2023-03-11
Great app!
I’ve really enjoyed the customization features. The analytics could use a bit of improvement with only showing the top important ones
Updating
iPhone Screenshots
iPad Screenshots
Description
Many of the distracting apps use rewards and gamification (like number of likes on a photo) to capture attention. With ScreenZen™, you can use the same tricks to help yourself undo your habit loops with these apps.
While some apps require GPS to track when you pick up your phone, ScreenZen™ uses shortcuts to allow you to pause before opening the app.
Privacy is a top concern for app users (as it should be) and your data, including specific app use data is never stored anywhere except on your own device.
Read the privacy policy here:
https://www.screenzen.co/privacy-policy
*****ScreenZen ™ is FREE for a limited time during initial release******
Download now to start your journey towards a more balanced relationship with your phone.
What's New in Version 1.2.34
Added progress graph screen, fixed bug supporting different group settings across the same app, fixed site unlocking bug.
Seller
Name
ScreenZen LLC
Information
Developer
Categories
Version
1.2.34
Size
82.2 MB
Game Center
No
VPP Device Licensing
Yes
Rating
Rated: 4+
Compatibility
iOS 15.0 or later
Devices
iPhone 5s, iPhone 6, iPhone 6 Plus, iPhone 6s, iPhone 6s Plus, iPhone SE, iPhone 7, iPhone 7 Plus, iPhone 8, iPhone 8 Plus, iPhone X, iPhone XR, iPhone XS, iPhone XS Max, iPhone 11, iPhone 11 Pro, iPhone 11 Pro Max, iPhone SE (2nd generation), iPhone 12, iPhone 12 Pro, iPhone 12 Pro Max, iPhone 12 mini, iPhone 13, iPhone 13 Pro, iPhone 13 Pro Max, iPhone 13 mini, iPhone SE (3rd generation), iPhone 14, iPhone 14 Plus, iPhone 14 Pro, iPhone 14 Pro Max, iPad (5th Generation) Wi-Fi, iPad (5th Generation) Wi-Fi + Cellular, iPad (6th generation) Wi-Fi, iPad (6th generation) Wi-Fi + Cellular, iPad Pro, iPad Pro (Cellular), iPad Pro (9.7-inch), iPad Pro (9.7-inch) (Cellular), iPad Pro 12.9-inch (2nd generation), iPad Pro 12.9-inch (2nd generation) Wi-Fi + Cellular, iPad Pro (10.5-inch), iPad Pro (10.5-inch) Wi-Fi + Cellular, iPad Pro (11-inch), iPad Pro (11-inch) Wi-Fi + Cellular, iPad Pro 12.9-inch (3rd generation), iPad Pro 12.9-inch (3rd generation) Wi-Fi + Cellular, iPad Air, iPad Air (Cellular), iPad Air 2, iPad Air 2 (Cellular), iPad Air (3rd generation), iPad Air (3rd generation) Wi-Fi + Cellular, iPad mini Retina, iPad mini Retina (Cellular), iPad mini 3, iPad mini 3 (Cellular), iPad mini 4, iPad mini 4 (Cellular), iPad mini (5th Generation), iPad mini (5th Generation) Wi-Fi + Cellular, iPad (7th generation) Wi-Fi + Cellular, iPad Pro 11-inch (2nd generation), iPad Pro 11-inch (2nd generation) Wi-Fi + Cellular, iPad Pro 12.9-inch (4th generation), iPad Pro 12.9-inch (4th generation) Wi-Fi + Cellular, iPad Air (4th Generation) (Wi-Fi), iPad Air (4th Generation) (Wi-Fi + Cellular), iPad (8th generation) Wi-Fi, iPad (8th generation) Wi-Fi + Cellular, iPad Pro 11-inch (3rd generation), iPad Pro 11-inch (3rd generation) Wi-Fi + Cellular, iPad Pro 12.9-inch (5th Generation), iPad Pro 12.9-inch (5th Generation) Wi-Fi + Cellular, iPad (9th Generation), iPad (9th Generation) Wi-Fi + Cellular, iPad mini (6th Generation), iPad mini (6th Generation) Wi-Fi + Cellular, iPad Air (5th generation), iPad Air (5th generation) Wi-Fi + Cellular, iPad Pro 11-inch (4th generation), iPad Pro 11-inch (4th generation) Wi-Fi + Cellular, iPad Pro 12.9-inch (6th generation), iPad Pro 12.9-inch (6th generation) Wi-Fi + Cellular, iPad (10th generation), iPad (10th generation) Wi-Fi + Cellular, iPod touch (6th Generation), iPod touch (7th generation)
Languages
English
App Store: Customer Ratings
Ratings & Reviews
4.5 of 5 (827 Ratings)
App Store: Customer Reviews
2023-03-10
Unshackle your mind
You can save time, feel better about your day, and do more of what you want to do today. This app will help you put down your freakin’ phone, and it does it in a pleasant, flexible way!
