Do Instead: App Blocker
Groei BV Productivity iPhoneiPadiPod touch
Do Instead: App Blocker is a free Productivity app for iPhone and iPad by Groei BV. Requires iOS 17.0. Updated October 21, 2026.
- Price
- Free
- on the App Store
- Size
- 19 MB
- Age 4+
- Updated
- Oct 21
- 2026 · v1.2.0
Screenshots
About Do Instead: App Blocker
Block distracting apps. Make room for what you'd rather do. You open a social app to check one thing. Half an hour later, you're still scrolling. Do Instead helps you set a boundary and bring your real tasks back into view. CHOOSE YOUR BOUNDARIES In Custom mode, give Social and Work their own apps, websites and allowed times. Add optional reminders before your windows open or close. Turning off protection or widening allowed times takes ten minutes; tightening protection applies immediately. Or start a digital detox: 14 days with a daily 30-minute window, or 21 days without regular windows. Choose your apps and review the editable website list. New programs pause Custom protection while keeping your saved setup. Track program days, streaks and milestones, then continue with your own rhythm when the program ends. TEMPORARY ACCESS WITH A PURPOSE In Custom mode, link a protected app to its English name, then say something like "Unblock Instagram for five minutes." Voice access pauses protection for that one app for 1-30 minutes, without a ten-minute wait. Switch to the app yourself; protection returns when time is up. Each session needs a fresh spoken request. Voice access is unavailable during digital detox or a protected focus session and requires microphone permission and on-device English speech recognition. You can also choose one app or website, a purpose, and 5 or 10 minutes of access. This option has a ten-minute daily budget and a ten-minute pause between sessions. Digital detox uses its own temporary-access rules. DO SOMETHING INSTEAD Bring tasks from Apple Reminders into view, or connect Todoist with Pro. Keep your next task nearby with Home and Lock Screen widgets. Start a 25-minute focus session around a task, take a guided breathing break, or try a short desk workout with a 3D coach. Complete tasks and watch your oak grow from an acorn into a tree. Quiet days don't erase its growth. With Pro and Screen Time permission, focus sessions can keep selected apps and sites blocked even during allowed windows. Completing a task does not unlock blocked apps. FREE AND PRO Free: Apple Reminders, widgets, focus timers, oak growth, breathing, desk workouts and the gentler Shortcuts route. Shortcuts needs an automation that opens Do Instead when you open a chosen app. Pro: Screen Time blocking, separate Social and Work schedules, digital detox programs, temporary access, protection during focus sessions and Todoist integration. Subscription prices and eligible trials are shown before purchase. HOW PROTECTION WORKS Blocking requires Screen Time permission. Website coverage varies by browser and iOS version. You can add domains or import a browser history export; imported domains stay on your device. Added websites may show Apple's restriction page instead of the task shield. With Pro, the Safari extension defers to Screen Time; without Pro, it uses its own website list. On iOS 26.5 and later, open your task manager from the shield through Do Instead. Earlier versions offer a notification shortcut when enabled. Screen Time permission can be revoked, and uninstalling removes protection. PRIVATE BY DESIGN No Do Instead account, ads, analytics or tracking. Task integrations connect to the services you choose. Voice recognition runs on your iPhone; audio and transcripts are not saved. Program progress and access reasons stay on your device. Privacy Policy: https://groei.dev/do-instead/privacy/ Terms of Use: https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/
What’s new
Version 1.2.0 · Updated October 21, 2026
More ways to make room for what you'd rather do: • Choose a 14- or 21-day digital detox, with program progress and an option to continue your own rhythm. • In Custom mode, speak an English intention to temporarily unblock one linked app for 1-30 minutes. Protection returns when time is up. • Choose a purpose for 5 or 10 minutes of temporary app or website access. • Start a 25-minute task focus session and grow your oak as you complete tasks. • Improved Shield activation, voice app linking and spoken-request handling. • Clearer paywall, schedules and settings, with better layouts for smaller screens, larger text and dark mode. • Long-press the app icon and choose "Going to uninstall?" to share feedback through our support form. • Fixed an issue that could leave apps blocked after their allowed time began until Do Instead was opened.
App privacy
The developer, Groei BV, reported these privacy practices to Apple.
Data Not Collected
The developer does not collect any data from this app.
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| App | Rating | Price | Last updated | Compare |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Do Instead: App Blocker | – | Free | October 21, 2026 | |
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| Scroll - Daily Microlearning | 4.0 / 5 (1) | Free | Oct 19, 2026 | Compare |
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