Tasks that actually get done
Create clear tasks with due times. Overdue chores trigger Screen Time blocks until you approve a photo.
Built on Apple Family Controls · iOS 16+
Chores Done. Screens Unlocked.
taskr is a free iOS app that links chores to Apple Screen Time. Assign tasks with due times. If they go overdue, taskr blocks the apps you choose until your child submits a photo and you approve it.
Free on the App Store · No ads · Built for iOS families
100%
Apple-approved
< 5 min
Setup time
0 fights
over screen time
Features
Chores that actually get done the first time you ask
Powerful for parents. Simple enough for kids. Built directly on Apple Screen Time.
Real-time parent dashboard
Due, overdue, blocked, and awaiting approval — all in one live view on your phone.
Photo proof and parent approvals
Kids snap a photo when they finish. Approve, reject, or send feedback. Screen Time updates instantly.
Smart Screen Time rules
Set rules that only fire when a task misses its deadline. Pick the apps to block and the ones to keep open.
Built on Apple Family Controls
Powered by Apple's approved Screen Time framework, so every change is safe, sandboxed, and parent-controlled.
Create tasks with Screen Time
Create tasks with due times and clear consequences
Add chores or homework, set when they are due, choose which apps will lock if they run late, and require photo proof so approvals are simple.
- Task name, instructions, and due time in one clean flow per child.
- Pick apps or categories to block on overdue. Add exceptions for school apps and calls.
- Require a photo so kids know exactly what to submit and approvals only take seconds.
Screen Time that adapts to chores
Built-in Screen Time controls, tied to real chores
taskr is a Screen Time app for iOS that links every block to a chore. The dashboard shows what is due, what is blocked, and what needs your approval.
Automatic app blocking
Overdue tasks turn on Screen Time and block the apps or categories you picked.
Photo proof
Kids submit a photo when they finish. Approve, reject, or extend the deadline.
Only locks when overdue
Before the deadline, everything stays open. taskr only blocks when a task is late.
Custom exceptions
Block distractions while school apps, calls, or messages stay available.
Per-task control
Pick specific apps, categories, or device-level limits for each task.
No extra hardware
Everything works through Apple's built-in Family Controls.
4 steps to set up
Get started in under 5 minutes
From download to first overdue-task block — no complicated learning curve.
Create your parent account
Download taskr on your iPhone, sign up as the parent, and add a profile for each child in seconds.
Connect your kids' iOS devices
Link each child's iPhone or iPad through Apple Family Sharing and grant taskr permission to manage Screen Time.
Create tasks with rules
Add chores or homework, set due times, and pick which apps or categories Screen Time should block if a task is late.
Overdue tasks turn on Screen Time
If a chore is overdue, taskr blocks the apps you chose until your child submits a photo and you approve it.
taskr vs. Apple Screen Time
Why parents pick taskr over Screen Time alone
Apple Screen Time is powerful — but it has no idea what your kids are supposed to be doing. taskr fills the gap.
Feature
taskr
Standard Screen Time
- Parent-approved, task-based unlocking
- taskr
Approving a photo lifts Screen Time limits the moment you tap approve.
- Standard Screen Time
Parents must manually change limits with no link to chores.
- Automatic app blocking when chores go overdue
- taskr
Late tasks trigger the Screen Time rules you chose. Zero extra steps.
- Standard Screen Time
No automatic link between chores and app blocking.
- Photo proof of completed chores
- taskr
Kids submit a photo. You approve, reject, or send feedback from anywhere.
- Standard Screen Time
No proof of completion or parent review built in.
- Per-task control over which apps lock
- taskr
Pick specific apps, categories, or whole-device limits per task.
- Standard Screen Time
Only daily totals and schedules. No per-task targeting.
- Parent dashboard with live status
- taskr
See what's due, overdue, blocked, and awaiting approval in one view.
- Standard Screen Time
Only daily device usage. No task context.
- Runs on Apple-approved Family Controls
- taskr
Built entirely on Apple Family Controls and Screen Time APIs.
- Standard Screen Time
Apple's own Screen Time settings.
Apple-approved, privacy-first, ad-free
taskr is built the way a parental control app should be built.
Apple Family Controls
Sandboxed by Apple. Nothing taskr does is outside what Apple authorizes for parental control apps.
Encrypted by default
Family data is encrypted in transit and at rest. We never sell data and we run no ads.
iOS-native experience
Built with SwiftUI. Feels like a system app on iPhone and iPad on iOS 16+.
What this looks like in real life
A few patterns families set up on day one.
Homework before games
Set homework due at 5:30. If it slips, games and social lock until you approve a photo of the completed worksheet.
