AppBlock on Android

In case your settings app is blocked, you must have enabled this option in Strict Mode. When you activate Strict Mode and select “block device settings”, it restricts access to your settings.

In case you cannot wait till the Strict Mode is off and need to deactivate Strict Mode immediately to get access to your settings, please contact us and choose “I need help with unblocking” as a reason for your message.

If you frequently need access to settings, you might want to consider turning off the “block device settings” option before reactivating Strict Mode. 🙂

Some users have encountered a blocked UI system due to the “Block recent apps” feature. Here’s how you can resolve it:

1. Deactivate Strict Mode: If you’re able to, use one of the unblocking methods, like connecting your device to a charger or entering a PIN, to deactivate Strict Mode. In case you have not set a PIN code or charger unblocking, contact us using the Contact Support form and choose “Emergency unblocking” reason for contacting us.
2. Turn Off “Block Recent Apps”: Once Strict Mode is deactivated, go into your settings and disable the “Block recent apps” feature to prevent this issue from recurring.

If apps you didn’t intend to block are being restricted, it’s usually due to a settings issue. Here’s how to fix it:

1. Check Your Blocking Settings:
   • Schedules: Ensure no schedule is unintentionally blocking apps.
   • Quick Block: Confirm Quick Block isn’t activated, as it blocks all apps with one tap.
2. Restart Your Phone: A quick restart often resolves minor issues.
3. Reinstall AppBlock: If the problem persists, reinstalling AppBlock can help.

Still having trouble? Contact our support team—we’re here to help!

If apps or websites that should be blocked are still accessible, here are a few steps to troubleshoot:

1. Check Your Blocking Settings:
   • Schedules: Make sure a schedule is active and correctly set to block the intended apps or websites.
   • Quick Block: Confirm Quick Block is enabled if you’re relying on it to block everything temporarily.
2. Check Permissions:
   • Accessibility Permissions: For website blocking, AppBlock needs specific permissions.
3. Check Troubleshooting: Go to the troubleshooting section in settings to make sure all required permissions are granted.
4. Restart Your Phone: Restarting can often help if the blocks aren’t functioning as expected.
5. Reinstall AppBlock: Reinstalling can refresh settings and resolve lingering issues.

If the issue continues, please reach out to our support team—we’re here to help!

If your mobile banking app, payment app, or wallet is being blocked even though you did not specifically block it, this is likely due to the “Block Device Settings” feature being enabled in Strict Mode.

Why This Happens:

Certain apps, such as banking and payment apps, often require access to authentication services (like fingerprint or password authenticators) in order to function properly. These authenticators sometimes need access to your device’s settings. When AppBlock’s Block Device Settings feature is enabled, it prevents these apps from accessing the necessary settings for authentication, which can lead to the app being blocked unintentionally.

How to Fix It:

To resolve this issue, you can disable the Block Device Settings feature in Strict Mode. Here’s how:

1. Open AppBlock.
2. Navigate to Strict Mode settings and deactivate Strict Mode.
3. Look for the option labeled “Block Device Settings”.
4. Disable this option.

Once this is done, your banking or payment apps should no longer be blocked and will be able to function properly.

In case you have set Strict Mode for a long period of time and need to urgently unblock AppBlock, please go to Contact support and select reason “Emergency unblocking” or in case of older versions of AppBlock “I need to unlock my device” for contacting us. We will send you a one-time code that will deactivate Strict Mode and delete the PIN code to enter AppBlock in case you set one up.

We’re sorry to hear about the accessibility issues you’re experiencing. This is often related to how some operating systems handle background services. Here are a few steps that may help resolve this:

1. Keep AppBlock Locked in Recent Apps: When AppBlock is removed from your recent apps, the accessibility service may be turned off. To prevent this, hold down the AppBlock icon in your recent apps and select the “lock” option. This keeps it running in the background.
2. Toggle Accessibility: On some devices, simply turning the accessibility setting off and back on can restore it, on others, restart of your device may help re-enable it.
3. Enable Key Settings in Troubleshooting: Make sure you’ve enabled settings like autostart and adjusted battery optimization for AppBlock. Following all steps in the Troubleshooting section can also improve performance.

If these steps don’t fully resolve the issue, please reach out for further assistance.

If your apps are not being blocked in split-screen mode, it’s likely because the split-screen blocking option is not enabled. Follow these steps to resolve the issue:

Steps to Enable Split-Screen Blocking:

1. Ensure that Accessibility permissions are fully granted for AppBlock.
2. Open the AppBlock app and navigate to Strict Mode.
3. Go to Options within Strict Mode.
4. Enable the setting “Block Split Screen.”

This will ensure that apps are blocked even when using split-screen mode. If you have further questions or need additional help, feel free to contact our support team!

If you’ve downloaded a new app but it doesn’t appear in the list of apps to block, try restarting your device. After restarting, the app should show up in the picker.

