The Doorpost › Brick app not working or not blocking apps? What to check

Brick app not working or not blocking apps? What to check

When the Brick app stops blocking, the cause is usually Apple's Screen Time permission rather than the Brick device. Check that Screen Time is on and that Brick still has Screen Time access, reopen the app after an iOS update, re-select any app you deleted and reinstalled, and restart the phone. For problems with the physical Brick, such as not being able to unbrick, contact Brick's own support.

Brick not blocking apps: six quick fixes

  1. Open Settings, then Screen Time, and make sure Screen Time is on. Turning it off removes every third-party block at once.
  2. Check that Brick still has Screen Time access, and grant it again from inside the Brick app if it asks.
  3. After an iOS update, open the Brick app once and check that your blocked list is still there.
  4. Select again any app you deleted and reinstalled, since the old selection may no longer match it.
  5. Update the Brick app from the App Store.
  6. Restart the iPhone.

Why Brick breaks the same way as other blockers

Brick pairs a physical device with an app, but the blocking itself is done by Apple's Screen Time, the same permission Opal, The Doorpost and every other iPhone blocker use. The app asks iOS to shield the apps you chose, and iOS does the blocking. That is why a block can vanish after an iOS update or a restore from backup even though the Brick itself is fine.

Brick not blocking Instagram, Safari or a website

If one app gets through, check that it is actually selected in Brick's list rather than a similarly named app, and select it again if it was reinstalled. Websites in Safari are blocked separately from apps, so a social network you can still reach in the browser needs its website blocked too, or Safari added to the list.

Brick not letting you unbrick

Unbricking depends on the Brick device itself, so a phone that will not unbrick is a question for Brick's support rather than something a Screen Time setting can fix. Check the Brick app for any emergency option it offers, make sure the app is updated, and contact Brick with your iPhone model and iOS version.

Withdrawing Screen Time access in iOS Settings removes the blocks of any blocker, which is the last resort if you are locked out of something you urgently need.

If you want something without hardware

Some people leave the Brick at home and find the block goes with it, or find a device to carry is one thing too many. The Doorpost needs no hardware. The apps you choose stay closed each morning until you open your own printed Bible and write out a verse, and then they open. It uses the same Screen Time permission, is free to download and free to use, and has no account and no ads.

Questions people ask

Why is Brick not blocking my apps?

Usually because Screen Time is off, Brick has lost its Screen Time access, an iOS update needs the app reopened, or an app was reinstalled and needs to be selected again. Check those, update the Brick app and restart the iPhone.

Why won't Brick let me unbrick?

Unbricking depends on the Brick device, so contact Brick's support and check the app for any emergency option. As a last resort, withdrawing Screen Time access in iOS Settings removes the blocks of every blocker.

Does Brick work with Screen Time?

Yes. Like every iPhone app blocker, Brick uses Apple's Screen Time permission to shield the apps you choose. If Screen Time is turned off or Brick's access is withdrawn, the blocks stop.

Is there an app blocker like Brick without the device?

Yes. Apple's own Screen Time limits need no hardware. The Doorpost also needs none: chosen apps stay closed each morning until you write out a Bible verse, and it is free to use.

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Last updated: October 2026