Help

Question 1

Combining blocking conditions

Accepted Answer

How can I effectively combine blocking conditions? For instance, I want to implement a limited launch count while I’m at home, and restrict usage to a maximum of 20 minutes per hour while connected to the work network.

Here’s a straightforward guide to set it up:

1) Create a new Schedule2) Choose your initial blocking condition; for example, select the time and specify your working hours.3) Save the changes and click on “Add” in Conditions to include a second blocking condition, such as the usage limit, and specify as you wish.4) Proceed with the Schedule setup by selecting the apps you wish to block and assigning a Schedule name. Finally, click on “Create” to activate the Schedule.

By following these steps, you’ll be able to seamlessly combine different blocking conditions and tailor your device usage to your specific needs.

Question 2

Can I block selected apps in a specific area?

Accepted Answer

Yes, you can! You can easily set the location where you want to block the apps. Either directly based on the location or it's inverse form - for example any time you are not at home.Just create a new schedule and select "Location" as your blocking condition to set it up.

Question 3

Can I set usage time for selected apps?

Accepted Answer

You can select a time limit for using applications each day when a particular schedule is activated. For example only 20 minutes of Facebook during working time or at school.

How to set it up?1) Create a new schedule2) As your first blocking condition, select time and specify your working time - or other time you want to limit your device usage3) Tap at "Add +" next to "Conditions" and choose usage limit - select for how long you can use the apps.4) Continue the schedule setup by selecting the blocked apps and a schedule name before pressing create and activating it.

Question 4

How to block websites?

Accepted Answer

There are two main ways to block websites: blocking specific URLs or blocking keywords for mass restriction.Blocking Specific URLs

This method allows you to block only the specified links, making it ideal for restricting access to particular websites like facebook.com, twitter.com, reddit.com, or youtube.com.

Steps to block specific URLs:

Create a Schedule or QuickBlock as you normally would.

In the step where you select applications, tap on Webs at the top.

Enter the URL of the website you want to block or select one from the suggested list. Only the part before the slash (/) is recognized.

Repeat this process to block additional URLs.

Save your settings.

Note: You can block both websites and apps within the same schedule. Simply configure apps first, then switch to the Webs tab, set it up, and save.

Blocking Websites Using Keywords

If you want to block many similar websites or include search results, blocking by keywords is the way to go. Keywords are checked in the domain of the URL (before the slash by default). If you'd like the keyword to apply to the entire URL, change the setting from “In domain” to “Anywhere in URL.”

Steps to block websites using keywords:

Create a Schedule or QuickBlock as usual.

In the step where you select applications, tap on Keywords at the top.

(Optional) For more details about how keywords work, tap the info bubble on the top right.

Type in the keyword you want to block. You can also select from a suggested list. To block the keyword across the entire URL, select the Anywhere in URL option.

Repeat the process to add more keywords.

Save your settings.

Editing Keywords

Predefined websites in the initial list cannot be edited; they can only be selected or unselected.To edit a keyword, hold the item and select Edit keyword.

Adult content

If you are premium user, you can also block adult content websites using our "adult content blocking" feature that you can find in Extra Options.

Question 5

How to create an Usage Limit Schedule?

Accepted Answer

Want to limit how much time you spend on certain apps? Follow these steps to set up a Usage Limit Schedule:

Steps to create a Usage Limit Schedule:

Go to the Blocking tab.

In the Schedules section, tap + Add to create a new schedule or select a template.

Choose between Blocklist or Allowlist (for premium users) and add the apps/websites/keywords you want to block or allow.

Select Usage Limit as your blocking condition.

Choose whether you want to apply a Daily or Hourly usage limit.

Set the limit:

Use the +1h (hour) or +5m (minutes) buttons to adjust the limit.

Alternatively, type in the desired time directly.

Save changes, review all your settings, including the apps and websites selected, and give your schedule a name.

Tap Create to finalize.

Note: Schedules activate automatically upon creation. Unlike Quick Block, there’s no need to enable them manually.

