# Not Now: App Blocker & Focus — Limit Screen Time & App Lock

> Mindful delays and challenges to break social media autopilot habits. (iPhone/iPad app by DANIEL ANGIELCZYK.)

- Source: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/not-now-app-blocker-and-focus/id6754702786 (this page in markdown: same URL + `.md`)
- Developer: [DANIEL ANGIELCZYK](https://appshunter.io/developer/1829388256)
- Category: Productivity, Health & Fitness
- Price: Free with in-app purchases
- Rating: 2.00/5 from 1 App Store ratings · 1 written reviews indexed
- Age rating: 4+
- Requires: iOS 18.2 · 130 MB
- Languages: American English
- Released: 2025-11-25
- Data updated: 2026-08-20
- Monetization: freemium
- User reviews in markdown: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/not-now-app-blocker-and-focus/id6754702786/reviews.md

## What is Not Now?

Not Now adds a mindful pause before opening social media apps - no blocking, just intentional delays that make you reconsider whether you really want to scroll right now.

Does this sound familiar? You unlock your phone to check the time, and suddenly you're 30 minutes deep into Instagram. You didn't plan it. You didn't want it. It just… happened.

Here's the solution:

Not Now breaks the autopilot loop that makes you open social media without thinking. Instead of blocking apps completely (which never works long-term), we add a creative delay that gives your brain a moment to ask: "Did I really want to open this?"

HOW IT WORKS:

Choose your challenge. Every time you try to open a configured app (Instagram, TikTok, Facebook, Snapchat, X), you'll face one of these mindful delays:

DELAYS:
• Animated Curtain: Watch a calming curtain animation (5-40 seconds you choose)
• Camera Mirror: See yourself in your front camera—yes, really look at yourself before scrolling
• Black Screen: Stare at a countdown timer on a black screen (5-40 seconds)

CHALLENGES:
• Type Challenge: Type a random 12-character string correctly
• Rotation Challenge: Physically rotate your phone 3-6 times
• Math Problem: Solve a math equation (Easy, Medium, or Hard difficulty)

Sounds annoying? That's the point. Social media apps are designed to be effortless. We add just enough friction to break the unconscious habit.

THE SCIENCE:

Your brain loves easy dopamine. Every time you open Instagram without thinking, you're strengthening that neural pathway. Not Now disrupts this pattern by making the action less automatic and more intentional.

This isn't willpower—it's smart design.

REAL RESULTS:

• Track how many times you reconsidered opening an app
• See your weekly time saved (we calculate 3 minutes saved per prevention)
• Daily attempt counters show your patterns
• Visual statistics help you understand your habits

FULLY CUSTOMIZABLE:

• Choose different delay types for different apps
• Adjust difficulty levels (curtain duration, rotation count)
• Configure only the apps YOU struggle with
• Your rules, your pace

WORKS SEAMLESSLY:

Not Now integrates with iOS Shortcuts—one quick setup and it works automatically. Every time you try to open a configured app, your chosen delay appears. No subscription required for core features.

PRIVACY FIRST:

Everything happens on your device. We don't collect your usage data, track which apps you open, or sell your information. Your journey to mindful phone usage is completely private.

WHO IS THIS FOR:

• You've tried app blockers but always disabled them
• You want to reduce social media without going cold turkey
• You catch yourself opening apps without meaning to
• You're ready to change your relationship with your phone

NOT NOW vs OTHER APPS:

Unlike traditional screen time apps that block or limit, Not Now works with your psychology. We don't create a forbidden fruit situation. We make impulsive scrolling slightly less appealing, so your brain naturally loses interest in constant checking.

DIGITAL WELLBEING WITHOUT THE GUILT:

This isn't about shaming yourself for phone usage. It's about creating awareness. Sometimes you'll complete the delay and open the app anyway—that's fine! The goal is intentionality, not perfection.

GET STARTED IN 60 SECONDS:

1. Download Not Now
2. Set up the one-time Shortcuts automation
3. Done. Your new mindful phone experience begins.

Take back control—not through restriction, but through awareness.

Download Not Now and turn your biggest distraction into your best decision.

---

Privacy Policy: https://getnotnow.com/privacy
Terms (EULA): https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/

No phone icons created by nangicon - Flaticon

## Key features

- Intentional delays before app opening
- Customizable delay types (curtain, mirror, black screen)
- Interactive challenges (typing, rotation, math)
- Track reconsidered app opens
- Calculate weekly time saved
- Privacy-focused, on-device processing

## Pricing and in-app purchases

Base price: Free.

