For K-12 IT staff and tech coordinators

Apps to Block on School iPads: The List for IT Teams

Eleven categories of apps that cause most of the trouble on student iPads, with real examples, verified IDs, what to offer instead and how the defaults change from elementary to high school.

11app categories covered on this page
1.87MiPhone and iPad apps in our database
58filtering categories per app
Monthlyblocklist updates for new and cloned apps

Before you block anything: three things decide whether it works

A blocklist is only as strong as the device setup underneath it. Check these three points first, because each one can quietly undo the list.

The iPads are supervised

Blocking or hiding apps by bundle ID only applies on supervised iPads. Supervision comes from Automated Device Enrollment through Apple School Manager, or from Apple Configurator.

You know how apps arrive

Most schools hide the App Store and push apps from the MDM. If students can still install apps, the blocklist has to catch more, and it has to be current.

The web side is covered too

Many blocked apps also run in a browser. Match each app category with the same category in your web filter, or the block only moves the problem to Safari.

Not sure your iPads are supervised? Open Settings on one device. A supervised iPad shows a line under the device name saying it is supervised and managed by your school. Our guide to school iPad restrictions covers the full setup.

The category-by-category list

Each card shows why the category matters in a classroom, a handful of well-known apps with their IDs, a safer alternative and a suggested default for each grade band. The examples are a starting point: the full category lists carry many more apps, including new clones.

AI chat and companion apps

AI / LLM Tools
Why it mattersGeneral chat assistants write essays, solve homework and hold open conversations. Several homework solvers turn a photo of a worksheet into a finished answer.
The safeguarding angleCompanion apps role-play as friends or partners. That is a concern at any age and the main reason many districts block this group outright for students.
AppiOS bundle IDApp Store IDAndroid package
ChatGPTcom.openai.chat6448311069com.openai.chatgpt
Google Geminicom.google.gemini6477489729com.google.android.apps.bard
DeepSeekcom.deepseek.chat6737597349com.deepseek.chat
Character.AIai.character.app1671705818ai.character.app
Replikaai.replika.app1158555867ai.replika.app
Gauthcom.gauthmath.intelligence1542571008com.education.android.h.intelligence
Allow instead: one district-approved AI tool with a signed data privacy agreement, pushed as a managed app only to the grades your policy names. On iPadOS 18 and later, supervised iPads also have separate restrictions for Writing Tools and Image Playground.
Elementary: blockMiddle: blockHigh: approved tool only

VPN and proxy apps

VPN / Proxy / Anonymizers
Why it mattersA VPN app sends the iPad's traffic around the school filter, so every other web rule stops applying. This is the first category to block on any student device.
Why lists go staleFree "unlimited proxy" apps are cloned constantly under new names. Most VPN apps carry a 4+ age rating, so an age limit will not stop them either.
AppiOS bundle IDApp Store IDAndroid package
NordVPNcom.nordvpn.NordVPN905953485com.nordvpn.android
Psiphonca.psiphon.Psiphon1276263909com.psiphon3
Turbo VPNcom.allconnected.turbovpn1365309175free.vpn.unblock.proxy.turbovpn
Cloudflare 1.1.1.1 (WARP)com.cloudflare.1dot1dot1dot11423538627com.cloudflare.onedotonedotonedotone
VPN Super Unlimited Proxymobi.mobilejump.freevpn1370293473com.free.vpn.super.hotspot.open
X-VPNcom.xvpn1250312807look up
Onion Browsercom.miketigas.OnionBrowser519296448iOS only
Allow instead: nothing for students. If the district needs a VPN for a specific program, deliver it as a managed configuration and turn off "Add VPN configurations", so only managed apps can create one. See the full VPN and proxy apps list.
Elementary: blockMiddle: blockHigh: block