This feature helps you manage your time by restricting how much you can use specific apps each day or hour!

Question 6

How to create a Time Schedule

Accepted Answer

Want to block certain apps during specific days or times? Follow these steps to set up a Time Schedule:

Steps to create a Time Schedule:

Go to the Blocking tab.

In the Schedules section, tap + Add  or select a template to create a new schedule.

Choose between Blocklist or Allowlist (for premium users) and add apps/websites/keywords you want to block or allow.

Select Time as your blocking condition, choose the days you want the block to be active. Days marked in blue will have the block applied.

Optional: By default, blocks are active all day on blue-marked days. To customize blocking times:

Tap Add (+) to set specific time intervals.

Select the FROM time.

Tap TO, choose the until time, and press OK.

Save changes, review all your settings and give your schedule a name.

Tap Create to finalize.

Note: Schedules activate automatically upon creation. Unlike Quick Block, there’s no need to enable them manually.

Question 7

How to create an inverse Location Schedule

Accepted Answer

Want to block specific apps in certain locations or when you’re not at a particular location? Follow these steps to set up an Inverse Location Schedule:

Steps to create an inverse Location Schedule:

Go to the Blocking tab and tap + Add in the Schedules section to create a new schedule.

Choose the apps and websites you want to block. Name your schedule for easy identification.

Select Location as the blocking condition and ensure location permissions are granted. If this is your first time creating a Location Schedule, follow the on-screen instructions to enable the necessary permissions.

Tap the Inverse Location option to apply the block when you're outside the specified location(s).

After setting the location and radius, tap Save and then Create to finalize your schedule.

Optional: If you want the location schedule to remain active when location services are unavailable, you may set this in the AppBlock settings, More > Settings > Toggle the switch “When Location unavailable on”.

In case you want to set the location where your apps are gonna be blocked, toggle off the switch for “Inverse radius” and Save your changes.

Question 8

How to combine Schedule conditions?

Accepted Answer

Do you want to set different usage limits for weekdays and weekends, or combine multiple blocking conditions into a single schedule? You can easily do this by following these steps:

Steps to Combine Schedule Conditions:

Go to the Blocking Tab

In the Schedules section, tap + Add to create a new schedule.

Select Your First Blocking Condition

For example, choose Time.

Set it up as needed (e.g., specific days or hours) and tap Save.

Add Another Condition

Next to your first condition, tap the little + Add button.

Select your second condition (e.g., Usage Limit), configure it, and save.

Repeat for Additional Conditions

Continue adding and configuring conditions until you’ve included everything you need.

Choose Apps and Websites to Block

Add the apps/websites/keywords you want the combined schedule to apply to.

Save and Finalize Your Schedule

Review all settings and give your schedule a name.

Tap Create to complete the setup.

For example, to give yourself different usage limit for different days, you may create two schedules:

Weekdays Schedule:Combine Usage Limit: 1h/day and Time: weekdays to limit apps to 1 hour per day on weekdays.

Weekends Schedule:Combine Usage Limit: 4h/day and Time: weekends to restrict apps for up to 4 hours per day on weekends.

Combining Conditions in One Schedule:The schedule will activate only when ALL conditions are met. For instance, a schedule with Time: Weekends and Usage Limit: 4h/day will only block apps if it’s the weekend AND the 4-hour limit has been reached.

Creating Multiple Schedules:Multiple schedules work independently, creating an OR relationship. For example, if you want different blocking rules for specific apps or websites, place them in separate schedules. This ensures flexibility when applying different conditions to various apps.

If you have one app included in both a Blocklist schedule and an Allowlist schedule running at the same time, the app will be blocked because the Blocklist takes priority over the Allowlist.

Try combining conditions to tailor AppBlock to your needs!

Question 9

How to create a Location Schedule?

Accepted Answer

Want to block specific apps while you're in certain locations? Follow these steps to set up a Location Schedule and limit app usage based on your current location:

Steps to create a Location Schedule:

Go to the Blocking tab and tap + Add in the Schedules section to create a new schedule.

