Latch

How to block apps on iPhone at certain times

By Sudarshan Neupane, founder of Lukla Logic · · 4 minute read

A white wall clock on a red background

If you scroll most at the same times every day, a schedule is the simplest fix: the apps lock at 10 pm, or during work, without you deciding each time. iPhone gives you two built-in ways to do this, both free, and an app like Latch adds a third. Here's how each one works and where it falls short.

The three options at a glance

OptionBlocks apps?What ends it earlyCost
Screen Time Downtime or ScheduleYes, with a passcode and Block at Downtime on iOS 26The Screen Time passcode, which you know if you set itFree, built in
FocusNo. It silences notifications and can switch Home Screen pagesTurning the Focus offFree, built in
Latch scheduleYes, the apps, categories and websites you chooseScanning your key, or Break glass three times a monthSchedules need Latch Pro, $9.99 once

Option 1: Screen Time Downtime (iOS 26)

Downtime is Screen Time's schedule. Apple's steps for iOS 26 (Apple):

  1. Open Settings and tap Screen Time.
  2. Tap App & Website Activity and turn it on, if it isn't already.
  3. Tap Downtime, then tap Scheduled.
  4. Choose Every Day or Customize Days, and set the start and end times.

During downtime, "only calls, messages, and apps you choose to allow are available." Add the apps you always need under Always Allowed. Downtime sends a reminder five minutes before it starts.

The catch is what happens next. Downtime only blocks apps if you've set a Screen Time passcode and turned on Block at Downtime. Without that, Apple's guide says, "you see a reminder that it's downtime, but you can choose to continue using the apps." And if you set the passcode yourself, you can change the settings whenever you like.

Option 1 on iOS 27: Screen Time Schedule

On iOS 27, Apple replaced this with Screen Time Schedule and Time Allowances (Apple):

  1. Open Settings, tap Screen Time, tap Screen Time Schedule, then turn on Schedule.
  2. Tap Add Schedule, choose the days of the week, then tap the add button.
  3. Tap the time window to change its start and end times and choose which Time Allowance categories are available during it.

You can make separate schedules for weekdays and weekends, with windows for work, dinner and the evening. Always Allowed apps and contacts are available at all times. As on iOS 26, the settings are guarded by a Screen Time passcode, and if you set it up for yourself you can reset it with your Apple Account through Passcode Recovery (Apple).

Screen Time is free, built in and works well, especially when someone else holds the passcode. That's why it's the right tool for parents. For adults setting limits on themselves, we've written about the gap in why Screen Time limits don't work.

Option 2: A scheduled Focus

Focus modes are often suggested for this, but a Focus doesn't block apps. Apple describes it as a way to "temporarily silence all notifications, or allow only specific notifications" (Apple). You can silence notifications from chosen apps, switch to a Home Screen page that leaves out distracting apps, and add filters that change what some apps show.

To schedule one, go to Settings › Focus, tap a Focus, then tap Add Schedule. A Focus can turn on at set times, when you arrive at a location, or when you open a specific app (Apple).

A Focus is useful for quiet: no buzzing during work or dinner. The apps are still one search away, so it won't stop a scroll that starts on its own.

Option 3: A Latch schedule

Latch is an app blocker that only unlocks when you scan a key you keep somewhere else: an NFC sticker, a printed QR code, or a number of steps. With Latch Pro, a schedule locks your chosen apps, categories and websites at set times, such as weeknights from 10 pm or weekdays from 9 to 12.

  1. 1Choose appsMake a profile with the apps and websites to lock.
  2. 2Set timesPick the days and hours, like 10 pm to 7 am.
  3. 3Add a placeOptional: only lock while you're at the office.
  4. 4Hide the keyPut the sticker somewhere you have to walk to.

A schedule can also run only while you're at a place, say weekdays 9 to 5 at the office, and Latch can lock when you arrive somewhere or while you're driving. To get back in before the schedule ends, you scan your key. For emergencies, Break glass opens your apps for 5 to 15 minutes, three times a month.

The difference from Screen Time is what guards the lock: a key you have to walk to instead of four digits you know. Latch is free with one key, three profiles and two places; schedules are part of Latch Pro, a one-time $9.99 purchase.

Which should you use?

Use Screen Time if

you want something free and built in, someone else can hold your passcode, or you're setting limits on a child's iPhone with Family Sharing.

Use a Focus if

you mainly want notifications to stop at certain times, and the apps themselves aren't the problem.

Use Latch if

you know your own passcode and use it, or you want the lock to hold until you walk to a key. You can use Latch alongside Screen Time and keep Screen Time for its weekly report.

Common questions

How do I block apps on iPhone at certain times?

Use Screen Time: on iOS 26, Settings, Screen Time, Downtime, Scheduled; on iOS 27, Settings, Screen Time, Screen Time Schedule. To make the block hold rather than remind you, it needs a Screen Time passcode. An app like Latch can also lock apps on a schedule until you scan a key.

Does a Focus block apps on iPhone?

No. A Focus silences notifications, can switch to a Home Screen page without distracting apps, and can turn on at a time, a place or when you open an app. The apps can still be opened.

Can I ignore Screen Time Downtime?

On iOS 26, if Block at Downtime is off, Apple says you see a reminder and can choose to continue using the apps. Block at Downtime needs a Screen Time passcode, and if you set it yourself, you know it.

Is Screen Time free?

Yes. Screen Time is built into iPhone, iPad and Mac at no cost. Latch is free to start, and its schedules are part of Latch Pro, a one-time $9.99 purchase.

Can I block apps only when I'm at work?

With Latch Pro, a schedule can run only while you're at a place, such as weekdays 9 to 5 at the office, and Latch can also lock when you arrive somewhere. A Focus can turn on at a location, but it silences notifications and doesn't block apps.

Where Latch fits

Latch is an app blocker that only unlocks when you scan a key you keep somewhere else: an NFC sticker, a printed QR code, or a number of steps. It's free to start, out now on the App Store and Google Play.

Download on the App StoreGet it on Google PlayTake the two-minute habit check

Sources

Photo: public domain (CC0).