2023-03-09
Great app w technical issues
I love this app. I feel it works much better than screen time or a lot of alternatives out there. I would rate it 5/5 but it often stops working and has to be deleted and reinstalled to get it to work again. Doing so deletes the configurations so you have to set it up again. It is a fairly easy set up but it is enough to be a pain. I would say still try it out, maybe you won’t run into the troubles. Great app, hope it gets fixed.
2023-03-09
Great!
For a while there was a bug that prevented ScreenZen from working. This bug was fixed and now works perfectly!
2023-03-09
Idea fantastic, but app very glitchy
Update: I would give 10 stars for developer responsiveness! Thank you for making all the improvements you could, plus a couple more.
I understand about Apple’s glitches that you can’t control. I hope to see Apple improve this aspect or that you serendipitously discover a workaround.
It does appear that all app groups are still using the same delay of the first app group, despite them all being set differently (they all seem to delay 20 seconds, while I have at least one set to 5, so it should be obvious). It doesn’t impede my use of the app, I just have to accept a 20sec delay on anything.
I’ve cut my problematic phone use by about 70% over the month of using the app (after making it past the glitches), so kudos for creating something that helps
Original Review: I wish I could give two ratings. Five stars for the specific setup of this app: Delayed app/website opening, customizable Works on apps and websites Custom message while delay timer is going No easy circumvention (less cheating myself) Customizable lock-out time Overall very simple Zero stars for current state of the app: App crashes every time I select “select apps” and then try to open the “other” category, so I can get to the specific websites. I got it to work once, then never again. Uninstall/reinstall doesn’t fix it. The various app groups are strangely mixed up. I delay youtube.com for 20 seconds and instagram.com for 5, but it shows the opposite when I actually go to the sites in safari. There’s more glitchy stuff like that. Also, while inside an app group, please add an “ok” or “done” button next to the “delete” button. I keep almost accidentally deleting the app group, since the only options are “delete” at the top and “save” at the bottom and my brain automatically goes for the “delete” every time, so must not be a good design choice (or I have an unusual brain…).
2023-03-08
Goated
So grateful it’s completely free and also effective.
Came back to review it again. Finally “found the time” for reading.
2023-03-07
Same app, completely different UI??
ScreenZen has been very helpful to me in reducing my time on social media. It was so helpful, I convinced my friend to download the app! However, when I spoke to her about how she was liking it, it became clear that our apps have completely different UI and features. I have a “groups” tab which allows me to pick which set of apps is blocked at which time; she has a “pickups” tab which tracks how often she’s opened her blocked apps. The other two tabs, “settings” and “more”, are similar between our phones, but still have notable differences.
We both have iPhones, from the same generation, and we have the same version of the app. So why the different experiences? This has left both of us feeling confused, and like we’re missing out on features the other enjoys. Hopefully the developer can resolve these discrepancies soon.
2023-03-06
Simple and effective
Only issue is youtube app resests when opened instead of resuming where you were
2023-03-05
It’s okay
The app works okay. The app is a bit too simple without explaining what anything is. I type in “20 minutes” for one category for “7 opens” for “10 seconds” but it doesn’t explain what that does or how it works. Not only that, but when I tried to put those exact settings, the app just told me the app was restricted even if I have a lot of minutes left. Furthermore, when I clicked the app, it would just then after two attempts, when I had put 7, just put me back home or said, restricted. I don’t like the app, I think it’s a good thought but needs a better user interface and a polish of its system.
