How to stop checking Instagram and TikTok in class on iPhone (2026)
minulo can lock the official Instagram, TikTok or YouTube app with Screen Time for free, up to 2 hours per block, which is about one class, and minulo Pro can start the block by itself on the days and times you choose. On iPhone itself, a Focus can turn on at a set time or at a location and switch to a Home Screen page without those apps, but Apple describes a Focus as silencing notifications, not as stopping apps. To keep the apps closed for a whole class, use Downtime with Block at Downtime, or a blocker.
Written by Ayumu Kitabayashi, the developer of minulo. The steps come from Apple's iPhone User Guide, checked on 2026-10-27. Menu names can change with updates.
| Method | Starts by itself at class time | Stops the app opening | Catch |
|---|---|---|---|
| Focus with a schedule | Yes, at a set time, a location or with a certain app | Apple's guide doesn't say it does | Silences notifications and can switch Home Screen pages |
| Downtime, Customize Days | Yes, with different times for different days | With Block at Downtime, yes, for apps not in Always Allowed | Apps you need in class, like a chat or notes app, must go in Always Allowed |
| App Limits | No, it is a daily total | Apple says limits can be ignored once reached, by default | Doesn't line up with class times |
| minulo | With Pro, on the days and times you set | Locks the official app with Screen Time | Free: up to 2 hours per block that you start. Group chats still work inside minulo |
Put a Focus on your class times
- Open Settings, tap Focus, and tap a Focus such as Work, or create your own.
- Tap Apps and choose which apps can still send notifications. Leave Instagram and TikTok out.
- Choose a Home Screen page to switch to while the Focus is on, and use a page without those apps.
- Tap Add Schedule. Apple says a Focus can turn on automatically at a set time, at a location or while using a certain app.
A location schedule can turn it on when you reach campus. What Apple's guide doesn't say is that a Focus stops an app from opening, so Instagram is quieter and out of sight, but one search away. See a Focus that allows only messaging apps.
Downtime on your timetable
- In Settings, Screen Time, Always Allowed, add the apps you need in class.
- Tap Downtime, turn on Scheduled, choose Customize Days and set times for each class day.
- Set a Screen Time passcode and turn on Block at Downtime.
Apple says that during downtime only calls, messages and the apps you allow are available, and with Block at Downtime on, other apps can't be opened. Every app not in Always Allowed stops, not only social media, so check the list before your first lecture.
Lock the apps for one class with minulo
- Install minulo, open the Block tab and allow Screen Time.
- Choose the official Instagram, TikTok or YouTube app, then start the block as class begins. It lasts up to 2 hours on the free plan.
- For the class group chat, open Instagram inside minulo and turn on Every tab but DMs. Messages still work there.
- With minulo Pro, Work mode blocks the apps you choose on the days and hours you set, then unblocks them when it ends.
Hiding is free with no time limit. Locking is free for up to 2 hours per block that you start, and you can start another when it ends. For students who keep Instagram for group chats, see Instagram for class group chats without Reels.
Limits, so you can decide honestly: Reels and Shorts are hidden only inside minulo, and the official apps don't change. While minulo blocks an official app, that app's notifications don't arrive, and minulo sends none of its own. Posting Stories, voice messages and calls aren't available. minulo is for iPhone, with a Mac version that works in Safari and Chrome, and there is no Android version yet. It is new, with few ratings. See what minulo can't do.
How do I stop checking Instagram in class?
Lock the official Instagram app with minulo for free, up to 2 hours per block, so it won't open during the class. With minulo Pro the block can start by itself on your class days, and built in, Downtime with Block at Downtime does the same on a schedule.
Does Focus mode block apps during class?
Apple describes a Focus as silencing notifications, or allowing only some. Its guide doesn't say a Focus stops apps from opening, but it can switch to a Home Screen page without them.
Can a Focus turn on by itself when I get to class?
Yes. Apple says a Focus can turn on automatically at a set time, at a location or while using a certain app. Tap Add Schedule in that Focus.
Can I block Instagram in class but keep the class group chat?
Yes. Open Instagram inside minulo and turn on Every tab but DMs, and group chats keep working there. With Downtime, a group chat in another app stays open if that app is in Always Allowed.
Can I set different block times for different class days?
With Downtime, choose Customize Days and set the times for each day. In minulo, schedules by day and time are part of minulo Pro.
Will I miss notifications during class?
While minulo blocks an official app, that app's notifications don't arrive, and minulo sends none of its own. With a Focus, the people and apps you allow can still notify you.
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