Tired of Distractions? How to Create the Perfect App Blocker Automation on iPhone

Retaining our focus in the face of countless distractions is something most of us struggle with these days. How many times have you found yourself scrolling on social media instead of working or studying? Solutions like Screen Time or app blockers can be quite ineffective. It’s just too easy to get past Screen Time, and most third-party app blockers are not free or keep most useful features behind a paywall. But you can create a perfect app blocker with Automation and Focus Mode on iPhone.

How to Create an App Blocker on iPhone using Focus Mode Automation

We’ll be using Apple’s Shortcuts apps and Focus Modes to create this app blocker automation on an iPhone. The premise is simple. When a Focus Mode is on, and you open an app (which you don’t want to open), the shortcut will take you right back to the Home Screen of your iPhone. No complicated settings, no paid apps, just a simple yet effective solution.

1. Open the Shortcuts app, navigate to the Automation tab from the bottom, and tap the + option in the top right corner.
2. Scroll down and select App from the list.

3. Then tap on Choose and search for the app(s) you want to block (e.g., YouTube). You can select multiple apps at this stage.
4. Make sure Is Opened is checked. Then, select Run Immediately and turn on the toggle for Notify When Run before tapping Next.
5. Choose New Blank Automation on the next page.

6. Tap on the search bar, search for Get Current Focus and add it to the automation.
7. Next, search for an If action and add it to the automation similarly.
8. In the If tile, tap on Icon to select it. Then, change it to Name from the bottom.

9. Then, enter the name of the Focus Mode for which you want this automation to run in the anything placeholder (e.g., “Do Not Disturb“). Make sure you enter the name exactly as it appears in Focus Modes in the Settings app. If the name is ‘Do Not Disturb’, and you enter ‘Do not disturb’, the automation won’t work.
10. Tap on the X next to Otherwise to remove it, since it’s not needed.
11. Now add the Go to Home Screen automation by searching for it using the search bar, and then drag it and place it under the If condition.
12. Finally, tap Done to save the automation.

Voila! Now, every time you open the app that you shouldn’t have when a particular Focus mode is enabled, this app-blocker using Focus Modes automation won’t let you run it. It’s perfect for making sure you don’t open social media apps during ‘Work’ Focus or work apps during ‘Personal’ focus.