**Subscriptions**

| Subscription | Price | Period |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Not Now Yearly Subscription Promo | $9.99 | per year |
| Not Now Yearly Subscription | $19.99 | per year |
| Not Now Monthly Subscription | $4.99 | per month |


## Recent user reviews (1 of 1)

All indexed reviews: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/not-now-app-blocker-and-focus/id6754702786/reviews.md

### 2/5 — cool concept but doesnt support enough apps

*2026-01-10*

i like the style and how simple the app is, but it only allows you to block a limited list of apps-mostly social media. if you have trouble with messages or pinterest etc or something not on the list you cant do the animation

**Developer response:** Hi! glad you like the concept and style! I’m actively working on expanding the list. Quick question: by "messages," do you mean the native Apple iMessage app? Regardless, I’m adding Pinterest and iMessage support in the very next update for you. Are there any other specific apps you are missing?

## Frequently asked questions about Not Now

### What is Not Now?

Not Now is a productivity app designed to help you reduce social media usage by introducing intentional delays and challenges before you open configured apps. It aims to break autopilot scrolling habits through smart design rather than strict blocking.

### How does Not Now work?

When you attempt to open a selected app, Not Now presents a customizable delay (like a curtain animation or black screen) or a challenge (like typing a string or solving a math problem). This friction encourages you to pause and reconsider your action.

### What are the delay and challenge options in Not Now?

Delay options include an animated curtain (5-40 seconds), a camera mirror, and a black screen with a countdown. Challenge options involve typing a random string, physically rotating your phone, or solving a math problem.

### Does Not Now have ads?

No, Not Now does not contain advertisements. The app is designed to be ad-free, focusing on providing a seamless and distraction-free experience for users.

### What are the subscription plans for Not Now?

Not Now offers a monthly subscription for $4.99 and a yearly subscription for $19.99, which includes a 3-day free trial. Core features are available without a subscription.

### Is Not Now safe for children?

Not Now has an age rating of 4+, making it suitable for children. The app focuses on promoting healthy digital habits and does not collect personal usage data.

### How often is Not Now updated?

The latest version, 1.4.0, was released on April 21, 2026. The app was initially released on November 25, 2025, indicating relatively recent updates.

### What devices does Not Now support?

Not Now is currently supported on iPhone devices. It integrates with iOS Shortcuts for seamless automatic operation.

## Version history (last 5 releases)

### 1.6 — 2026-07-18

Not Now 1.6 brings powerful new insights and smarter blocking:

• NEW: Screen Time Analytics — see exactly how much time you spend on your phone with detailed hourly charts. Tap any hour to drill down into pickups, notifications, and usage.
• NEW: Presence Check — turning off a block now requires you to actually be there. A quick camera and motion check makes mindless unblocking a thing of the past.
• Home Screen shortcuts — jump straight to special offers or send us feedback right from your Home Screen.
• Improved onboarding — grant Screen Time access during setup to unlock your analytics from day one.
• Clearer subscription info — see your savings at a glance, with cancel-anytime messaging front and center.
• Bug fixes and UI polish, including smoother interactions in the analytics report.

Keep scrolling less. One "not now" at a time.

### 1.5 — 2026-06-24

• Just Text — a new no-escape delay screen with your own tough-love message
• Dedicated screen to manage Curtain and Tough Love messages
• Unblock confirmation with a 60-second pause before you can turn off a block
• Cleaner settings UI with improved contrast and accessibility

### 1.4.1 — 2026-05-24

• NEW Breathing exercise — a guided pause before you open the app. Pick cycles, tempo, and light or dark mode.
• Onboarding video with picture-in-picture — follow along while you set up Shortcuts, step by step.
• Mindset articles look better, with a clearer reading layout.
• New article: "Phone-free first hour" — start your day without reaching for your phone.
• Geography challenge loads faster with a smoother loading screen.
• More reliable stats and daily attempt counters.

### 1.4.0 — 2026-04-21

What's new:
• One-tap pause – you can now enable or disable blocking for any app without removing its Shortcuts automation.
• Refreshed onboarding – an interactive iPhone mockup simulating the blocking curtain (TikTok, Instagram, X) and a new personalized bridge screen before the paywall.
• Richer Life Dots visualization – now shows obligations, free time and remaining life years separately.
• Better dashboard sharing – new, cleaner share layout with your stats and charts.
• Smoother card removal animation, clearer alerts and a polished blog article card.
• More reliable purchases – improved transaction verification and entitlement updates.
• Fewer automation loops – extended safety window (5s) in delayed launch.
• Small UX tweaks: shorter long-press on app cards, clearer Shortcuts and deletion messages.

Thanks for using Not Now!

### 1.3.5 — 2026-04-15

Added watermark option — enable "Show Watermark" in settings to display the Not Now logo on all delay and challenge screens. Perfect for content creators recording their screen.

## More apps by DANIEL ANGIELCZYK

- [AntiPhone: Minimalist Phone](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/antiphone-minimalist-phone/id6749224511)

All apps by DANIEL ANGIELCZYK: https://appshunter.io/developer/1829388256

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*Data collected daily from the US App Store and indexed by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/). User reviews are verbatim App Store reviews. Ratings, prices and chart positions refresh continuously; this snapshot is from 2026-08-20.*