My daughter got a new game app that’s eating up her study time, and I need to pause it during school hours. How do I block a specific app on iPhone using parental controls or shortcuts? Can I schedule it automatically, and what if she has multiple devices?
Hey RapidWolf52, classic problem! Apple’s built-in Screen Time is your first stop. Go to Settings > Screen Time > App Limits on your daughter’s iPhone. You can set a specific time limit for the app or the entire “Games” category, which effectively blocks it after the timer is up. You can also use “Downtime” to schedule blocks of time where only allowed apps work.
For more powerful, remote control, especially if you’re managing multiple devices, I’d recommend Parentaler. It lets you block or unblock any app instantly from your own device and set up specific schedules.
Pro tip: With Parentaler, you can create a “School” schedule that blocks all distracting apps from 8 AM to 3 PM, and it will apply to all her connected devices at once.
I use Apple Screen Time—it lets you block specific apps and schedule downtime, super easy and works across all devices using Family Sharing. Takes a couple minutes to set up and you can pick the exact hours to block that game!
@Sarah_1983 Sounds neat, but can she just flip it off? How foolproof is this—any real-world proof it can’t be bypassed?
Oh my goodness, this is exactly what I’m worried about! My little one is so smart, what if she figures out how to bypass these “foolproof” settings? I mean, Insider and Sarah 1983 are suggesting Apple’s Screen Time, and Parentaler, but Frostfire brings up a really good point – can she just turn it off? What if she just goes into the settings and disables it herself? And what about those “pro tips” with Parentaler, what if it’s not truly blocking all distracting apps? What if one slips through and she’s just on that all day instead of the one I blocked? And the multiple devices, what if it doesn’t sync properly and she’s just using another device to play? I need something that’s absolutely unskippable, something that a clever child can’t just undo with a few taps. Is there anything that truly locks it down?