Lockdown remembers everything from last time, so most days you open it and tap Lock in.
01
Say what you're working on
Biology, an essay outline, a problem set. Naming it turns a vague intention into a plan.
02
Pick how long
Choose a preset or go custom, anywhere from 15 minutes to 4 hours.
254560Custom
03
Lock in
The apps you chose stay closed until the session ends. Then they unlock on their own, right on time.
New Study circles
Lock in together.
Make a circle for your study group, or just one friend. See who's locked in right now, join their session with one tap, and finish together.
Maya locked inCell biology · 39 min left
Join
Free for everyone, with no account to make
Invite anyone with a link, straight into the group chat
Your own blocked apps and Strict setting still apply
See who's locked in
Who's studying right now and until when, plus everyone's time this week, ranked, with streaks.
Join in one tap
Join a friend from Circles, the Ready screen, a notification or the widget. Your session ends when theirs does.
Nudge a friend
Swipe on a friend who isn't studying to send a gentle "lock in?". Their notification has a Lock In button.
One weekly goal
Set a goal for the whole circle, from 5 to 50 hours, and watch it fill as everyone studies.
Group sessions
Pick a weekly time and everyone gets a reminder with a Lock In button, so the whole group starts together.
Circles widget
Live countdowns for friends on your Home Screen and Lock Screen, with a Join button for each.
Joining circles, making one, and joining any group session are free. Lockdown Pro adds setting up group sessions and making more circles.
Features
Quiet by design.
No streaks to protect, no badges to chase. Just a calm screen, a clear timer and the time you set aside.
During a session
You can put your phone down.
A large, steady countdown and nothing else. Prefer not to watch the clock? Hide the countdown and Lockdown lets you know when it's time.
Live Activity on the Lock Screen and Dynamic Island
Apps unlock on time, even if Lockdown is closed
See which friends are locked in with you
A notification when the session ends
History
See the time you protected.
A simple weekly view of every session, what it was for, and how it went. Completed or ended early, always said in words, never just color.
3 hr 40 minprotected across 5 sessions this week
Setup
Ready in about a minute.
Allow Screen Time access, pick the apps that pull you away, and you're done. Change them any time from the Ready screen.
"You set this time aside for Biology."What you'll see if you open a blocked app mid-session
Choose what to close
Pick individual apps, whole categories or websites with Apple's own picker.
Strict sessions
Hide the End button when you need extra resolve. A promise to yourself, not a lock.
Live Activity
Your countdown on the Lock Screen and in the Dynamic Island, drawn by iOS itself.
Keep going
Finished and still in flow? Extend with one tap when a session ends.
Light and dark
A warm field of light by day, a deep horizon at night. Follows your iPhone.
Made for everyone
Dynamic Type, VoiceOver, Reduce Motion, Reduce Transparency and Increase Contrast.
Screens
Day and night.
One light per screen. When you lock in, the light sinks to the horizon and stays still.
ReadyEverything from last timeLocked inA low horizon at nightDark modeDeeper, quieter colorCirclesFriends, locked in togetherHistoryYour week at a glance
Privacy
Your choices stay yours.
Apple keeps the apps you pick private, even from Lockdown. Your history stays on your iPhone, and circles share only what you choose, through your own iCloud.
No account
No sign-up, no email, no password. Open it and start.
No tracking
No analytics, no ads, no third-party SDKs. Lockdown has no server; circles sync through Apple's iCloud.
On your iPhone
Preferences, block lists and history never leave the device. Delete them any time in Settings.
Lockdown uses Apple's Screen Time frameworks (Family Controls, Managed Settings and Device Activity). When you lock in, the apps you picked show a Lockdown screen instead of opening. At the end time, iOS lifts the block on its own, even if Lockdown isn't running.
Can Lockdown see which apps I use?
No. Apple only gives Lockdown opaque tokens for the apps you choose. Lockdown can show their names and icons on your screen but never learns which apps they are. Your session history stays on your iPhone.
How long can a study session be?
Pick 25, 45 or 60 minutes, or set a custom length anywhere from 15 minutes to 4 hours. 15 minutes is the shortest interval iOS allows for a scheduled block.
What is a Strict session?
A Strict session hides the End button so you're not tempted to quit. It's a promise to yourself, not a lock: turning off Lockdown in Settings › Screen Time always ends a session.
What happens if I open a blocked app?
You'll see a calm reminder, for example "You set this time aside for Biology. Instagram is available at 4:45 PM.", with buttons to close it or open Lockdown.
How do study circles work?
Make a circle and share its invite link in your group chat. Everyone in it can see who's locked in and until when, join a friend's session so you both finish together, nudge someone who isn't studying, and work toward one weekly goal. A friend is simply a circle of two.
What can friends in my circle see?
The name you choose, whether you're in a session and when it ends, your time studied this week and your streak. What you're working on appears only if you turn on "Show what I'm working on".
Friends never see which apps you block, your settings or your session history.
Are study circles free?
Yes. Joining any number of circles, making one, and everything in them is free, including joining a group session someone else set up. Lockdown Pro adds setting up a circle's weekly group session and making more circles.
Do I need an account?
No. There is no sign-up, no Lockdown account and no analytics. Study circles use the iCloud account already on your iPhone, and everything else Lockdown stores lives on your iPhone.
