AppBlock on Android

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 you need further assistance, feel free to reach out!

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.

To resolve your issue with AppBlock Premium, please follow these steps:

1. Ensure you are signed in to the same Google Play account used to purchase AppBlock Premium by navigating to the Google Play Store → Your profile picture → Payments and subscriptions → Subscriptions. If AppBlock is listed, you are signed in to the correct account. Otherwise, switch to the appropriate account. Then, go to the Troubleshooting section in AppBlock and tap “Restore purchases” at the bottom.
2. If restoring purchases did not resolve the issue, clear the Google Play Store cache by going to Settings → Applications → Play Store → Storage and cache → Clear storage. Close the settings, reopen the Google Play Store, close AppBlock (remove it from recent apps), and reopen it. You can also refer to our detailed guide on how to restore your purchase.
3. If none of the above works, try reinstalling AppBlock. If the problem persists, please contact our support team for further assistance.

Is there anything you have recently changed?

• No, I did not change anything, and AppBlock worked before.
  • It looks like something is preventing AppBlock from running in the background. Please check out our Troubleshooting section in “More.” Eventually, you can also try reinstalling AppBlock. If this does not help, please contact our support team.
    
• I changed my blocking setup, and AppBlock stopped working.
  • Please try reinstalling AppBlock. If the issue persists, 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 Troubleshooting tips.
    
• I made changes outside the app
  • I force stopped AppBlock
  • I opened the blocked app in a floating window or popup view
  • I tried to block dual app (two copies of the same app)
  • I enabled ultra power saving mode
  • I restarted my device
    • It can take a few seconds for AppBlock to start after you restart your device. If it does not start up at all, please ensure the autostarting feature is enabled. Instructions for most devices can be found in Troubleshooting tips. Eventually, you can also try reinstalling AppBlock. If this does not help, please contact our support team.
      
• I changed something else

We’re sorry to hear that! Please try reinstalling AppBlock, in case the issue persists, contact our support team describing the issue in detail and we will get back to you as soon as possible.

Only apps get blocked correctly, website blocking is malfunctioning.

• I use a specific browser.

We currently support most of the common browsers. In case you need to block websites in one of the unsupported browsers. You can use our “block unsupported browsers” feature in Extra options. This function will block access to all our unsupported browsers and you will not be able to open the browser app.
If you miss a specific browser, please contact our support team and let us know which browser you would like AppBlock to support in the future. We will forward it to our developers and in case the demand for this browser will be higher, we will consider implementing it.

• Accessibility permission is removed after closing AppBlock.

If the accessibility permissions are being removed, it is usually a problem with the operating system. It happens mostly on Xiaomi (and related) devices and there’s not much we can do about it. When you remove AppBlock from recent apps, the accessibility service is killed. Adding AppBlock to the locked apps (hold the app icon in recent and select the lock) can help solve the issue. For some devices, it is enough to turn the accessibility off and back on again, for others you will have to restart your device for it to be re-enabled. 

Additionally, make sure that you enable everything mentioned in Troubleshooting – including autostart and battery optimization.

• Usage limits on websites do not count well.

In case you notice that schedules with websites blocking that are set by usage limit conditions are not working properly, please make sure you have usage access permission enabled for AppBlock in your device setting.

• AppBlock never worked on my device

Please check out our Troubleshooting section in “More”. If this does not help, please contact our support team.

In case you force close the app, AppBlock is closed and cannot block neither apps nor websites. In this case it is necessary to restart the app in order to restart the blocking process. This may also happen if you are using task killer software or automated backup software.

To prevent bypassing your blockings by force-stopping AppBlock, please make sure “Block device settings” in Strict Mode is enabled and Strict Mode is activated. This will prevent access to your device settings and you will not be able to force-stop AppBlock.

Unfortunately, we have not yet found any technology that would allow us to block reliably in pop-up view on all devices, but we will keep looking and hopefully implement it sometime in the future.

Many apps allow you to turn this feature off in-app, so this may be worth considering. You can find some guides online when looking for the specific app and keywords like “floating window”, “popup” or “window in window”.

