Emergency Unlock: 3 escapes every 30 days

Emergency Unlock opens all your apps and sites for 15 minutes — no challenge needed. You get 3 every 30 days, so use them wisely.

What it does

• Unlocks every locked app and site for 15 minutes, including anything past its daily limit.
• Lets you edit your restrictions freely during those 15 minutes.
• Works even when Strict Mode is on — it's the only override Strict Mode allows.

How refills work

Your 3 unlocks refill on a rolling window. Each one you use comes back 30 days later — there's no monthly reset day. The Emergency Unlock screen shows how many you have, like "2 of 3 available," plus "Next refill in 12 days."

How to use one

1. In Descreened, go to Settings.
2. Tap Emergency Unlock.
3. Tap Emergency Unlock Now.

Faster next time: long-press the Descreened icon on your Home Screen, then tap Emergency Unlock from the menu. The shortcut shows how many you have left.

Good to know

• The 15-minute window starts as soon as you use one. It can't be paused or extended.
• If Screen Time access was turned off, Emergency Unlock can't run. The app asks you to re-enable it first, so no unlock is wasted.
• Some actions cost an Emergency Unlock under Strict Mode — for example, pausing site blocking to toggle Safari extensions on/off.

Tip: Treat these as true emergencies. If you burn all 3, the next refill can be up to 30 days away.