Guide

How to Block TikTok on iPhone

Published: October 29, 2026 · Updated: October 29, 2026

Locked In is an iPhone app that blocks distracting apps, like TikTok, by time, by place, or on demand. Its App Store tagline is "Text a Friend to Unblock Apps": with Guardian (Pro), a friend you pick approves or declines by text when you try to end a block early. It's a friend keeping you honest, not a hard lock.

How do I block TikTok on my iPhone?

To block TikTok on iPhone, you can use Apple's free Screen Time settings or an app blocker that uses Apple's Screen Time technology, like Locked In. Whichever you choose, also block tiktok.com in Safari and have someone else hold your Screen Time passcode, or the block is easy to undo.

Which should you use? It depends. If you mainly want a daily time limit and someone else can hold your passcode, Apple's free Screen Time may be all you need. If you want TikTok to lock on a timer, on a schedule, or when you arrive at a place like your office, or you want to ask a friend before unlocking early, an app blocker such as Locked In may suit you better. If you need a block that can't simply be deleted, Locked In isn't built for that: it has no strict mode, and deleting it removes its blocks.

This guide is about blocking the TikTok app on your own iPhone. If you want to block a TikTok account (a person), do that inside TikTok from their profile.

On this page

  1. Method 1: Apple Screen Time (free, built in)
  2. Method 2: Locked In (an app blocker)
  3. TikTok's own daily limit
  4. Loopholes, and how to close them
  5. FAQ

Method 1: Apple Screen Time (free, built in)

Screen Time is already on your iPhone and costs nothing. Its menus changed in iOS 27, so follow the steps for your iOS version. To check your version, go to Settings > General > About.

If your iPhone runs iOS 27

Apple's iOS 27 guide describes two tools: Screen Time Schedule, which controls when app categories are available, and Time Allowances, which control how long you can use them each day. Both work by app category (for example, Social Media), not by single app.

Turn on Screen Time

  1. Open Settings and tap Screen Time.
  2. Tap Time Allowances (or Screen Time Schedule), then tap Turn On App & Website Activity.

Limit how long you can use social apps each day (Time Allowances)

  1. Go to Settings > Screen Time > Time Allowances.
  2. Under Time Allowances, tap a category, such as Social Media. If you don't see it, tap Manage Categories, tap the add button, and choose it.
  3. Drag the slider to set the daily time.

Choose when social apps are available (Screen Time Schedule)

  1. Go to Settings > Screen Time > Screen Time Schedule and turn on Schedule.
  2. Tap Add Schedule, pick the days, then tap a Time Window to set its start and stop times and which Time Allowance categories are available during it.
  3. Check Always Allowed (Settings > Screen Time > Always Allowed) and make sure TikTok isn't on that list.

Apple says: "If an app has an associated website it declares, the Time Allowance applies to both." That may cover tiktok.com too, but we haven't confirmed that TikTok declares its website.

Lock the settings with a passcode (do this, or the limits are easy to undo)

  1. Go to Settings > Screen Time > Manage Screen Time > Lock Screen Time Settings.
  2. Hand your phone to someone you trust and have them enter a four-digit passcode you don't know.

If your iPhone runs iOS 26

These steps follow Apple's iOS 26 guide.

Set a daily limit on TikTok only (App Limits)

  1. Go to Settings > Screen Time and turn on App & Website Activity if it's off.
  2. Tap App Limits, then tap Add Limit.
  3. Tap the category that contains TikTok to see its apps, then select TikTok.
  4. Tap Next, set the time (for example, 1 minute for close to a full block), then tap the confirm button at the top right.

Block TikTok at set times (Downtime)

  1. Go to Settings > Screen Time > Downtime, tap Scheduled, and set the days and times.
  2. Make sure TikTok isn't in Always Allowed.
  3. If you've set a Screen Time passcode, turn on Block at Downtime. Apple says that with it off, "you see a reminder that it's downtime, but you can choose to continue using the apps."

