What Block at Downtime
actually does,
and where it went
Block at Downtime is the one switch that decides whether downtime stops you or just reminds you. Here's what it does, why you might not see it, and what Apple put in its place in iOS 27.
In this article6 sections · 5 min
Block at Downtime is a Screen Time setting on iPhone that turns downtime from a reminder into a block. With it on, the apps you haven't allowed can't be opened during downtime; they appear dimmed with an hourglass icon. With it off, you see a reminder that it's downtime, but you can keep using the apps. The setting only appears once you've set a Screen Time passcode, and in iOS 27 it's gone, because Apple replaced Downtime with Screen Time Schedules.
That last part explains most of the confused searches. If you're looking for the switch and can't find it, you're either missing a passcode or you're on a version of iOS where it no longer exists. Both are covered below.
What Block at Downtime does
Downtime is a scheduled window, for example 11 p.m. to 7 a.m., when most apps aren't available. During downtime, Apple says only calls, messages and the apps you've allowed stay available. Block at Downtime decides how firmly the rest stay shut:
- Block at Downtime on. Restricted apps can't be opened during downtime. They sit on your Home Screen dimmed, with a small hourglass icon.
- Block at Downtime off. When you open a restricted app, you get a reminder that it's downtime, and you can choose to keep using it.
The hourglass icon is the quickest way to tell which mode you're in. If you see it on your apps at night, the block is doing its job. If you only ever see a reminder you can tap past, Block at Downtime is off.
Two more details from Apple's guide: if downtime is scheduled, you get a reminder five minutes before it starts, and you can ignore the reminder or start downtime early. And by default, Screen Time limits can be ignored once they're reached; Block at Downtime is the setting Apple points to for making them hold.
Downtime vs Block at Downtime
Downtime is the schedule: when the quiet window starts and ends, and which apps stay allowed. Block at Downtime is a switch inside it that sets what happens when you open a restricted app anyway. Downtime without it is a nudge. Downtime with it is a lock, as long as you can't simply change the settings, which is what the passcode is for.
Why Block at Downtime isn't showing
There are three common reasons the switch is missing.
1. You haven't set a Screen Time passcode
Block at Downtime only appears after you set a Screen Time passcode. On iOS 26, go to Settings, Screen Time, scroll down and tap Lock Screen Time Settings, then enter a four-digit code twice (Apple's passcode guide). Go back to Downtime and the switch is there.
2. Your iPhone is on iOS 27
In iOS 27, Apple rebuilt Screen Time around Screen Time Schedules and Time Allowances. A schedule splits your day into windows, like Work, Dinner or Night, and each window shows which app categories you can use in it. There's no separate Downtime screen any more, and Apple's iOS 27 guide doesn't describe a Block at Downtime switch. To block apps at night, make a night window that leaves out the categories you want shut. Apple notes the new schedules need iOS 27, or the matching version, on all your Apple devices.
3. It's a child's iPhone managed through Family Sharing
For a child in your Family Sharing group, Downtime and Block at Downtime are set from the parent's device: in Settings, Screen Time, tap the child's name first. On the child's own phone, the settings are locked behind the passcode the parent set.
How to turn on Block at Downtime
On iOS 26 and earlier:
- Turn on App & Website Activity. Settings, Screen Time, App & Website Activity. Downtime won't run without it.
- Set a Screen Time passcode. Settings, Screen Time, Lock Screen Time Settings. Better still, let someone you trust type it (more on that below).
- Schedule downtime. Tap Downtime, turn on Scheduled, choose Every Day or Customize Days, and set the start and end times.
- Turn on Block at Downtime. It's on the same Downtime screen, now that a passcode exists.
- Check what's always allowed. Settings, Screen Time, Always Allowed. Anything listed there stays open during downtime, so keep it to the people and apps you'd want in an emergency.
For tonight only, Turn On Downtime Until Tomorrow starts it right away. For the iOS 27 version of this setup, and for Android, our guide to blocking apps at night on iPhone and Android walks through every step.
Why it can still fail at midnight
Block at Downtime makes the block real for apps. It doesn't change who holds the key. If you set the passcode yourself, you can type it at 11:40 p.m. as easily as at 9. And if you set up Screen Time Passcode Recovery with your own Apple Account, a forgotten code is a reset away.
The fix is boring and works: let someone else set the code, and decide together whose Apple Account the recovery uses. For the other ways downtime gives way, and how to close each one, read why Screen Time Downtime isn't working.
Common questions
What does the hourglass on my apps mean?
It means the app is restricted by downtime and Block at Downtime is on, so it can't be opened until downtime ends. Apps in Always Allowed don't show it.
Do I need a passcode for Block at Downtime?
Yes. The switch only appears once a Screen Time passcode is set. Without one, anyone holding the phone could turn the block off anyway, so Apple ties the two together.
Is Block at Downtime the same as Sleep Focus?
No. Sleep Focus quiets notifications and calls, but apps still open when you tap them. Block at Downtime stops restricted apps from opening at all. Many people use both: Sleep Focus for quiet, downtime for the block.
Where is Block at Downtime in iOS 27?
It isn't. iOS 27 replaced Downtime with Screen Time Schedules, where each time window lists which app categories are available. Make a night window without the tempting categories to get the same effect.
