The Overlooked Screentime Solution
How to make your iPhone less addictive with Apple Configurator
Apple Configurator is a macOS application used by administrators, such as schools and employers, to manage Apple devices they own. It allows the administrator to decide what the user can and cannot do on the device. It's a powerful tool that has been long underutilized by individuals looking to take greater control of their phones.
If the cure to phone addiction exists, you're certainly not going to find it in Settings or on the App Store; Apple is incentivized to keep you on your phone for as long as possible. If you're a social media addict, using one of the app blockers currently available on the App Store is akin to an alcoholic duct taping the cap to a bottle of Tito's. And Apple's built-in Screen Time feature is a sticky note that says "Don't drink!" Apple Configurator takes the bottle out of the house.
Most people don't know about Apple Configurator because it's not a sexy solution. But if you're a semi-technically-fluent person, and you know you have a problem with phone addiction, then it is by far the best one. Also, it's free.
What you'll need
- A Mac
- Your iPhone
- 20–30 minutes
Step 1: Install Apple Configurator on your Mac
Step 2: Backup your iPhone
You will be erasing your iPhone so that you can fully supervise it from your Mac. Take care in this step.
Step 3: Plug in your iPhone to your Mac and Supervise it
Right click on your iPhone in Configurator and click
"Erase and supervise"
Watch the supervision process. Later on, you can install your backup.
Step 4: Create a configuration profile
You'll see a long list of possible controls. Ignore most of them.
Focus only on:
- Restrictions
- Apps
- Web Content
Select what to block and it will be applied to your profile.
Unplug your phone and try to use a blocked app — you can't.
Done. Breathe.