Block It Out

Getting Started

Get Block It Out running in under 5 minutes.

Step 1: Install the App

Download Block It Out from the App Store.

Step 2: Grant Calendar Access

When prompted, allow Block It Out to access your calendars:

Tap Allow Full Access when the permission dialog appears
This lets the app read events from source calendars and create shadow events in destination calendars

Note: If you accidentally denied access, go to iOS Settings → Apps → Block It Out → Calendars → Full Access

Step 3: Create Your First Rule

A “rule” tells the app which calendar to watch and where to create shadow events.

Choose a Source Calendar

Select the calendar containing events you want to sync. This could be:

Your personal iCloud calendar
A work Exchange calendar
A shared family calendar

Choose a Destination Calendar

Select where shadow events should appear. Common setups:

Personal → Work (block personal time on work calendar)
Work → Personal (see work commitments on personal calendar)
Client A → Client B (maintain availability across clients)

Configure Shadow Events (Optional)

With Essential or Advanced subscriptions, you can customize:

Shadow Title: What the event is called (e.g., “Busy”, “Hold”, “Blocked”)
Filters: Which events to sync based on title, duration, or other criteria
Privacy Settings: Whether to sync events marked as private

Save the Rule

Tap Save to create your rule. The app will immediately sync existing events.

Step 4: Verify It Worked

Open your iPhone’s Calendar app
Navigate to your destination calendar
You should see shadow events corresponding to events in your source calendar

Step 5: Enable Background Sync

Background sync keeps your calendars updated automatically:

Go to iOS Settings → Apps → Block It Out
Enable Background App Refresh

The app will now sync periodically, even when closed.

What Happens Next

New events in your source calendar automatically get shadow events created
Moved events update their corresponding shadows
Deleted events have their shadows removed
Recurring events maintain their recurrence pattern in shadows

Common First-Time Questions

“Why don’t I see my Google Calendar?”

Make sure your Google account is connected in iOS Settings → Calendar → Accounts. Block It Out can only see calendars that appear in the native Calendar app.

“Can I sync in both directions?”

Create two rules: one from A→B and another from B→A. Each rule is independent.

“Will this modify my original events?”

Never. Block It Out only creates shadow events in destination calendars. Source events are read-only.

“How do I know which events are shadows?”

Shadow events contain a hidden identifier in their notes. You can also use the “Clean Up” feature in Settings to find and manage all shadows.

Next Steps

Explore all features available with different subscription tiers
Read the FAQ for answers to common questions
Check troubleshooting if something isn’t working

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