unblock

The unblock command requests a manual unblock for a specific domain, respecting configured delays.

Usage

nextdns-blocker unblock DOMAIN

Arguments

Argument	Required	Description
DOMAIN	Yes	The domain to unblock

Behavior

The behavior depends on the domain’s unblock_delay setting:

Instant Unblock ("0")

nextdns-blocker unblock reddit.com

Output:

Unblocking reddit.com...
✓ reddit.com unblocked

The domain is immediately removed from the NextDNS denylist.

Delayed Unblock ("30m", "4h", "24h")

nextdns-blocker unblock bumble.com

Output:

Unblock scheduled for 'bumble.com'
Delay: 24h
Execute at: 2024-01-16 14:30:00
ID: pnd_20240115_143000_a1b2c3

Use 'pending list' to view or 'pending cancel <ID>' to abort

The unblock is queued as a pending action and will execute when the delay expires.

Protected Domain ("never")

nextdns-blocker unblock gambling-site.com

Output:

✗ Cannot unblock 'gambling-site.com'
  This domain is protected (unblock_delay: never)

Protected domains cannot be unblocked manually.

Unblock Delay Reference

Value	Behavior	Use Case
"0"	Instant	Low-risk sites
"30m"	30-minute delay	Moderate friction
"4h"	4-hour delay	High friction
"24h"	24-hour delay	Maximum friction
"never"	Cannot unblock	Harmful content

Managing Pending Unblocks

List Pending Actions

nextdns-blocker pending list

Output:

Pending Actions (2)

ID                              Domain         Execute At            Remaining
─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
pnd_20240115_143000_a1b2c3      bumble.com     2024-01-16 14:30:00   23h 45m
pnd_20240115_150000_d4e5f6      twitter.com    2024-01-15 19:00:00   4h 30m

Cancel Pending Action

Changed your mind? Cancel before it executes:

nextdns-blocker pending cancel pnd_20240115_143000_a1b2c3

Output:

Cancel pending unblock for 'bumble.com'? [y/N]: y
✓ Pending action cancelled

Or skip confirmation:

nextdns-blocker pending cancel pnd_20240115_143000_a1b2c3 -y

Why Unblock Delays?

Research shows cravings typically fade within 20-30 minutes. By adding friction:

1. Impulse Protection: The delay creates time to reconsider
2. Conscious Decision: You must actively wait, not just click
3. Easy Cancellation: If the urge passes, cancel the pending action
4. Still Accessible: Legitimate needs can still be met

Recommended Delays

Content Type	Recommended Delay
Social media	30m - 4h
Gaming	30m - 4h
Streaming	30m - 24h
Dating apps	4h - 24h
Gambling	never
Adult content	never

Unblock and Schedules

Unblocking is separate from schedules:

• Unblock: Manual, one-time access
• Schedule: Automatic, recurring access

If you unblock a domain:

• It’s removed from the denylist
• Next sync (within 2 min) will re-block it if outside schedule
• For longer access, add to allowlist or edit the schedule

Keeping Domain Unblocked

To prevent re-blocking after unblock:

# Option 1: Add to allowlist
nextdns-blocker allow reddit.com

# Option 2: Edit schedule to include current time
nextdns-blocker config edit

Unblock During Panic Mode

When panic mode is active:

• The unblock command is hidden
• Running it directly returns an error
• All domains remain blocked until panic expires

# During panic mode
nextdns-blocker unblock reddit.com

Output:

Error: Command 'unblock' is not available during panic mode
Panic mode expires at: 2024-01-15 15:30:00

Tab Completion

With shell completion enabled, domain names auto-complete:

nextdns-blocker unblock red<TAB>
# Completes to: nextdns-blocker unblock reddit.com

See Shell Completion to enable.

Troubleshooting

”Domain not in blocklist”

The domain isn’t configured in your config.json:

nextdns-blocker config show | grep domain

“Domain not currently blocked”

The domain is within its available hours or already unblocked:

nextdns-blocker status | grep <domain>

Pending action not executing

1. Check watchdog is running:

   nextdns-blocker watchdog status

2. Check pending action details:

   nextdns-blocker pending show <ID>

3. Force sync:

   nextdns-blocker config push