Articles on: Troubleshooting

Detox isn't blocking my apps. How do I fix it?

If a block that should be active isn't actually blocking your apps, the fastest fix is Detox → Settings → Problems with blocks? → Apps not blocked? → Step 1: Reset your blocks. That resolves most cases on its own. The full 5-step guide is below.


If you meant something else: apps stay blocked after the schedule ended → see Why are my apps still blocked after the schedule ended?. A specific app is wrongly in your blocks → see Detox is blocking an app I didn't mean to block. How do I fix it?. You need to unblock right now → see What is Urgent Unblock?.


Common symptoms this article covers


  • None of your apps are getting blocked, even though a block is configured.
  • Some monitored apps are blocked but others aren't.
  • Auto Block never fires, even after long continuous use.
  • A Scheduled Block doesn't activate at its scheduled start time.
  • Blocking worked yesterday but stopped working today.


Step 1: Reset your blocks


The connection between Detox and iOS Screen Time can get out of sync after backgrounding, iOS updates, or other system events. Resetting forces a fresh re-application of all your active blocks.


  1. Open Detox → Settings → Problems with blocks? → Apps not blocked?
  2. On Step 1, tap Reset your blocks.
  3. Wait for the confirmation: The blocking has been correctly refreshed.
  4. Test whether your apps are now properly blocked.


This is the most common fix and resolves the majority of "blocks not triggering" cases on its own.


Step 2: Check your blocks and your Monitored Apps


If reset didn't help, the next step is making sure what you think is blocked actually is:


  • Open the Blocks tab and confirm the relevant block (Auto Block, Scheduled Block, or Block Now) is actually enabled and active right now.
  • Open Settings → Monitored Apps → Modify and verify the apps you expect to be blocked are in your Monitored Apps list. (Remember: Detox shows counts, not names. You have to open the picker to see the actual selection.)
  • If you use another screen-time or focus app (Apple's built-in Screen Time limits, Opal, ScreenZen, etc.), check that none of its rules conflict with Detox's. Two apps both managing Screen Time can produce unexpected results.


Step 3: Reconnect Screen Time


If the issue keeps coming back, the underlying Screen Time authorization may be unstable. Reconnecting forces Detox to re-request permission cleanly.


  1. Open Detox → Settings → Problems with blocks? → Apps not blocked? → Step 3.
  2. Tap Reconnect Screen Time.
  3. iOS prompts you to Continue, then Allow. Accept both.
  4. Wait for the confirmation: Screen Time reconnected successfully.
  5. Test your blocks again.


Step 4: Reboot your iPhone


If the previous steps didn't help, a reboot often clears system-level Screen Time issues that Detox can't reach from inside the app. This sounds basic but it's the fix for surprisingly many edge cases.


The in-app guide has a Learn how to reboot button that opens Apple's official instructions for your iOS version, in your language.


Step 5: Check if you time traveled (Auto Block only)


This step applies only to Auto Block. Scheduled Blocks and Block Now are unaffected.


Auto Block depends on iOS's screen-time tracking, which doesn't work correctly when your device clock is set ahead of real time. If you manually changed your clock, or your time zone shifted automatically while traveling, Auto Block can stop firing until real time catches up to the time you "traveled to."


To fix it:


  1. Open iPhone Settings → General → Date & Time.
  2. Enable Set Automatically.
  3. Wait a few minutes for the device to re-sync.


This ensures your device uses the correct time and Auto Block can track screen time again.


If none of the 5 steps work


If you've gone through all 5 steps and Detox still isn't blocking your apps, get in touch:


  1. Open Detox → Settings → Problems with blocks? → Something else. This opens our chat.
  2. Tell us: what symptom you're seeing, which block type is affected (Auto Block, Scheduled, or Block Now), and that you've tried the 5 steps.


We'll look into it.



  • What is Auto Block?
  • What are Scheduled Blocks?
  • How do I block specific apps and websites?
  • Why are my apps still blocked after the schedule ended? (How do I unblock them now?)


Updated on: 23/05/2026

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