2023-03-05
Great app for helping social media addiction
Helps me get my life back on track because lately, there hasn’t much of living mine.
2023-03-05
It really works!
This app is the only thing that has successfully kept me off of social media. I love it!
2023-03-01
Effective and easy to use
Thank you for creating this app it’s been immensely helpful
2023-02-28
Awesome Update!
I liked the app before this new update, but it fixed problems that I wasn’t even aware I was working around. Thanks for being a fantastic developer and keeping this all free!!!
2023-02-21
Does not unlock
I first downloaded this app through a recommendation because I felt like
the Iphone screen time was a scam. I wanted to cut down my social media usage, which was a major reason for my phone addiction. After I downloaded, I saw my usage of twitter, tiktok, instagram, fb drop significantly, which was exactly what I wanted! But somewhere in one of their software updates, the app stopped letting me open any of the apps. I would have to delete my restricted apps just to find a restaurant or recipe i saved, which is really annoying to do. It defeated the whole point of the app. I feel really disappointed because I liked the app a lot and I know it worked at one point. I keep the app around in hopes that the software updates and lets me open the apps when I need to, but it so far hasn’t.
2023-02-16
Latest update is buggy
I have liked this app before the latest update. It worked for me. The update seems like a value addition with strict blocking mode and so on.. But it seems a little buggy.
1.I have set a daily limit of 7 for a few apps. And enabled strict blocking. But it just blocks the apps and does allow to open even once.
2. Every time I open screen zen it starts with the set up screen which is annoying.
3. Lastly, it would be nice to have a count down timer when we open apps instead of just saying that it will open in x seconds.
2023-02-16
Simple, Effective, and Free
Unlike many of the other apps that offer the same blocking options, ScreenZen gives that and more at no monthly subscription. The philosophy that this app uses, which is creating a delay before you open the app, is a great way to get you to ask “why?” before you indulge your app-opening habits. ScreenZen also has a great blocking system when you reach the end of your opening goals, which prevents you from breaking your goals the same way you could with the “ignore limit” and “15 minutes more” options in screen time. I’ve been locking my settings page on ScreenZen to stop myself from impulsively changing my settings, and I’ve found that I have been truly sticking to my time goals for my phone and iPad. Really, this app gives way more than other app blocking apps and doesn’t lock important features, like unoverrideable blocks and scheduling your blocks, behind a paywall. If I could donate to this developer, I would.
2023-02-13
Barely works
The concept is great, but the settings don’t seem to save properly. Some apps were randomly locked or unlocked when they shouldn’t have been. The app also crashes if you open too many categories at once when selecting apps.
The UI could also be improved to make it clearer that tapping Unlock twice cancels the cooldown timer for opening an app.
2023-02-13
Great app!!! But needs one small fix.
Pros: This app is exactly what I was looking for because I spend way too much time checking and rechecking social media and before I know it nothing in my house is getting done.
It allows you to select each individual app you want to put a timer and message on the screen requiring you to really think, “ should I be doing something more productive” that’s what I have mine say. You can select the amount of time it makes you wait for it to unlock. And has a counter to show you how many times you’ve pressed unlock that day.
It’s definitely helped me.
Cons: There is one small glitch that needs to be fixed, that doesn’t work properly. The pause button under settings that says it lets you pause for 60 minutes, doesn’t pause for 60 minutes. It turns it off for the rest of the day allowing you to use your phone as normal. This doesn’t help. I have turned it off while I take a lunch break and after the 60 it just stays off and I get sucked back into sitting down on my phone. Just that bug needs to get fixed and maybe make it have a pause for 15, 30, 45 and 60 minutes since most people have lunch breaks for 30 to 60 minutes and gives them the ability to set it for how long their break is.
2023-02-12
One of the best screen time apps
It’s amazing
2023-02-08
Love it, flaws and all
It’s a bit glitchy, but it is free. My workaround to get it working again without needing to redo the app groups is to go into Settings > Screen Time > Scroll down > Toggle the “Apps With Screen Time Access” for this app off and on again. There’s no chart data like the pictures show but that’s not really necessary. Good for awareness and limiting time within apps to mitigate mindless scrolling. I use this paired with the native Apple screen time, now my screen time is trending downward! Shoutout to binchtopia.