Social media

Social Networking
Why it mattersFeeds built for endless scrolling compete with every lesson. Direct messages and location features put students in contact with people outside school.
Age termsMost large social services set 13 as their minimum age in their own terms, which makes them a clear block for elementary and a policy question above that.
AppiOS bundle IDApp Store IDAndroid package
TikTokcom.zhiliaoapp.musically835599320com.zhiliaoapp.musically
Instagramcom.burbn.instagram389801252com.instagram.android
Snapchatcom.toyopagroup.picaboo447188370com.snapchat.android
Xcom.atebits.Tweetie2333903271com.twitter.android
BeRealAlexisBarreyat.BeReal1459645446com.bereal.ft
Yuboco.yellw.Yellow1038653883co.yellw.yellowapp
Allow instead: the class stream in Google Classroom or a Seesaw journal, where students share work with teachers and families in a space the school controls. More apps are on the social media apps list.
Elementary: blockMiddle: blockHigh: block (media classes by exception)

Messaging and chat

Email and Messaging
Why it mattersPrivate chat apps create channels the school cannot see, which is where bullying and contact from strangers tend to happen. Some add large public groups and channels.
Do not forget iMessageApple's own messaging is a system app. On supervised iPads it has its own restriction, separate from the app blocklist.
AppiOS bundle IDApp Store IDAndroid package
WhatsAppnet.whatsapp.WhatsApp310633997com.whatsapp
Discordcom.hammerandchisel.discord985746746com.discord
Telegramph.telegra.Telegraph686449807org.telegram.messenger
Kikcom.kik.chat357218860kik.android
Messengercom.facebook.Messenger454638411com.facebook.orca
GroupMecom.groupme.iphone-app392796698com.groupme.android
Allow instead: Microsoft Teams or Google Classroom for class communication, plus school email. Both keep messages inside accounts the school manages and can review.
Elementary: blockMiddle: blockHigh: school tools only

Entertainment games

Gaming
Why it mattersPopular multiplayer games bring voice or text chat with strangers, in-app purchases and long sessions. Games is the largest App Store genre, with 202,831 apps in our database.
Where the line sitsMost schools block entertainment games and allow curriculum games. A category list does the first part; an allowlist of approved learning games does the second.
AppiOS bundle IDApp Store IDAndroid package
Robloxcom.roblox.robloxmobile431946152com.roblox.client
Fortnitecom.epicgames.FortniteGame6483539426com.epicgames.fortnite
Call of Duty: Mobilecom.activision.callofduty.shooter1287282214com.activision.callofduty.shooter
Free Firecom.dts.freefireth1300146617com.dts.freefireth
Among Uscom.innersloth.amongus1351168404com.innersloth.spacemafia
Gacha Lifecom.lunime.gachalife1440430680air.com.lunime.gachalife
Allow instead: curriculum games such as Prodigy Math Game (com.prodigygame.prodigy), PBS KIDS Games (org.pbskids.gamesapp) and Kahoot! (no.mobitroll.kahoot.controller). Roblox gets its own guide: how to block Roblox.
Elementary: blockMiddle: blockHigh: blockAll grades: learning games allowed

Video streaming

Streaming Media
Why it mattersStreaming apps eat bandwidth and attention. Live streaming platforms add live chat and streams that nobody has reviewed.
The YouTube decisionBlocking the YouTube app does not block youtube.com in Safari. Decide the app rule and the web rule together, usually with Restricted Mode forced at the network.
AppiOS bundle IDApp Store IDAndroid package
YouTubecom.google.ios.youtube544007664com.google.android.youtube
Netflixcom.netflix.Netflix363590051com.netflix.mediaclient
Twitchtv.twitch460177396tv.twitch.android.app
Kickcom.kick.mobile6446202561com.kick.mobile
Disney+com.disney.disneyplus1446075923com.disney.disneyplus
Crunchyrollcom.crunchyroll.iphone329913454com.crunchyroll.crunchyroid
Allow instead: PBS KIDS Video (org.pbskids.ipadplayer) for younger grades and teacher-chosen videos posted in the learning platform. The YouTube app guide covers app and web options side by side.
Elementary: blockMiddle: block app, Restricted Mode on webHigh: Restricted Mode

