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Shieldio blocks through Safari's built-in content blocking, so Safari needs your permission once:

1. Open the Settings app and go to Apps > Safari > Extensions.
2. Open Shieldio — Ads and turn on Allow Extension.
3. Do the same for Shieldio — Trackers and Shieldio — Annoyances.

On iOS 26.2 and later, the button on Shieldio's setup screen opens this screen for you. When all three are on, Shieldio shows Protected.

If you use Safari profiles, extensions are turned on separately for each profile.

That usually means Screen Time restrictions are on for this device. Check Settings > Screen Time > Content & Privacy Restrictions, or ask whoever manages the device. A managed (work or school) device may also block extensions.

Shieldio checks each of its three extensions every time you open it. Make sure all three are turned on (see above), then switch back to Shieldio. Each extension blocks a different kind of thing, so with one off, that kind gets through.

No. Once the extensions are on, Safari does the blocking by itself. Open Shieldio only to change what's blocked or to check for list updates.

Use Safari's own controls. They work for every content blocker, Shieldio included:

• Just this time: on the page, tap the page menu button at the left of the address bar, then Turn Off Content Blockers. The page reloads without blocking until you close the tab.
• Always, for this site: in the same menu, open Website Settings and turn off Use Content Blockers.

To undo the second one later, go to Settings > Apps > Safari and look under the per-website settings for content blockers. The exact names of these buttons vary a little between iOS versions.

Please also tell us about the site (in Shieldio, Help > Report a Broken Site fills in the details), so the list maintainers can fix it for everyone.

With Cookie Notices on, Shieldio hides cookie and consent banners. Hiding a banner doesn't accept or reject anything: the site just doesn't get an answer. A few sites won't load until you answer; turn blocking off for that site, or turn Cookie Notices off.

It hides like and share buttons and embedded posts from social networks. Many pages show their main content in those embeds, so blocking them by default would break pages people want to read. Turn it on in Shieldio if you'd rather not see them.

Some sites check for ad blockers and refuse to show their content. You can turn blocking off for that site (see above), or leave.

Video ads on YouTube come from the same servers as the videos, so a content blocker can't tell them apart and can't remove them without breaking playback. Blocking them needs a different kind of Safari extension, one that can read and change every page, which Shieldio deliberately doesn't use.

No. iOS lets only Safari, and the Safari view that other apps can use to show web pages, apply content blockers. Other browsers and apps' own built-in browsers can't use them.

No. Ads inside apps and games don't go through Safari. Links that an app opens in Safari's viewer (it looks like Safari, with a Done button) are covered; pages shown in an app's own browser are not.

Most of Shieldio's rules come from public filter lists maintained by the EasyList project. When a list expires (every 4 to 9 days), Shieldio downloads the new version straight from its maintainers and converts it on your device. This happens when you open Shieldio and, when iOS allows, in the background. Check for Updates in Shieldio does it right away.

After an update, Safari takes a few seconds to load the new rules.

Yes. Turn off Automatic Updates in Shieldio. It then makes no network requests unless you tap Check for Updates. Blocking keeps working with the lists you have; they just get older. The privacy policy lists exactly what a download sends.

Blocking happens inside Safari, with no VPN and no app running while you browse. Pages usually load faster, because ads and trackers aren't downloaded. Shieldio itself only runs briefly when you open it or when iOS lets it refresh its lists.

No. Sign in with the same Apple Account, find Shieldio in the App Store and download it again. Then turn on its extensions on the new device (see above).

Purchases are made through Apple, so Apple handles refunds. Go to reportaproblem.apple.com, sign in, choose Request a refund, and select Shieldio. More help: Request a refund from Apple.