2023-02-06
Great app— but stopped working?
Great app but stopped working?
I’m trying to see how I can reach support but no luck. Not sure if there’s a bug or what but I can’t open apps that are locked for some reason. Super strange
I tried turning off my phone, deleting the group and adding it again etc. no luck
2023-02-05
Sad
It doesn’t block sites, only apps. At least for me. I tried blocking sites but i can still access them. ☹️
2023-02-04
Amazing until it stopped working
This app was exactly what I needed to reduce my screen time. I loved it until after a few weeks it stopped working. The apps that I set to limit wouldn’t let me bypass the limit, so I just had zero access. This lead me to have to turn off the limit feature so I could access the apps, and ultimately stop using ScreenZen. I contacted customer service and they did not reply.
2023-01-31
Awesome wish they had it for android
Great idea love the product, it wish they had it for android as I have iPhone and my kids have android.
2023-01-29
Super useful for this distracted med student
Game changer. Just needed something to stop me from overdoing it so that I can study more and this has done that exactly and has worked so well! Definitely recommending to all my friends
2023-01-29
Interface does not fit on screen
I cannot see the interface fully.
2023-01-26
almost perfect
I like the simple interface much better than the app I was using before (opal), but I’ve run into two pretty significant issues so far:
1. screen zen doesn’t work for pausing websites in safari. it just blocks them. I click the timer button, nothing happens after the timer is out, and if I click it again safari closes and I go back to my home screen.
2. I then have to “disable pause for one hour” to get into those sites on my browser, but the pause doesn’t automatically start working again after an hour. It’ll go all day if I don’t open the screen zen app to get it going again.
aside from those two things, this is a great little app! hoping those bugs can be fixed.
2023-01-25
It just blocks the app
It doesn’t set a timer for opening or for use. It just disables the app entirely. Not sure how to use this.
2023-01-24
amazing for my adhd but…
okay first- i heard about this app on the Binchtopia podcast and i am obsessed- it really helps keep my screen time down. however!! i ran into an issue while trying to set up different app groups that start at different times- so that i could have my screen time be more limited on weekdays during the day (45sec delay with a 7 minute limit) and more relaxed on evenings/weekends (10-20sec delay and 60 minute limit). unfortunately when i set the different groups, i only see the more “strict” group when i go to open an app, even if it’s after the time that i set it for. i tried re-saving and editing the groups and double checking the times that i set different groups for, but it will only use the “strict” group settings. would love to see this fixed!!
2023-01-24
It’s not working right now
Apps don’t unlock after hitting unlock. Additionally, the other features like records of phone pickups and use aren’t available. I emailed support weeks ago but they haven’t responded.
2023-01-21
Doesn’t Unlock Like It Should
It’s a great concept and I like the simple interface as well as the ability to separate apps and websites into different timing block and/or time limits. The unlock feature is also well-thought out because you set the delay to unlock for 0 seconds or much longer and you can customize the messages that pop up such as “Do you really need to check social media right now?”.
However, the unlock button does not work…it will not unlock the apps even though it is supposed to and as much as I would like to avoid over-using my phone, it’s annoying when I am intentionally trying to check something or I need to order something online and I can’t bypass the screen. I emailed their customer support on Jan. 3rd and haven’t heard back, it’s been 2.5 weeks so I’d love to re-download in the future if they can make it work as intended but until then, it’s just not helpful and I can’t get an answer or solution within a reasonable time period.
2023-01-20
Bugs out but still useful..?
If I could I would maybe give this a 3.7. I love that you can specify sites/apps, how many unlocks you’re allowed in a day, how long you have to wait to unlock & how long the unlocked period is. The first night I used it it worked fine. The following day, I figured I would allow myself a couple of 10m intervals of screen time throughout the day & went to unlock.. waited the 30 seconds.. & nothing. It tells me that the app is restricted. I don’t understand? I’m still gonna keep the app but now I have to go in the app and temporarily unlock an app & then come back and re add it to the limit list when I’m through. & that feels counterproductive to what I’m trying to do?
2023-01-20
Works great, until it doesn’t.
