Type to Unlock

A more intentional Android experience

A small pause.
A better choice.

Your attention is worth a moment. Turn the habit of opening an app into a conscious decision—with a simple typing challenge.

Built for Android. Designed for the moment before the scroll.

Choose your apps. Take a pause. Open with intention.

A little friction, in action
Type to UnlockA mindful pause before opening
Your next app

CHOOSE UNLOCK TIME

Type the letters above. Correct letters disappear.

Interactive preview. No apps are blocked here.

Give yourself a moment between the impulse and the app.

Simple by design

Three steps.
A little more intention.

  1. 01

    Choose what needs a pause.

    Pick the apps you tend to open on autopilot. You can also set website rules for Chrome.

  2. 02

    Type before you tap in.

    A short typing challenge gives you a moment to reconsider. Correct letters disappear as you make progress.

  3. 03

    Decide how long to stay.

    Choose 5, 15, 30, or 60 minutes of app access. Or go back and put your attention somewhere else.

Your day.
Your attention.

A deliberate step before the apps that pull you away.

Interrupt the reflex.

Add a moment of effort to the apps you choose, right when you open them.

Make time a choice.

Choose a timed session instead of leaving access open indefinitely.

Keep it familiar.

A clear, quiet interface. English by default, with Spanish when your device uses it.

Clear about permissions

A pause you
can understand.

The permissions support the blocking features. Here is what they do.

Accessibility
Detects when apps open. For website blocking in Chrome, it reads the visible address bar to match your rules.
Display over other apps
Shows the typing challenge before you continue into a blocked app.
Rules stored on your device
App selections and website rules are saved locally. The website-blocking feature does not save browsing history.

Ready for your next pause

Make the pause yours.

Get Type to Unlock directly from this website. Version 1.0 for Android 8.0 and later.

  1. 01

    Download the app.

    Save the APK file, then open it on your Android phone or tablet.

  2. 02

    Allow this installation.

    If Android asks, allow your browser to install unknown apps, then return to the downloaded file and tap Install. You can turn this permission off afterward.

  3. 03

    Set up your pause.

    Open Type to Unlock, review its permissions, and choose the apps or websites you want to block.

Already using a test version? You may need to uninstall it first. This can erase its saved settings.

One moment can change the next.

Open with intention.

Download directly above. Google Play distribution is not available yet.