Best ways to Block Porn on iPhone (Updated for 2024)

Ben

|

Updated September 7, 2024

If you are trying to restrict access to adult content on an iPhone, you've probably found that downloading a porn blocker app from the Apple App Store wasn't effective at all. As a software developer who's been focused on building content blocking solutions, I can tell you that blocking porn on the iPhone is challenging specifically because of the limited ways you can prevent a porn blocker from being bypassed.

However, there are some effective methods that aren't commonly known that I'll discuss in this guide. An effective approach requires you to combine a few layers together to create an iPhone porn blocking system rather than relying on a single point of failure. 

Unlike other platforms, Apple imposes strict limits on the capabilities of apps you can download from their App Store. I've looked into this in-depth, testing across many different types of Apple products with a particular focus on iOS devices.

The devices I use to test content blocking and bypass prevention techniques

However, Apple provides a few ways to achieve highly restrictive setups, but you just can't rely on a single-app solution from their App Store.

In 2024, blocking porn isn't just a concern for parents. It's becoming more common for adults to set up their own self-restrictions to break bad habits caused by modern internet and smartphone use. This means that the typical screen time and digital wellbeing features built into smartphones don't cut it in 2024.

Effective blocking on iOS is possible in 2024, but the ideal approach requires additional configuration and a multi-layered approach to blocking content and preventing bypass.

Blocking System Checklists

Use these checklists to help figure out if you are following the recommended approaches to blocking and bypass prevention on iOS.

This guide details each point in these checklists. I recommend doing each item in order if possible. 

Standard iPhone Porn Blocking System

This system is the easiest to set up, gives you two content blocking layers, and sets up a solid bypass prevention system using features available on a typical iPhone.

Supervised iPhone Porn Blocking System

This system extends the previous setup with Supervised Device Mode, which lets you improve your blocking setup in the following ways:

The information below breaks down this checklist into more detail. Feel free to Contact Us if you have any questions.

Configuring a DNS Content Policy to Block Adult Content on an iPhone and Other Devices

The most important part of my blocking recommendations involves a more comprehensive iPhone porn blocker using the Tech Lockdown DNS Content Policy . It's foundational for all the following steps. This DNS service has been specifically designed for adult content filtering and bypass prevention.

You can connect your iPhone to a DNS Filter and set this Content Policy to prevent access to content based on rules you set. You can connect basically any type of smartphone, computer, or even home router to a DNS Content Policy to filter content on other devices as well.

There are two ways to connect your iPhone device to this Content Policy (I recommend doing both):

1. Install on your Home Router so that your iPhone using your home WiFi is automatically connected to the DNS Content Policy.
2. Connect your iPhone directly to your DNS Content Policy using a config file and an app that configures a VPN. This ensures that websites are blocked even when connected to a mobile data network or switching to another WiFi connection away from home (like hotel wifi).

To get started blocking porn on your iPhone, set the rules for your DNS Content Policy  to decide what content is blocked.

The most obvious rule you should create is a Block Rule that blocks categories related to Adult Themes. We provide a quick-create rule that pre-selects this for you, but if you configured it on your own you would look for these categories:

Tech Lockdown DNS Content Policy category selection in the rule editor.

You might consider adding categories that aren't obvious Adult Themes, but should be blocked nonetheless. 

Next, create a SafeSearch rule. You can find this rule in our quick create menu.

This allows you to  enforce Google SafeSearch and even the safe mode provided by other search engines like Bing as well.

Consider enforcing YouTube restricted mode as well to turn on YouTube's adult content filter within their own app and website.

Disabling Apps with a DNS Content Policy

Another way to leverage your DNS Content Policy is to use it to block apps on your iPhone . Blocking an app with your policy won't remove it from the iPhone, but it will cause the app to not work properly since it won't be able to connect to the internet. 

When editing a rule in your DNS Content Policy , you'll see a Content section.

You can edit the Apps section, then search for specific apps that want this rule to apply to. For example, you could disable the Facebook app on your iPhone:

I highly recommend blocking apps like TikTok since these apps can't be used in a safe way.

If you use the categories selector to block an entire category, like Social Media, you'll need to specifically allow social media apps that you don't want to be blocked.

To do this, you could use another Allow Rule to whitelist a socal media app like LinkedIn.

Handling "Gray-area" Websites and Apps

In 2024, it's actually not that hard to identify and block adult websites. Machine learning and artificial intelligence make it so there are numerous effective porn blocker DNS services .

The biggest challenge is handling mixed-content websites and social media. Here is what I mean:

If you visit twitter.com in your browser, a DNS Filtering service will see that you visited a domain classified as Social Networking. If you visit a specific profile within that social media website, the DNS Filtering service will still see Social Networking.

