Quick answer
Most app blockers ask you to build a list of everything that distracts you. You add Instagram, TikTok and YouTube, and then a game you forgot about, a news app or a shopping app slips through. An app blocker allowlist works the other way around: everything is blocked, and you name the few apps you actually need.
That is how app blocking works in Flip Focus. During a focus session the phone is closed except for the apps you allow. You don’t have to predict every distraction, because anything you didn’t allow is already blocked.
Allowlist vs blocklist: what is the difference?
A blocklist names the apps you can’t open. Everything else stays available. It is easy to start with, but it only blocks what you remembered to add, and it has to be kept up to date every time you install something new.
An allowlist names the apps you can open. Everything else is blocked. It takes a minute of thought to decide what you really need while you work, but after that there are no gaps to find. A new app is blocked by default, and so is the app you open out of habit without thinking.
| Blocklist | Allowlist | |
|---|---|---|
| What you list | Apps to block | Apps to keep |
| New apps | Allowed until you add them | Blocked automatically |
| Gaps | Anything you forgot | None, unless you allow it |
| Best for | Cutting one or two problem apps | Protecting a whole focus session |
Flip Focus uses an allowlist because a focus session is short and specific. For the next 25 or 50 minutes you know what you need: maybe a calculator, a music app, or nothing at all. Everything else can wait.
How the Flip Focus app blocker works
- Turn on app blocking. The first time, Flip Focus asks for the permissions your phone needs to block apps.
- Choose the apps you allow. These stay available during every session.
- Start a session by placing your phone face down. Blocking begins with the timer.
- Open a blocked app and you see the countdown instead. The app is replaced by your session timer, so the reminder of what you are doing appears in the exact moment you reach for a distraction.
- When the session ends, blocking ends. Your phone goes back to normal.
App blocking works together with auto-pause. If you pick up the phone, the timer stops. If you then try to open a distracting app, it isn’t there. One feature catches the reach, the other catches what you were reaching for.
App blocker on iPhone and Android
iPhone: Apple’s Screen Time API
On iPhone, Flip Focus uses Apple’s Screen Time API (the FamilyControls framework). This is the same system Apple provides for Screen Time limits, so blocking is handled by iOS itself. You approve access once in a standard Apple prompt.
Android: Accessibility Service and Usage Access
On Android, Flip Focus uses three permissions: the Accessibility Service, Usage Access, and Display Over Other Apps. Together they let the app notice when a blocked app opens during a session and show the countdown over it. Android asks you to turn each one on in Settings, and Flip Focus walks you through it.
Free and Pro
Flip Focus is free to download. The free plan includes app blocking for one session, so you can see how a blocked phone feels before deciding anything. Flip Focus Pro adds app blocking on every session and lets you choose your own allowed apps. Pro prices vary by country and are shown in the app.
What the app blocker does not do
- It doesn’t block apps outside a session. There are no schedules or always-on blocking. Blocking runs only while a session runs.
- It doesn’t block websites or apps on your computer. Flip Focus works on your phone only.
- It can’t stop you leaving a session. Ending early is possible, but deliberate: you copy a short passage, then hold a button for a few seconds.
If you want blocking on a schedule all day, your phone’s built-in tools, such as Screen Time on iPhone or Digital Wellbeing on Android, are the better fit. Flip Focus is for the session you are about to start.
Something not working as described? See Help & support, or download Flip Focus for iPhone or Android.
Frequently asked questions
What is an app blocker allowlist?
An allowlist app blocker blocks every app except the ones you choose to allow. Instead of listing distracting apps one by one, you list the few you need, and everything else is blocked.
Is an allowlist better than a blocklist?
For a focus session, usually yes. A blocklist only blocks the apps you remembered to add. An allowlist blocks everything you didn’t allow, including new apps, so there are no gaps to slip through.
How does Flip Focus block apps on iPhone?
It uses Apple’s Screen Time API (FamilyControls). You approve access once, and iOS handles the blocking during your session.
Why does Flip Focus need Accessibility permission on Android?
Flip Focus uses the Accessibility Service, Usage Access and Display Over Other Apps to detect a blocked app during a session and show the countdown over it.
Does Flip Focus block apps all the time?
No. Blocking runs only during a focus session. When the session ends, your phone goes back to normal.
Is app blocking free?
The free plan includes app blocking for one session. Flip Focus Pro adds blocking on every session and custom allowed apps.
Augustine Ezeh
Put the phone face down.