Dating and random video chat

Dating
Why it mattersThese are adult services. Random video chat apps pair strangers face to face, which makes them a safeguarding issue rather than a distraction issue.
How to treat itNo school use case exists for students. Block the full category on every student iPad, every grade, and keep the web side blocked as well.
AppiOS bundle IDApp Store IDAndroid package
Tindercom.cardify.tinder547702041com.tinder
Bumblecom.moxco.bumble930441707com.bumble.app
Hingeco.hinge.mobile.ios595287172co.hinge.app
Azarcom.hpcnt.azar972558973com.azarlive.android
MeetMecom.myYearbook.MyYearbook372648912com.myyearbook.m
Allow instead: nothing. The dating apps list includes the smaller and regional apps that rarely make headlines.
Elementary: blockMiddle: blockHigh: block

Gambling, betting and prediction markets

Gambling
Why it mattersSportsbooks, fantasy pick apps and prediction markets all take real money. They are heavily marketed around sports seasons that students follow.
The hidden part"Win real cash" bingo and skill games sit in the Games genre, not in Sports or Finance. A category list catches them; a genre filter does not.
AppiOS bundle IDApp Store IDAndroid package
DraftKings Sportsbookcom.draftkings.sportsbook1375031369com.draftkings.sportsbook
FanDuel Sportsbookcom.fanduel.sportsbook1413721906com.fanduel.sportsbook
PrizePickscom.myprizepicks.prizepicks1437843273look up
Kalshicom.kalshi.mobile1632713844com.kalshi.mobile
Polymarketcom.polymarket.ios-app6648798962com.polymarket.android
Bingo Cashcom.papaya.bingocash1522266397look up
Allow instead: nothing. Financial literacy lessons can use simulations delivered through the learning platform. More apps: the gambling apps list.
Elementary: blockMiddle: blockHigh: block

Vault and hidden-content apps

vault group
Why it mattersVault apps hide photos, videos and notes behind a PIN, often disguised as a calculator. On a school device that is a safeguarding blind spot.
Built-in hidingiPadOS 18 added hidden and locked apps. Supervised iPads have two restrictions, "Allow apps to be hidden" and "Allow apps to be locked", to turn this off.
AppiOS bundle IDApp Store IDAndroid package
Calculator# Hide Photosnet.newsoftwares.NSVault1165276801look up
Private Photo Vaultcom.enchantedcloud.photovault417571834com.enchantedcloud.photovault
Keepsafecom.keepsafe.KeepSafe510873505com.kii.safe
SPV Secret Photo Vaultcom.maplelabs.fakecalc1449239240look up
Allow instead: the school's managed storage, such as Google Drive or OneDrive signed in with the student account. Work stays where staff can reach it when needed.
Elementary: blockMiddle: blockHigh: block

Remote access tools

Remote Access Tools
Why it mattersA remote access app lets a student control a home computer from the iPad. Everything then runs on that computer's unfiltered connection.
Staff are differentIT and support staff often need these tools. Scope the block to student device groups so staff iPads keep what they use.
AppiOS bundle IDApp Store IDAndroid package
TeamViewercom.teamviewer.rc692035811com.teamviewer.teamviewer.market.mobile
AnyDeskcom.anydesk.AnyDesk1176131273com.anydesk.anydeskandroid
Allow instead: for students, nothing. Teachers who need to see student screens can use Apple's Classroom app on supervised iPads instead of a general remote control tool.
Elementary: blockMiddle: blockHigh: blockStaff: allow