Please try reinstalling AppBlock and restart your device. If the issue persists, contact us and send us a short video (max 20MB) or screenshots of your blocking setup and provide us with more details about this issue. We will do our best to help you out. You may also check out the tips in Troubleshooting.

AppBlock blocks websites by identifying their URLs or specific keywords. However, when previewing sites in browsers, the URL may change dynamically, making it difficult for AppBlock to detect and block them effectively.

To improve blocking performance, we recommend manually adding such dynamic URLs or relevant keywords to your blocklist. This will ensure AppBlock can recognize and block the sites even when their URLs change during previews.

We’re aware that after updating to version 7.1.1 or 7.1.2, some websites and keywords may not be blocked as expected. We’re working on a fix that will be included in version 7.1.3, which we’ll release as soon as possible. In the meantime, if you remove the “Block Recent Apps” condition in Strict Mode, website blocking should work again. Once the update is available, please be sure to update AppBlock to fully resolve the issue.

We appreciate your patience and understanding. 

If your authenticator app (such as Google Authenticator, Microsoft Authenticator, or any other) is being blocked even though you didn’t block it, the issue is likely related to the “Block Device Settings” feature being enabled in Strict Mode.

Why This Happens:

Authenticator apps often require access to certain device settings to function properly, especially when verifying your identity for apps and services. When AppBlock’s Block Device Settings feature is enabled, it restricts access to these settings, which can unintentionally block your authenticator.

How to Fix It:

To restore access to your authenticator app, you can disable the Block Device Settings feature in Strict Mode. Follow these steps:

1. Open AppBlock.
2. Navigate to Strict Mode settings and deactivate Strict Mode.
3. Locate the “Block Device Settings” option.
4. Disable this option.

This should allow your authenticator app to work without being blocked.

Still Having Issues?

In case you have set Strict Mode for a long period of time and need to urgently unblock AppBlock, please please go to Contact support and select reason “Emergency unblocking” or in case of older versions of AppBlock “I need to unlock my device” for contacting us. We will send you a one-time code that will deactivate Strict Mode and delete the PIN code to enter AppBlock in case you set one up.

If you’re experiencing issues with website blocking, here are some steps to help resolve it:

1. Ensure Your AppBlock is Up-to-Date: Make sure you have the latest version of AppBlock installed. Updates often include fixes for common issues.
2. Check Accessibility Permissions: Website blocking relies on accessibility permissions. Confirm that AppBlock has accessibility permission granted.
3. Review Troubleshooting Settings: Go to AppBlock > More > Troubleshooting, and make sure that autostart and battery optimizations are set correctly to allow AppBlock to function as expected.
4. Understand URL Blocking Limitations: AppBlock blocks websites by the main URL only. For example, blocking “Facebook.com/profile-john-smith” will block the main Facebook.com page as a whole. For specific keywords, use the “keywords blocking” option to block any site containing those terms within the URL.
5. Supported Browsers: AppBlock works best on supported browsers. If blocking doesn’t seem effective, try another browser to see if the issue is browser-related.
6. Reinstall and Restart: If issues persist, consider reinstalling AppBlock. We recommend creating a backup from the More menu before reinstalling. Restart your phone after reinstallation.

If the issue continues, please reach out to our support team for further assistance.

If you’re experiencing issues with usage limits not working, please follow these steps:

1. Ensure Your AppBlock is Up-to-Date: Make sure you have the latest version of AppBlock installed. Updates often include fixes for common issues.
2. Check Settings: Ensure your usage limit settings are configured correctly in AppBlock.
3. Reinstall and Restart: If the settings are correct but usage limits still aren’t working, try reinstalling AppBlock and then restarting your phone.
4. Contact Support for Further Assistance: If the problem persists, we’d need a bit more information to help troubleshoot effectively. Please contact our support team and describe the issue in detail. You may also send a short video (up to 20MB) demonstrating the issue to assist in identifying the cause.

If you’re unable to access the available settings in AppBlock, follow these steps:

1. Update AppBlock: Ensure you have the latest version of AppBlock installed, as updates often resolve issues with settings.
2. Check Strict Mode: If Strict Mode is activated, please deactivate it to be able to turn off and on the Available Settings. If you have set up PIN code or Charger unblocking, use one of these methods to disable Strict Mode on your own. If you need assistance deactivating Strict Mode and have not set up these methods, you can contact us via the contact form. Choose “Emergency unblocking” or in case of older versions of AppBlock “I need to unlock my device” for contacting us to receive a one-time unblocking code.
3. Reset Available Settings Option: Once Strict Mode is deactivated, go to AppBlock > Profile (More) > Settings, and toggle the “Show Available Settings” option off and back on again. This usually resolves the issue.

If the problem persists or occurs again, please reach out to us for further assistance.

