Show HN: App that asks 'why?' every time you unlock your phone

I installed this in the morning to give it a test drive, and after several hours, I learned the following: it's great when I reach for the phone as a distraction; it's a big annoyance otherwise.

E.g. each time I want to change the currently playing song, what was muscle memory gets scrambled by the interruption. Or, when I'm taking a lot of photos (like on my daughter's kindergarten event today), I tend to keep the screen off in between, and rely on being able to turn it on and shoot a photo in less than two seconds, total. Guess how that got screwed up by this app.

The app itself is great, and I'm still a believer in the concept of managing executive function issues by throwing obstacles in front of bad habits and known focus black holes. However, this experience made me discover the third class of phone activity, next to "distraction" and "work" - quick, intermittent, on-the-fly use, the kind you ideally don't think much about. This class does not distract you... unless someone adds friction to it.

I just saw the app has "every N unlocks" option, I'll try it out and see if this helps with the "third class".

Last year I laser-cut a replica of my phone out of wood. I looked at it, said the words "this is my phone", and put it in my pocket, where I normally carried my phone. You wouldn't believe how many times I mindlessly pulled out this piece of wood from my pocket, intending to check messages, or whatever. When I placed it on the table while having dinner with a friend, my inner eye was looking at it, thinking maybe there is a new message. It was absolutely absurd and scary. You can try this out yourself.

Great! Apps like these are sorely needed. My feedback would be, apart from what others are saying about sub vs one-time purchase, to look at what Leechblock firefox extension is doing.

The key point is to make it harder (but not impossible) for me to use the phone. A "Do you need this?" is a great start, but since I can easily sneak by, I will soon do that. Even if I click "1 minute" to get a reminder, that should not be a simple notification, but back to the large big screen covering things.

What LB does is genius. You can enable a barrier so that if you reeeeeeally need to, you can get around, but it's annoying and time consuming, and thus the quick loop of "pick up phone and get stuck" is broken. The barrier in LB can be to type a (long) passphrase, or my favorite: a 64-char random string which cannot be copy-pasted. You need to manually look at 2-3 chars at a time and replicate the whole thing. Very effective.

But again, also the snap back to reality thing. If I keep using it, throw up a big overlay with a good question "Is your attention well spent?" for example. Make me wait before I can continue.

Needs an option for “my employer turned on shitty Microsoft ten-billion-factor auth settings”.

To login to my work Microsoft account requires a passcode and then three face scans.

Love it! Reminds me of an app my brother and I built 10 years ago (time flies!). It's no longer on Google Play because of the maintenance burden of keeping it there, but here's a page with some screenshots: https://apkpure.com/spinach-motivation-lock-screen/com.tengu...

The idea was that if you're unlocking your screen, you should at least: (1) reinforce a mantra, or (2) force yourself to acknowledge you shouldn't be unlocking the phone.

Happy to share notes if you think that would be helpful.

Great app! Love the design and thoughts behind it. Few comments:

- isn't it possible to select multiple intentions? I've tried but when I turn on one, another one turns off. - for apps like these I'm really missing a more expensive lifetime subscription. I'm okay with paying some more upfront if I don't have to pay a periodical fee.

Anyway, really nice work!

My buddy has a wallpaper on his phone that says, in large letters, "Do I really to be picking up my phone right now?"

Done and done.

Some people wrap their phone in an elastic band or there’s always Opal if you want more fine grained control: https://apps.apple.com/gb/app/opal-screen-time-control/id149...

Cool idea. Amazingly they've found a way to put "in-app purchases" though.

This app could just be an image set as your lock screen background.

I've found a good way to discourage mindless phone staring is to set the display to monochrome (e.g. through colorblind emulation). The decreased visual stimulation seems to have an effect on me, at least until I want to see a photo or video in colour and go back to normal.

I use this on iOS https://one-sec.app

For anyone looking for something similar for their desktop browser, try out Intention: https://getintention.com

Show HN post from 2020: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=22936742

Even more cooler idea would be that the app restricts you to only communication apps when you choose "communication" intent or when you choose "boredom" it prompts you to enjoy IRL activities and tells you to leave your device aside. That would make it even more interactive and fun.

Installed about 30 minutes ago, it already made me reconsider using the phone 3x. It is indeed effective while you're engaging with it. Hope it continues like this for long term.

For me the only really useful intervention was getting a black and white e-ink Android smartphone. I started to read a book per month and my short video watching time was decimated.

I got the Bigme Hibreak which isn’t the worst, but lacks recent android versions. Gives me hours of my life back every day, compared to the phone addiction I experience with my lcd colour screen smartphone

I've been day dreaming about an Android launcher that has a section for tool apps that you can access freely, and then a section for distractions that either guides you towards a "productive" distraction, or makes you wait for a timer before you can open a distracting app.

I haven't seen any of those apps (or built-in OS features like screen time on iOS) not become useless in a matter of days.

People that will use their phone for distraction (which I don't think there's actually anything wrong with) will take only a few days to get "notification fatigue" from those screens and automatically bypass them without even thinking about it.

I get that you can prevent bypassing the screen as you mentioned as an extra feature but people will just click the other button then.

