app_limiter 1.0.0

A Flutter plugin to limit screen time or block apps on Android and iOS

1.0.0 - 2026-10-01

Breaking

• Android namespace changed from com.example.app_limiter to io.github.connectrizwan.app_limiter. Saved blocking state is kept.
• events emits typed AppLimiterEvents instead of maps (event.toMap() gives the old shape).
• Errors are thrown as AppLimiterException (with AppLimiterErrorCode) instead of PlatformException / ArgumentError.
• The platform interface was redesigned; custom AppLimiterPlatform implementations must be updated.

Added

• Typed cross-platform API: getPermissionStatus(), requestPermission(), getBlockingState(), unblockAll(), AppLimiter.isSupported.
• Platform namespaces limiter.android and limiter.ios.
• android.getInstalledApps() with names, categories, system flag and optional PNG icons.
• android.blockApps() / android.unblockApps() for several packages at once.
• android.isEnterpriseCapable().
• Android requestPermission() completes when the user returns from the settings screen.
• IosSchedule type for iOS schedules.
• Android setBlockScreen(BlockScreenConfig): custom title, message, footer, colors, icon and an optional button that closes the blocked app or opens the host app.
• Android setNotification() to change the blocking notification text.
• Android blockAllApps(except: [...]) allowlist; BlockingState.allowedPackages.
• AppLimiterEventType.blockedAppOpened event with the package name (Android).
• Default texts are string resources that host apps can translate or override.
• Android timed blocks: duration: on blockApp, blockApps and blockAllApps.
• Android recurring schedules: setSchedule(BlockSchedule), removeSchedule, getSchedules, with overnight windows, weekdays and "all apps except".
• BlockingState.blockedUntil, blockAllUntil and activeScheduleIds.
• Events blockExpired, scheduleStarted and scheduleEnded (Android).

Fixed

• iOS permission checks right after app launch reported notDetermined (and blocking failed with permissionDenied) although access was granted.
• Crash ForegroundServiceDidNotStartInTimeException when blocking was turned off right after it was turned on (for example a quick toggle) on Android 12+.
• The block screen footer showed "Digital Wellbeing" (Google's product name); it now shows the host app's name.
• A host app overriding the block_overlay layout no longer prevents the block screen from showing.

Added (iOS)

• App extension templates (Shield Configuration, Device Activity Monitor) and a dart run app_limiter:setup_ios command that adds them to an Xcode project.
• ios.setShield(IosShieldConfig): custom block screen with {app} placeholder.
• ios.blockSelectedApps(duration: ...): timed blocks that end while the app is closed.
• ios.setSchedule(IosBlockSchedule), removeSchedule, getSchedules.
• ios.getExtensionStatus() and AppLimiterErrorCode.extensionMissing.
• BlockingState.iosBlockedUntil; activeScheduleIds now also covers iOS.

Deprecated

• All 0.x methods; they keep working and forward to the new API. See the migration table in the README.

0.1.0 - 2026-10-01

Fixed

• Android 14+ crash MissingForegroundServiceTypeException when blocking (#1, #4). The blocking service is now a specialUse foreground service.
• Overlay disappearing about 10 seconds after opening a blocked app.
• Unblocking one Android package stopped blocking for every package.
• Repeated block calls started duplicate blocking loops and leaked overlay views.
• Blocking service kept running (with its notification) after permissions were revoked.
• Settings could not be blocked; it is now exited to the home screen because it hides third-party overlays.
• iOS selection API called Android's blockApp method, which blocked every app on Android.
• iOS picker never appeared in UIScene-based apps (Flutter's default template).
• iOS UI work ran off the main thread after the authorization prompt.
• iOS picker applied shields while the user was still choosing, and Cancel did not undo them.
• iOS plugin failed to compile ([AnyHashable: Any] passed as [String: Any]).
• events threw MissingPluginException on Android.
• "Block all" skipped preinstalled apps (YouTube, Gmail, ...) because only non-system apps were blocked; it now covers every app with a launcher icon except the dialer and Settings.

Added

• iOS: showIOSAppPicker(), blockIOSApps(), unblockIOSApps(), isIOSAppsBlocked(), getIOSAuthorizationStatus() to separate selection from blocking (#6).
• Android: blockAllAndroidApps(), unblockAllAndroidApps(), getBlockedAndroidApps(), isAndroidBlockingActive().
• Android blocking events (android_blocking_state_changed, android_blocking_stopped).
• Blocking resumes after app updates as well as reboots.
• Notification permission request on Android 13+.
• Swift Package Manager support for iOS.
• Unit tests (Dart and Kotlin) and on-device integration tests.

Changed

• blockAndroidApp/unblockAndroidApp reject empty package names; use the All variants.
• Blocking on Android fails with PERMISSION_DENIED instead of silently doing nothing.
• requestIosPermission() returns false when the user declines instead of throwing.
• Removed SCHEDULE_EXACT_ALARM from the plugin manifest.
• Deprecated blocAndroidApp(), unblocAndroidApp() and blockAndUnblockIOSApp().

0.0.1 - 2025-05-14

• Initial release.
• Supports blocking/unblocking Android and iOS apps.
• Handles permission requests on both platforms.
• Added helper methods to check and request platform-specific permissions.

0.0.2 - 2025-05-21

• Added Dartdoc comments for public API

0.0.3 - 2025-05-21

• Added Dartdoc comments for public API
• Readme File updated for easy configuration

0.0.4 - 2025-05-31

• Block Overlay Hide Issue Fixed
• Readme File updated for configuration