How to Block Apps on Android (On a Phone and on Company Devices)

To block an app on Android without uninstalling it, set an app timer in Digital Wellbeing: open Settings > Digital Wellbeing & parental controls, tap the app and set a timer. When the time runs out, the app is paused for the rest of the day. On a child's phone, use Google Family Link to block the app outright. On a company phone, IT blocks apps with a block list in the device management policy, and the user cannot undo it.

The steps below are for recent versions of Android on Google Pixel and Samsung Galaxy phones. Menu names differ a little between makers and Android versions; if you cannot find a setting, search for it in Settings.

Block vs lock: which do you need?

Blocking stops an app from being used, for a time or completely. Locking keeps the app usable but asks for a PIN or fingerprint before it opens. This guide covers blocking. To keep only approved apps on a phone instead of blocking a few, see how to whitelist an app on Android.

Block an app with Digital Wellbeing app timers

1. Open Settings > Digital Wellbeing & parental controls.
2. Open the dashboard and tap the app you want to block.
3. Tap App timer and set the daily limit. Choose a very short limit to block it almost completely.

When the timer runs out, the app's icon turns gray and the app stays paused until midnight. You can remove the timer at any time, so this works for self-control rather than for blocking someone else.

Block distracting apps with Focus mode

1. In Digital Wellbeing & parental controls, tap Focus mode.
2. Select the apps that distract you.
3. Turn Focus mode on now, or set a schedule such as weekdays from 9 to 5.

The selected apps are paused while Focus mode is on, and their notifications are held. You can take a short break from it when you need an app.

How to block social media apps on Android

Put every social media app in Focus mode with a schedule, or give each one an app timer. For a child, block them in Family Link as described below. To stop the apps being reinstalled, you also need Family Link approvals or, on a work phone, a company policy.

Block apps on a child's phone with Family Link

Google Family Link lets a parent control a child's Google Account and Android device from the parent's phone.

1. Open the Family Link app on your phone and select your child.
2. Go to the controls for apps, find the app and choose to block it.
3. Turn on approvals for new apps, so the child must ask before installing anything from Google Play.

A blocked app stays on the device but cannot be opened. Google's Family Link help pages list the current menu names, which change with app updates.

Block apps on a Samsung Galaxy phone

Samsung phones have the same Digital Wellbeing features under Settings > Digital Wellbeing and parental controls, with app timers and focus modes. Samsung also has Secure Folder, which hides apps behind a separate lock; that hides an app rather than blocking it.

Disable a preinstalled app you cannot uninstall

Many phones come with apps you cannot remove. You can usually disable them:

1. Open Settings > Apps and tap the app.
2. Tap Disable and confirm.

A disabled app stops running and leaves your home screen until you enable it again; it stays listed in Settings > Apps. Some system apps cannot be disabled, because the phone needs them.

Do app blocker apps work?

App blocker apps from Google Play can schedule blocks, set passwords and block websites. To do that they ask for powerful permissions, often accessibility access or a local VPN, so read the permissions and reviews before you install one. Anyone with the phone's unlock code can usually turn them off or uninstall them. For your own focus, the built-in Digital Wellbeing tools do most of the job without an extra app.

How companies block apps on work phones

On a company phone, users should not be able to undo a block. Android Enterprise handles this through the device management (MDM) policy:

• Fully managed (company-owned) phones. The policy can block specific apps on the whole device, or allow only approved apps from managed Google Play.
• Work profile on a personal phone. The policy controls apps in the work profile only. The user's personal apps stay their own business.
• Kiosk devices. A phone or tablet locked to one app or a few apps blocks everything else by design.

Start with a short block list of the apps you have a reason to stop, such as file-sharing apps on phones that handle customer data. If you find yourself blocking more and more apps, switch to an allow list. Blocking app installs from unknown sources also stops users from sideloading apps you never reviewed.

Managing this across many devices

Blocking an app phone by phone does not work for a fleet, and users can undo it. trio.so can block apps on managed Android devices with a block list policy, set once and applied to every phone in scope. See Android device management.

Related reading: how to whitelist an app on Android, app sideloading and how to clear app cache on Android.