I love this app but it always stops working for me. I’ll be enjoying it for a few days and then it simply won’t work. I delete it and install it again but would love a better solution! User error? Quite possible. Please advise!
2023-01-20
Graph?
How do I see the pickup breakdown graph as shown in the App Store preview?
Otherwise, amazing app.
2023-01-18
Fix it please?
It won’t let me open websites/apps even after pressing unlock. It used to work, now it just flat out restricts what I want to use unless I pause it.
2023-01-18
Really like the idea, but won’t even set up correctly
I really want to try this app. Love the concept. But in the post download setup, I get stuck in a loop of “allowing” that never completes set up.
2023-01-15
LEGENDARY APP
It’s free & it’s useful Depends on your strength of determination Tip / write your costume message in your language and make it sharp & make the witting time 30s
2023-01-12
not the same as it used to be
removed VPN feature recently, which was nice to block apps. now it’s just a bland app. it’s really nice that it’s free though, i just wish that it was back to it’s normal VPN blocking days. but the VPN was also glitchy and kept making me disconnect from the WiFi.
2023-01-12
cut screen time by 1/3, then broke
sometimes non functional. i have to re install app to resume working state and then reset all custom app groups. excellent app in theory but it doesn't work for more than a few days in practice.
i bet these are issues caused by Apple's poor Screen Time API. it's taken years to even be released to third party devs. Apple has no real incentive to help users reduce device usage so i'm skeptical these technologies will ever work. props to the ScreenZen team for trying despite these unfavorable odds.
2023-01-10
Didn’t work at all. Dumb.
I followed the instructions. App didn’t work.
2023-01-10
Thank you
This app is very similar to “opal” but it is free. Thank you very much to the developer
If I could ask for one change though: increase the add 1 second feature to add 5 seconds, or let the user choose. I think 1 second is too low a “penalty”
2023-01-10
Amazing
Love this. Has significantly cut down usage on distracting apps. Highly recommend.
2023-01-08
Just stopped working…?
I was skeptical that this app would help me cut down on screen time but it absolutely did! But then after exactly one week it just stopped functioning. No setting changes, all my apps to block lists are still intact…it just no longer counts how many times I open them or asks me if I want to proceed, as though the app wasn’t there at all. I tried restarting my phone and updating everything, but no change. Oh and also the user interface isn’t identical to what you see in the App Store. Not great.
2023-01-08
VPN Buggy
Currently, it doesn’t allow me to use the VPN correctly. Rather than turn off once I’m in the app and allow me to use it for the time limit set, the VPN instead never turns off. This is frustrating as then I don’t have internet connection and have to exit the app to turn the VPN off manually. I really liked this feature, so I’m upset at this new development.
2023-01-07
Overall wonderful
I love this, there are a few glitches. One being - The pause doesn’t so far undo itself (remains paused until I turn it back on). Another glitch I find is that when choosing apps it cuts some off and I have to go back and try again. Still 5 stars, I love the simplicity, I love how it’s set up. I love how effective it is.
2023-01-07
Awesome app, but would like one change
I love this app. I appreciate how the block message forces you to consciously assess why you are opening the app and make the best decision. It’s really helped me to be more intentional about my time instead of wasting it out of habit. I would like an option to still be able to receive notifications through blocked apps. For Instagram especially as my classmates often contact me initially through the app for group projects and the like, and I’m unable to see these messages until my unrestricted time. Thank you!
2023-01-01
Suggestion
Love the new screen time linked feature. Great app, but I liked when it took __ seconds to unlock the “unlock” button. Now, the “unlock” button is immediately available and it takes __ seconds to open the app. I feel like the old version allowed me to think for a while before continuing, but the new version allows me to automatically press the “unlock” button. I hope this makes sense, thanks!
2022-12-12
Exactly what I needed
A lot of screen time / app blocking apps are either too easy to get around or so aggressive I end up deleting them. This is perfect — not a total block, but something that makes you pause. The 5 second delay of it asking if I actually need an app open is so helpful for when I’m unconsciously picking up my phone to flip through things. Also love how simple it is. Very grateful I found this
2022-12-05
Perfect for what I need!