The limitation of DNS Filtering is that it only sees the classification of the domain or app, not the specific pages and profile classifications. This is a limitation of all DNS Firewalls, so it's good to know how to handle these types of websites.

Enforcing SafeSearch and Restricted Modes

Previously we talked about how a DNS Filter can either block or allow an entire website or app, but typically not filter content within that website, which makes mixed-content websites a problem for any blocking system. 

However, a DNS Content Policy can automatically toggle-on and enforce the restricted modes that some websites provide, which is one way to filter content within a website.

For example, you can use a DNS Content Policy to enforce SafeSearch on Bing , Google, and other search engines by creating a SafeSearch rule. 

Tech Lockdown DNS Content Policy with a SafeSearch rule

You can also create a rule to toggle on YouTube's restricted mode to filter content within YouTube using a DNS Filter.

DNS Content Policy with a rule using the Ytrestricted action

This will block some YouTube videos and limit search results and suggested videos.

Scheduling Usage of Websites and Apps

One approach to handling mixed-content websites involves scheduling when you can access certain websites and apps using a scheduled block rule.

For example, I find Twitter (now X) to be useful for financial news, but it also hosts explicit profiles.

A simple way to handle this is to just schedule when you can use certain apps and websites to hours of the day when you have more accountability and willpower. For example, I use my DNS Content Policy we were looking at earlier to give myself a window during lunch where I can browse:

Otherwise, the categories and apps I've specified in this rule are blocked.

Default-Deny Approach

Another approach you can use is to block an entire category, like Social Networking, but allow access to specific apps that are known to be safe.

For example, you could allow LinkedIn while blocking all other social media websites. 

This approach is ideal when you combine this with other categories as well. You won't have to worry about loopholes in your blocking system due discovery of these mixed-category websites and apps.

Restricting DNS Content Policy Changes

Having a DNS Content Policy that you can change at anytime can open up a major loophole in your blocking system.

This is why the Tech Lockdown dashboard allows you to lock your Tech Lockdown profile .

The purpose of profile locking is to prevent you from making a content policy less restrictive, but still allowing you to make it more restrictive.

You can lock your profile using various methods depending on how much friction you want to add to unlocking your profile and changing the Content Policy.

Connecting to your DNS Content Policy

There are a few effective ways to connect your iPhone to a DNS Content Policy:

1. Install a config file that configures the network settings on your iPhone to point to the content policy. If you enable supervised mode on your iPhone , you can prevent this config file from being removed.
2. Install an app from the App Store that turns on an always on VPN. Later on, you'll learn how to use an App Blocker + Apple Shortcuts to automatically re-enable this VPN if someone turns it off. 

You can use both of these methods for a more effective blocking and bypass prevention setup.

DNS Config File

You can install a config file that points the device to your DNS Content Policy.

We provide a free Apple DNS Config generator tool , but Tech Lockdown members can streamline the setup process through the install section in your Tech Lockdown account dashboard.

These are the general steps you would follow:

The advantage to this approach is that it's less obvious to the user how the DNS settings are configured, which makes it less likely they will bypass the filter. However, the user can remove the profile if it's discovered in the device settings. Supervising a device (discussed later on) lets you prevent DNS config removal.

Always-on VPN

The second way to connect to your content policy involves installing the Cloudflare One agent from the app store, which is used to connect to your DNS Content Policy using an always-on VPN.

The advantage to using this approach is that you combine this with an App Blocker and Apple Shortcuts to ensure that the VPN is re-enabled automatically if someone turns it off (more on this later).

To learn more about connecting your iOS device to your DNS Content Policy, reference the linked guide below:

Across your Wi-Fi Network

The third way you can protect your iPhone is to connect your home router to your DNS Content Policy. This ensures that all connected devices are filtered, not just your iPhone. Plus, if the DNS Config File or VPN profile gets disabled, having your Wi-Fi connection filtered is a strong backup option while at home.

Additionally, you can make sure that your iPhone remains connected to your home Wi-Fi network and doesn't have the ability to switch to 4G/5G while at home. We'll take a look at how you can do this later in the guide.

Built-in Porn Blocking Features on an iPhone

The iPhone includes built-in content filtering features that work alongside your DNS Content Policy .

In Screen Time, you can go to the Content & Privacy Restrictions and specify Limit Adult Content.

When you enable the Adult Content filter, it will also disable the private browsing option in Safari in addition to blocking some websites.

Alternatively, you can go with a default-deny approach by toggling on Allowed Websites.

This will block everything other than what you specify. This is usually too limiting for most people, but it's an option in some cases.

