Last updated: 2026-09-22
VerbKey is built by one person. If something is broken or confusing, email me and you will get a reply from me, not a ticketing system.
Email: verbkeyapp@gmail.com
When reporting a problem, it helps enormously if you include your iPhone model, your iOS version, and the VerbKey version from Settings. If an app is not being blocked correctly, tell me which app.
Getting started
How VerbKey works
You choose which apps to gate — Instagram, TikTok, whatever pulls you in. Those apps stay shielded. When you tap one, iOS shows a shield instead of the app. Complete a short set of verb exercises in VerbKey and you earn an unlock window of a few minutes across all your gated apps at once.
The window closes when you have used that much time in those apps. Every gated app also re-shields at midnight, so each new day starts with a fresh exercise.
Why does VerbKey need Screen Time permission?
Blocking apps on iOS is only possible through Apple's Family Controls framework, which is the same system that powers Screen Time. iOS asks for your permission once, and that permission is what lets VerbKey put a shield on the apps you picked.
VerbKey cannot see which apps you chose. Apple hands the app an opaque token, not a list of names — that is Apple's design, and it is why your selection stays private even from me. See the Privacy Policy for the full picture.
Blocking
A blocked app opens anyway
Some apps — Instagram and Facebook in particular — only shield reliably when your selection includes both the app and its website. In the app picker, select the app under Apps and also add its domain (for example instagram.com) under Websites.
This is an iOS behaviour rather than a VerbKey bug; other blockers hit it too. The picker shows a hint about it for this reason.
The shield appears but nothing happens when I tap Continue
Apple does not allow an app to be opened directly from a shield. VerbKey works around this: tapping the shield's button sends you a notification, and tapping that notification opens the exercise.
If no notification arrives, notifications are probably off. Open iOS Settings → Notifications → VerbKey and turn on Allow Notifications, including Time-Sensitive Notifications.
Can I block an app permanently, with no way to unlock it?
No, by design. VerbKey is a speed bump, not a vault. The point is to make you do something deliberate and useful before you scroll, not to lock you out of your own phone.
The app picker crashed while I was browsing categories
Back out and reopen it, then select apps individually rather than browsing a whole category. This is a known bug in the system picker that Apple provides; a fix is not in my hands, but reopening reliably works.
Subscriptions and billing
What does VerbKey cost?
VerbKey is free to download. Blocking apps requires a subscription, billed through your Apple account:
- $39.99 per year, with a 7-day free trial
- $9.99 per month
Prices are shown in your local currency before you buy. Your subscription renews automatically unless you cancel at least 24 hours before the period ends, and your Apple account is charged for renewal within 24 hours of the period ending.
How do I cancel?
Cancel through Apple, not through VerbKey — open iOS Settings → [your name] → Subscriptions → VerbKey → Cancel Subscription. You can also reach this from VerbKey's Settings screen under Manage Subscription.
If you cancel during the free trial, you are not charged. Cancelling stops the next renewal; you keep access until the end of the period you already paid for.
I paid but VerbKey says I am not subscribed
Open VerbKey's Settings and tap Restore Purchases. Make sure you are signed in to the same Apple account you bought with. If that does not fix it, email me with the date of purchase and I will sort it out.
I want a refund
Refunds are handled by Apple, since Apple processes the payment. Go to reportaproblem.apple.com, sign in, and choose the VerbKey purchase. If Apple declines and you think that is unfair, email me.
What happens to my blocking if my subscription lapses?
The shield lifts and your apps stop being gated, but your app selection is remembered. If you resubscribe, blocking resumes with the same apps — you do not have to pick them again.
Your data
What does VerbKey know about me?
Almost nothing. Your app selection, your unlock history, your exercise answers, and your streak are stored only on your iPhone and are never sent anywhere. The full detail is in the Privacy Policy.
How do I delete my data?
Deleting the app removes everything stored on your device. If you have created an account, email me and I will delete it and any associated records.
Still stuck?
Email verbkeyapp@gmail.com. Include what you were doing, what you expected, and what happened instead. I read every message.