Warden
Keep the scope and the limitations clear.
An app rule concerns the selected apps or domains. It does not close an account, control every payment route or guarantee that all gambling services are unavailable. Review the actual selection and do not substitute a product claim for a broader support plan.
A schedule, ordinary self-managed limit or voluntary trusted-person arrangement may provide structure for a chosen window. Which support is appropriate depends on the situation, not the apparent severity of a lock.
A starting point to make your own
| Routine | Example time | Purpose |
|---|---|---|
| A planned boundary | Your chosen hours | Use a schedule and a trusted person's support when appropriate. |
| Keep other help in reach | Always | Warden is not treatment, gambling self-exclusion or a replacement for qualified help. |
Warden for iPhone
Set it up without adding unnecessary rules
Daily limits, schedules and focus sessions
Install Warden and connect Screen Time when iOS asks. Then open Rules and tap the plus button.
Choose the apps or scope involved in this particular interruption. Use an allowance for total use, a schedule for recurring hours, or a session for a one-off task.
What Standard, Warden and Lockdown do
Choose Standard when you want to manage the limit yourself. Choose Warden when a person you trust should review early-access requests. Choose Lockdown to keep ordinary early unlocks off until the block ends.
Choose the access mode, then hold the save button to set the rule. Try a short block before using a long one. Emergency access remains separate from ordinary unlock requests.
How Warden approval works
Choose how many minutes you need, add a note and hold to send. If nobody answers within 30 minutes, the request expires and the app stays locked.
An approval applies to the scope and time shown in the app. A declined or unanswered request does not lift the block. Emergency access remains a separate option on your device.
Keep other support within reach.
Consider the relevant official self-exclusion, financial controls and qualified support available where you live. A phone blocker is not a replacement for those measures or a professional assessment.
If you involve a trusted person, discuss what they can help with and avoid sharing passwords or giving them unrelated control. Keep urgent communication and emergency access outside the commitment.