There's not a single person (myself included) I have seen use screen time not automatically bypass the limitation instantly as it pops up.

I need this !

I can also recommend Stretchly for the computer https://github.com/hovancik/stretchly.

Forces me to stand up and look further / go grab some chicory.

Inspired by someone's comment on Reddit, I have setup this routine on my Samsung phone:

- when app X is opened - start 10 minutes timer (wait) - turn on blue color filter - turn on grayscale mode - flash screen

This is particularly effective with photo/videos social media apps (e.g. Instagram), as with all colors dulled down they lose much of their appeal. Not so much on text-based apps like Reddit. Therefore, a couple of days ago I went even more nuclear and added two more steps:

- wait 3 more minutes - close the app

When that happens, I just put my phone away. It's hard, because when the routine starts running (i.e. when I open the targeted apps) a notification shows up, and I can kill it right away from there, preventing it from triggering the annoying effects. Also if I switch apps and come back the timer resets. A tiny amount of willpower is needed anyway to make these things work. Another thing I did was to put a "Screen Time" widget on my homescreen, so I any time I unlock my phone I am reminded of how much time I am throwing away Doom Scrolling (that's also the name of the routine, btw).

Both of these things can also be implemented with iOS, as it also has a Screen Time widget, and the capability of turning your screen to grayscale after X seconds when an app is opened via Shortcuts' automation (although I prefer Samsung's routines are they are much more versatile).

I’ve been using ClearSpace and it cut down my screen time by about 40%. I’m a fan of the Strict Mode which basically completely blocks you out of the apps you want for X number of hours.

I feel like we're far too obsessed with the "nobility" of stuff we do for fun. Watch YouTube shorts, scroll reddit, whatever.

It's only "addictive" because it's fun, it's no more pointless than anything else you might do for fun. What are you really achieving by using this app? Do you have an unhealthy relationship with your phone, or are you just arbitrarily ranking it low on the "worthiness" of random shit you might choose to do to kill some time.

Love it. I wish there was a way to select multiple nudges.

Is it possible to provide a lifetime subscription (instead of a monthly one) for premium features?

I have a foldable flip phone. It is equivalent : I need to go through some effort to open my phone. I don't open it unless I need to

Have you tried RescueTime? It's a similar app that prompts you to log your activities every time you unlock your phone.

It's surprising to see how much time can slip by unnoticed each day. Using it can really make you more mindful of how you're spending it.

I have been using Mindfull, and it's great. It can even block short form videos on different apps (Reddit, Instagram, Snap)

https://github.com/akaMrNagar/Mindful

Wow, the app is cool! The fun fact is that I'm also working on similar app, but for iOS: https://apps.apple.com/pl/app/naze-screen-time-control/id647...

this is the type of tool a C-level executive would mandate to be installed on your devices. Instead of “why”, it would send out notifications to a central server with a data pipeline into genAI which can generate reports on productivity.

Employee not complying? Bye bye equity, severance

Employee opening device too much? Fired.

Of course C-level executives would get exempt from policy because “rules for thee but not for me” attitude.

As for personal usage, I would much rather configure “Focus” mode to block certain apps from opening. Rather than rely on this. I would install this on phones of annoying people though for shits and giggles

For someone like me who is almost addicted to short videos, this is a great app. It can serve as a reminder and help me reduce my dependence on the phone. But when I use my phone to do serious work, this reminder will be very annoying.

You have a typo in your "To be more persent" screenshot

Cool idea though

I use https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.qqlabs.min... which has several things that pester you when opening certain applications. It also makes the home screen quite dull. Combine this with a monochrome display and the phone considerably loosens its grip on you.

> Show HN: App that asks ‘why?’ every time you unlock your phone

Just like Google or Microsoft does with "hey, we have a new feature nobody uses, press ok" or "hey, we are spying on you in a new way" or "hey, we determined that you need a microfone and a camera button in Messages, although you only send text messages, press ok".

My iphone battery died and instead of getting the latest and greatest I got a Punkt phone. Best decision I ever made, I got my life back.

On iOS, I've tried nearly everything, but here's what's lasted more than a few months.

1. A physical blocker like Brick (getbrick.app) and/or a Kitchen Timer Safe (KSafe).

2. One Sec app

I'll occasionally leave my phone at home and use only an Apple Watch with LTE.

These are the only flows that haven't become frustrating over time and have worked to cut screen time and addicted apps (or altogether).

Great idea, I'm a bit worried about security. To have control over phone unlocking the app has to be pretty privileged, right?

I'd like to give it a try, but it is not compatible with my device. Is there a reason for it not to work on a Galaxy Note8?

The mobile app Opal and others do a good job too.

I dare everyone to try putting their phone into grayscale instead of color display.

My approach for iPhone:

- Set time limits on apps. - Block App Store. - Set a Screen Time pin, then forget it.

Downside: if you need to install a new app, you need to do a iTunes backup, factory reset and restore the backup,. Also apps won't continue to update with this approach.

Worth it though. I don't miss wasting 10-20 hours a week on brain rot apps.

