Free Time is a mindful app blocker that helps you use your apps in moderation. Unlike restrictive app blockers that kick you off your apps, Free Time helps you learn to use them mindfully through an unlocking process.
The apps you select to lock stay locked all day. When you want to use them, you come to Free Time to unlock them, and return to lock them when you're done.
Important: Free Time doesn't automatically lock apps for you. You control when to lock them.
Free Time uses Apple's Screen Time API to block apps on your device. This requires special permissions:
These permissions ensure Free Time can effectively manage app access while respecting your privacy.
No. Free Time doesn't automatically lock apps for you. Apps remain unlocked until you manually press the "Lock Now" button. This is intentional - we help you learn to use apps mindfully, not force you off them.
You can also lock apps from the Dynamic Island/Live Activity on your lock screen.
Mindful Moments are the puzzles and exercises you complete before unlocking your apps. They include:
Free users get Word Unscramble by default. Pro users can select multiple types and rotate between them.
Yes, if you're a Pro user:
Free users use Word Unscramble only.
When you force-quit or close Free Time while apps are unlocked:
This ensures you won't lose access if Free Time closes unexpectedly.
Digital Detox schedules are like a padlock - a second lock that prevents you from easily unlocking your apps during specific times. They help you stay focused during important periods like sleep, work, or morning routines.
Think of them as an additional layer of protection on top of the regular app locking.
Schedules add friction to make unlocking more intentional during your protected time.
Yes! You can create multiple schedules that run on different days and times. For example:
You can choose! Each schedule can:
This lets you create focused schedules. For example, block social media during work hours but allow messaging apps.
Yes. During an active schedule, you can still unlock apps but there's a short waiting period (cooldown). This ensures you can access apps if truly needed while adding intentional friction.
Timer sessions are instant and temporary. Schedules are recurring and run automatically.
Pomodoro is a focus technique with alternating work and break periods:
You can customize all timings in Settings.
Deep Focus is a customizable focus session where you choose the duration. Unlike Pomodoro, there are no structured breaks - you decide when to end the session.
Yes! During Pomodoro or Deep Focus sessions:
The timer accounts for paused time when calculating your session completion.
Yes. When you start a focus session, your apps are locked. To access them during the session:
App groups organize your apps into categories for easier management. Examples:
Each group can have its own blocking settings and schedules.
Yes. You can create groups with single apps if you want individual control. However, groups make management easier when you have multiple apps with similar usage patterns.
Yes! When creating a schedule, you can choose to:
This gives you fine-grained control over when different types of apps are blocked.
When you unlock apps, Free Time shows a Live Activity on your lock screen and in the Dynamic Island (iPhone 14 Pro and newer). This displays:
The stopwatch helps you stay aware of your app usage time. Note: There's no auto-lock timer - it's just for awareness.
Free Time includes a home screen widget that displays a daily mindfulness quote. It updates once per day with rotating inspirational messages about focus, mindfulness, and intentional technology use.
Free Time uses iOS Screen Time data to display trends and analytics in the Profile tab. This data stays on your device and in your private iCloud account - it's never shared with third parties.
Free Time collects minimal analytics via Mixpanel to improve the app:
No personal data or specific app usage is sent to our servers. Analytics help us understand how to improve Free Time.
This usually happens when:
If issues persist, try:
This can happen if:
Your session time is still tracked in focus history, but the celebration screen may not appear.
Free Time collects:
No. Your personal data and app usage information stays private:
Yes. You can:
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