First off, we completely understand how disruptive this is - having essential system apps like Journal, App Store, Watch, iMessage, or Notes become unusable is incredibly frustrating. We sincerely apologize for the inconvenience.
What's happening
Some users may experience an issue where certain built-in system apps appear corrupted when Roots blocks begin or end (see visual below). The symptoms include:
App icons disappearing from the home screen
Apps becoming unclickable or unresponsive
The same apps consistently affected (typically system apps)
This appears to be related to how iOS handles app cache when "Screen Time" blocking rules change, and it's not something Roots can directly control due to Apple's architecture.
Quick fix - restart your device
The most reliable immediate solution is to restart your iPhone:
Press and hold the Side button and either Volume button
Slide to power off
Wait 30 seconds
Turn your device back on
This should restore the affected apps and their icons.
Longer-term solutions
1) Update to the latest iOS version
Apple frequently releases iOS updates that fix bugs related to "Screen Time" and system app stability:
Go to "Settings > General > Software Update"
If an update is available, tap "Download and Install"
Keep your iPhone on the latest iOS version
2) Report the issue to Apple
Since this appears to be an iOS-level issue with how the system handles app cache during "Screen Time" changes, reporting it to Apple helps them prioritize a fix:
Open the Feedback app on your iPhone (or download it from the App Store if you don't have it)
Select iPhone as the feedback area
Choose Apps as the category
Describe the issue: mention that system apps become corrupted when "Screen Time" blocking rules change
Include screenshots if possible
Your report helps Apple understand and fix the issue in future iOS updates.
Preventing future occurrences
While we can't completely prevent this iOS-level issue, here are some tips that might help reduce frequency:
Keep your iPhone updated to the latest iOS version
Restart your device weekly to clear system caches
Avoid having too many simultaneous blocks (try to keep it under 10 active blocks)
Need more help?
Get personal help from one of our founders here.