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Zone before you Phone

Walk into the library — Instagram is gone. Walk out — it's back. Pin a place, pick the apps, and let location do the work. No willpower required.

$2.99 · one-time iPhone · iPad iOS 17.0+ 10 languages
Download on the App Store Contact developer
Zone before you Phone app icon
What you get

Decide once. The place does the rest.

Most blockers fight you in the moment of weakness. Zone moves the decision earlier — calmly, ahead of time. The location takes over from there.

Pin a place

Drop a pin on the map — your gym, the library, your bedroom. Set a radius from 50 m to 1.5 km.

Pick the apps

Instagram, TikTok, news, games — anything via Apple's Family Controls picker. Per zone, your choice.

Up to 20 zones

iOS region monitoring's hard limit. Plenty for the places that actually matter — home, work, gym, study.

Arrive or leave

Library: block when you arrive. Bedroom: block when you go home. Either direction, as you prefer.

Widget & Shortcuts

Home Screen and Lock Screen widgets show the active zone. Disable any zone via Siri or Shortcuts when you really need it.

Strict Mode

Optional. Once on, you can't edit, disable, or delete a zone while it's actively blocking. For users who know themselves.

How it works

Pin. Pick. Walk in.

Drop a pin

Search a place or pick a spot on the map. Adjust the radius to fit the room, building, or area.

Pick the apps

Apple's private picker. Categories or specific apps. The app never sees what you chose.

Choose direction

Arrive or leave? Tap one. The zone is now armed for that trigger.

Walk in. They're gone.

Cross the boundary and the apps lock. A short notification confirms the zone is active.

Why location wins

Decide ahead, not in the moment.

Feature Zone before you Phone Timer / schedule blockers
Trigger Where you are Time / schedule
Setup effort Once per place Recurring schedule maintenance
Pricing ✓ $2.99 one-time, no IAPs Often subscription
Server / account ✓ None Often required
Location data Stays on device N/A
FAQ

Good questions, short answers.

Why does the app need Always location?
Region monitoring (the iOS feature that detects when you cross a zone's boundary) only works with Always permission. The app never tracks your location continuously — iOS only wakes it up briefly when you cross a boundary.
Will this drain my battery?
No. iOS region monitoring is built specifically to be battery-friendly — it uses cell-tower and Wi-Fi triangulation, not GPS. Negligible impact.
How accurate is the boundary?
iOS prioritizes battery over instant detection — expect a 30-second to few-minute delay between crossing the boundary and apps locking. Set a slightly larger radius if exact timing matters.
Why only 20 zones?
That's an iOS-level limit on how many regions any single app can monitor at once. You can save more zones, but only 20 can be active at the same time.
Can I block Messages or Phone?
No — Apple disallows blocking core system apps in any Screen Time-based app. You can always reach emergency services and your contacts.
What does it cost?
$2.99 one-time. No in-app purchases, no ads, no subscription. The Before You Bundle gets you all four apps at a discount.