If you are looking for how to block apps on iPhone, the built-in answer is Screen Time in the Settings app: on iOS 27 you set Time Allowances and a Screen Time Schedule, and on iOS 26 or earlier you use App Limits and Downtime. Add a Screen Time passcode to make the block harder to skip, or use an app blocker built on Apple's Screen Time framework if you want different rules.
Here are the steps for each option and how to choose between them.
In iOS 27, Screen Time is organized around Time Allowances (how long you can use a category of apps) and Screen Time Schedules (when those apps are available).
Open Settings, tap Screen Time, then tap Time Allowances. If asked, tap Turn On App & Website Activity.
Drag the slider to set your daily total, or tap a category such as Social Media, Games or Entertainment and set its own allowance.
To add a category, tap Manage Categories, tap the add button, then choose one.
To control when apps are available, go back to Screen Time, tap Screen Time Schedule, turn on Schedule, tap Add Schedule and pick the days. Then tap a time window to set its start and end times and the categories allowed in it.
Tap Always Allowed to choose apps and contacts that stay available regardless, such as a family member or the Health app.
If an app declares an associated website, its Time Allowance applies to that website too.
Open Settings and tap Screen Time. Turn on App & Website Activity if it is off.
Tap App Limits, then Add Limit.
Select a category, or tap the category name to choose individual apps.
Tap Next, set the time allowed (Customize Days lets you vary it by day), then save the limit.
For a fixed block of time, tap Downtime, tap Scheduled, then set the days and the start and end times.
One catch: by default, Screen Time limits can be ignored once they are reached. If you set a Screen Time passcode, you can turn on Block at Downtime so restricted apps can't be opened during downtime.
A Screen Time passcode has to be entered before your Screen Time settings can be changed.
iOS 27: Settings, Screen Time, Manage Screen Time, Lock Screen Time Settings, then enter a four-digit code twice.
iOS 26: Settings, Screen Time, scroll down, Lock Screen Time Settings, then enter a four-digit code twice.
A tip: let someone you trust type the code so you don't know it. If you forget it, Apple's Screen Time Passcode Recovery lets you reset it with your Apple Account, if you set that up.
For one app that needs a speed bump rather than a time limit, touch and hold its icon on the Home Screen until the Quick Actions menu opens, then tap Require Face ID (or Touch ID or Passcode) and confirm. The app then needs Face ID, Touch ID or your passcode to open, and it locks again after you quit it. This adds friction, not a limit on time.
Screen Time is free and already on your iPhone. It covers daily allowances, schedules and always-allowed apps.
App blockers built on Apple's Screen Time framework can block the apps, categories or websites you pick, and can add their own rules on top, such as focus sessions or short timed breaks.
Privacy: this kind of app has to be approved by the device owner before it can manage apps, and you choose apps in Apple's own picker, which Apple designed so your choices are not revealed to the app.
Choose Screen Time if a daily cap or a bedtime window is enough. Choose an app blocker if you want a different kind of friction, such as deciding each time whether a few minutes in an app is worth it.
FocusPass uses Apple's Screen Time picker to block the apps, categories or websites you choose, and when you open one you can go back or take a timed Pass, such as 5, 10 or 15 minutes, after which it relocks automatically even if FocusPass is closed. It needs no account, shows no ads, and its Turn Off All Protection option is never locked behind a purchase or streak.
Get FocusPass free on the App Store
Apple: Set schedules and time allowances in Screen Time on iPhone (iOS 27)
Apple: Create, change, or remove a Screen Time passcode (iOS 27)
Apple: Create, manage, and keep track of a Screen Time passcode (iOS 26)