Choose the apps and websites you want to block. Name your schedule for easy identification.

Select Location as the blocking condition and ensure location permissions are granted. If this is your first time creating a Location Schedule, follow the on-screen instructions to enable the necessary permissions.

Choose the Location and Radius - set the radius for the location where you want apps to be blocked. Alternatively, use the search icon in the top-right corner to type and select a specific address.

After setting the location and radius, tap Save and then Create to finalize your schedule.

Optional: If you want the location schedule to remain active when location services are unavailable, you may set this in the AppBlock settings, More > Settings > Toggle the switch “When Location unavailable on”.

In case you want to set the location where your apps are gonna be unblocked, toggle the switch for “Inverse radius” and Save your changes.

Note: Once you create a schedule, it activates automatically. Unlike Quick Block, there’s no need to enable it manually.

Question 10

How to block apps based on Wi-Fi condition?

Accepted Answer

Do you want to block certain apps or websites whenever you connect to a specific Wi-Fi network? Follow these steps to set up a Wi-Fi-based blocking schedule. Once configured, your selected apps and websites will be automatically blocked as soon as your device connects to the specified network.

Steps to Create a Wi-Fi-Based Blocking Schedule:

Make sure your location services are turned on.

Open the app and navigate to the Blocking tab.

In the Schedules section, tap + Add to create a new schedule. Alternatively, select a pre-made template if available.

Select the apps, websites, or keywords you want to block and give your schedule a descriptive name.

Choose Wi-Fi as your blocking condition and select the Wi-Fi networks where you want the block to be active. You can manually add networks or choose from the list of available ones.

Review all your selections save it and tap Create to save the schedule.

You can also combine the Wifi Blocking with other blocking conditions.Note: Schedules are activated automatically after creating them. You do not have to enable them manually after setting them up.

Question 11

How to create a Launch Count schedule?

Accepted Answer

Want to limit how many times you can open certain apps? Follow these steps to set up a Launch Count Schedule:

Steps to Create a Launch Count Schedule:

Go to the Blocking tab.

In the Schedules section, tap + Add to create a new schedule or select a template.

Choose between Blocklist or Allowlist (for premium users) and add the apps/websites/keywords you want to block or allow.

Select Launch Count as your blocking condition.

Choose how you want AppBlock to track app launches:

Daily: Set a daily limit for app launches.

Hourly: Set an hourly limit for app launches.

Save your changes, review all your settings, including the apps and websites selected, and give your schedule a name.

Tap Create to finalize the schedule.

Note: Launch Count schedules activate automatically after creation. There’s no need to enable them manually.

Question 12

How to block adult content?

Accepted Answer

To block adult content:

Enable "Adult Content Blocking" feature. This feature is available in the Extra Options of Schedules or Quick Block.

Turn it on in the Schedule or Quick Block where you want it applied.

Remember, this feature works only while the selected Schedule or Quick Block is active.

If you want it enabled across all Schedules, make sure to turn it on in each schedule individually.

First time setup:When enabling this feature for the first time, wait for the database of blocked websites to load to 100%. Avoid leaving the AppBlock app during the loading process to ensure proper setup.

Once enabled, adult content websites will be inaccessible based on your active schedules or Quick Block settings.

Please note that this feature cannot block adult content on Google Images or any adult content apps. It operates by blocking URLs listed in our database. If you encounter an adult content website that isn’t being blocked while the porn-blocking feature is enabled, feel free to contact our support team and request that the website be added to our 18+ URL database.

Question 13

Can I combine blocking conditions?

Accepted Answer

Yes, you can combine blocking conditions to customize how and when apps are blocked. Currently, we offer three types of blocking conditions, with two of them allowing for preset combinations:

Time

You can block apps based on a set time duration. Additionally, you can combine this with a location condition to block apps during specific times in a chosen area.

Location

The location condition lets you block apps in a specific area (or when outside it) and on selected days and times. When combined with the time condition, both conditions must be met for the apps to be blocked.

Usage Limit

You can select specific days and set a total time limit for how long you can access certain apps. However, due to system limitations on iOS devices, it's currently not possible to set usage limits by specific hours.