Using Device Supervision to Enforce Apple's Built-in Adult Content Filtering

Another approach that isn't well-known is Apple's alternative to Screen Time : Supervised Mode. You can use a second device, like a Mac or Windows computer, to install configuration profiles (called Config Files) on the supervised iPhone.

When you enable supervised mode on an iPhone, you can install a Config File that enables Screen Time's Web Content Filter.

This Config File can only be enforced (meaning it can't be uninstalled) unless your iPhone is supervised.

Additionally, when supervised device mode is enabled, you can install a profile that forces your iPhone to stay connected to your DNS Content Policy (your second content blocking layer). Enabling supervised mode unlocks many other capabilities as well, but these two points alone make it worth the extra setup effort.

Edit Lookup

Enable Supervised Mode on iOS

Reliably enforce content blocking on an iPhone

Learn More

Enforcing Screen Time to Prevent Bypass of Content Blocking

Apple Screen Time provides a few ways to control an iPhone, but it has a few glaring issues:

1. It's mainly supposed to be used as a productivity tool for adults, not an effective way for an adult to self-restrict. 
2. The bypass prevention features are mainly meant for parents who have set up a phone for a child and are easily overridden if you are the owner of the phone.
   
3. The content filtering techniques heavily depend on the use of the Safari browser and has limited reach outside of this browser. There are many ways to get around Screen Time content blocking even without disabling any of the Screen Time restrictions. You'll learn how to deal with many of these loopholes throughout this guide.

Although Screen Time should not be relied on completely, it's a useful layer alongside other approaches. So let's look at the use cases for Screen Time.

If you use a DNS Filtering tool to protect against online threats or improve your privacy online, you aren't particularly motivated to get around it. However, blocking addictive content is a different story and bypass prevention has to be a core part of your blocking system.

So if you configure screen time for yourself, a partner, or a child, how do you prevent it from being disabled and the restrictions turned off?

Apple gives you the option to set a Screen Time passcode.

If you go through the initial setup process, you should see an option that says "This is My Child's iPhone".

Selecting this option will prompt you to enter a secondary Apple ID to be the screen time manager and set a 4 digit unlock pin. This approach is useful for a few reasons:

1. The Apple ID can be used to bypass Screen Time by recovering the pin. If you are a parent managing a child's iPhone, this makes it harder for them to bypass. 
2. If you are helping a partner, you can use your Apple ID so that you are the recovery point of contact.
3. If you are self-managing, you can create a new Apple ID and use that as the recovery email. You can restrict easy access to this apple ID so that it takes you some time to access it.

This is a bit harder to disable, since you need to access the secondary Apple ID in order to use the Forgot PIN process. 

Preventing the VPN from being turned off

One loophole in the blocking system involves the VPN that connects to your DNS Content Policy being turned off. Ideally, the DNS Config file would still keep your iPhone connected to the content policy. However, you should try to patch the VPN disabling loophole as well.

Lock Filter Switch

The first loophole to close down is disabling the ability to toggle off the filter switch in the Cloudflare one app that connects to your Tech Lockdown DNS Content Policy .

This will prevent someone from using turning off the VPN using the app.

Use Shortcuts to Auto-enable the VPN when it is turned off

You can utilize Apple shortcuts to automatically enforce a VPN if it was turned off. You trigger this every time a browser is opened to ensure that the VPN is always enabled. Learn more about enforcing VPNs on an iPhone below.

iPhone

How to Enforce a VPN on an iPhone

Prevent bypass of VPNs that filter content on an iPhone by enforcing VPN profiles and preventing a user from overriding them.

Read More

Prevent the VPN App from Being Deleted

Another important aspect of preventing the VPN that connects your iPhone to the content policy from being bypassed it to try to prevent the app from being deleted.

There are two ways you can try to prevent the app from being deleted.

On some iOS versions (14+), you can make it harder to find an app that is used for filtering. 

Another option involves using Screen Time to prevent deleting apps.

You can find this in the iTunes & App Store Purchases section in screen time.

A more enforceable way to do this is to use the supervised device mode I've mentioned a few time. You can install an Config File that disables the ability to install new apps from the app store and delete any currently installed app.

It is possible to create a Config File yourself and install it onto your iPhone. However, if you're a Tech Lockdown member, you can use our Prevent Deleting Apps preset instead.

Since a supervised profile cannot be removed easily, this is a more enforceable way to enforce apps without worrying about the common ways that screen time can be bypassed.

Normally, you would see the option to Delete the app.

Instead of having the option to delete an app, you'll only be able to remove an app from the home screen.

