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Focus Sessions: how do I set up a recurring schedule?

Block apps at the same times on the days you choose, including overnight.

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Written by Abid A

A Focus Session blocks apps on a schedule, for example 9am to 12pm on weekdays. It starts and ends by itself on the days you pick.

Create a Focus Session

  1. On Home, tap the Focus Sessions card.

  2. Tap Add a session.

  3. Give it a name and an icon, or keep the ones we suggest.

  4. Tap Choose folders to block and pick a folder.

  5. Under Set Schedule, choose when it Starts and Ends, and the days it repeats. Turn on Whole Day to block the whole day.

  6. Under Choose difficulty, pick Soft Block or Hard Block.

  7. Tap Add session.

Soft or Hard

  • Soft Block: while it's running, you can take a break or end the session for today.

  • Hard Block: no ending early. You can take a short break, but you can't edit or delete the session while it's running. While it runs, your iPhone won't let you delete apps.

Good to know

  • A session must be at least 15 minutes long, the shortest time iPhone's Screen Time can schedule.

  • Overnight sessions work. A session from 10pm to 6am keeps blocking into the next morning.

  • You can have up to 10 Focus Sessions, and several can run at once. If two cover the same app, it stays blocked until both have ended.

Related: How do I end a Focus Session early? · How do I edit or delete a Focus Session? · Protecting blocked apps from being deleted

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