Sometimes locking AppBlock in recent apps can also help block pop-up windows more reliably.

Unfortunately, it is not technically possible to block dual apps. The “second app” doesn’t really exist in the device, your device only sees it as one app and so it is invisible for AppBlock. We will keep our eyes open for new technologies, but currently, it just isn’t possible.

Unfortunately, with current technology, we cannot block the ultra power saving mode. Super saving mode (Ultra battery saver) stops apps from working, meaning that it turns off AppBlock and then we can’t block other apps. Some operating systems go against the Android best practices and can cause issues for apps. Sometimes you are able to add exceptions to the saving mode and adding AppBlock to those should stop it from being disabled. 

You can also use the “block device settings” option in Strict Mode to prevent you from enabling ultra power saving mode in settings.

If you’ve installed a new app and it’s not appearing on the list of apps to block, we recommend restarting your device. Occasionally, newly installed apps may take some time to appear in the app picker. Restarting your phone can help expedite this process and ensure the app is visible for blocking.

If you are having any troubles with split-screen not being blocked correctly, try enabling the AppBlock accessibility service for more efficient blocking.

1) Tap Downloaded services and find AppBlock.
2) Tap AppBlock and hit turn ON.
3) Tap OK to confirm.

Even though we designed our app to be compatible with all devices, sometimes, the device might act a bit differently than expected. On this page, you can find some good-to-know information about the most common and problematic devices and useful tips. However, you should always check important in-app steps (recommendations, error messages, and especially our Troubleshooting section).

To search for a specific phone brand, you can press CTRL+F (Windows) keys or CMD+F (MacOS) keys for a search bar to appear and type the desired name. In case you cannot use the search on your phone, you can scroll down to your brand or open Help section on our web.

NOTE: each phone model might have a different path to a specific option/permission. If you are unable to locate it, please try searching on the internet your phone model and the option/permission you need. You should be able to find more specific guides.

Huawei

Unfortunately, Huawei is one of the most troubled phone brands in the current market. Chinese vendors tend to ignore Android’s best practices and implement very bizarre custom modifications which make background tasks nearly impossible to run. This includes stable and reliable run of AppBlock as well.

Please do:

• Phone settings > Advanced Settings > Battery Manager > Power plan is set to Performance..
• Phone Settings > Advanced Settings > Battery Manager > Protected apps – check for AppBlock as Protected
• Phone Settings > Apps > AppBlock > Battery > Power-intensive prompt [x] and Keep running after screen off [x]
• Phone settings > Apps > ‘Advanced (At the bottom) > Ignore optimizations> Press ‘Allowed’ > All apps > Find AppBlock on the list and set to ‘Allow’
• (Huawei P9 Plus) Phone settings > Apps > Settings > Special access > Ignore battery optimization> select Allow AppBlock app.

If all fails, please try to set the app as device administrator (AppBlock > Setting > CAPTCHA > Prevent escaping CAPTCHA). This may also prevent the system from killing AppBlock.

NOTE: AppBlock version installed from AppGallery might differ from the Google Play Store, each version might require other permissions. To check all needed permissions, please go through the initial onboarding process carefully and our in-app Troubleshoot.

You can visit the following link to find out more about this brand: https://dontkillmyapp.com/huawei.

Xiaomi

Xiaomi might be the most troubled phone on today’s market. Chinese vendors tend to ignore Android best practices and implement very bizarre custom modifications which make background tasks nearly impossible to run.

