What do you need before you start?
An iPhone and a few minutes. There is no sign-up, no email to confirm, and nothing to sign up for. It helps to know which two or three apps take the most of your time. If you are not sure, open Settings, Screen Time, See All App & Website Activity and look at the top of the list.
How do you install AppBlocker?
Download AppBlocker from the App Store. It is free, with no subscription and no paywall on the blocking.
How do you choose a duration and the apps to block?
On the home screen, pick a Block Now duration, 5m, 10m, 15m, 20m, 30m, 45m or 1h, then tap Choose Apps to Block. The selection is made through Apple's own app picker, which keeps it private to your device. AppBlocker uses Apple's Family Controls and Screen Time technology to do the blocking.
What other ways can you block apps?
- Scheduled Blocks. Set the hours those apps should stay shut. Make the call while you are thinking clearly.
- Doomscroll Protection. Pick the apps that are time sinks, and AppBlocker stops you after 15 minutes of use to break the dopamine cycle.
- Manual Block. For apps you are done with, set a firm wall that stays up until you turn it off deliberately.
What happens when you open a blocked app?
You get a block screen instead of the feed. The Blocked Apps row on the home screen shows which apps you have chosen to block, and the Focus Streak card shows your current streak and your best.
How do you change or remove a block?
You can change or remove your blocked-app selections inside the app whenever you like. The Manual Block stays on until you turn it off yourself.
Where does your data go?
Nowhere. AppBlocker needs no sign-up and has no servers or cloud storage. Your app selections and screen-time data stay on your iPhone, and deleting the app removes them. The only thing that leaves the device is the advertising identifier the ad provider collects when an ad is shown, and you are asked for permission first through the App Tracking Transparency prompt. This describes the iOS app. The Android app's data practices are described in its Google Play listing.
What else do people ask?
How do I set up AppBlocker?
Download it from the App Store, pick a Block Now duration from 5 minutes to 1 hour or set the hours apps should stay shut, then choose the apps with Apple's app picker. There is no sign-up.
Does AppBlocker need an account or email?
No. AppBlocker needs no sign-up and has no servers or cloud storage. It does not use your email.
What happens when I open a blocked app?
You see a block screen instead of the app's feed until the block ends or you turn the Manual Block off.
Can I change which apps AppBlocker blocks?
Yes. You can change or remove your blocked-app selections inside the app whenever you like.
What happens to my data if I delete AppBlocker?
Your app selections and screen-time data live only on your device, so deleting the app removes them.
Set it up in a few minutes
Pick a duration, choose the apps, and get a block screen instead of the feed. Free, no sign-up, iPhone and Android.
Get AppBlocker, free Get it on Google Play