Morning Guys,
Is there any continued work on this issue? Whilst yes, there is the shortcuts workaround, this isnât a solution to the problem. (canât connect to bluetooth devices, wifi, hotspot etc) during session. I purchased a lifetime membership and now regret doing so, knowing the app can just be âturnedâ off. Any information would be great thanks 
Hey !
Apple doesnât provide us any way to do this, so the shortcut is the best alternative we got so far.
We are monitoring changes in the Screentime api at every iOS update, and will inform you if this behaviour change in the future.
In the mean time, you can submit an improvement request to Apple if you want to increase the chances they implement this possibility in the future â Product Feedback - Apple
Peter
Hey, have just realized you can get out of any block session by simply turning off screen time access for Opal in the iOS settings. Would love it if at least during a deep focus session it was impassible to change this/disable it. This might be an Apple issue - even if make a screen time passcode it doesnât prompt me for it when I disable screen time access to apps. It just auto FaceTime IDâs me. So yeah if you guys can do something to address this, it would be too on my list of new features. Would rather not block the whole settings app either which is listed as an option on your website by using shortcuts.
Thanks!
A way to control access by setting up a 4-digit passcode. My idea is to have my girlfriend choose a random passcode so I canât modify the settings within the app. If I ever really need access, she can grant it. This is actually how I managed to quit pornâon an iPhone, you can set a passcode for the âScreen Timeâ settings. By enabling the âRestricted Contentâ option and locking the settings with a password, you effectively block access and prevent yourself from making changes. Itâs simple and highly effective.
Iâd be really helpful to be able to lock Opal with a passcode. I use Opal myself, but also for my daughter, however sheâll just open it and change her settings/delete her sessions.
I can agree that if this app use to manage the childrenâs device will be nice have a some sort of a protection to prevent the children change the setting.
Thank you for sharing! Itâs great to hear youâre using Opal with your children.
How do you typically use it with them?
Do you have a âSchool hoursâ scheduled session planned every day? or "Study time?
Or do you use it any other way?
It would be so great if you needed a passcode to open the Opal app. I donât want to be able to change the session times I scheduled, when the session is not running. If there was a passcode feature, I could have my buddy set a passcode I donât know, so I canât just delete the scheduled session by myself. Please consider adding a passcode feature!
ADHD, poor self-control depending on state of medications. Itâd be great to be able to hand control of the app over to my wife.
Can the devs add face id lock for the app?
Please please please please. this will significantly improve the app in a day
Thanks @Sahil_Arora ! A few questions to make sure I understand:
Are you looking for FaceID lock to open the Opal app? As in a privacy protection?
Or is it to modify a Session?
I think it would be great if you try to open an app instead the regular Opal screen it comes up with a passcode or Face ID in order to open the app, and locks when you close it, but for non pro users or when not using deep focus mode.
I LOVE OPAL! Seriously! However, whenever I want access to what itâs supposed to be restricting I can just go into my app settings, turn off screentime restrictions for Opal, and access everything distracting. Obviously I could just not do that, but then whatâs the point of Opal if Iâm just turning it on and off when I want?
Hi, I just had a problem, I have an iPhone 13 pro with iOS 18.1.1, I realized that you could just completly turn off the phone and then when you turn it on again there are some problems that appear. Here there are, and then one possible solution I found:
first the Opal app dosenât block the apps, immediatly, which isnât really important to be honest, I can only use the blocked app for 20 to 30 sec more or less
The first real problem, and I donât know if you are really able to fix it is that the shortcuts to block Setting while an opal session is running I put and even the others donât run. I donât know if itâs because Shortcut is supposed to be blocked by Opal in this session or if itâs just because of Apple (the shortcuts donât run even though this notification appear: PS: look at the screenshot I put further pleaseđ(sorry the notification is in French but thatâs just the usual one)) that allows me to unlock the sessions
And last but not least, I turned off and then on the iPhone, then I went to Opal, as the shortcut were disactivated, and as I wasnât in deep focus mode, I took a break of 15 min without even leaving early the session. I went to Instagram, and at the end of the break, the usual notification pop saying « your break is about to end, finish what youâre doing » and then « your break is over, letâs get back to work » but it didnât cut the app, I was able to use Instagram without being stopped as long as I wanted
Do you think this could be fix please?
(And I donât know, but maybe same happen when your phone run out of battery and then you charge it and use it again/ also, same problem on IPad (iPad Pro (11 inch) (4th generation) + IPadOS 18.3.1)
I was thinking, maybe the shortcuts could be activated right after the deviceâs code is activated without any delay or even better, before the first passcode is needed and put. This wouldnât allow access to setting app. But then i was thinking, actually the first problem I said is then important because if Opal app doesnât block immediatly the apps, I have a lot more than the needed time to go to the shortcut app and turn off the shortcuts.
A solution I found for that would be to disable the access of shortcut the same way as setting: with a shortcut while a session is on. That way, if the problem of the delay or desactivation of the shortcuts when turning on the phone is solved, this second problem would be solved at the same time. However this last solution I put isnât possible for now, or at least not with the devices I use (except if I did a mistake somwhere, I donât think but nothing is 100% sure), Apple doesnât allow to use the app shortcut as the app that start the automation when you open it, I canât find it in the list of app, even when searching it.
Iâm reeeally sorry for that massive comment, I couldnât do shorter, I hope that the possible solutions help and that the issues will be solved as Opal isnât really totally fullproof for now, thanks for reading that if you did.
(To be honest, I search many ways to use apps while in a session, and this is the last and only that I found yet that works and should be fix to improve significantly the app. :))
Is it possible to prevent the user from switching off the screen time access ?
Take a look at here: Feature Request | Lock Opal's Screen Time Access Behind Screen Time Passcode - #14 by kenneth
I went to edit a Focus and it brought me to settings which I had blocked using the shortcut settings. Once I noticed I was in settings, I realized I was able to backtrack to screen time. Im pretty good about sticking with my blocks so I didnât turn it off, but now that I know of this workaround I canât forget itâŠwould love to know how to block this loophole from allowing me to access screen time.
@Stephanie_Botto Feature Request | Lock Opal's Screen Time Access Behind Screen Time Passcode - #32 by cade
Agreed I stoped using opal because it breaks the whole point of the app