Dishes after dinner
Recurring task at 8 PM. YouTube locks if it's not done. Photo of the empty sink, you approve, apps come back.
Saturday room cleanup
Weekly chore due at noon. Block social media until clothes are off the floor and a photo of the clean room is in.
Frequently asked questions about taskr and iPhone parental controls
Real questions parents ask about chore apps, Screen Time, and Apple Family Controls.
Is there a free parental control app for iPhone that blocks apps when chores aren't done?
Yes. taskr is a free iPhone parental control app that blocks apps on your child's device when their chores or homework go overdue, and unlocks them when you approve a photo of the finished task. There are no ads and no subscription required to use the core features. taskr is free on the App Store and runs entirely on Apple's official Family Controls framework.
Can I block TikTok, Roblox, YouTube, Snapchat, and Instagram with taskr?
Yes. taskr can block any app installed on your child's iPhone, including TikTok, Roblox, YouTube, Snapchat, Instagram, Discord, Fortnite, and Minecraft, plus entire app categories (games, social media, entertainment). You can pick different apps to block for different chores — for example, lock TikTok and Roblox during homework, but only YouTube during dishes.
How does taskr work?
taskr connects your child's chores to their iPhone's Screen Time, so apps lock automatically when a task is overdue and unlock when you approve a photo of the finished chore. You set up a chore in taskr, choose which apps to block (games, social, YouTube, etc.), and pick a deadline. If the deadline passes without proof, those apps lock until you approve. No nagging, no settings to flip.
Does taskr work on Android?
No. taskr is iOS only. It's built on Apple's Family Controls framework, which doesn't exist on Android. taskr supports iPhone and iPad running iOS 16 or later, with both parent and child devices linked through Apple Family Sharing. We have no Android version planned in the near term — Android's parental control APIs work very differently from Apple's.
Does taskr replace Apple Screen Time?
No. taskr extends Apple Screen Time using Apple's Family Controls framework — it doesn't replace it. Your existing Apple Screen Time settings (downtime, app limits, content restrictions) keep working exactly as before. taskr layers on top, adding chore-based and homework-based blocks that Apple Screen Time alone can't do. Most families run both side by side.
Do I need to jailbreak my kid's iPhone or install an MDM profile?
No. taskr runs on a stock iPhone with no jailbreak, no MDM (Mobile Device Management) profile, and no extra hardware. It uses Apple's official Family Controls API — the same API Apple authorizes for all legitimate parental control apps on iOS. If a parental control app asks you to jailbreak the device or install an MDM profile, walk away — those approaches trade your child's security for features.
How does the photo proof feature work?
When your child finishes a chore, they open taskr, tap the task, and submit a quick photo as proof. You get a notification on your iPhone, review the photo, and either approve (which unlocks the blocked apps), reject with feedback (so they can redo it), or extend the deadline. The whole approval loop takes about 10 seconds per task.
What ages is taskr designed for?
taskr is built for families with kids and teens roughly ages 6 to 17 — any age where Screen Time on iPhone is already part of how your family works. Younger kids tend to use taskr for daily chores (bed, dishes, room). Teens use it more for homework and time-of-day rules. The chore types and locked apps are fully customizable per kid, so the same family can run very different setups for different ages.
What iPhone or iPad models does taskr support?
taskr requires iOS 16 or later on both the parent's and the child's device. That covers every iPhone from the iPhone 8 forward and every iPad from the 5th generation forward. Both devices need to be signed in to Apple Family Sharing for the parent-child link to work, and the child's device needs to grant the Family Controls permission the first time taskr is opened.
How does taskr protect my family's privacy and data?
taskr cannot read your child's messages, browsing history, photos, location, or contacts — Apple's Family Controls sandbox blocks all of that by design. taskr can only block apps and manage Screen Time, nothing else. Family data is encrypted in transit and at rest, never sold or shared for advertising, and chore photos are stored only as long as needed for parent review. Full details in our privacy policy.
Can I choose which apps to block for each chore?
Yes. Every chore has its own block list, so you can match the block to the task. Block social media and games during homework. Block only YouTube during dishes. Keep Messages, Phone, FaceTime, and school apps available across all chores so blocks never feel unsafe. You can also block whole categories (Games, Social, Entertainment) instead of picking apps one by one.
How long does it take to set up taskr?
About 5 minutes for the first kid, less for each additional one. The setup is: install taskr on the parent's iPhone, install it on each child's iPhone or iPad, accept the Family Controls permission once on the child's device, then add chores with deadlines and pick which apps each chore blocks. No accounts to create — taskr uses your existing Apple ID through Family Sharing.