Brickify Guide
iOS setup
No factory reset needed on iPhone — Brickify's protection comes from Apple's own Family Controls framework, set up entirely within the app.
No factory reset needed on iPhone — Brickify's protection comes from Apple's own Family Controls framework, set up entirely within the app.
Brickify on iOS uses the Family Controls and Screen Time native controls Apple already provides, then adds extra features on top — automatically switching between schedules, and warning you if actions you don't want are taken.
Download Brickify from the App Store on the phone that's about to become your child's. Tap "Buy Brickify" and complete the one-time purchase.
Brickify's own 4-digit passcode — one you'll remember but won't enter on impulse.
Parent PIN, authenticator app, or email code — backs up your passcode so losing one doesn't lock you out for good.
Three one-time backup codes. Write them down — they won't be shown again.
Name it and choose which apps it blocks. This is where iOS asks you to grant Family Controls permission — it's what lets Brickify actually block apps at the system level, independently of the app itself.
Where Brickify emails you if something needs attention — the device goes silent, its protection gets removed, or (despite blocking) a new app appears.
The last onboarding step walks you to Settings → Screen Time. Turn on "Use Screen Time Passcode" (a 4-digit code the child doesn't know — you can reuse the same digits as your Brickify passcode from step 2, one PIN to remember instead of two), then enable Content & Privacy Restrictions and set "Deleting Apps" to Don't Allow.
Pay, or Restore Purchases if you already bought it on this Apple ID.
Why the Screen Time passcode matters: without it, a child can delete Brickify from the phone. The app's blocks stay in place either way (iOS enforces Family Controls independently of whether Brickify is still installed) — but you lose the ability to unbrick or run any schedule until it's reinstalled. Blocking app deletion in Screen Time stops that scenario before it starts.
Family Controls is tied to whichever Apple ID set it up. If your child knows your Apple ID password, they can remove the restriction directly via Settings → Screen Time on their own, bypassing Brickify entirely. Use a strong, unique password your child doesn't know.