Apple introduced several changes in iOS26 that are impacting how app blocking behaves for some users, including those using Roots.
We are actively monitoring the situation and have reported our findings through Apple’s official channels. While we’re hopeful this will be addressed in the next iOS update, there may not be a complete or immediate fix available at this time.
Things you can try right now
While there’s no guaranteed fix until Apple resolves the underlying issue, the following steps have helped some users reduce or avoid the problem:
1) Reload blocking
This often resolves the issue immediately:
Open the Roots app
Tap "Help" (at the top of any screen)
Select "Reload Blocking"
Wait a few seconds, then test your blocking
2) Restart your phone:
Power off your iPhone completely and restart it
Then go back to Roots and try the "Reload Blocking" step again
We've found this combination works really well for post-update issues
3) Make small edits to your blocks and resave:
Go to "Roots > Blocking"
Tap the pencil icon on each block
Make a small change (like adding or removing one app)
Tap "Save"
This can help refresh the block's connection with Screen Time
4) Delete and recreate your blocks
If reloading doesn't work:
Go to "Roots > Blocking"
Delete your existing blocks by tapping the pencil icon on each block, scrolling down, and tapping "Delete"
Create new blocks with the same settings
This refreshes the connection with iOS 26's updated Screen Time system
5) If that doesn't work, update your iOS version
You can check your current iOS version by going to Settings > General > About > iOS Version.
If you're on iOS 26.2, we recommend updating to iOS 26.2.1 if you haven't already.
To update iOS:
Go to Settings > General > Software Update
If iOS 26.2.1 is available, tap "Download and Install"
Important note on time limits
We’ve identified a specific iOS 26.2 issue related to time limits triggering early.
If you’re seeing time limits activate sooner than expected, please read this article for details and targeted guidance.
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