Block apps at night — automatically, every night

Why blocking apps at night beats trying to stop at night

Every night follows the same script: you get into bed intending to sleep, open one app "for a minute," and surface 90 minutes later, wired and annoyed with yourself. That's not a discipline problem. Feeds are engineered by teams of engineers to keep you watching, and at 11pm you're negotiating with them using a tired brain.

The fix is to move the decision earlier. When you set a blocking schedule in the afternoon, the well-rested version of you decides how the night goes. At bedtime there's nothing to resist — the apps simply aren't available, and bed goes back to being for sleep.

Built-in tools like iPhone Screen Time and Android Digital Wellbeing try to do this, but their limits collapse at one tap of "Ignore Limit." A dedicated bedtime app blocker needs to hold firm at the exact moment you want it least — and stay kind enough that you don't rip it out after three days.

Frequently asked questions

Real questions people ask about blocking apps at night.

What's the best way to block apps at night on iPhone?

iPhone Screen Time's Downtime can block apps on a schedule, but it's dismissible with one tap, which is why most people stop respecting it within days. A dedicated blocker like Bloky uses a nightly schedule with real friction: blocked apps show a pause screen, and overriding takes 20 deliberate taps for just a 5-minute pass. That gap between impulse and access is what actually changes the habit.

Can I block apps only during certain hours?

Yes — that's exactly how Bloky works. You set a start time (say 22:00) and an unlock time (say 07:00), and your chosen apps are blocked only during that window. Outside those hours everything works normally, so it never gets in the way of your day.

Can I set different block times for different days?

Yes. Bloky supports custom day schedules, so you can block earlier on work nights and give yourself a later start on Fridays and Saturdays. A schedule that matches your real life is far more likely to survive than one strict rule for every night.

What happens if I try to open a blocked app at night?

Instead of the feed, you see a gentle full-screen pause: "Bedtime protection is on." If you genuinely need the app, you can tap the Bloky mascot 20 times to earn a 5-minute pass. It's enough friction to stop autopilot opens, without locking you out of your own phone.

Does blocking apps at night actually improve sleep?

Sleep research consistently links bedtime phone use with later bedtimes, more disrupted sleep, and next-day tiredness — the American Academy of Sleep Medicine found that over a third of adults sleep worse because of bedtime scrolling. Removing the apps during your wind-down window removes the main trigger, and Bloky's weekly report lets you verify the change in your own numbers.

Is there a free app that blocks apps at night?

Bloky is free to download on both the App Store and Google Play, and premium comes with a 3-day free trial — enough to run three full protected nights and see the difference before paying anything.