Mature apps by age rating (17+ and 18+)

age rating limit
Why it mattersAn age limit catches mature apps that sit outside the categories above, such as apps with unrestricted web access or frequent mature themes.
The new tiersApple now lists 4+, 9+, 13+, 16+ and 18+. Apps once shown as 12+ or 17+ now appear in the new tiers, so recheck your limit after updates.
AppiOS bundle IDApp Store IDWhy an age limit hides it
Redditcom.reddit.Reddit1064216828Mature user content
Kickcom.kick.mobile6446202561Live streams, mature themes
Google Chromecom.google.chrome.ios535886823Unrestricted web access
Puffin Browsercom.cloudmosa.PuffinFree472937654Unrestricted web access
Watch the side effects: some learning apps carry a teen rating, Khan Academy among them, and browsers carry the top rating. On iPadOS 26.1 and later you can exempt specific bundle IDs from the age rule instead of raising the limit for everyone.
Elementary: 9+ limitMiddle: 13+ limitHigh: 16+ limit

IDs on this page are hand-checked. For any app not shown, use the free bundle ID lookup, which also returns the Android package when the app is on both stores.

Grade-band differences: elementary, middle and high school

The safety categories stay blocked in every grade. What changes with age is how the school handles communication, video and AI, and how strict the age-rating limit is.

CategoryElementary (K-5)Middle (6-8)High (9-12)
VPN and proxyBlockBlockBlock
Dating, gambling, vault appsBlockBlockBlock
Remote accessBlockBlockBlock
Social mediaBlockBlockBlock, class exceptions
MessagingBlockBlockSchool tools only
AI chat and companionsBlockBlockApproved tool only
Entertainment gamesBlockBlockBlock
Learning gamesAllowAllowAllow
Video streamingBlockWeb with Restricted ModeRestricted Mode
Age-rating limit9+13+16+

Elementary: allowlist thinking

  • Hide the App Store and push a short set of approved apps.
  • Block every category above; the list is a backstop.
  • Shared carts often suit Shared iPad or a single app per lesson.

Middle school: the testing years

  • Expect the most bypass attempts: VPNs, game sites, proxies.
  • Keep social, messaging and AI chat blocked.
  • Review device reports weekly for new app names.

High school: managed exceptions

  • Allow named tools for named courses, never whole categories.
  • Keep safety categories blocked on take-home devices too.
  • Write the exceptions into the acceptable use policy.

What students search for, and the gap each search points to

The phrases students type into search engines are a free audit of your setup. Each one below maps to a specific gap and the setting or list that closes it.

how to unblock youtube on school ipad safari

The YouTube app is blocked, but youtube.com still loads in the browser.

Close it: force Restricted Mode at the network, or block YouTube in the web filter for that grade band.

roblox unblocked for school ipad

Students look for browser game sites and cloud gaming pages once the app is gone.

Close it: block the Gaming category in the web filter, not only the Gaming app list.

how to download apps on school ipad without app store

App Clips, websites saved as Home Screen web apps and, in the EU, alternative marketplaces.

Close it: turn off "Allow App Clips", marketplace and website installs, and review web clips.

how to download apps on school ipad without apple id

Students try to sign in with a personal Apple Account to reach the store.

Close it: turn off "Modify account settings" and keep the App Store hidden.

how to unblock websites on school ipad

VPN apps, proxy browsers and proxy websites that tunnel past the filter.

Close it: block the VPN and browser categories and turn off "Add VPN configurations".

how to unblock everything on school ipad

Attempts to erase the iPad or remove its management profile.

Close it: Automated Device Enrollment with a profile that cannot be removed, and erase turned off.

Searches like "free apps to block social media" usually come from families. On a school iPad the block belongs in the MDM, not in another app installed on the device. Our walkthrough of how students get around restrictions covers each gap in more detail.

How to put this list on your school iPads

The order matters: confirm the foundation, then the app rules, then the web side, then test. Most MDMs accept the same bundle ID lists.

