alpacaTo block apps on your iPhone at night, create a recurring schedule that covers your evening and ends the next morning. You can use Apple’s built-in Screen Time controls, or an app blocker such as Alpaca to restrict selected distractions during those hours.
For example, an Alpaca schedule from 10:30 p.m. to 7:00 a.m. can put social media and games out of reach overnight while leaving your other apps available. Choose the apps you actually want to stop opening, and check what happens after midnight before relying on your schedule.
This guide is for managing your own iPhone. It does not cover remotely managing a child’s device.
Choose a nighttime boundary
Before changing settings, decide what you want your phone to do differently.
| Your goal | A starting point |
|---|---|
| Make incoming alerts less distracting | Sleep Focus |
| Schedule time away from most apps using built-in controls | Screen Time scheduling |
| Block selected distractions from evening until morning | An Alpaca Schedule plan |
| Limit total daily use, regardless of the hour | A daily usage limit |
A daily allowance and a bedtime block solve different problems. If you have not used up your daily allowance by bedtime, you may still have time available to scroll. An overnight schedule follows the clock instead.
What about Sleep Focus and Screen Time?
Sleep Focus filters notifications and calls; it does not by itself stop you from opening distracting apps. You can use it alongside an app-blocking schedule. Apple explains its notification controls in the Sleep Focus guide.
For a built-in restriction, open Settings → Screen Time and review the scheduling options. Enable App & Website Activity if needed, set your nighttime hours, and check the apps that remain allowed. Blocking behavior depends on your settings, including the relevant blocking option and passcode configuration. Labels vary by iOS version; follow Apple’s Screen Time scheduling instructions for your version.
Set an overnight schedule in Alpaca
Alpaca lets you create repeating plans for selected distracting apps. The example below blocks your chosen distractions from 10:30 p.m. until 7:00 a.m.
1. Connect Screen Time
Open Alpaca and approve Screen Time access during setup. Alpaca needs this permission to apply your blocking plans.
2. Add a Schedule plan
Choose Schedule when adding a plan. Under Name, enter something recognizable, such as “Evening wind-down.”
3. Choose the apps to block
Set List mode to Block List, then open Apps to block. Select the social, video, shopping, or gaming apps that tend to keep you on your phone.
Use individual selections when you want to leave other apps available. Review any category selections carefully: a broad category could include an app you still want to use at night.
4. Set the start and end times
Under Block time, set:
- Start: 10:30 p.m.
- End: 7:00 a.m.
Because the end time is earlier on the clock than the start time, the plan crosses midnight. Alpaca displays Ends the following day for this setup.
You do not need separate plans for the evening and early morning portions of the same night.
5. Select the nights when it should start
Under Repeat, select the days on which the block should begin.
A Monday selection means Monday at 10:30 p.m. through Tuesday at 7:00 a.m. It does not mean the early hours of Monday morning.
This distinction matters when planning around work or school:
| Nights you want covered | Start days to select |
|---|---|
| Every night | All seven days |
| The nights before Monday through Friday | Sunday through Thursday |
| Monday night through Friday night | Monday through Friday |
Check both ends of the week. If you want a block on Sunday night before a Monday morning class, Sunday must be selected.
6. Choose how temporary access should work
Under Unlock mode, choose:
- Normal: Temporarily unlock without completing a challenge.
- Challenge: Complete a challenge before temporarily unlocking.
- No Unlock: The plan cannot be paused or temporarily unlocked through its normal controls.
For a nighttime routine, consider whether you want temporary access at all. If you choose Challenge, puzzles provide a camera-free alternative to exercise challenges. Choose a mode that fits how you intend to use the plan, rather than automatically choosing the strictest option.
Select Create Schedule, then review the saved plan. Full access requires an in-app purchase; current prices and any eligible trial are shown in Alpaca.
Keep the things you need available
A bedtime boundary should target the scrolling habit you want to change. Before activating it, review whether your selections affect tools you rely on, such as messaging, authentication, audiobooks, or smart-home controls.
With a Block List, start by selecting distractions individually. Check the apps you expect to use before the first overnight session, particularly if you chose No Unlock.
Also consider browser access. If you block a social app but keep opening its website, review the website selections available in your plan. Blocking an app should not be assumed to cover every browser route to the same service.
Test the plan before your first night
Use a short practice schedule while you are awake to check the app selections and unlock behavior. Confirm that a selected app is restricted, that an essential unselected app remains accessible, and that access returns as expected when the test ends.
Then restore your intended nighttime hours and days. The first morning, check the result again. If another blocking plan overlaps, the end of the night plan may not mean that every app becomes available immediately.
This is a setup check, not a promise that restrictions cannot be bypassed. App blocking depends on iOS permissions and the settings you maintain.
If the schedule does not behave as expected
The block did not start
Check Screen Time authorization, the selected start day, the start time, and the saved app selections. A schedule for Sunday night will not start on Saturday evening.
Apps became available during the night
Check whether a temporary unlock is active and whether the end time is correct. Also confirm that you selected the app you are opening, rather than only a related category or website.
Apps are still blocked in the morning
Review the end time and any other active plans. Check the date and time on your phone, particularly after travel or a time change. This guide’s overnight example assumes a normal night without a time-zone or daylight-saving transition.
Frequently asked questions
Can I block apps overnight without deleting them?
Yes. An Alpaca Schedule plan restricts selected apps during its active hours; it does not require you to delete them.
Can a schedule run across midnight?
Yes. Set a start time in the evening and an end time the next morning. Alpaca shows “Ends the following day.” Repeat days refer to the day the session starts.
Will a daily usage limit stop me from scrolling at bedtime?
It depends on whether the allowance has been used up. For a fixed evening cutoff, use a time-based schedule instead of relying only on a daily allowance.
Can I use the same approach for studying?
Yes. Create a separate schedule for your study hours. Our guide to blocking apps while studying explains how to keep coursework tools available and decide how breaks should work.
Give your evening a clear stopping point
Start with the apps you most often open after you meant to put your phone away. Choose a realistic cutoff, select the correct start days, and decide in advance whether temporary access belongs in your nighttime routine.
Explore Alpaca or get it on the App Store to set up an overnight plan.