How do we prevent turning off 'Screen Time Access'? {SOLVED}

Thank you for your help!

This video is now published on our website!

Opal FAQ | How To Lock Opal's Screen Time Access

2 Likes

Huge shoutout to @jcaudle for the video tutorial and @FlowstateFrysian for helping get this done. This now looks great. Opal FAQ | How To Lock Opalā€™s Screen Time Access

2 Likes

please try this! Opal FAQ | How To Lock Opalā€™s Screen Time Access

Sometimes when I am in a deep focus and I feel the need to use an app that is blocked, I will go into settings on my phone, tap on Opal, and turn off where it says ā€œscreen time restrictionsā€. This changes the permissions of the app and unlocks any apps that were previously blocked. by the deep focus. Locking changes in the Opal app settings, similarly to the App Uninstall Protection feature, will help with focus and prevent kids from turning off their parentā€™s restrictions.

1 Like

Here there! please check this out

this will still allow you to access settings regardless because you can move back to settings once the opal app opens

Have it send a push notification with something along the lines of ā€œ(frends username) has disabled Opalā€ to the friends youā€™ve added in the app.

This would be a good option to have because it would have a real tangible consequence because your friends and family can hold you accountable.

It also would be beneficial from a business point of view because it creates a real incentive for people to convince their friends to download the app. where a portion of them would likely convert to users/customers themselves.

2 Likes

Unfortunately, even the definitive guide on how to do lock Screen Time Access cannot avoid you from doing these two tricks to bypass it:

1Ā° Trick: Basically, your tutorial makes the ā€œsettingsā€ app forward to the Opal app. But this have a flaw: You have one second once you reach the settings BEFORE it redirects you to the Opal app. In that ONE SECOND you can go to screen time very quickly and deactivate Opal unfortunately.
ā†’ I solved this trick by creating a forwarder to a depth section on the ā€œsettingsā€ app first (keyboard section, which address is: settings ā†’ General ā†’ Keyboard), then it redirects me to the Opal App, then it sets a timer for 1 second that after expire locks my screen automatically.
ā†’ In short words, this automation does the same thing as your tutorial, but with harder ways to deactivate Opal in the settings screen time section because you canā€™t go to the screen time section in one second if you are in the keyboard section of the settings.
ā†’ It is almost impossible to deactivate the Opal in screentime IF YOU CLICK DIRECTLY INTO SETTINGS APP. Butā€¦there is a way to go to settings without clicking in the settings.

Screenshot of the automation:

==================================================================
2Ā° Trick (No solution found for that in the whole internet):
ā†’ The major flaw: If you swipe down the upper right corner of the Iphone, you get access to the control center (you canā€™t deactivate control center from HOME SCREEN, only LOCK SCREEN).

ā†’ From there, hold down Wifi (or bluetooth) icons.

ā†’ Hold down again Wifi (or bluetooth) icons until you find a list of wifi/bluetooth options.

ā†’ Then click on the wifi/bluetooth settings.

ā†’ This way you can go to the settings app through the wifi/bluetooth settings section, BUT WITHOUT TRIGGERING THE SHORTCUT AUTOMATION THAT WOULD FORWARD YOU TO THE OPAL APP.
ā†’ From there, you can go to screen time WITHOUT ANYTHING TO STOP YOU (You donā€™t have 1 second or something like that) and deactivate the Opal from screen time.

The 2Ā° Trick is only possible in the IOS 17 Update. In IOS 16 and earlier versions, even if you access Wifi/Bluetooth settings from the Control Center, the Shortcut automation would work as well.

In conclusion, there is no solution for the 2Ā° trick in IOS 17, so Opal can be easily deactivated at any circunstance, as well as any other app that blocks apps and sites using screen timeā€¦

2 Likes

When in deep focus, you can get around it by going into settings, then into screen time and removing Opalā€™s access to screen time. Would love to see this one get fixed.

please see this! Opal FAQ | How To Lock Opal's Screen Time Access

thank you for the suggestion, I listed it from our FAQ for more people to test it

1 Like

Hi @kenneth , thanks for being on top of this.

To be honest I think this system still has a huge flaw: ( As mentioned above by [Jair_Santos_Junior])

You canā€™t get into settings anymore with this automation.

And while I may not even want to be able to turn off screen timeā€¦ I also canā€™t get into all the other settings I sometimes just really need sometimes!!

Because of settings being unavailable, I am forced into going into automation and turn off the block

Which results in not using the app consistently, because then I just forget to activate the automation.

It bugs me that there is no other way.

Would truly appreciate an update on this! :pray:

Best,

1 Like

Yes, there is an update needed in my opinion for this issue.

It is annoying to get into relapse because of this bug :exploding_head:

I also found you get around shortcuts by restarting your iPhone. There is time before the automation starts. I wish there is a way to have it run before unlocking.

1 Like

Thereā€™s a 5-10 second window to deactivate the protection, and all Opal users can do it!

All you have to do is start your phone and go to settings and deactivate the protection before the shortcut starts, which takes 10 to 15 seconds.

Iā€™m extremely disappointed with Opalā€™s customer service, because itā€™s been over 4 months since I told them about this bug and still nothing has been done.

Let me remind you that we pay a subscription fee of $99.99 per year for this app to fail to deliver on its promises and features.

1 Like

No updates so far. It is very easy to bypass Opal features if anyone access this thread. :frowning:

Hey @Rlo thank you for reporting this. Although we have to work within the constraints of iOS (on iPhone / MAC), weā€™re constantly looking for ways to answer customer feedback., but we need to be creative.

Here are a few questions to help us find creative solutions:

1 Like

My only problem with the app is I can go into settings and disable opals access to screen settings with Face IDā€¦ not even a password that someone else could create. This allows me to get around it.

The Shortcuts app fix does work. But as someone pointed out, thereā€™s a still a second or two where if you are quick enough, you can get into Screen Time settings and disable Opal still. I did see a reply on this, but has anyone found another, simple way around this delay?

Hello Kenneth, I am one of many people who is open to a financial payment for turning off screentime. Losing my subscription, coins, none of that will dissuade me. Just let me select amt of money to be charged from my card if and when I turn off screentime. It will solve the issue for most people.