HoldOn: Block Apps & Save Time

Stop before you regret it.

HoldOn helps you break autopilot scrolling and open the apps you choose with intention — not impulse. Built on Apple’s Screen Time framework, HoldOn adds a calm pause between you and the apps that steal your time, so you can decide on purpose instead of reacting on reflex.

THE MOMENT YOU KNOW

You unlock your phone for one quick thing. Minutes later you’re deep in a feed or a loop you never meant to start. The apps you use most are built to pull you back in. Willpower alone rarely wins that fight.

What helps is friction at the right moment: a breath, a question, a single beat before the habit runs. That’s what HoldOn is for.

HOW HOLD ON WORKS

1. Create a block — Choose apps you want to slow down: social, video, games, messaging, or anything you open on autopilot.

2. Set a schedule — Every day, weekdays, weekends, custom days, or overnight windows that match your life.

3. Pick a pause challenge — When you open a blocked app, HoldOn shows a short step first. Finish it, then the app opens for a few minutes. Walk away anytime.

4. Choose with intention — Nothing is permanently locked. HoldOn adds a mindful pause, not punishment.

PAUSE CHALLENGES

15+ challenges across different styles:

• Timed resets — A calm countdown before you continue
• Breathing — Box breathing and guided patterns
• Reflect — Prompts, future-self checks, reflection roulette
• Focus — Quick math, type an intention, name an alternative
• Commit — Hold, tap, or slide to confirm you mean it

Pick one per block or set a default. Preview how a challenge feels before you need it.

BUILT ON APPLE SCREEN TIME

HoldOn uses Apple’s official Family Controls APIs — the same privacy-respecting layer Apple provides for digital wellbeing. No VPN tricks. No overlay hacks.

Grant Screen Time access once. Pick apps through Apple’s secure picker. HoldOn receives opaque tokens, not readable app names. Your choices stay private by design.

PRIVACY YOU CAN VERIFY

• No account or sign-in required
• No backend server — blocks, schedules, and pause history stay on your device
• No ads or third-party analytics SDKs
• Apple hides which apps you select — HoldOn never reads app names
• Reset blocks or delete all data anytime from Settings

HoldOn is for people who want control without surveillance.

FLEXIBLE BLOCKS

• Multiple blocks for work, evenings, or weekends
• Enable or disable without deleting
• 5, 10, or 15 minute unlock after a completed pause
• Optional block start/end notifications
• Home dashboard shows what’s active and what’s next

INSIGHTS WITHOUT SHAME

See intentional pauses completed this week and apps you’re slowing down — honest numbers without guilt streaks or shame mechanics.

CALM BY DESIGN

Dark, minimal interface built for focus. No clutter. No noise. No engagement bait. HoldOn should feel like a quiet hand on your shoulder — not another app shouting for your attention.

WHO IT’S FOR

• Anyone tired of doom scrolling or “just five more minutes”
• Students and professionals protecting focus
• People rebuilding a healthier phone relationship without deleting every app
• Anyone who tried harsh blockers that felt punitive or easy to bypass

GET STARTED

Allow Screen Time access → create a block → pick apps and a schedule → choose your challenge. Next time you open a blocked app on autopilot, you’ll get a pause — and a real choice.

IMPORTANT

HoldOn is a digital wellbeing tool, not medical advice, therapy, or treatment. If you are in crisis, contact local emergency services or a crisis helpline immediately.

Download HoldOn. Create your first block. Stop before you regret it.