Edit Lookup

Enable Supervised Mode on iOS

Reliably enforce content blocking on an iPhone

Learn More

Configuring Browser Settings to Block Adult Content

Many web browsers have features that might allow you to have access to websites you’ve specifically blocked, either with a DNS Content Policy or settings you’ve manually configure on your iPhone. For example, Safari has an option called “Private Relay” that might bypass a normal DNS filter.

You might consider disabling specific features in a web browser to improve your bypass prevention

Disable Safari and Private Relay

One option you might consider is blocking Safari altogether. There are a couple of different ways that you can do this on iPhone devices; one of the easiest ways it to disable it as an allowed app:

Can be found under Settings, Screen Time, Content & Privacy Restrictions, Allowed Features & Apps

If you don't want to block Safari, you can still block websites on safari instead.

If you just want to disable Private Relay, go to Settings and search for “Private Relay”. Toggle off the feature.

Use an Alternative Browser with Better Blocking Features

Instead of using Safari, you could instead use a browser that has more customization options. A great example of this is the Brave Browser, which comes with several useful features by default, such as the ability to block YouTube Shorts .

To access your Content Filter settings on Brave, you can go to Settings > Shields & Privacy > Content Filtering. From here, there are a bunch of lists that come pre-installed and ready to turn enable. 

Prevent iPhone Settings from Being Changed

Another key consideration to close possible loopholes in your blocking system is to enforce the settings on your iPhone. I've gone through a few ways to do that already in this guide. Just to recap how you can enforce iOS settings :

1. Enable supervised mode on iOS and enforce specific settings that way. You can set specific settings restrictions, like prevent changing VPN configurations or specific screen time settings.
2. Use Apple Shortcuts plus a AppBlocker to automatically re-enable a VPN if it is disabled.

To expand on these points, you might consider blocking the settings app entirely. You can use Apple Shortcuts combined with an App Blocker to pull this off. Check out the free guide below for specific instructions:

iPhone

How to Lock Settings on an iPhone

Learn a few effective methods for enforcing settings on an iPhone and locking settings in place so they can't be bypassed or changed.

Read More

Limit the App Store

Limiting the app store is an important aspect of an effective blocking system because it's a common source of bypass techniques.

It's possible to use Screen Time to enforce restrictions on apps downloaded based on the age limits associated with the apps.

Screen Time > Content & Privacy Restrictions > Content Restrictions > Apps

This is helpful, but doesn't solve for many bypass techniques because those apps are approved for the lowest possible age limits.

There are a few ways to limit the App Store on iOS. 

A better way to disable the app store involves the supervised mode mentioned a few times in this guide.

Similar to our other Config Presets, this can be easily installed onto you iPhone. You can prevent new apps from being installed while still allowing app updates through the App Store.

You can use Tech Lockdown's App Management tools to create a custom Config File. These tools let you create an App Blocklist, which blocks a limited number of apps.

You can easily search for and block any app available on the App Store; it doesn't need to be downloaded on your iPhone.

Instead of a blocklist approach, you can create a much more restrictive setup with an App Allowlist to block any app that isn't on your list.

This is an example of a highly restrictive setup that only has access to Maps, Messages, iPhone, and Settings.

Using an App Allowlist can help you create a full dumb iPhone setup that has most distracting features removed.

Edit Lookup

Enable Supervised Mode on iOS

Reliably enforce content blocking on an iPhone

Learn More

Prevent Turning Off Filtered Wi-Fi

A common way that iPhone user's bypass WiFi content filtering is to simply turn off WiFi and use an unfiltered roaming internet connection (4g/5g), but you can prevent this with a supervised device.

If you've set up your home router to filter content using a content policy , you'll want to ensure that an iPhone can't bypass it and use an unprotected internet connection. You can use Tech Lockdown's Config File to do this.

Set your Wi-Fi network as your iPhone's preferred network

For more advanced users, you could also set a limited number of Wi-Fi networks that you iPhone is allowed to connect to. For example, if you only want your iPhone to use you home's filtered W-Fi connection, you can add the login details when you create your Config File.

Make an iPhone Less Appealing

Consider making an iPhone less appealing to improve the effectiveness of a porn blocking system. Customizing an iPhone to be a bit more dumb and unappealing makes it easier to  reduce screen time  and break harmful habits that can contribute to other addictive behaviors.

Read our free guide below about how to turn on some "dumb phone" configurations.

Dumb Phone

How to Convert an iPhone into a Dumb iPhone

Keep your GPS and camera. Make your iPhone dumber by restricting the more intrusive features like web browsing and the App Store.

Read More

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I get more Help?

Sign up for Tech Lockdown and get access to guides about how to enable supervised and managed modes on iOS and MacOS devices. You'll also get access to our support team, who will help answer your questions and point you in the right direction.