Choose the iPhone apps that distract you and start a timed Fella session. They stay behind Apple’s Screen Time shield, then become available again — perfect for an arvo study block or work sprint.
A temporary block has a defined start and end. You select distracting apps, start a session, and let Fella shield those apps for the saved duration. You do not delete them, sign out of them, or commit to keeping them unavailable forever.
Access returns when the session expires. Fella records the manual session's end date and removes that blocking source when the time is up. If a recurring schedule overlaps the same moment, its separate rule can keep the apps blocked.
You choose only the apps that need distance. Calls, messages, maps, music, banking, work tools, and any other apps you leave unselected remain available. Fella is an iPhone app blocker for selected apps, not a whole-phone shutdown.
| Stage | What the current app does |
|---|---|
| Choose | You select a saved Quick routine and its apps |
| Start | Fella confirms Screen Time permission and paid access |
| Persist | The app saves the real session start and end dates locally |
| Shield | Managed Settings restricts the selected apps |
| Monitor | Device Activity registers a one-time timing interval |
| Finish | Fella clears the expired manual source and reconciles any overlapping block |
The end is part of the session from the moment it starts. Fella does not rely only on a countdown drawn on screen. It persists the dates, registers system monitoring, and reconciles expired state when the app or its Device Activity extension runs.
An early stop is available unless Strict Mode is enabled. Stopping a session clears its manual timer and source. Strict Mode removes that early-exit path; it does not change the original scheduled end time.
| Limit | Current implementation |
|---|---|
| Saved routine duration | 1 to 1,440 minutes (24 hours) |
| Default Quick sessions | 30 minutes, 1 hour, 2 hours, or 4 hours |
| Apple Device Activity interval | 15-minute system minimum |
| Short saved sessions | Fella pads the monitor interval but preserves the real earlier end time |
| Active-session adjustment | One minute at a time when Strict Mode is off; the session cannot be moved to less than one minute remaining |
The app model and Apple's monitor have different limits. Fella's saved routine model accepts 1 minute through 24 hours. Apple's Device Activity framework rejects monitoring intervals shorter than 15 minutes, so Fella creates a padded system interval as a backstop whilst the stored session end date remains the actual unblock time.
The default path is simpler. Fella currently ships four Quick options—30 minutes, 1 hour, 2 hours, and 4 hours—so most sessions start without custom timing work.
| Question | Temporary session | Recurring schedule |
|---|---|---|
| When does it start? | When you start it inside Fella | Automatically at the configured time |
| When does it end? | After the selected duration | At the scheduled end time |
| Does it repeat? | No | Yes, on the selected weekdays |
| Best for | A block you need now | A routine you want repeated |
| Overlapping rules | Can coexist with a schedule | Can remain active when a manual session ends |
Use a temporary session for an ad hoc block. A meeting moved, a reading hour opened up, or you need to finish one task now. Start the session and let the timer define the boundary.
Use a routine when the same boundary repeats. Choose days plus start and end times, and Device Activity starts and ends the schedule automatically. See how to block apps at certain times on iPhone.
Fella includes a five-minute Emergency Unlock when you are eligible. Use it for a message, login code, travel detail, or another specific task inside a blocked app. Fella removes the shield temporarily without ending the underlying session.
The current code allows one use per calendar day. Once used, another Emergency Unlock is unavailable until a new day. The allowance does not replenish merely because you start another temporary session.
The blocking rule returns automatically. At the end of the five-minute window, Fella's Device Activity callback reapplies the active shield. If the temporary session itself has ended, normal session reconciliation determines whether any scheduled block remains. Read the full Emergency Unlock explanation.
Work without the habitual check. Start a session before writing, planning, coding, or handling focused admin. Keep the apps that trigger quick detours behind the shield whilst necessary work tools stay open. See app blocking during work.
Study for one defined stretch. Use a Quick session for revision, practice questions, or a lecture. You do not need to create a permanent rule for the rest of the day. See app blocking whilst studying.
Read without deleting social apps. A temporary block can cover a chapter or evening reading session whilst leaving the apps installed for later. Fella also has a dedicated reading use case.
Protect the length of a meeting. Start the block before the call or conversation and let it finish afterward. The session is a time boundary, not a permanent device policy. See Fella for meetings.
| Approach | What happens | Best fit |
|---|---|---|
| Temporary Fella session | Selected apps stay installed and are shielded until the session ends | You need the apps later, but not right now |
| Delete the app | The app and its local installation are removed | The app no longer has a useful purpose |
| Permanent restriction | Access stays restricted until the rule is changed | The boundary should continue indefinitely |
| Recurring schedule | The restriction returns automatically at chosen weekly times | The same risk window repeats |
Temporary blocking is reversible by design. The session creates distance without removing your account, messages, content, or app installation. When time runs out, the manual block ends automatically.
Deleting can still be the cleaner answer. If an app serves no real purpose and you do not need anything inside it, removal is simpler. Fella is useful when the app remains necessary sometimes but should not stay available throughout the task in front of you. Compare both options in blocking apps without deleting them.
Yes. Choose the apps you want to restrict and start a timed Fella session. They remain behind Apple's Screen Time shield until the saved end time.
Yes. Fella clears the expired manual blocking source. An overlapping recurring schedule can still keep the same apps blocked.
Fella's routine model accepts durations from 1 minute, whilst the default Quick options start at 30 minutes. For saved sessions shorter than Apple's 15-minute Device Activity interval, Fella pads the system monitor whilst keeping the real earlier end time.
The current routine-duration validation accepts up to 1,440 minutes, or 24 hours. Default Quick options currently go up to 4 hours.
Yes, unless Strict Mode is enabled. Stopping clears the manual session; another active schedule can still keep selected apps blocked.
A temporary session starts when you choose and ends after its saved duration. A schedule repeats automatically on selected days between configured times.
When eligible, Fella provides one five-minute Emergency Unlock per calendar day. The shield is removed temporarily and the active blocking rule returns when the window ends.
No. Selected apps stay installed, and Fella does not delete their accounts or content. It applies Apple's Screen Time shield for the session.
Yes. Each saved Fella routine can hold its own Family Activity selection, duration, and optional weekly schedule.
