Pause
A breath before the scroll. Pause puts a short breathing screen in front of the apps you choose, so opening them is a decision rather than a reflex.
Free, every feature included. iPhone on iOS 26, US only.
Launch announcement
Pause is live. It started with a simple question: what if opening an app was a decision instead of a reflex? One breath, then you choose. Thank you to everyone who tested it, and feedback is always welcome at the address below.
How a pause works
- You choose the apps. Pick the ones that pull you in, one by one or by category.
- You open one. Before it loads, Pause shows a calm breathing screen: a ring that grows and shrinks, with a gentle sound and haptics if you like.
- You decide. When the breath ends, continue to the app, or go home. After you continue, the app stays unlocked for a short grace window (60 seconds by default) so you are not interrupted twice.
What you can adjust
- Length: 3 to 30 seconds, with an optional time-of-day schedule.
- Breathing patterns: Calm (4 in, 6 out), Box, 4-7-8 and the physiological sigh.
- Backdrops: your own photos, a mandala, aurora, rain, ocean or a night sky.
- Intention check-ins: optionally say what you are opening an app for, and get a gentle follow-up asking whether you did it.
- Shortcuts: as an alternative to Screen Time, a personal automation can run a "Pause Then Open" action when an app opens.
Why Pause asks for Screen Time access
Pause uses Apple's Screen Time and Family Controls frameworks for one job: showing a pause when you open an app you chose. You pick the apps in Apple's own picker, and Apple hands Pause opaque tokens for them. Pause cannot see your Screen Time usage, which apps you use, or for how long. You can turn it off at any time in Pause (Setup, then Turn off) or in iOS Settings > Screen Time.
Privacy
Pause's App Privacy is Data Not Collected. No accounts, no analytics, no ads, no third-party SDKs, no servers. Your settings and pause history stay on your device, and you can export or erase them in Settings. Read the full privacy policy.
Frequently asked
Which iPhones does it work on?
iPhone running iOS 26 or later.
Does it block my apps?
No. It adds a short pause. You always choose whether to continue or go home.
Can I use it without Screen Time access?
Yes. The Shortcuts route needs nothing beyond the app, though the Screen Time route is the smoother one.
Support
Questions, bugs or feedback: jeff@jefflittell.com
An app I didn't choose is being paused
In Apple's app picker, the circle next to a category such as Social selects the whole category, which pauses every app in it. Open Pause, go to Setup, tap Change apps, and untick the category. Then expand it and tick only the apps you want.
How do I stop Pause entirely?
In Pause, go to Setup and tap Turn off on the Screen Time card. You can also remove Pause's access in iOS Settings > Screen Time.