I like the idea, especially in current time, almost everyone is addicted to use phone all the time. Maybe, this will let user make mindful decision.

I’lo try it.

I like the idea, congrats on the launch!

One feature request: instead of giving me a freeform field to enter "why", give me a few of common uses cases as options like: - Picking up the phone for real use (order, cab, call etc) - For social connection - For mindless scrolling

overtime you can plot why the phone was picked

Why aren't the 'In-app purchases' specified on the site?

It would save me a download (and possible uninstall) if they were.

*goes for all apps, not just this one.

I love the premise behind this app, but the "draw over screen" permission is pretty dangerous. For example, stealing passwords by intercepting taps on the keyboard. How can we trust you won't be doing this?

Great app, thanks for sharing!

It reminds me of an anti-bullying app that simply asked, "Are you sure you want to send this?", which greatly decreased the abuse. Instagram seems to have the same approach now.

love the app, I think it works much better than a simple background with a question on it, and not only because I like to have pretty pictures there instead

an idea: it would be neat to have extra functionality with specific apps, with regular interruptions to ask if you're still on track or what have you. maybe not even a button press, just like a 5 second breather with a message on the screen and then it goes away. sort of like the notifications you currently have in place but for the whole screen. users could modify the message for each app...

look forward to seeing further development!

Congrats on a useful and popular app! It sounds like something that could really help a lot of people.

Now, I really don't want to come across as smug or anything, but I'm not one of the people this would help. I already use my phone in a consciously controlled manner and I don't do things like endless doomscrolling. Despite, it's clear from the evidence that a lot of people do and would benefit from this app. So I'm really curious... what is that like? What goes through your head when you grab the phone, see the app, and then decide to put the phone back down? If you realize at that point that you don't actually want to use the phone right now, why did you grab it in the first place? I'm not insinuating anything, I'm genuinely just curious.

I want a screentime app where it requires your friends to approve an override

Like the ones you share location with

Keep you accountable more than reflexively remembering the override pattern

Has to be at the OS level so that everyone already has it

Genuine question, I also like to use my smartphone less, but what about when you are in the lavatory? I have a habit of using my smartphone else I cannot go. Has anyone been able to solve that?

I love when apps resolve specific issues, this is great, I'll install it right away!!!

Installed to try it out.

I really like the art :)

When you're editing a prompt, the back button takes you back to the nudge screen instead of the prompts popup, which feels like a bug.

Jarko27: on my Android 9 phone of a few years ago, i cant install it : the play store says it Cant be installed on my device. Why?

I’d prefer it to nudge me when I’m about to add a task to my calendar, asking, “Why are you adding this?”

Actually, I just got an idea…

This might be unpopular, but it's really sad that this app has to exist

I can answer this myself. 95% of the time its because I need to do some form of MFA (totp app, sms, email, duo, etc)

A counter in a corner or similar might be less disruptive and still keep you mindful. Bit like a step counter

One should ask themselves just this whenever they are going to act or make a judgement.

Has anyone built the app from Google: The Movie yet? Er. I mean The Internship?

Statistics for the current day are recorded for yesterday (GMT +4)

Statistics for the current day are recorded for yesterday (GMT+4)

love the idea, just installed it, but the premium cost is too much for what it offers. Monthly doesn't make sense to me, especially since you don't have any running costs.

The app I always knew I needed but never thought I wanted too.

Love the idea, is there an iOS version planned?

This will turn into gamified form filling habit for no profit, what is the point ?

If you mechanically open phone at least do something useful in it

read a quote https://github.com/jameshnsears/QuoteUnquote

track a habit https://github.com/iSoron/uhabits

learn vim https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=develop.exampl...

c++ quirks https://github.com/vsklamm/CppQuiz

or else

So what if it's an emergency

The "why" is often habituation

I wish I could do this on an iphone.

You humans are just too weird.

Why?

but why?

I want this for my fridge.

I love the idea but the globohomo art needs to go. Nobody wants to see that

Looks like Hinge

Nothing for iOS?

haha this one is so damn cool

brilliant

i scroll through reddit when im on the toilet or waiting etc. while cooking or something

that's really it.

simple perfect idea

Cal Newport would love this!

Wonderful, now i need this for my Iphone!

this is great, especially the design. but, as some of the comments have stated, it will prob get annoying.

Instead, I think it would be better to incentivize people to use their phone/social apps less.

Touch Grass. Earn Points.

I just deleted an app a month until I was happy. My phone got so boring after a few months of this I started forgetting it when leaving home. Ended up using it so little on the go, wifi was enough and canceled my cell phone plan.

Been four years since I had cell service or regularly carried any internet capable devices and I have never been happier.

My anxiety has plummeted and my attention span and productivity have skyrocketed. I do not have a phone as a security blanket anymore and feel so much more confident in public.

Smartphones are optional for most people, but if you are forced to carry one, keep it in airplane mode whenever possible and only use it when solving the specific problem that forces you to carry it that you lack any alternatives for.

If you need mobile entertainment buy a paper book.

Nice job. I like what you built here.

People have too much damn time on their hands.

Do yourselves a favor and delete all social media.