In some cases, your launcher may be blocked due to the “Block Device Settings” feature in Strict Mode. To resolve this issue, follow these steps:

1. Open the AppBlock app.
2. Navigate to the Strict Mode settings.
3. Deactivate the “Block Device Settings” option.

This should prevent your launcher from being blocked and resolve the issue. If the problem persists, feel free to contact support for further assistance.

If you find yourself downloading new applications to bypass your blocking, you can use the Add Newly Installed Appsfeature to ensure they’re automatically included in your block settings.

Steps to Block Newly Installed Apps:

1. Create a Schedule or QuickBlock as you normally would.
2. Scroll down to the Extra Options section.
3. Turn on the option “Add newly installed apps.”
4. Save the settings for your Schedule or QuickBlock.

Note: It may take a short time for AppBlock to detect and block newly installed applications, as it depends on when the system notifies AppBlock of the installation.

This ensures that any apps you install in the future will automatically be blocked according to your settings. If you have any questions or need assistance, feel free to reach out to support!

Shortcut will allow you to turn Quick Block ON or OFF with single tap

1. Open Quick Settings – swipe down from the top of the screen to see your notifications and Quick Settings
2. Enter Edit mode – the way to edit your selected Quick Settings can be different on various devices. Look for a pen icon
3. Find and Add Quick Block – scroll to find the icon, then hold and drag to add it.

Unfortunately, AppBlock cannot block dual apps due to technical limitations. The “second app” created in the dual app setup is not recognized as a separate application by your device. Instead, the device treats it as part of the original app, making it invisible to AppBlock’s functionality.

We continuously monitor advancements in technology, and if a solution becomes available in the future, we will consider implementing it.

If you’ve noticed that AppBlock stops working in Safe Mode, it’s due to the way your device manages apps in this mode. Safe Mode is designed to temporarily disable all non-essential apps, including AppBlock, to allow for troubleshooting or resolving device issues. As a result, AppBlock cannot monitor or block apps or web pages during this time. Unfortunately, system restrictions prevent us from blocking or restricting access to Safe Mode.

We apologize for any inconvenience this may cause and appreciate your understanding!

If the Adult Content Blocking feature isn’t working as expected, here are the most common scenarios and solutions:

1. No websites are being blocked

If you notice that no websites are being blocked, follow these steps:

• Ensure the database has fully loaded when you first turned on the Adult Content Blocking feature.
• Verify that all required permissions have been granted, particularly the Accessibility permission.
• Visit the Troubleshooting section in the app for additional guidance.

2. A specific page is not being blocked

If a particular page with adult content is not being blocked, please reach out to our support team. Let us know the URL of the page so we can add it to our database of adult content websites.

3. Adult content on Google images is not blocked

Currently, our feature does not apply to Google Images. Blocking adult content on Google Images would require us to block the entire Google Images page, which is not something we want to impose on our users.

If you encounter any other issues or have further questions, feel free to contact support for assistance!

This happens because AppBlock currently cannot block websites opened in in-app browsers—browsers that are built into the app itself. These in-app browsers are part of the app where they’re opened, making it impossible for us to block them directly.

How to disable In-App browsers

Many apps allow you to disable their in-app browser and instead use your device’s default browser, which can then be blocked by AppBlock. You can usually find instructions by searching online for “turn off in-app browser” or “open in default browser” with the app’s name.

Here’s an example for Facebook Messenger:

1. Open Facebook Messenger.
2. Tap on your profile image.
3. Go to Photos and Media.
4. Select Open links in the default browser.

Ensuring links open in the correct app

If disabling the in-app browser doesn’t work, you can ensure the correct app (e.g., your default browser) is set to handle those links. Here’s how to check or update link-handling settings:

1. Hold the app icon (e.g., YouTube) on your device.
2. Select App Info (or the “i” icon, depending on your device).
3. Navigate to Advanced > Open by default.
4. Check or enable Open supported links.
5. Ensure the option Allow app to open supported links is turned on.

This page will also show you what types of links the app is set to handle.

By following these steps, you can better control how websites are opened and improve AppBlock’s effectiveness.

Unfortunately, AppBlock cannot block specific parts or sections within an app. This is because we do not have visibility into what the user is doing inside the app once it is opened.

Instead, AppBlock functions by blocking the app as a whole. When you launch the app, AppBlock applies a blocking screen, effectively restricting access to the app entirely.

We understand this might not fully meet your needs, but due to technical limitations, more granular blocking is not currently possible.

Yes, you can block only notifications from specific apps by following these steps:

Steps to block only notifications:

1. Create a Schedule or QuickBlock as you normally would.
2. Select the apps for which you want to block notifications.
3. Tap on the settings icon in the top-right corner.
4. In the settings menu, disable the “Block Launch” option and ensure the “Block Notifications” option is enabled.
5. Save your settings.

This way, AppBlock will block notifications from the selected apps without preventing you from launching them.