How to Block Apps on iPhone without Disabling the App Store
Apps can be blocked without disabling the App Store entirely, and the best approach depends on whether your a parent or an accountability partner.
Chances are, whether you’re a parent who is managing a child’s iPhone or an accountability partner for an adult, there are apps you would like to ensure are blocked on an iPhone. One way to prevent apps from being installed is to disable the App Store , but there are chances you’d like to keep the App Store available. There are several ways to block apps on iPhones without disabling the App Store, and the most effective approach often looks different if you’re an accountability partner or a parent managing a child’s device.
If you’re a parent, you’ve likely enabled Screen Time already. Screen Time can be used in several ways to limit apps, but these options often only work if you’ve also set up Apple Family Sharing. You might also consider iPhone screenshot monitoring as a more effective way to monitor activity on apps as opposed to blocking them outright.
If you’re an adult, then we instead recommend using supervised mode as a powerful alternative to Screen Time on iPhones and iPads. You can use Apple Config Files to directly block apps from the App Store, or even choose a more extreme approach and allowlist apps instead.
Choosing an App Blocking Approach
There are many reasons why a parent may need to block an app, but more often than not, it's because there are not many options available to properly monitor activity.
For example, many social media apps do have some form of basic parental controls available, but this isn't our recommended strategy to fully monitor a kid's iPhone . Instead of blocking these apps outright, parents might choose a middle ground where their child is allowed to use the app, but has their activity monitored with screenshot monitoring. Some apps, like LivingRoom for Families , are designed to be very effective and are not easy to disable or get around.
LivingRoom for Families also includes automatic nudity detection enabled by default, and this works on any app.
However, there are still cases where you might need to block apps anyway to get ahead of any potential future problems. If you've already set up comprehensive monitoring on your child's iPhone , you should consider Screen Time or Family Sharing to manage which apps can be downloaded. Many of these methods work without affecting the App Store.
Block app store downloads based on age rating
You might also consider setting a maximum age rating for which apps can be downloaded from the App Store. This is the most effective way to block alternative web browsers that might not work well with Screen Time.
If you're using Screen Time or Apple Family Sharing and are looking for the quickest answer, do this by going to Screen Time > Content & Privacy Restrictions > App Store, Media, Web, & Games > Apps. For example, you might set an age rating of 16+ to block most alternative web browsers, VPN, or gambling apps.
The most effective approach for both parents and accountability partners is to use an Apple Config File , which can also be used to generally block apps based on an age rating.
Apple Config Files are enforced using an alternative to Apple Screen Time called Supervised Mode, so it is often the best choice for an adult's iPhone or iPad.
Require Approval to Download Apps
You can’t create an app limit for an app that hasn’t been downloaded yet, but if you’ve enabled Apple Family Sharing, then you can enable Ask To Buy . With Ask To Buy enabled, your child needs to make a request, and you need to approve it before the app can be downloaded.
Only Allow Approved Apps
To block all but a limited number of apps, parents and accountability partners should consider supervised mode to unlock app allowlisting.
Supervised mode is used to enable similar restrictions as Screen Time, except that it’s significantly more difficult for adults to disable, even if they have full access to the iPhone. Apple Config Files are used to enable deeper restrictions that aren't typically possible with a standard iPhone.
For example, if you’re using Tech Lockdown’s Config Generator , go to the apps section and view your app blocklist.
The default mode is blocklist, but if you need a much more restrictive approach, we recommend switching to Only allow approved apps. That means the default behavior for any app is for it to be blocked unless you've specifically allowed it.
If you choose this approach, just be sure to add the App Store to your allowlist so it can still be used:
After syncing the config file to your iPhone, the apps you’ve specified in the Config Generator are now blocked, and this can be done without affecting the App Store at all. But since the App Store is allowed, it stays enabled and keeps any apps you've already installed updated. To add more apps, you will need to add it to your app allowlist, then sync the change to your iPhone.