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# Can I block different apps at different times?

Yes. You make one **App Group** for each set of apps, then attach each group to its own **Scheduled Block** on a separate, non-overlapping time window. A group on a 9 to 5 schedule blocks one set of apps during work hours, and a different group on a 6 to 10pm schedule blocks another set in the evening.

This uses two features together: **App Groups** hold the sets of apps, and **Scheduled Blocks** decide when each set is blocked. It is not the same as **Auto Block**, which is a single always-on block tied to one group, and not the same as **Block Now**, which is a one-off session you start by hand rather than a recurring schedule.

> If you meant something else: how the groups themselves work → see [What are App Groups?](https://help.detox.so/en/article/what-are-app-groups-1l6j9cu/). Set up a single recurring time-window block → see [What are Scheduled Blocks?](https://help.detox.so/en/article/what-are-scheduled-blocks-1h4fbrr/). Block a set of apps right now for a fixed length of time → see [What is Block Now?](https://help.detox.so/en/article/what-is-block-now-1ik0nma/).

## The setup, step by step

Say you want social apps blocked during the workday and email blocked in the evening.

1. Open Detox and go to the **Settings** tab.
2. Tap the **Monitored Apps** card to open your list of groups.
3. Tap **New Group**, give it an emoji and a name like 📱 Social, and add your social apps. Save.
4. Tap **New Group** again, make a 📧 Email group, and add your mail apps. Save.
5. Go back and create a **Scheduled Block**. When Detox asks **Which apps?**, pick your **Social** group, and set the window to 9:00 to 17:00.
6. Create a second **Scheduled Block**, pick your **Email** group, and set the window to 18:00 to 22:00.

Now Social is blocked 9 to 5 and Email is blocked 6 to 10pm, each on its own group. You can use the same pattern for any number of sets, within the limits below.

## Choosing the group for each block

Every Scheduled Block has its own **Which apps?** picker. You can point it at:

- **A group** you created, so the block always covers that set, or
- **Just these apps**, a one-off selection for that single block that is not saved as a group.

**Save** stays disabled until you choose. Picking a different group for each schedule is the whole mechanism that lets different apps be blocked at different times.

## Limits to know

- **Schedules can't overlap.** Two Scheduled Blocks cannot cover the same time window. Give each block a distinct, non-overlapping span so they take turns through the day.
- **Up to 10 blocks total.** Your **Auto Block** plus all your **Scheduled Blocks** can add up to 10. Block Now and screen-time tracking do not count toward that number.
- **One Auto Block, one group.** Auto Block is always tied to your initial group, so it is not part of this per-schedule setup. More Auto Blocks are marked **Coming Soon** and are not available yet.

## Related

- [What are App Groups?](https://help.detox.so/en/article/what-are-app-groups-1l6j9cu/)
- [What are Scheduled Blocks?](https://help.detox.so/en/article/what-are-scheduled-blocks-1h4fbrr/)
- [What is Block Now?](https://help.detox.so/en/article/what-is-block-now-1ik0nma/)
- [What can't Detox do?](https://help.detox.so/en/article/what-cant-detox-do-tockbw/)