer. Also, a new version of a program may not work correctly unless you get rid of the old one source. Clutter breeds inefficiency. How to delete apps off of your mac.
Edit Hosts File Mac App
That’s all you need to do. Give it a try, or go through the steps outlined above to do this manually.