How to stop doomscrolling
Doomscrolling usually starts with a reflex: you unlock, tap and you're scrolling. What tends to help is changing that moment. Put a pause between the tap and the feed, make getting in a conscious choice, and give every session an end you don't have to enforce yourself.
Updated
Interactive demo: tap a protected app, then choose Go Back or Use a Pass and watch the Pass expire and relock. Nothing on your phone is blocked.
1. Find your automatic apps
Open Settings → Screen Time → See All App & Website Activity. Look for apps you open many times a day for short bursts. Those are the ones to protect, not everything.
2. Add one moment of choice
A shield that asks "Go back, or use a Pass?" turns a reflex into a decision. Choosing Go Back is the win. FocusPass counts each one as a Focus Save. It doesn't count saved minutes it can't measure.
3. Make every session end on its own
The hardest part of scrolling is stopping. A timed Pass removes that job: when the time is up, the app locks again.
4. Protect the worst hour
For many people the hardest time is late evening. A scheduled Focus Zone (for example 10 PM–7 AM) keeps those apps shielded during that time without you having to decide each night.
- Charge your phone outside the bedroom if you can.
- Keep one calm alternative ready: a book, a podcast, a stretch.
What FocusPass can't do
FocusPass uses Apple's Screen Time frameworks (Family Controls, Managed Settings and Device Activity). iOS shows the shield and handles relocking; FocusPass never sees what you do inside other apps, and Apple doesn't let apps read that.
FocusPass is a tool for personal habits. It isn't a treatment for any condition.
Common questions
How can I reduce doomscrolling?
Change the moment of opening: shield the apps you open on autopilot, make access a conscious choice with a time limit, and schedule protection for your hardest hours, such as late evening.
Is deleting social media apps better?
It works for some people. Many still need those apps sometimes and end up reinstalling them. Timed access keeps the app for real needs and makes casual opening harder.
Does FocusPass track what I look at?
No. Apple's Screen Time APIs don't let apps see content inside other apps, and FocusPass keeps its own records on your device.
How do I stop opening social media automatically?
Put a pause between the tap and the feed. Shield the apps you open on autopilot so each open shows a choice: go back, or take a short timed Pass. The habit loop depends on getting in instantly, and the pause breaks that.
Get FocusPass free on the App Store