This article provides troubleshooting solutions for common issues that may arise when using Freedom on your iPhone or iPad.
Apps or websites are not blocked
If apps or websites are not being blocked on your device, follow these troubleshooting steps to resolve the issue:
1. Make sure Blocking Tools are installed
Check if you've installed and given permissions for the following tools:
Screen Time app blocking
Freedom Profile/VPN
Safari Content Blocker
For installation instructions, visit: Installing Freedom on your iPhone or iPad
Tip: The Safari Content Blocker is required for blocking websites in Safari. To block websites in non-Safari browsers, install the Freedom Profile (VPN).
2. Check for other VPNs
On iOS, only one VPN can be active at a time. If another VPN is active on your device, the Freedom Profile (VPN) won't work. As a result, website blocking will not work consistently—especially in browsers other than Safari.
Freedom can be used without the Freedom Profile (VPN) installed if needed. For more information, see How to use Freedom without installing the Freedom Profile (VPN).
3. Add apps to your blocklist
Ensure that the apps you want to block are included in your blocklist:
Go to the Edit Blocklist screen and tap Add iOS Apps to Block.
For more details, refer to How to Block Apps on iOS
4. Check active sessions and blocklists
To ensure apps and websites are properly blocked, follow these steps:
Check Active Sessions:
Open the Today tab to view active sessions.
Tap on an active session to see the details and blocklists applied.
Verify Blocklist:
Go to the Blocklists tab.
Confirm the app or website is included in the blocklist.
ℹ️ If you have recently added a new device to your Freedom account, you must manually include it in your sessions for blocking to work on that device.
To do this, go to your Freedom dashboard, open the relevant session, and edit the session to add the new device. Blocks will not apply unless the device is part of the active session.
5. Review the Number of Apps in Your Blocklist
Apple’s Screen Time limits the number of apps and categories that can be blocked at once (up to 49). To stay within this limit:
Remove unnecessary apps from your blocklist.
Consider blocking entire categories (e.g., the "Social" category) instead of selecting individual apps.
6. Make sure Freedom is active
If opening the Freedom app manually starts your session, it suggests the app was not active. For tips on keeping Freedom active, visit: Ensuring Freedom is active on iOS
7. Check “Always Allowed” Apps
If apps aren't being blocked when they should be, check for any exceptions that might be in place
Go to iOS Settings > Screen Time > Always Allowed.
Ensure that the apps you want to block are not listed under Allowed Apps.
8. Review Screen Time Limits
Using both Freedom and Apple’s Screen Time restrictions together can cause conflicts. If Screen Time limits are ignored, Freedom might not block apps as expected.
To check your Screen Time limits, go to iOS Settings > Screen Time > App Limits.
Sessions Don’t Start or End on Time
If your sessions start late or only begin after opening the Freedom app, follow the tips in Ensuring Freedom is active on iOS to ensure Freedom stays active and sessions begin and end on schedule.
Apps Are Blocked Unexpectedly
If an app cannot load content or connect to the internet during a block session, it could be due to the Freedom Profile (VPN) blocking a related filter or domain.
Solutions:
Remove the specific filter causing the issue.
Or, use Freedom without the VPN Profile installed.
For more information, see: The Freedom Profile (VPN) Explained.
If you are seeing a grey "Restricted" screen blocking the app, common causes are listed below.
Common "Restricted" Screen Causes:
Related App Blocked (e.g., Messenger Kids is blocked because Messenger is)
Related Domain Blocked (e.g., facebook.com affects Messenger)
To fix this, remove the related app or domain from the blocklist.
Screen Time Permissions (Passcode Required)
On iOS 16+, Freedom requires access to Screen Time for app blocking. If you cannot enable permissions, it's likely because Face ID or Touch ID is not set up.
Solution:
Go to iOS Settings > Face ID (or Touch ID) & Passcode.
Turn on Face ID or Touch ID.
Return to the Freedom app and enable the permissions.
Additional Information
Need help installing Freedom on your iOS device? See: Installing Freedom on iOS
Need help uninstalling Freedom from your iOS device? See:
Uninstalling Freedom on iOSHave any other questions about the iOS app? Visit: Freedom for iOS FAQ
Having trouble?
If you're having any difficulty, please feel free to contact us. We're happy to help!