The specific steps depend on which version of the MIUI you have. Things to try:

• APP PINNING
  If AppBlock stops working correctly, the blocking suddenly does not work and/or you are experiencing issues with Accessibility, you should try pinning AppBlock. How to do it?
  When you open the recent apps tray, just drag AppBlock downwards – it will be locked. On some devices, you will have to tap the down arrow next to the app name for the options to pop-up. There, you need to select the „Lock“ icon. After that, even if you clear recent apps it will not be removed from the background. Drag downwards again to clear AppBlock from the background.
• BATTERY MANAGEMENT
  Please enable:
  • Settings > Advanced Settings > Battery manager > Power plan is set to Performance
  • Device Settings > Advanced Settings > Battery Manager > Protected apps – AppBlock needs to be Protected
  • Device Settings > Apps > AppBlock > Battery > Power-intensive prompt [x] and Keep running after the screen off [x]..
• BATTERY MANAGEMENT 2
  Settings > Additional Settings > Battery & Performance > Manage apps’ battery usage
  and here:
  1) Switch Power Saving Modes to Off
  2) Choose the next options: Saving Power in The Background > Choose apps > select ‘AppBlock’ > Background Settings > No restrictions
• APP BATTERY SAVER
  Security > Battery > App Battery Saver > AppBlock > No restriction
  then enable SaA to autostart in the security center
• AUTOSTART
  (according to https://in.c.mi.com/thread-253478-1-0.html):
  • Open security app > permissions > auto-start
  • Enable Autostart for desired apps.

If all fails, please try to set the app as device administrator (AppBlock > Setting > CAPTCHA >Prevent escaping CAPTCHA). This may also prevent the system from killing AppBlock.

NOTE: It is recommended to not start “Ultra Battery Saver” mode on Xiaomi devices as it will stop all not needed background apps from running correctly. On some models, you should be able to make app exceptions, but it might still cause some minor issue with correct blocking.

You can visit following link to find more about this brand: https://dontkillmyapp.com/xiaomi

OnePlus

The app might experience some issues on OnePlus phones unless you turn off battery optimizations for AppBlock.

System Settings > Apps > Gear Icon > Special Access > Battery Optimization.

WARNING: Recently OnePlus phones started reverting this setting randomly for random apps. Even when you set it to be “not optimized”, it may automatically reverse back to “optimized” the next day. There is no workaround and you may have to check system settings every once in a while.
There is a bug report filed to OnePlus.

On some OnePlus phones there is also a thing called App Auto-Launch which essentially prevents apps working in the background. Please disable it for AppBlock.

Also do:

Phone settings > Battery > Battery optimization > switch to the All apps list (Top menu) >
AppBlock > Don’t optimize

NOTE: Some of our users indicated that you need to disable Doze mode in Developer options.

You can visit following link to find more about this brand: https://dontkillmyapp.com/oneplus

OnePlus 5 specifically

Disable Settings > Battery > Battery optimization > (three dots) > Enhanced optimization. This option may also be called Advanced optimization.

You can visit following link to find more about this brand: https://dontkillmyapp.com/oneplus

Samsung Galaxy

Unfortunately, some new models tend to cause issues with AppBlock running correctly. Please, see the text below for critical information.

1. S8 (and apparently also some older phones) has introduced a flawed attempt at prolonging battery life called “App power monitor“. For AppBlock to work correctly, please whitelist AppBlock from the App power monitor.
   How to do it: Open the Settings app > Device maintenance > Battery and at the bottom you’ll see a list of your most frequently used apps. You can put apps to sleep individually or in a group by selecting them then tapping the big SAVE POWER button. Apps that are sleeping will appear in the SLEEPING APPS list at the bottom (tap it to expand the list). Scrolling further — all the way to the very bottom — and you’ll find Unmonitored apps. These are apps that you specifically want to exclude (white list) from App power monitor. When inside the Unmonitored apps menu, you can tap the three dots menu to add or delete apps from the list. Rather than bothering with any of that, you can just turn off the App power monitor feature completely as it has little-to-no impact on battery life and only serves to handicap the normal functioning of your Galaxy phone. It’s excessive and in some cases downright misleading, using scare tactics to keep you reliant on Samsung’s software when other Android devices get by just fine without it.
2. On other Samsung phones, the path may look like this:
   Phone settings > Applications > select three dot menu (top right corner) > Special Access > Optimize Battery usage > Find AppBlock on the list and make sure that it is not selected.

NOTE: If you enable Edge Lighting for AppBlock, then AppBlock will not be able to wake your screen up when the alarm starts. To allow AppBlock to work as intended, please remove AppBlock from the Edge Lighting applications list.

