Block Apps
How to Completely Disable and Block the App store on iPhone
There are several effective methods that can be used to disable or block the App Store on an iPhone / iOS device.
If you're an iPhone user who is trying to limit access to addictive content, a good option to consider is to block or disable the App Store. You've probably already installed all the apps you'll need, so making it impossible to download new apps that could be a problem later is a good next step.
This guide will provide you with several effective approaches for disabling (or blocking) the App store on iPhone using methods that work for adults as well as kids.
Disable the App Store using Screen Time
The quickest way to limit the App store is by using the Screen Time app store restriction. However, it's not perfect and tends to be pretty easily bypassed. If you're an adult who is self-managing and need a more restrictive setup, then we strongly recommend using a Supervised App Blocker , which can block the App Store in a way that is difficult to bypass (even for adults).
Disabling the App Store with Screen Time also disables app updates. If that's something you'll need (you likely will), then you should consider one of the alternative approaches suggested in this guide.
If you want to use Screen Time to disable the App Store, go to the "iTunes & App Store Purchases" section of Screen Time settings and disable Installing Apps.
While disabling the App Store this way can be a great option for parents managing their children's devices, users self-managing might notice some serious issues:
- Screen Time settings can be easily bypassed if you are an adult
- IPhone apps usually need to be updated to continue working properly. You'll need to re-enable the App Store to install app updates
Disable the App Store with Supervised App Store Restrictions
It is possible to disable the App Store will still allowing app updates using Apple's better alternative to Screen Time .
This approach relies on the use of Apple config files, which can protect settings on your device like restricting the app store.
Our recommended approach is to set up a supervised app allowlist and add all of the apps you currently have on your device to it (including the app store):
Any app that isn't on this list will be blocked - including new apps that you try to download from the App Store. This essentially disables the App Store since new apps can't be downloaded, but you can still access the App Store and update apps as needed.
Another approach you can use is to customize a supervised app blocklist , where you allow all apps other than the ones you select. Then, just add the App Store to this list.
If you are using the supervised app restriction approach, you might find that disabling the App Store is no longer necessary since you can fine tune which apps are allowed to be added to the iPhone.
Frequently Asked Questions
Enabling Supervised mode on an iPhone
To get access to the most reliable methods for blocking apps on iPhone , you'll need to enable supervised mode. In order to enable supervised mode, you'll need to reset your iPhone and enable the mode during setup. We provide supervised mode setup instructions to guide you through the process.
Block the App Store while still being able to update apps
The downside of the standard Screen Time approach to disabling the App Store is that app updates will be disabled and adults can easily bypass Screen Time. You'll have to unlock screen time and re-enable the App Store temporarily to run important app updates.
However, the supervised app store restrictions approach doesn't have this drawback. You can completely restrict apps while still updating existing apps and adults can't bypass this restriction.
How to Lock Screen Time Settings
Screen Time lets you set a simple passcode to make it a little trickier to bypass. For parents and accountability partners, we strongly recommend choosing a passcode that can't be easily guessed and using a separate Apple ID to lock restrictions.
There are two option you can try. You can either set up a personal passcode, or set up the device like a Child's device. We recommend setting up you iPhone like a Child's device, and use a secondary Apple ID to lock down your main account.
Unfortunately, that's it. There isn't much more that you can do with Screen Time, and it doesn't look like Apple is planning on changing this in the near future.