This flexibility allows you to tailor your app-blocking schedule to fit your needs, whether based on time, location, or usage.

Question 14

Can I block selected apps based on my location?

Accepted Answer

You can easily set up app blocking based on your location, whether it's at a specific place or when you're outside a designated area (Inverse radius). To do this, create a new schedule with the apps you want to block and select "Location" as the blocking condition.

Make sure that location access is set to "Always" for the feature to function correctly. Next, choose the radius where the schedule will be active, then proceed to set the schedule's time. Once you're done, tap "Create" in the top right corner to save your schedule.

Question 15

How can I block websites with usage limit condition?

Accepted Answer

Blocking websites with usage limits is technically possible only in the Safari browser. You can do this in a similar way to blocking apps:

Go to Schedules > Blocklist > Save.

Select Usage limits and set the daily usage limit for the chosen websites.

Under Apps and Safari websites, open the Other category to see a list of recently viewed websites in Safari.

If the website you want to block isn't listed, visit the site in Safari, then return to AppBlock. The website should now appear in the Other category.

Please note that usage limits will only apply when you access these websites via the Safari browser, as iOS cannot track website usage in other browsers.

Question 16

My location schedules do not work

Accepted Answer

If location schedules are not working, please try the following steps:

Check Location Permissions: Ensure that location permissions are granted for AppBlock.

Toggle Location Services: Try turning location services off and on again in your device settings.

Recreate the Location Schedule: Delete the existing location schedule and create a new one.

Extend the Radius: Increase the radius for the location schedule to improve accuracy.

Refresh the Blocking: Refresh the blocking settings as mentioned in the article to ensure everything is up to date.

If none of these steps resolve the issue, please send us a short video (max 20MB) of your blocking settings to our support team, so we can take a closer look and assist you further.

Question 17

Usage limits do not work

Accepted Answer

Usage limits may sometimes be inaccurate by a few seconds, as the system can send the information with a slight delay. If you experience issues with usage limits, you can try refreshing your blocking settings within the AppBlock app. Here’s how:

For AppBlock version 3.7.0 and older:

Open AppBlock: Launch the AppBlock app on your device.

Navigate to the Blocking Tab: Tap on the “Blocking” tab within the app interface.

Pull to Refresh: Swipe down on the screen to initiate the refresh process.

Notification: Once completed, a notification stating “Blocking refreshed” will appear at the bottom of your screen.

For AppBlock version 3.8.0 and newer:

Open AppBlock: Launch the AppBlock app on your device.

Navigate to the Blocking Tab: Tap on the “Blocking” tab within the app interface.

Tap the Refresh Icon: Tap the icon in the top right corner to refresh the blockings.

If refreshing the blockings doesn’t resolve the issue, please contact our support team for further assistance.

Question 18

My schedules won't start when they should

Accepted Answer

If your schedules aren't starting when they should, first check your schedule settings and the times of the blockings to ensure everything is set correctly. If everything looks good, try refreshing your blocking settings within the AppBlock app. Here’s how:

For AppBlock version 3.7.0 and older:

Open AppBlock: Launch the AppBlock app on your device.

Navigate to the Blocking Tab: Tap on the “Blocking” tab within the app interface.

Pull to Refresh: Swipe down on the screen to initiate the refresh process.

Notification: Once completed, a notification stating “Blocking refreshed” will appear at the bottom of your screen.

For AppBlock version 3.8.0 and newer:

Open AppBlock: Launch the AppBlock app on your device.

Navigate to the Blocking Tab: Tap on the “Blocking” tab within the app interface.

Tap the Refresh Icon: Tap the icon in the top right corner to refresh the blockings.

If refreshing the blockings doesn’t resolve the issue, please contact our support team for further assistance.

AppBlock on iOS

Blocking conditions

My location schedules do not work

Usage limits do not work

My schedules won’t start when they should

Can I combine blocking conditions?

Can I block selected apps based on my location?

How can I block websites with usage limit condition?

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