Block the TikTok website in Safari

  1. Go to Settings > Screen Time > Content & Privacy Restrictions and turn it on.
  2. Tap App Store, Media, Web, & Games > Web Content.
  3. Select Limit Adult Websites, then under Never Allow, tap Add Website and enter tiktok.com.

Lock the settings: Settings > Screen Time > Lock Screen Time Settings, and have someone you trust choose the code.

Where Screen Time falls short

Method 2: Locked In

As of Oct 2026, Locked In is an iPhone app (iOS 18 or later) that blocks the apps you choose, using Apple's Screen Time technology. It has three ways to block, which can run at the same time and combine their lists:

Step by step

  1. Install Locked In from the App Store: https://apps.apple.com/app/apple-store/id6758916241?pt=128528903&mt=8&ct=web-other-tiktok
  2. Allow Screen Time access. On the "Arm Your Shield" screen, tap Continue, then allow access with Face ID. Locked In needs this permission to block apps. If you deny it, you'll see "One quick permission". Tap Try Again.
  3. Pick TikTok. In Apple's app picker, select TikTok. You can also pick whole categories (for example, all social apps).
  4. Choose how to block:
    • Quick Block: set the length and tap Start Blocking (the first time, confirm with Start). On the free plan, you get one Quick Block a day, up to 5 minutes. On Pro, choose 5 to 240 minutes, and while a block runs you can tap +5 minutes, +15 minutes, +30 minutes, or +1 hour to extend it (blocks up to 4 hours, extendable). To end it, tap Stop (see what happens next, below).
    • Schedule (Pro): in the Dashboard's Schedule Blocking section, tap + Add on a preset (Rise & Shine, Morning Focus, Afternoon Work, Dinner Time, Wind Down, Sleep) or tap Custom Schedule, then Create. Fill in Schedule Name, Days Active and Time Range (for example every night 10 PM to 7 AM). Under Apps to Block, tap Choose apps & categories, pick TikTok, then tap Save. Blocks must be at least 15 minutes (the app shows "Minimum 15-minute block required by iOS"). To end a Schedule early, tap End Session.
    • Red Zone (Pro): in the Dashboard's Red Zone section, tap + Add on a preset (Office, Gym, Library, School, Commute, Home Office) or tap Manage Red Zones. Place the pin, tap Confirm Location, set the Radius and Name, choose TikTok under Apps to block, and optionally turn on Block only during specific times (Start, End, Days). Then tap Save Red Zone. TikTok locks when you arrive.
  5. Try opening TikTok. You'll see Apple's shield screen instead of the app.

What happens if you want TikTok back early

Limits to know before you rely on it

Price

As of Oct 2026: the free plan includes one Quick Block a day, up to 5 minutes. Pro, which adds longer Quick Blocks, Schedules, Red Zones, and early-unlock options, costs $9.99 a month or $89 a year ($7.42 a month). Start with a 7-day free trial. Cancel anytime.

TikTok's own daily limit

TikTok has a built-in setting: Profile > Menu (☰) > Settings and privacy > Screen time > Daily screen time. TikTok says that when you reach the limit, "you can choose to close TikTok or enter the on-screen passcode to return to it." In other words, it's a reminder, not a block. For teens 13 to 17, TikTok says it's on by default at 1 hour, and parents using TikTok's Family Pairing can hold the passcode. (Source: TikTok Support, "Daily screen time".)

It's worth turning on as an extra layer, but you can dismiss it yourself.