NOTE: Please check out this link to find other guides, how to keep the permissions active and AppBlock running: https://dontkillmyapp.com/samsung

Oppo

On those devices, background services are often being killed (including accessibility services). Here are some steps that should prevent this problem:

·        Pinning AppBlock to the recent app screen
When you open the recent apps tray, you will have to tap the down arrow next to app name for the options to pop-up. There, you need to select the „Lock“ icon. After that, even if you clear recent apps, it will not be removed from the background.

·        Turning off battery optimizations
Open app info (holding app icon for a long time and selecting “app info” (i) ) > Battery usage > Run in the Background

·        Allow launch after restarting device
Settings > App Management > Auto-launch apps > find AppBlock and toggle the switch to allow.

You can visit following link to find more about this brand: https://dontkillmyapp.com/oppo

Vivo

On those devices, background services are often being killed (including accessibility services). Here are some steps that should prevent this problem:

·        Pinning AppBlock to the recent app screen
When you open the recent apps tray, you will have to tap the down arrow next to app name for the options to pop-up. There, you need to select the „Lock“ icon. After that, even if you clear recent apps it will not clear from the background.

·        Turning off battery optimizations
Open App info (holding app icon for a long time and selecting “app info” (i) ) > Battery usage > Unrestricted.

NOTE: It is recommended not to start “Ultra Battery Saver” mode on Vivo devices as it will stop all unnecessary background apps from running correctly. On some models, you should be able to make app exceptions, but it might still cause some minor issues with correct blocking.

You can visit following link to find more about this brand: https://dontkillmyapp.com/vivo

Realme

On those devices, background services are often being killed (including accessibility services). Here are some steps that should prevent this problem:

·        Pinning AppBlock to the recent app screen
When you open the recent apps tray, you will have to tap the down arrow next to app name for the options to pop-up. There, you need to select the „Lock“ icon. After that, even if you clear recent apps it will not be removed from the background.

·        Managing battery optimizations
Open Settings > Battery > App battery management > select AppBlock > Allow background activity, Allow foreground activity and Allow auto-launch

·        Settings > Battery > Power saver options > disable Sleep stand-by optimization

You can visit following link to find more about this brand: https://dontkillmyapp.com/realme

Meizu

Meizu are one of the most troubled phones on the market. Chinese vendors tend to ignore Android best practices and implement very bizarre custom modifications which make background tasks nearly impossible to run.

Please enable:
Settings > Advanced Settings > Battery manager > Power plan is set to Performance >
Device Settings > Advanced Settings > Battery Manager > Protected apps – check for AppBlock as Protected
Device Settings > Apps > AppBlock > Battery > Power-intensive prompt [x] and Keep running after screen off [x]..

If all fails, please try to set the app as device administrator (AppBlock > Setting > CAPTCHA > Prevent escaping CAPTCHA). This may also prevent the system from killing AppBlock.

You can visit following link to find more about this brand: https://dontkillmyapp.com/meizu

Sony

Sony Stamina Mode makes 3rd party alarms not work. There is no workaround from our side, please disable Stamina mode or whitelist our application.

Please go to your Phone settings > Battery > Three dots in the top right corner > Battery optimization > Apps > AppBlock.

You can visit following link to find more about this brand: https://dontkillmyapp.com/sony

Nokia

It seems under some circumstances Nokia behaves differently from standard Android and puts our app on the list of apps with background restrictions.

Take a look in Phone settings > Apps > Battery > AppBlock

You can visit following link to find more about this brand: https://dontkillmyapp.com/hmd-global

Android 8 (Oreo)

Android O has brought an option to limit background activity for specific apps. This will break alarms when enabled for AppBlock.

Please make sure that System settings > Apps > AppBlock > Battery > Background activity is enabled.

In case your location schedules do not activate, please try to extend your location radius, it should fix the issue. Sometimes a little delay in blocking can occur when the radius is too small. 

Eventually make sure you have granted all necessary permissions including the location permission for AppBlock and check if the location service is on. 

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 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.

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 > 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.