How to Block P*rn on Your iPhone Permanently (For Free)
No (paid) third-party app needed. No security/privacy risk
P*rn is silently destroying the lives of generations of (young) men.
Loss of time, energy, and vitality. Ruined relationships. Lower Testosterone. “Beta” behavior. Female objectification. Premature Ejaculation (PE). Erectile Dysfunction (ED).
Porn corrupts mind, body, and soul.
With the rise of OnlyFans and “camgirl” sites, financial ruin isn’t uncommon too.
But you likely already know all this.
The burning question is, “HOW to break free of p*rn?”
By making it impossible to access.
Willpower and motivation? Years of trying and failing showed me their futility.
Can a drinker quit alcohol sitting amidst Budweisers all day? Can a smoker quit cigarettes with Marlboros in his pockets 24/7?
Now, imagine quitting p*rn — with an ever-expanding library of p*rn one click away 24/7. Need I mention how society and media push soft-core p*rn into our faces 24/7?
While your iPhone’s a ticking time bomb, it also has a built-in defuse button.
This built-in iOS feature is free, safe, and fool-proof — unlike third-party blockers that cost money, pose security risks, and are uninstallable.
You only need 10 minutes and an accountability partner (brother, roomie, or flatmate) to set it up.
With no further ado, let’s dive into the steps.
P.S. This method works only for iOS devices. I couldn’t (yet) find an Android alternative — but I’ll keep looking around and share it when I find it.
Steps to Perma-Block P*rn on Your iOS Device(s):
- Enable Screen Time. Go to Settings → Screen Time → Turn On Screen Time → This is My iPhone. Use “Set Up Later” for the next few steps (for now).
- Remove Safari. Go to your home screen — Long-press Safari’s icon → Remove App → Remove from Home Screen.
- Disable Safari. Go to Settings → Screen Time → Content & Privacy Restrictions → Toggle it On. Then → Allowed Apps → Toggle Safari to Off.
- Uninstall Google Chrome or any other web browser(s) you have. Go to App Library → Touch and hold the app icon → Click “Delete App.”
- Disable Browser(s) Installation. Return to Content & Privacy Settings → iTunes & App Store Purchases → Installing Apps → Set to “Don’t Allow.”
- The last yet most crucial step. Let your accountability partner change your Screen Time passcode. Ensure he/she saves it somewhere — out of your reach.
Best of all?
Repay their favor by acting as their accountability partner — and helping lock their iOS devices.
The Simple Yet Powerful Approach We’re Using Here…
We’re disabling/removing all browsers, blocking reinstalls, and “hard-moding” the block with an accountability partner.
The only side effect?
It disables the ability to install any new app — so preemptively install the apps you need before locking.
Down the line, if/when you need to install some app(s)…
- Have your accountability partner unlock the “iTunes & App Store Purchases → Allow Installing New Apps” permission.
- Install the necessary app(s) — in his/her presence.
- Have your partner re-disable the “Allow Installing New Apps” toggle.
“But, Isn’t This Approach Too Extreme?”
- There are millions of p*rn websites — and hundreds keep popping up daily. It’s near-impossible to find and block them all.
- Similarly, 1000s of “naughty” words exist — even if you block them, what about their permutations? Like “n@ked”, “h0t”, and “pu$$y.”
- Say you magically block them all. What about search results? Bypassing Safe Search is easy. (Safe Search can be locked, but only on a PC).
What other option remains?
Except for maybe switching to a dumb phone?
But then, what about Maps, Amazon, WhatsApp, Uber, and DoorDash?
I’m 1000% fine with sacrificing mobile browsing for the Elixir of a p*rn-free existence…
My PC handles my browsing needs — and ColdTurkeyBlocker handles in-depth NSFW blocking.
Can’t (or Won’t) Afford to Lose Mobile Browsing?
Then, there’s a “weaker” block using Screen Time itself. Less restrictive than the browser-disabling block, it’s also less potent.
Before having your accountability partner change the Screen Time password…
- Re-Enable Installing New Apps: Go to Settings → Screen Time → Content and Privacy Restrictions → iTunes & App Store Purchases → Allow Installing New Apps.
- Disable Siri NSFW: Go to Settings → Screen Time → Content and Privacy Restrictions → Content Restrictions. Under Siri, set “Web Search Content” and “Explicit Language” to “Don’t Allow.”
- Block NSFW Browsing: Next, under Content Restrictions → Web Content → Set to “Limit Adult Websites.” This only blocks well-known NSFW websites — so manually add all the ones you know under “Never Allow.”
Want to Better Bulletproof This Block?
Scour the web for NSFW website lists — and copy-paste them one by one to the Never Allow list…
Or get so tired and disillusioned by it that you uninstall/hard-block your browser(s) as I did.
Godspeed with your triumph over p*rn, brother!
We’re all in this together.
Do you know Android alternatives and/or better iOS blocking ideas? Feel free to share them below in the comments — only by helping each other can we defeat the p*rn epidemic.
