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Lockdown can only close apps after you allow Screen Time access. Open Lockdown and tap Allow when asked, or go to Settings › Screen Time and make sure Screen Time is on. If you previously declined, delete and reinstall Lockdown to see the prompt again.

Check that the app is included in Choose what to close on the Ready screen. Apps added after a session started are blocked from the next session. If Screen Time access was turned off during a session, the session ends and apps unlock; turn it back on and lock in again.

Tap End early on the session screen and confirm. In a Strict session the button is hidden; you can still end it at any time by turning off Lockdown in Settings › Screen Time.

iOS requires scheduled blocks to last at least 15 minutes, so sessions range from 15 minutes to 4 hours.

Make sure Live Activity is on in Lockdown's Settings, and that Live Activities are allowed for Lockdown in Settings › Lockdown. Live Activities appear on the Lock Screen and, on supported iPhones, in the Dynamic Island.

Allow notifications for Lockdown in Settings › Notifications › Lockdown, and turn on Notify when time's up in Lockdown's Settings. Focus modes can also silence notifications.

Open Lockdown, tap the gear icon, and choose Delete History. This removes every recorded session from your iPhone and can't be undone.

Lockdown is designed for iPhone and requires iOS 26 or later.

Tap the people icon at the top of the Ready screen to open Circles, then tap + and choose New Circle. Lockdown makes an invite link you can send to your group chat. To join, open a link a friend sent you. Circles use the iCloud account on your iPhone, so make sure you're signed in to iCloud.

Join appears while a friend has at least 15 minutes left, the shortest session iOS allows. Your session ends when theirs does, and your own blocked apps and Strict setting apply.

In Circles, swipe left on a friend who isn't studying, or touch and hold them, and choose Nudge. You can nudge each friend once an hour, and their notification has a Lock In button.

Allow notifications for Lockdown in Settings › Notifications, then check the Notify me toggles in Circles. To avoid distracting you, lock-ins and nudges stay quiet while you're in a session yourself, and lock-ins stay quiet while Lockdown is on screen. iOS can delay these updates a little, so they may not arrive instantly.

In Circles, tap the … menu next to the circle's name and choose Leave Circle. If you made the circle, you'll see Delete Circle instead, which removes it for everyone.

Only if you turn on Show what I'm working on in Circles. Otherwise friends see your name, when you're locked in, and your time this week. They never see which apps you block.