What can't Detox do?

Detox aims to be honest about what it can and can't do today. Some limitations come from Apple's Screen Time framework (the system Detox is built on); others are product choices. This article lists the most-asked-about limitations and, where there is one, a reasonable workaround.

Detox doesn't block based on total daily time on an app

Auto Block triggers on continuous use, not cumulative. There's no setting like "block Instagram after 1 hour total today, regardless of how that hour is spread."

Workaround: Lower your Auto Block continuous-use threshold so the block fires earlier. Or create a Scheduled Block over the time of day you tend to overuse.

Detox can't tell what you're doing inside an app

Detox can't allow some activities inside an app and block others. For example, it can't let you message on Instagram while blocking the feed, or watch on TikTok while blocking the comments.

Why: Apple's Screen Time API only reports total time spent on each app. It doesn't expose what you're doing inside.

Workaround:

• For a quick message inside a mixed-content app (like Instagram), take a Break or use Snooze before opening it. Snooze works for Auto Block; Break works if you enabled Allow breaks on the active block.
• For pure messaging apps you always need available (WhatsApp, Messenger, etc.), add them to iPhone Settings → Screen Time → Always Allowed so they're never blocked. Don't do this for apps that also have a feed or video content (Instagram, TikTok, YouTube); Always Allowed bypasses the block completely and you'd end up scrolling Reels or videos exactly when you're trying not to.

You can't block different apps on different schedules

All your Scheduled Blocks (and your Auto Block) use the same Monitored Apps list. You can't set one schedule that blocks Instagram only between 9 and 5 and another that blocks email only between 6 and 10.

Workaround: Use multiple Scheduled Blocks at different times with the same app list. The blocking is less granular this way, but the time windows give you some control.

There's no global always-on Strict Mode

Strict Mode is configured per block. It activates when its block goes active and lifts when the block ends. There isn't a single setting that keeps Detox permanently tamper-proof outside any specific block.

Workaround: Enable Strict Mode on each block where it matters. For an always-on layer that prevents Detox from being disabled or deleted, set up the iOS Screen Time Passcode.

Blocks don't sync between your devices

If you use Detox on more than one device (iPhone and iPad, for example), your Monitored Apps, Scheduled Blocks, and Auto Block settings have to be configured on each device separately. They don't automatically sync from one to the other.

Your subscription does sync. Premium status is recognized automatically on every device tied to your Apple ID.

There's no real workaround for the block-config side; you set up each device once, and the configuration is durable from then on.

Custom Websites and Adult Websites can't drive Auto Block

Custom Websites and the Adult Websites toggle are blocked whenever another block is active, but neither can trigger Auto Block on its own. The continuous-use detection that Auto Block relies on doesn't work on website-only tokens (an iOS limitation).

Workaround: If you want a website to drive Auto Block, check Apple's picker (Settings → Monitored Apps → Open picker → Search). Websites added through the Apple picker support the screen-time tracking that Auto Block uses; websites in Custom Websites do not.

Family Sharing isn't visible from inside Detox

Detox does support Apple Family Sharing on a higher-priced subscription tier, but you can't sign up for it from inside Detox; you have to switch through Apple's subscription settings. See Can I share Detox with my family? for the full path.

There's no vacation mode to pause all blocks for a stretch

Detox doesn't have a single switch that pauses every block at once for a defined window like "the next week" or "this weekend."

Workaround: For one day of access, use Urgent Unblock (once every 24 hours per device). For a longer stretch, manually deactivate or delete the blocks you want off and recreate them when you return.

If your case isn't here

If you ran into a limit that isn't listed above, or you're not sure whether something is a limit or a bug, contact us via the in-app chat (Detox → Settings → Problems with blocks? → Something else). We'll let you know what's possible.

Related

• What is Auto Block?
• What are Scheduled Blocks?
• How do I block specific apps and websites?
• What is Strict Mode?
• How do I use iOS's Screen Time Passcode to lock Detox?

Updated on: 22/05/2026