  1. Confirm supervision and enrollment. Check that every student iPad is assigned to your MDM in Apple School Manager and enrolled through Automated Device Enrollment.
  2. Decide how apps arrive. Hide the App Store for younger grades and deliver apps from the MDM with licences from Apple School Manager.
  3. Import the category lists. Add the bundle IDs to the blocked apps setting in your MDM. On iPadOS 27, look for the declarative App settings option, which takes the same IDs.
  4. Set the age-rating limit. Pick the tier for each grade band and exempt the few learning apps rated above it.
  5. Turn on the companion restrictions. VPN configurations, App Clips, hidden and locked apps, account changes and erase, all on supervised devices.
  6. Match the web filter. Block the same categories for websites so the web version of each app is covered.
  7. Test on one iPad per grade band. Check that blocked apps vanish and that every approved learning app still opens.
  8. Refresh monthly. Replace the list with each monthly update so new clones are covered without manual work.

Why a category list beats typing bundle IDs

Every school starts with a short list typed by hand. It works for a term, then the clones arrive.

Hand-typed bundle IDs

  • Covers the apps someone remembered last summer.
  • One typo in an ID and the block silently fails.
  • New VPN and AI chat clones are missed until a teacher notices.
  • Separate work for iPads and Android tablets.

Category blocklists

  • Block VPN, AI, social or games as a whole group.
  • Every app is categorized from its store listing, reviewed and validated.
  • Monthly updates add new apps and drop removed ones.
  • One file per platform, ready for the major MDMs.
Districts that already keep an approved list can pair it with these blocklists. Our page on building an approved apps list shows how the two fit together.

Questions school IT teams ask

Short answers to the questions that come up when a district sets its first iPad blocklist.

What apps should schools block on student iPads?

Most schools block VPN and proxy apps, AI chat and companion apps, social media, messaging, entertainment games, streaming, dating, gambling, vault apps and remote access tools. Many add an age-rating limit by grade band to catch mature apps outside those groups.

Do school iPads need to be supervised to block apps?

Yes. Blocking or hiding apps by bundle ID only works on supervised iPads. School iPads become supervised when they enroll through Automated Device Enrollment from Apple School Manager, or when they are prepared with Apple Configurator.

Should YouTube be blocked on school iPads?

Many schools block the YouTube app for younger grades and allow YouTube in the browser with Restricted Mode forced at the network for older students. If you block only the app, YouTube still opens in Safari, so decide on the web policy at the same time.

How do students get apps on a school iPad without the App Store?

The usual routes are App Clips, websites saved to the Home Screen as web apps, a school self-service catalog, and in the EU alternative app marketplaces and web distribution. Supervised iPads have a restriction for each of these, so close the ones your school does not use.

Can I block apps on school iPads by age rating?

Yes. The app content rating restriction hides apps above the age tier you choose. Apple now lists 4+, 9+, 13+, 16+ and 18+ tiers, and iOS and iPadOS 26.1 and later can exempt specific bundle IDs from the age rule, which helps when a needed learning app is rated higher than the grade band.

What changes for app blocking in iPadOS 27?

Apple lists the blocked and allow-listed bundle ID restriction keys as deprecated in iOS and iPadOS 27. The replacement is a declarative App settings configuration with allowed and denied app lists for supervised devices. It still takes bundle IDs, so the same lists apply.

How often do school app blocklists need updating?

New VPN, AI chat and game apps appear every month, often as clones with new names and IDs. A category blocklist that is refreshed monthly picks them up without anyone typing bundle IDs. Our lists are updated monthly, with new apps added and removed apps dropped.

Get every category as a file for your MDM

One school or a whole district: pick the categories, get bundle ID lists, Android packages and configuration profiles, refreshed every month.

See school plans Talk to us

iPad, iPadOS, Safari, App Store, App Clips, iMessage and Apple School Manager are trademarks of Apple Inc. Google Classroom, Google Drive, Gemini, YouTube and Chrome are trademarks of Google LLC. Microsoft Teams and OneDrive are trademarks of Microsoft Corporation.

ChatGPT is a trademark of OpenAI. TikTok is a trademark of ByteDance Ltd. Instagram, WhatsApp and Messenger are trademarks of Meta Platforms, Inc. Roblox is a trademark of Roblox Corporation. Other app names are trademarks of their respective owners.

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