Gentle friction, not a wall
Protected apps get a short break after the interval you choose — usually five minutes of use. Solve it and you are back; nothing is deleted and nothing is permanent.
ScrollBreak
A screen-time breaker that turns doom-scrolling into a moment of focus.
On Google PlayAndroidNo accountOn-device
Get it on Google Play
Free to install · Android 9 and newer
Choose the apps that eat your time. After the limit you set, ScrollBreak interrupts with a short, solvable mind-refresh instead of a hard block.
What it does
Features
Everything below works with the network switched off.
Three ways to reset
A jigsaw puzzle, a coloring template or a breathing exercise. Random mode rotates between them so the break never becomes muscle memory.
Practice before you commit
Try any challenge with zero permissions granted. Practice mode blocks nothing and writes nothing — you can leave a practice challenge with the back gesture.
On-device by design
Screen-time figures come from Android’s own UsageStatsManager and never leave the phone. There is no account and no cloud sync; free-plan analytics is consent-gated and never runs on Pro.
A dashboard that tells the truth
See how much time went into protected apps and what your last session cost you — without a scoreboard that gamifies the thing you are trying to stop doing.
Difficulty that adapts
Puzzle difficulty is progressive, so the break stays a small speed bump rather than turning into a second job.
Getting started
How it works
Three steps from install to the first real use.
Protect the apps that pull you in
Pick from your installed apps. Short-form video, social feeds, anything that turns five minutes into forty.
Set the interval and the challenge
Choose how often the break appears — 1, 2, 5, 10, 15 or 20 minutes — and whether it is a puzzle, coloring or breathing.
Solve the break, keep your time
When the interval is up, ScrollBreak opens the challenge. Solve it and the app unlocks for another round.
Details
Specifications
- Status
- Live on Google Play
- Platforms
- Android 9+
- Price
- Free to install
- Account
- Not required
- Processing
- On-device only
- Package
com.scrollbreak.app- Updated
- 28 October 2026
FAQ
ScrollBreak questions
Can't find it here? Ask support — a real person answers.
What does ScrollBreak actually do?
ScrollBreak watches the apps you choose, measures how long you use them, and after the interval you set it opens a short mind-refresh challenge. Solving the challenge returns you to the app. It is friction, not a blocker: you can always get back in, just not automatically.
Why does ScrollBreak need an accessibility service?
Android only tells an app which app is in the foreground through the Accessibility API. ScrollBreak uses it to notice when a protected app becomes active and when it is closed, and for nothing else. The service does not read screen content and does not send anything off the device.
Does ScrollBreak collect or share my data?
No. Usage figures stay in local storage on your phone, there is no account and no cloud sync. The free plan shows one banner on the Challenges tab plus an optional rewarded ad; ScrollBreak Pro removes ads entirely. Free-plan analytics is consent-gated (never on Pro) and crash diagnostics are used only to fix stability; neither includes your usage history or protected-app names. The full detail is in the privacy policy.
Can I close a challenge without solving it?
Not during a real break — the back gesture is deliberately blocked so the pause actually happens. Practice challenges are different: they need no permissions, block nothing and can be exited at any time.
Does ScrollBreak work offline?
Yes, completely. Every challenge ships inside the app: 100 puzzle images and 49 coloring templates, all local. Nothing in the core loop needs a network connection.
What is ScrollBreak Pro?
The free plan protects two apps. Pro removes that limit, adds schedule windows such as bedtime guard and work hours, and removes ads entirely. Pricing and any current offer appear on the Google Play listing, which is always the source of truth.
Which Android versions are supported?
Android 9 (API 28) and newer. ScrollBreak needs the usage-access and accessibility permissions to observe foreground apps, and it asks for both during onboarding.
How do I stop ScrollBreak from interrupting me?
Open Android Settings → Accessibility and turn ScrollBreak off, or clear the protected app list inside the app. Nothing is locked behind an uninstall — the service is a normal accessibility service you control.
Guides
ScrollBreak reading
Practical guides on running a cafe, billing and the floor — written by the team that builds ScrollBreak.
How to see which apps you use most on Android
Android already measures your app usage — it just hides it. Where the real numbers live, what they actually count, and how to read them without turning screen time into a scoreboard.
ReadHow to stop doomscrolling without deleting the app
Deleting Instagram is the advice everyone gives and almost nobody keeps. A practical look at friction, why hard blocks fail, and what actually changes a scrolling habit.
ReadThe best screen time apps for Android in 2027
Hard blocks, breathing pauses and puzzle breaks do different things to you. What each Android screen-time app actually does at the limit, and how to pick one that survives week two.
ReadForeground app detection without QUERY_ALL_PACKAGES
How ScrollBreak notices when a protected app becomes active, why the accessibility service is the only reliable route, and how to do it without declaring broad package visibility.
ReadRead the policy before you install
ScrollBreak's privacy policy and terms are hosted here, identical to the text bundled inside the app.
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