This is the perfect app and is exactly what I need. Sometimes I need to open certain distracting apps like Instagram to respond to a friend, so this app gives me the best balance of using distracting apps.
2022-12-05
great app, confusing mechanic
i’m confused about the disable pause mechanic. with this, i’m able to disable all settings for 60m which means uninterrupted screen time and without this, i can’t open my app at all as the unlock feature does nothing. is this a bug?
2022-12-04
Constant freezes, can’t add websites
This app would be great if it worked, but it doesn’t. I couldn’t find a way to add websites. I wrote them asking how, and they told me it’s under Other. I wrote back saying the entire app freezes when I select Other, and never got a response.
Out of desperation I uninstalled and reinstalled the app, and now I can select Other without freezes (though the app does still often freeze). But there is no option to add a URL under Other, it’s just a list of installed apps that it has categorized as Other. The screenshot they sent showed URLs under Other but there is nothing like that for me and no obvious option to add URLs.
2022-11-22
Recommended!!!
Set up took more than the 5 minutes the tutorial claimed it would take. App does not always work but it’s worked enough times when I pick up the phone habitually that I am reassured this and other apps will make me pause to breathe and reconsider my actions and intent. I am keeping this app! Has visuals to show number of times you used apps and when you decided not to use the app. I like seeing the numbers being tracked to remind me to be mindful! The video tutorial was super helpful when setting up!
2022-11-18
it actually finally ended my tiktok addiction!
I downloaded TikTok in 2020 while stuck at home and as many know, it’s notoriously addictive. I tried screentime limits and other apps but could not stop mindlessly opening the app and scrolling. The forced pause mechanism in Screen Zen is genius. I didn’t think anything would work for my addiction, but it did. The best part is that I didn’t have to quit altogether. I still use it occasionally for a break, but it’s more deliberate and mindful, and the constant need to just open it without thinking is GONE. Get this app.
2022-10-25
Was the best screen time app ever
Absolute best app to limit phone usage.
Since a couple of weeks ago the best feature on the app (VPN) stopped working. And now the app just isn’t the same. If that works again it’s the best all again but for now not as great.
2022-10-21
Actually Effective
This is the first “distraction” app I have encountered that is actually useful/effective for the iPhone. Not all of the features work perfectly, but the basic feature of the time delay is well conceived and is consistently effective.
2022-10-01
Great idea and perfectly executed
This is perfect for my use, which is dealing with a moderate phone addiction while still needing to use social media for photography purposes. I’ve tried various blockers in the past, but they tend to be either too lenient (letting you bypass too quickly and easily) or too strict (blocking apps completely with no bypass option). I’ve also tried ditching my smart phone completely, but that does disconnect me from social networks that I do want to be a part of.
With ScreenZen, I can set a prompt like “Is this for business?” on relevant apps, and it’s been shocking to me the number of times I’ve mindlessly opened an app and been given the prompt without even realizing that I was just seeking a dopamine hit. Having a specific time delay, up to 30 seconds, before being able to access an app is also brilliant, as it prevents me from bypassing the prompt without truly being confronted with the consequences of my actions.
Great app!
2022-09-25
Kinda effective if you use the app with some strategies
Turn on greyscale, turn off your iPad when it is not necessary, turning off notifications and using this app has reduced my SOT a lot. I am more thoughtful about my choices and more present. And this app is totally free, without any ads. I sincerely thank the developers for doing that.
2022-09-17
No WiFi after iOS16 update
After I updated my phone to iOS 16, whenever I would use social media apps being controlled by ScreenZen, then I would lose my Wi-Fi connection and have to reboot my phone in order to get connected again to Wi-Fi. Once I deleted the screenzen app i no longer had Wi-Fi issues. I’m not sure if this is on Apple’s side or screenzen’s side. Love the app before the issue.
2022-09-11
Love it! It’s a godsend for my adhd
This app is great there’s no in-app purchases that restrict a bunch of features and it’s super easy to set up. My ADHD has made me addicted to my phone, but this app doesn’t just ban them for hours it allows me to set up a certain number and time of when I’m allowed to open and scroll. While giving me a reminder and letting me catch myself by asking “is it important?”. I’ve already seen a improvement in curbing my phone usage and urges to pick up my phone. It’s the second day and I didn’t spend a whole morning in bed. Instead I’m actually making progress on a book I’ve been meaning to read.
