Support

ScreenTimeGuard  ·  Last updated: August 2026

ScreenTimeGuard is made by one person. If something is broken, confusing, or missing, email me directly — I read every message.

I usually reply within a few days. Telling me your iPhone model and iOS version helps a lot.

Common questions

Why aren't my apps being blocked?

ScreenTimeGuard needs Screen Time access to block anything. Open the app and check the setup steps on the Today screen — if Screen Time access was denied or later revoked, a warning appears there. You can grant it again in the iPhone Settings app under Screen Time. Blocking also only applies to apps you have added to a group, during a schedule that is switched on.

Why did a blocked app open normally?

If you unlocked the app earlier, you may still have earned minutes left. An allowance is a budget of real usage time — it is only spent while a blocked app is actually open, so it can stretch across several short visits until it runs out.

How do I get into a blocked app?

Open it, then press Continue on the shield. ScreenTimeGuard prepares your unlock and, if notifications are enabled, sends a prompt you can tap to jump straight to the challenge. Solve the zip puzzle or the math challenge and you get your chosen budget of app time.

I need in urgently and the app is fully blocked.

Emergency unlock stays available during a full block. Depending on your settings it may ask for a reason, enforce a cooldown between uses, or cap how many times you can use it per day. Every use is recorded in your own history.

What is free, and what does the subscription add?

ScreenTimeGuard is free for up to 3 apps. The yearly subscription removes that limit and unlocks app categories. Everything else — schedules, both challenge types, emergency unlock, insights — works on the free tier.

I paid before, on this or another device. How do I get it back?

Open the upgrade screen in the app and choose Restore Purchases. Purchases are tied to your Apple Account, so use the same one you bought with. There is no ScreenTimeGuard account to sign into.

How do I cancel the subscription?

Subscriptions are managed by Apple, not by me. On your iPhone, open Settings, tap your name, then Subscriptions, and cancel from there. Cancelling stops future renewals; you keep access until the current period ends.

Will I lose my setup if I reinstall or switch iPhone?

No. Your app groups, schedules, and preferences are backed up to your own iCloud account and restored automatically when you set the app up again on the same Apple Account. Your unlock history and insights are deliberately not part of that backup and stay on the device.

How do I delete my data?

Deleting the app removes everything stored on the device. The iCloud copy of your setup is separate and survives deletion — that is what makes a reinstall restore your groups. You can remove it by turning off iCloud for ScreenTimeGuard in the iPhone Settings app, under your Apple Account. Details are in the privacy policy.

Does ScreenTimeGuard track me?

No. There is no account, no backend, and no analytics or tracking SDKs. See the privacy policy for the full picture.

Reporting a bug

Email me with what you were doing, what you expected, and what happened instead. If it involves blocking, it helps to know the schedule times and whether the group was set to a full block or solve-to-open. The app also keeps an on-device diagnostics log built from Apple's crash reporting, which you can export and attach from the Insights section — nothing is sent anywhere unless you choose to send it.

ScreenTimeGuard is developed by Joep Bruin, registered in the Netherlands.  ·  Privacy Policy