Pause – Mindful Phone Breaks
A breath before the scroll
Free · Designed for iPad. Not verified for macOS.
Pause puts a short breath between you and the apps you open on autopilot.
Pick the apps that pull you in, like social media, video or shopping. When you open one, Pause steps in first with a calm breathing screen. A few seconds later you decide: carry on, or close the app and get on with your day. Most of the time, that one breath is enough.
HOW IT WORKS
- Screen Time mode: choose apps with Apple's own app picker. Pause shows a gentle shield when you open one, then runs the breath.
- Shortcuts mode: prefer automations? Add a "Pause Then Open" action to any app instead.
- After a pause, the app stays open for a grace window, so switching back and forth is never a chore.
MAKE THE PAUSE YOURS
- Breathing patterns, from a quick reset to a longer slow breath
- Calm visuals, your own photos and a singing bowl sound
- Optional intention check-in: say why you are opening the app, then see whether you followed through
- Adaptive friction: the more often you reach for an app, the longer the pause
SEE THE CHANGE
- Insights show the moments you reclaimed and the apps you reach for most
- Home and Lock Screen widgets keep your progress in view
PRIVATE BY DESIGN
No accounts, no analytics, no ads. Everything stays on your iPhone, and Apple's Screen Time framework never shows Pause what else you do on your phone.
Pause is free, with every feature included.
Ratings & Reviews
- This app hasn’t received enough ratings or reviews to display an overview.
Pause has a new home at notnowcoloring.com/pause, with support and the privacy policy in one place.
Settings now has a short section from the makers of Not Now, with links to the Not Now coloring books and to Wobble Box, our calm toy app for kids.
Pause is still free, with no ads and no analytics.
The developer, Jeff Littell, indicated that the app’s privacy practices may include handling of data as described below. For more information, see the developer’s privacy policy .
Data Not Collected
The developer does not collect any data from this app.
Accessibility
The developer has not yet indicated which accessibility features this app supports. Learn More
Information
- Seller
- Jeff Littell
- Size
- 6.6 MB
- Category
- Health & Fitness
- Compatibility
Requires iOS 26.0 or later.
- iPhone
Requires iOS 26.0 or later. - iPad
Requires iPadOS 26.0 or later. - Mac
Requires macOS 26.0 or later and a Mac with Apple M1 chip or later. - Apple Vision
Requires visionOS 26.0 or later.
- iPhone
- Languages
English and 5 more
- English, French, German, Japanese, Portuguese, Spanish
- Age Rating
9+
- 9+
- Contains
Health or Wellness Topics
- Copyright
- © 2026 Jeff Littell