I really recommended this app!
2022-08-01
Had to uninstall - forces vpn config on iPad
The iPad version of this insists on installing vpn configuration, which I do not want. I have another vpn config, and I don’t need the vpn functionality of this software. The software got stuck in a loop, demanding I allow the vpn software, clicking skip or don’t allow hundreds of times to no avail. I had to power down my iPad and uninstall the software.
Horribly invasive.
2022-07-16
Love this app
If you’re looking to use your phone less DOWNLOAD THIS APP. I have ADHD and a serious problem with overusing my phone. I check my phone so much that it’s gotten in the way of my real life relationships. This app not only helped me stay away from my #1 time sink, Instagram, but it also gave some really solid tips on how to make my phone less addictive so I’m not unconsciously reaching for it every 2 seconds. It’s the best app I’ve downloaded for help restricting my phone usage because it actually works.
I really love the simple interface and the fact that there are no ads or distracting animations. Just a clean UI and an app that actually works.
2022-07-15
Pretty Impressed!
I was looking for something to stop me from mindlessly opening my top used social media apps. I wanted to make a habit of enjoying some of my old hobbies instead of scrolling. This has really helped me limit my opens and get back to some of the things I love, along with elimating social media fatigue and the anxiety that can come with it. I do have one complaint - and the reason for the lost star. When I’m in social, I often read stories and open a new tab to look something up, or click on a link to an outside source. Unfortunately, that boots me out of my social app and then when I go back, it tracks against my open count. And it seems to happen immediately and give no time at all to switch back. It would be nice if it didn’t time out so quickly when you open a new window. Maybe I missed something in setup to prevent this from happening? I would appreciate a response from the developer in case I am mistaken.
2022-07-04
Good
With one minor bug. When setting up the app the first time, there is no way to progress past the intro and onto the main settings. Once you go through the tutorial, there is no way to move forward, and even electing to be reminded later in the day does not change this.
2022-07-01
I wish the schedule was easier to use, it’s kind of confusing for me.
I also don’t understand what the pickups do. I wish it was les confusing and had a better tutorial on how to tweak it to best suit you. I also wish that the message it displays changes from time to time.
2022-06-28
Can’t find anything better!
As a teen I’m realizing how addictive an app can be and how I can just subconsciously tap on a app and never leave. I was looking for a self blocker to brake this annoying system of going to bed too late then waking up late. Ofc there were so many apps out there trying to go for the same purpose but this app really helped me out. I also love that you can have a choice to reopen the app when it sends the “are you sure you want to continue” memo.
Can everyone give them a round of applause for the simple and practical use of this. they don’t shove advertisement in your face! There’s vary few apps who don’t send spontaneously ads. Here
few ideas:
-is it possible to add more labels such as how you added “Pinterest”, “safari” eta. I understand there’s a lot of apps out there but maybe is it possible to add simple categories such as “games” or you can create your own label for the app?
- a reward system; where you reached a certain amount of times you didn’t open the app. Such as confetti all over homepage of “ScreenZen”. These are just a few ideas, thank you for this fantastic app.
2022-06-23
Instrumental !
Realistically efficient. It is important to know that we have been accustomed to believe we need to do some of the things we do. But we really don’t. It’s more of a reflex. We need such an app to give us a few seconds to recollect ourselves and choose if we want to engage or not.
Love it !
2022-05-18
The app stops working after using it once
I’m giving the app 3 stars cause I love all the options they give u to use your apps moderately instead of blocking them completely. I like everything about it except after the first time my app paused instagram, everytime I got on insta again the screenzen app stopped working. I got an error message from my shorcuts app. I uninstalled it and installed it again and the same thing happened.
2022-05-15
Really helpful
All I needed was a second to pause and breathe before I decided to go back and doom scroll or whatever. This app gives me that. If possible, I’d love to have a feature that lets me connect it to a todo or customize a message suggesting a different activity. Like when I open safari it suggests I go read my kindle, or brings up something I set as a to do for the week. Regardless, I think this simple app is perfect. No bells and whistles to make it yet another distraction, it even makes you wait a while before you get into the settings.
