How to Block Apps at Certain Times on iPhone
By John, ScreenBuddy Founder
You can block apps at certain times on iPhone using Screen Time's Downtime feature, scheduled Focus Modes, or a third-party app blocker. Downtime blocks everything except apps you whitelist during scheduled hours. Focus Mode hides specific apps and silences their notifications on a schedule. Third-party blockers add stricter controls that are harder to bypass. Here's how to set up each method.
KEY TAKEAWAYS:
Downtime (Settings > Screen Time > Downtime): Blocks all apps except your whitelist during one scheduled window per day
Focus Mode (Settings > Focus): Schedule multiple Focus profiles that hide specific apps at different times
Third-party blockers: Apps like Opal and Freedom offer Strict Mode scheduling; ScreenBuddy and One Sec add friction before every app open
Combine methods: Use Downtime for overnight blocking + scheduled Focus Modes for mornings and work hours to cover multiple windows
Limitation to know: Both Apple methods have easy bypasses (Ignore Limit button, Control Center toggle)
Why Schedule App Blocking?
Most people don't need apps blocked all day. They need them blocked during specific windows: bedtime, work hours, dinner, or that 6am-to-8am stretch when morning scrolling derails the whole day.
The problem with time-based limits (like Screen Time's App Limits) is they let you use an app whenever you want until you hit your daily quota. That doesn't help if your goal is protecting specific hours. Scheduling blocks by time of day keeps distracting apps locked during the moments that matter most.
Method 1: Screen Time Downtime
Downtime is Apple's built-in scheduling tool. During your scheduled hours, all apps are blocked except the ones you add to your Always Allowed list.
How to set it up:
Go to Settings > Screen Time
Tap Downtime
Toggle on Scheduled
Choose Every Day or Customize Days to set different times for weekdays vs. weekends
Set your start and end times
Go back to Screen Time and tap Always Allowed
Add apps you need during Downtime (Phone, Messages, Maps, etc.)
During Downtime, blocked apps show a gray hourglass icon. Tap one and you'll see a "Time Limit" screen.
Limitations: Downtime has two problems. First, you can only set one time window per day. If you want to block apps from 6-8am AND 10pm-7am, you can't do both with Downtime alone. Second, when you hit the block screen, there's an "Ignore Limit" button. One tap and you're scrolling again. A Screen Time passcode helps, but if you set it yourself, you already know it.
Method 2: Scheduled Focus Modes
Focus Mode lets you create different profiles (Work, Sleep, Personal) that hide apps and silence notifications. Unlike Downtime, you can schedule multiple Focus Modes throughout the day.
How to set it up:
Go to Settings > Focus
Tap + to create a new Focus (or edit an existing one like Work or Sleep)
Under Customize Screens, choose which Home Screen pages appear during this Focus
Under Set a Schedule, tap Add Schedule
Choose Time and set when this Focus should automatically turn on
You can schedule Work Focus for 9-5, Sleep Focus for 10pm-7am, and a custom "Morning Routine" Focus for 6-8am. Each can hide different apps.
Limitations: Focus Mode hides apps from your Home Screen, but it doesn't truly block them. You can still find any app through Search or the App Library. Focus Mode is better for reducing temptation than preventing access entirely.
Method 3: Third-Party App Blockers
If Apple's tools aren't strict enough, third-party blockers offer more control over scheduled blocking.
Apps like Opal and Freedom let you create multiple blocking sessions throughout the day with "Strict Mode" that prevents you from disabling the block early. ScreenBuddy takes a different approach: instead of hard-blocking apps on a schedule, it adds a 25-second pause whenever you try to open a protected app. This works around the clock rather than during specific windows, but the friction is often enough to break the automatic habit of opening apps during times you'd rather not.
One Sec works similarly, forcing you to take a breath before any app opens.
The right choice depends on whether you want scheduled lockouts (Opal, Freedom) or always-on friction that makes you pause before every app access (ScreenBuddy, One Sec).
Method 4: Combine Downtime + Focus Mode
Since Downtime only allows one time window, you can layer Focus Mode on top to cover additional hours.
Example setup for protecting mornings and evenings:
Downtime: 10pm to 6am (blocks everything overnight)
Morning Focus: Scheduled 6am to 8am (hides social apps, allows productivity tools)
Work Focus: Scheduled 9am to 5pm (optional, hides personal apps during work)
This gives you multiple blocking windows without relying on a single feature. The downside is complexity. You're managing settings in two different places, and Focus Mode's hiding is weaker than Downtime's blocking.
What to Watch Out For
The biggest limitation with time-based blocking on iPhone: Apple makes it easy to bypass your own rules.
Downtime's "Ignore Limit" button is one tap away. Focus Mode can be disabled in Control Center in two taps. If you're setting these up for yourself (not for a child's device), the restrictions only work as long as your willpower holds.
For parental controls, have a second adult set the Screen Time passcode. For self-control, consider a third-party blocker with Strict Mode, or try friction-based blocking that doesn't rely on you not knowing your own passcode.
Bottom Line
For basic scheduling, Screen Time's Downtime feature handles one blocked window per day. Add scheduled Focus Modes if you need multiple windows or want to hide different apps at different times. If you keep bypassing Apple's built-in tools, a third-party blocker with Strict Mode or friction-based pauses offers more accountability.
For a complete breakdown of all blocking methods beyond scheduling, see our guide to blocking apps on iPhone.
