Block TikTok videos and still watch the ones friends send you

ShortBlocker is a free Android app that covers TikTok’s For You feed and other videos with a blur and a Leave video button, while your inbox and profile stay open. A video a friend sends you plays, so you can watch it and reply. If you swipe on to the recommended videos after it, ShortBlocker blocks them.

Updated 4 November 2026. For ShortBlocker 1.3.0 on Android 8 or later.

How to block TikTok videos

Install ShortBlocker from Google Play.
Open it and switch on TikTok. It works with TikTok Lite too.
Tap Open settings, find ShortBlocker in Android’s Accessibility list, switch it on and tap Allow. The setup guide has the exact menus for Google Pixel, Samsung, Xiaomi and other phones.

What keeps working in TikTok

Videos friends send you. They play, so you can watch and reply. Recommended videos after them are blocked again.
Your inbox and profile. The bottom bar stays visible and these screens are not covered.
Leave video. Tap it to go straight out of a covered video.

Websites aren’t covered: ShortBlocker works in the TikTok app, not in a web browser.

Free or Premium?

The free plan blocks one app at a time, so you can choose TikTok and change it whenever you like. Premium blocks TikTok, YouTube, Instagram, Facebook, Snapchat and X at the same time, and adds Tap to watch (the video you tap plays, scrolling on is blocked), allowing videos you searched for, allowed creators, schedules, a daily allowance and strict mode. Videos friends send you play on both plans, and Premium can block those too. Both have no ads and no account. Premium costs about a dollar a month on the yearly plan: in the US, $12.99 a year or $1.99 a month, with a 7-day free trial. See the plans.

If a short video is ever missed, or something is blocked by mistake, you can report it: tap Wrong? on the blocked notice, or use the Report a page button in your quick settings. Here is how to report a miss or a mistake.

Questions

Is there an Android app that blocks TikTok videos but allows videos friends send me?

Yes. ShortBlocker covers TikTok’s videos and lets a video a friend sends you play, so you can watch it and reply. If you swipe on to the recommended videos after it, ShortBlocker blocks them.

Does ShortBlocker work with TikTok Lite?

Yes. It blocks TikTok and TikTok Lite.

Can I still use my TikTok inbox and profile?

Yes. Your inbox and profile are not covered, and TikTok’s bottom bar stays visible.

Is ShortBlocker free and ad-free?

Yes. The free version blocks one app at a time, with no ads and no account. Premium blocks all six apps at once and adds more controls.