How to block apps on a Mac (2026)

Which method should you use to block apps on a Mac?

Use Screen Time if you want a free, built-in block with a passcode. Use an app blocker if you want the block to follow your work sessions. Macs have no single switch that blocks an app for good, so each method is a trade between effort and friction.

If you are deciding between blocking apps and blocking sites, read app blocker vs website blocker. If the distraction is in the browser, how to block websites on a Mac covers that.

How do you block apps on a Mac with Screen Time?

Screen Time App Limits set a daily time allowance for an app, a category or a website. When the time is used up, the app can be blocked. The steps below are for macOS 26 and earlier, where the setting is called App Limits.

On macOS 27, Screen Time is organized around Schedule and Time Allowances, and Apple's guide sets Time Allowances by app category, such as Games or Social Media, rather than by single app. If that is what you see, set a Time Allowance for the category the app belongs to, or use an app blocker to block one specific app.

• A limit blocks an app after its time is used up, not from the first second. A very short limit gets close to a full block.
• Without a passcode, anyone with access to your Mac account can switch Screen Time off in System Settings. The next section covers the passcode.

1. Open System Settings and click Screen Time in the sidebar. You may need to scroll down.

2. Click App Limits and turn it on if it is off.

3. Click Add Limit.

4. In the list, select the checkbox next to each app, category or website to include.

5. In the Time field, choose Every Day and enter a time, or choose Custom and set a time for each day. For a near-total block, set a very short time.

6. Select Block at End of Limit so the app is blocked when the limit runs out.

7. Click Done. To change it later, open App Limits, point at the limit and click Edit.

How do you make a Screen Time block hard to undo?

Turn on Lock Screen Time Settings, which asks for a passcode before anyone changes Screen Time settings or allows more time when a limit expires. Choose a passcode you will not remember easily, or ask someone else to set it, if you want real friction.

On the macOS 26 guide, App Limits also has the Ask For More Time button when a limit is reached. With a passcode set, entering it lets you approve the app for a short time. Apple's older Screen Time article for Mac also notes that Block at End of Limit and Block at Downtime appear only when a passcode is in use, so set the passcode first if you do not see them.

1. Open System Settings, click Screen Time, then turn on App and Website Activity if it is off.

2. Scroll down and turn on Lock Screen Time Settings.

3. Enter a four-digit passcode and confirm it when asked.

4. Go back to App Limits and check that Block at End of Limit is selected.

Can you block apps with Screen Time Downtime?

Yes. Downtime blocks apps during hours you set, except for the apps you choose to always allow. It suits a fixed routine, such as no games from 9 pm to 7 am. On macOS 27 the closest setting is Schedule: you add time windows for the days you pick and choose which app categories are allowed in each.

Set Downtime to Every Day or Custom with a start and end time, then pick the apps that stay available under Always Allowed. As with App Limits, a Screen Time passcode is what makes it hard to switch off. Downtime is a clock-based rule. It does not know when you are working, so it cannot block an app only during a focus session.

How do you block apps with a dedicated app blocker?

A dedicated app blocker closes the gap that Screen Time leaves: you pick the apps and websites, then block them for a session instead of for a daily budget. Nudge is a Mac app that does this from the menu bar. Cold Turkey and Focus are other Mac apps that block apps and websites, and Freedom works across Mac and phone.

• The apps and websites are blocked while the session runs and reachable after it ends. Nudge costs $9.99 once for Lifetime Access, with no subscription. Every Mac gets a 7-day free trial that needs no email, password or card.
• Cold Turkey blocks websites, apps and games, with a free version and Blocker Pro at $45 once. Focus sells one-time licenses from $29, with a 7-day free trial. For a wider comparison, see Cold Turkey alternatives for Mac and Freedom alternatives for Mac.

1. Open Nudge and create a preset, such as Deep Work.

2. Add the apps you want blocked. Add the websites that distract you too; they are blocked in Safari and Chrome.

3. Start the preset from the menu bar, or use Quick Focus for a one-off session.

4. Optional: add a schedule so the preset runs on the days and hours you choose.

Can you lock an app with a password on a Mac?

For most apps, no. macOS does not have a built-in setting that puts a password on an individual app so it asks for one every time you open it. Some apps have their own lock, such as a password manager or a notes app that can lock single notes, but that is a feature of the app, not of macOS.

The built-in route is Screen Time: set a limit on the app, select Block at End of Limit, and protect the settings with a Screen Time passcode, as above. Only someone with the passcode can approve more time or change the limit. If you want to keep other people out of your files or apps, the real controls are a separate user account with its own password and a locked screen.

Be careful with third-party tools that promise to password-lock any Mac app. Download from a vendor you can identify, read its site, and be wary of anything that asks for broad system access without a clear reason.