Loopholes, and how to close them

Loophole What happens How to close it
The TikTok website in Safari Blocking the app doesn't automatically block tiktok.com. Screen Time (iOS 26): add tiktok.com under Content & Privacy Restrictions > App Store, Media, Web, & Games > Web Content > Never Allow. (On iOS 27, menu names may differ. Apple's iOS 27 guide mainly documents website blocking in the child settings, under Settings > Family > [name] > Apps & Websites.)
Other browsers (Chrome, Firefox, and others) Website blocks may not apply in every browser. Apple says its iOS 27 website controls apply in Safari and "other supported browser apps", but doesn't list which browsers or mention in-app browsers. We haven't confirmed coverage for Locked In, so don't count on it. Block the other browser apps themselves (pick them in Locked In or limit them in Screen Time), or delete browsers you don't need. Apple's picker should list your installed apps, so you can pick other browsers you have installed.
In-app browsers (a TikTok link opened inside another app) Some apps open links in their own built-in browser. We haven't confirmed whether website blocks apply there. Block or limit the apps you usually get TikTok links in during your blocked hours, or mute those chats. Don't assume the website block covers this.
Ignoring the limit Without a passcode, Screen Time limits can be ignored once reached (Apple, iOS 26 guide). Set a Screen Time passcode that someone else chooses. On iOS 26, also turn on Block at Downtime.
Knowing your own Screen Time passcode You can type it in yourself late at night. Have a trusted person set it. Skip Passcode Recovery, or let them set it up with their account, so you can't reset it yourself.
Deleting and reinstalling TikTok Don't assume a reinstalled TikTok stays blocked. Locked In can't stop new app installs. Screen Time has App Store restrictions under Settings > Screen Time > Content & Privacy Restrictions. Apple's current support page calls the section App Installations & Purchases (older versions: iTunes & App Store Purchases); option names may vary by iOS version.
Deleting Locked In, or turning off its Screen Time access Locked In's blocks are removed, and its Red Zones and Schedules are erased (it has no strict mode). Locked In can't stop itself from being deleted or its Screen Time access from being turned off, and it sends no deletion alerts. Locked In can't prevent this. If you need a block you can't remove yourself, use Screen Time with a passcode someone you trust sets, and restrict app deletion in Content & Privacy Restrictions.
TikTok on another device (iPad, laptop) iPhone blocks don't apply elsewhere. Set limits on those devices too, or leave them in another room.

FAQ

Can you block TikTok on iPhone? Yes. Use Screen Time (free) or an app blocker built on Apple's Screen Time technology, such as Locked In. For it to hold, also block tiktok.com and have someone else set your Screen Time passcode.

How do I block TikTok in Safari or block the TikTok website? On iOS 26: Settings > Screen Time > Content & Privacy Restrictions > App Store, Media, Web, & Games > Web Content > Limit Adult Websites > Never Allow > Add Website, then enter tiktok.com. (On iOS 27, menu names may differ. Apple's iOS 27 guide mainly documents website blocking in the child settings, under Settings > Family > [name] > Apps & Websites.)

How do I block TikTok without deleting it? Set a limit or schedule in Screen Time, or start a block in Locked In. The app stays on your phone but won't open while the block is on.

Why is TikTok not blocked by Screen Time? Common reasons: the limit can be ignored because no Screen Time passcode is set; TikTok is on the Always Allowed list; you're using the website instead of the app; or, on iOS 26, Block at Downtime is off.

How do I stop tapping "Ignore Limit"? Set a Screen Time passcode that someone else chooses. On iOS 26, turn on Block at Downtime. If you know the code, you can still type it in. An app blocker with a different kind of friction, such as solving problems or asking a Guardian, may suit you better.

Does TikTok have its own screen time limit? Yes: Settings and privacy > Screen time > Daily screen time. TikTok says you can "enter the on-screen passcode" to keep watching, so it's a reminder rather than a block.

How do I block TikTok on my child's iPhone? Use Apple's parental controls through Family Sharing. Apple's "Apple Devices for Kids and Families" guide covers setup, and TikTok's Family Pairing adds limits inside TikTok. Locked In is built for blocking your own apps. It has no parent version or strict mode, so it isn't designed as a parental control.

Is Locked In free? As of Oct 2026, there's a free plan with one Quick Block a day, up to 5 minutes. Pro is $9.99 a month or $89 a year. Start with a 7-day free trial. Cancel anytime.

Sources