TikTok videos are addictive, so you or your children can keep scrolling through the app for more videos and easily waste hours watching brain rots. If you wish to regain control of your time, you should learn how to block TikTok on your iPhone. Stay with me as I walk you through the most effective and trusted methods to regain focus and balance by blocking TikTok.
How Do I Block TikTok on iPhone?
There are different methods for blocking TikTok to meet different requirements. For example, from limiting access to completely blocking app installations. Choose the solution that meets your needs from the methods outlined below:
1. Block TikTok on iPhone Using Downtime
Time needed: 3 minutes
If you don’t want to impose a complete block on TikTok and only wish to block it during a certain period of the day, it’s best to use the Downtime feature of iOS. Here’s how:
- Open the iOS Settings app and scroll down to find the Screen Time settings menu. Tap Screen Time.
- Tap on the Downtime option below the Limit Usage section of the Screen Time window.
- Use the Schedule toggle button to create a Downtime timing that you feel is required for you or your children.
- You can switch to every day for continuous TikTok blocking for 7 days a week.
- Touch the Time menu and set a time schedule to enable Downtime automatically.
- Downtime will activate automatically during the scheduled time.
- Now, go back to the Screen Time window and tap on the Always Allowed menu.
- If TikTok is in the Allowed Apps section, tap the red delete icon to the left of TikTok to remove it from this list.
That’s it! You’ve successfully barred yourself or your children from using the TikTok app during the Downtime period.
2. Block TikTok on iPhone Using App Limits
In this method, you allow TikTok for a specific daily time limit, say 2 hours. Now, you or your family members will lose access to the TikTok app on the iPhone when the 2-hour limit gets exhausted. Let me show you how:
- Open the Settings app on your iPhone.
- Go to Settings and open the Screen Time menu.
- Touch the App Limits menu below the Limit Usage section.
- Tap on the Add Limit button inside the App Limits screen.
- The Choose Apps screen will open.
- Touch the Social menu below the Most Used Apps section and checkmark the checkbox for TikTok.
- Once done selecting the TikTok app in Choose Apps, tap Next in the top-right corner.
- You’ll now be taken to the Time screen where you can slide the time dial to set a daily limit for the TikTok app, like 1 hour.
- Tap on the Add button.
- Go back to the Screen Time screen from App Limits.
- Scroll down to the Restrictions section and touch the Lock Screen Time Settings button.
- Set a 4-digit Screen Time passcode when prompted.
- Now, you need to log in to your Apple ID to set it as the Screen Time Passcode Recovery method.
- Once done setting up the recovery account, tap the OK button in the top right corner.
This method is suitable for your family members. Once they exhaust their TikTok usage allowance, the app won’t work until you punch in the Screen Time passcode and disable the feature.
3. Block TikTok on iPhone on iTunes & App Store Purchases
You can use this method to enforce stringent restrictions on TikTok by disallowing the app installation in the first place. You’ll tweak the iTunes & App Store Purchases setting to block downloading the TikTok app. Follow these steps to implement this solution:
- Find the TikTok app on your Home screen or the App Library.
- Long press on it and select Remove App from the context menu.
- Now, choose Delete App from the pop-up menu.
After removing TikTok, here’s how to block its installation on your iPhone:
- Go to the Screen Time settings through the iOS Settings app.
- Scroll down on the Screen Time window to find the Content & Privacy Restrictions.
- Tap Content & Privacy Restrictions and select the iTunes & App Store Purchases option in the screen that opens next.
- Touch the Installing Apps option inside the iTunes & App Store Purchases screen.
- Choose Don’t Allow in the Installing Apps screen.
- You’ll need to authenticate this action by entering the Screen Time Passcode.
That’s it! Anyone else using this iPhone won’t be able to install TikTok.
For further reading, check out what to do if Screen Time is not working on TikTok, Snapchat, or Instagram.