Download Pause and set up screentime settings to enable the app to work
Pick which apps get a pause screen. You decide when the app asks you to slow down.
Before the app opens, you get a quick puzzle. Complete it and decide if this is truly the right time to be scrolling
$20/year from the moment the first version ships
$60-80/year after official release
Do you ever unlock your phone, open Instagram, and then… stare at it, wondering why you even did that?
Yeah. Me too.
That's exactly the moment Pause is designed for.
Before you drop into whatever app your thumb has learned to find on autopilot like Instagram, TikTok, Reddit, Amazon etc, Pause steps in and shows you a quick puzzle to solve first.
That's it.
No hard blocks. No guilt trips. Just a few seconds of intentional friction between you and the scroll.
Here's what's interesting about that moment, though. Sometimes you'll finish the puzzle and realize you didn't actually want to open the app at all. You were bored, anxious or just reaching. Other times, you'll finish it and think yeah, now's actually a good time — and that's completely valid too.
The goal is never to keep you off your apps.
It's to make sure you're choosing them, not just defaulting to them. There's a surprisingly big difference between those two things, and most of us never feel it because nothing ever asks us to pause long enough to notice.
And many more coming
When you tap on any app you've added to Pause, it intercepts the moment and shows you a short puzzle — something simple enough to complete in a minute or two, enough to shift your focus.
It can distract you
By the time you finish, the urge has passed and you realize you didn't actually need to open the app.
It can confirm you
You finish, feel clear-headed, and decide: this is a good time. Go ahead.
Either outcome is a win. Because both came from a conscious choice, not reflex.
Pause works with any app on your iPhone: social media, shopping, news, banking, whatever you find yourself opening without thinking. You pick which apps get intercepted. You can add or remove them anytime.
Your moment of choice
The split second between impulse and action. Pause protects that moment.
No guilt, no restriction
You're not being punished or locked out. You're being given a moment to pause and reflect.
A calmer relationship with your phone
Over time, the habit of pausing becomes its own habit. The compulsive reach starts to fade.
Built for real life
Busy morning? Stressful afternoon? Those are exactly the moments Pause is designed for, when opening an app feels automatic but probably isn't serving you.
So it doesn't actually block me?
Correct. Pause isn't a blocker. You can still access every app, you just have to solve a quick puzzle first. The goal is a pause, not a wall.
What kind of puzzles are they?
Short, simple ones, just enough to shift your focus for a few seconds. Think of them less as a test and more as a reset.
What if I just rush through the puzzle to get to the app?
That's okay. Even rushing adds a layer of awareness to what was previously a completely mindless action. Over time, that awareness compounds.
Is this for people who want to quit social media?
Not at all. Pause is for people who want to stay on their apps — just on their own terms. If you're having a good, intentional session, great. Pause just helps make sure more of your sessions are like that.
Which apps can I add to Pause?
Any app on your iPhone. Social media, shopping, news, banking — if you find yourself opening it out of habit, you can add it to Pause.
Is Pause available on Android?
Pause is currently available on iOS. Android is on the roadmap.
Be the first to know when Pause launches.
Access "founders" prices.
I am building this app solo
During the day, I design products that help people recover from addiction.
At night, I build products that help people break other bad habits.
And even though I think social media is valuable, it's also eroding our attention spans and our ability to stay present.
I don't think we need blockers. We need a pause.