2022-04-26
Simple but effective
I’m so happy I found this app it has already prevented me from going down a rabbit hole multiple times. Will update this if it continues to be useful longer term!
It is much more effective for me than the built in apple screen time feature because of the adjustable wait period, which allows me to be much more mindful of my use before continuing. I like that the app doesn’t seem to track app usage in the same way as other apps so it feels more controlled data-wise and is highly specific to apps that are relevant.
I love the feature that forces a longer wait time the more times the app is opened.
I do wish I had the ability to block specific websites on safari (I tried to figure this out using if statements in shortcuts, and it seems like this is functionality apple doesn’t allow), but honestly I think it’s been better for me in the long run blocking the whole app with the option to override.
2022-04-09
Only works sometimes
At first I was so excited about this app! It seemed like exactly what I need. However, the ScreenZen screen that pops up and says “Are you sure you want to open Instagram,” for example, only shows up sometimes. Other times, I just get a banner notification at the the top of my screen that goes away. I wish the “Are you sure” screen would show each time. I’ve explored the ScreenZen and my iPhone settings to see if there’s a notifications setting that I could fix, but I’m not seeing anything. Making sure I’ve completely closed out of the Instagram app before trying to reopen it again doesn’t fix the issue either.
All of the above is true for the other apps I set ScreenZen up to work for (Facebook and Mail).
If someone could help me understand how to ensure that the full “Are you sure?” screen appears each time I open those apps, I would be so grateful.
Otherwise, the hunt for a different app-blocker type App will continue I suppose. Bummer!
2022-04-04
Does a Great Job
You don’t realize how automatic your brain has made opening up these apps until something forces you to pause for a sec and asks you “Are you sure you want to do that?”. Really a wild experience. I definitely recommend this app.
2022-03-26
So simple. Totally amazing.
A perfect step up from Apple’s (easily-overridden) screen time limits. Not only does it give you a moment to pause and reconsider thoughtlessly opening your go-to apps for doomscrolling and zoning out, it also offers goals and incentives to pick up your phone less. Can’t recommend it enough!
2022-02-07
Reduces my time on specific apps
This was the *only* app that fit what I was looking for. I don’t care about tracking how much time I spend on apps – I know it’s too much. I wanted something that stops me from staying on a particular app (tiktok), while also letting me spend *a little* time on it. This app does that and more. It makes me decide whether I really want to open that app. If I do open it, it tells me when I’ve hit a preset time limit. And it does this without tracking my GPS or using a bunch of battery. And it’s free. It’s a very clever app. There no reason not to get it.
2021-12-31
Helping with my addictions
Over the past few weeks I’ve noticed my screen time reaching alarming levels, and this app has helped me to lower my screen time by nearly 200%! Definitely would recommend :)
2021-12-21
So far so great
So happy I’ve found this app. It interrupts me every time I mindlessly go to open my social media. It such an ingrained habit at this point that creeps into my day all the time . This is really helped me see just how often I anxiously return to my apps to fill up space through out my day. Now I take breathes and redirect
2021-12-19
Nice idea
I like the idea but the app takes forever to work. When trying it out after I set it up, I opened Instagram and it took a full minute for the app to ask if I wanted to open Instagram or not. And if I open shortcuts and the app after setting it up it gets in some sort of glitchy cycle and won’t let me close the screen zen app. I like the idea but the app did not work for me.
2021-09-12
Pause feature glitch
The app is great! Was using it for a month without a problem, but lately when I open it, it’s only showing the pause app feature and none of the other categories (like
Running downtime). And even when I set it up, I can’t get passed that page.
On iPhone 8
2021-07-26
Must have for professionals
As a lawyer it’s important that I stay focused on the tasks at hand (even when working from home-thanks COVID) and this App helps me do that. I’ve recommended it yo so many other people who are trying to balance work and everything else without letting their phone take over distraction wise. Love it
2021-07-20
Easy to use, keeps the family happy
Loving this app. I have a mild phone addiction, particularly to social media. I find myself opening Twitter, Instagram, etc even when around friends/family. After using the app for a few days I found myself more present with the world around me. My wife is certainly enjoying seeing me more and my phone less!