How to Block Any App on iPhone: Ultimate Guide for 2025

Some apps make your life easier. Others quietly steal hours.

You pick up your iPhone to check a message. Ten minutes later, you’ve scrolled through three different apps and can’t remember why you picked up your phone in the first place.
The truth? Most of us don’t lack discipline. We lack the right system.

If you're looking to block any app on your iPhone, be it Instagram, YouTube, Twitter, Facebook, or even games like Candy Crush, this guide gives you the exact steps and practical solutions you can start today.

Method 1: Block Apps Using Screen Time Limits

Apple’s Screen Time lets you set daily usage caps for almost any app.

Steps:

• Open Settings
• Tap Screen Time

• Tap App Limits

• Tap Add Limit

• Select the category or app you want to block

• Set the time (set it to 1 minute if you want a full block)

• Tap Add

🟢 Good if you want to limit how long you use a specific app each day.

After the limit is reached, the app gets greyed out. You’ll need your passcode to unlock it again.

You can also read: How to Block Instagram on iPhone

Method 2: Use Downtime to Block Apps at Specific Times

Downtime lets you block access to most apps during specific hours, like late nights or work hours.

Steps:

• Open Settings
• Tap Screen Time

• Tap Downtime

• Turn it ON
• Set your Start and End times

• Go back and tap Always Allowed
• Remove the apps you want to block from the “Allowed” list

Now, those apps will be blocked during the hours you set. You can’t open them unless you bypass with a Screen Time passcode.

Related Blog: How to Block Snapchat on iPhone

Method 3: Prevent Installation or Reinstalling of Apps

If you're trying to stop yourself (or someone else) from reinstalling a distracting app, use this method.

Steps:

• Go to Settings
• Tap Screen Time

• Tap Content & Privacy Restrictions

• Turn it ON

• Tap iTunes & App Store Purchases

• Set Installing Apps to Don’t Allow

• (Optional) Delete the apps first

This method is great for parents, or for those trying to remove temptation entirely.

You can also read: How to Block Facebook on iPhone

Method 4: Use Focus Mode to Hide Apps Temporarily

Sometimes you don’t need to block an app. You just need it out of sight.

Steps:

• Open Settings
• Tap Focus

• Create a new Focus like “Deep Work” or “Evening Mode”

• Under Apps, silence the ones you want to hide

• (Optional) Hide app icons from your Home Screen under Customize Screens

This method works wonders when you’re trying to reduce passive phone usage. If the app isn’t staring at you, the urge drops by half.

You can also read: How to Block Messenger on iPhone

But If Blocking Alone Doesn’t Work… Try This Instead

Here’s the problem with most of these solutions:
You can override them.
And sooner or later, you probably will.

Because the real issue isn’t access, it’s habit. That’s where Jolt comes in.

Jolt: The App That Helps You Change Your App Habits

Jolt doesn’t just block apps. It rebuilds your relationship with them using tools grounded in behavioral science.

When you reach for Instagram, Twitter, or YouTube out of reflex, Jolt doesn’t just say “No.” It makes you pause. Breathe. Think. And that pause is where change begins.

Here’s how you can block any app using Jolt:

How to Block Any App Using Jolt

1. Sessions
   Create a Focus Session and choose which apps to block. Whether it’s 25 minutes of deep work or an hour before bed, your distractions stay locked. The structure trains your brain to focus.
    
2. App Duration Limit
   Set daily limits for any app. Once you hit your limit, Jolt makes you wait. It introduces a delay screen to sometimes as long as 20 seconds, to disrupt autopilot scrolling.
    
3. Open Limit
   Want to block yourself from opening an app more than 3 times a day? Jolt can do that too. Once the limit is hit, your next tap leads to a friction screen, like breathing exercises, or a self-reflection prompt.

It doesn’t just block. It builds new behavior.

You can also read: How to Block Twitter on iPhone

Why Jolt Is Better Than Apple Screen Time

Screen Time gives you data.

Jolt gives you direction.

Feature	Apple Screen Time	Jolt App
App Limit Customization	✅ Basic time limits	✅ Time, frequency & session-based limits
Blocking Effectiveness	❌ Easy to override	✅ Structured, reinforced with friction
Behavior Change Tools	❌ None	✅ Breath screens, delays, nudges
Focus Modes	✅ Notification control	✅ Full immersion with goal tags
Motivation	❌ No feedback	✅ Streaks, encouragement, affirmations
Personality-Based Plans	❌ None	✅ Custom goals based on usage behavior

Final Thought

Blocking apps is easy.
But changing your relationship with them? That’s powerful.
You don’t need more rules. You need better systems. The ones that work with your brain, not against it.

Jolt helps you go from “I need to stop” to “I’ve got this.”
Start with one session. Feel the difference when your focus isn’t being stolen but it’s being protected.

Related Blog Posts on App Blocking Guides

FAQs

1. How do I block any app completely on iPhone?
   Use Screen Time limits, Content Restrictions, and remove it from “Always Allowed.” For stronger control, try Jolt.
    
2. What if I keep overriding Screen Time limits?
   Use Jolt’s friction-based tools. Open Limits and Breathing Screens make overriding a conscious, effortful choice.
    
3. Can I block multiple apps at once?
   Yes. Both Screen Time and Jolt allow you to select multiple apps per block or session.
    
4. Is Jolt good for blocking apps like TikTok, Snapchat, or Instagram?
   Absolutely. Jolt works with any app and is especially powerful against habit-forming platforms like social media.
    
5. How do I block an app only at night or during work hours?
   Use Downtime or Jolt’s Sessions feature. You can customize blocks to your exact schedule.
    
6. Is Jolt free?
   Jolt offers a free version with core features. Advanced tools like Hard Mode, Open Limits, and Partner Challenges are part of the premium experience.