Interween for iPhone
Help Center
Setting up your first app, fixing a pause that didn't show, and everything else worth knowing.
Getting started
What is Interween?+
Interween puts a short, calm pause in front of the apps that pull you in. You still decide — it just makes sure the decision is yours, not a reflex. It also tracks the time you win back.
How do I set up my first app?+
It takes about two minutes, and you do it once per app.
- Open the Shortcuts app and go to the Automation tab.
- Tap + to create a new personal automation, then choose App.
- Pick the one app you want to pause — just one — then turn on Run Immediately and tap Next.
- Choose Create New Shortcut.
- Search for “Interween” and pick “Activate Interween (when app opens)”.
- Tap Choose app and select the same app you picked in step 3, then tap Done.
The same guide, with pictures, lives in the app under Settings → How to add an app.
Do I need to do this for every app?+
Yes — one automation per app, so Interween knows which app to take you back to.
Which apps can I protect?+
Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, X, Facebook, Messenger, Snapchat, Reddit, WhatsApp, Telegram, Netflix, Pinterest, LinkedIn, Twitch, Spotify, Discord, YouTube Music, Chrome, Gmail, Google Maps and the App Store. Want another one? Email us — we add the apps people ask for.
Does Interween need access to my Screen Time or notifications?+
No. It asks for no permissions at all.
What do I need to run it?+
An iPhone running the latest version of iOS.
If something isn't working
Nearly every setup issue is one of the first three.
I opened the app and no pause appeared.+
Open Shortcuts, go to that app's automation, tap the arrow on the Interween action, and make sure Open When Run is turned on. That's the cause almost every time.
Interween says “Finish this automation”.+
The automation is missing its app. Open it in Shortcuts, tap the Choose app button, pick the same app the automation is for, then tap Done.
It asks me to confirm before the pause runs.+
In the automation's setup, choose Run Immediately instead of Run After Confirmation.
I chose not to open the app — how do I get back to what I was doing?+
Swipe up from the bottom of the screen and hold to open the App Switcher, then pick the app you were in. Tapping the app's icon will just start the pause again.
How do I stop protecting an app?+
Delete or turn off that app's automation in Shortcuts.
The pauses
What are the different pauses?+
Breathe, Countdown, Hold, Moving circle, Math and a Typing test — plus a simple welcome back when you've been away a while.
What does Adaptive do?+
It picks the pause for you. Open an app once after a long break and it barely gets in your way. Keep reopening it and the pause asks for a little more.
Why was the pause harder this time?+
Because the moment looked harder. Reaching for an app late at night, or coming straight back after you'd just decided not to, both earn a bit more friction.
Can I always use the same pause?+
Yes. In the automation, tap the Pause option and pick the one you want instead of Adaptive.
What is “Why are you opening this?”+
An occasional check-in at the highest friction level, so you can later see what actually drives you to reach for an app. It's part of Pro.
Can I try a pause without opening an app?+
Yes — go to Settings → Pause Library.
Your progress
How is “time saved” worked out?+
Every time you decide not to open an app, we count it as three minutes back. It's an honest estimate, not a measurement of your screen time.
What does the garden mean?+
It reflects how you've been doing over the past week — flourishing, growing, thirsty, or needing water. It moves slowly on purpose, so one rough evening doesn't undo it.
What's in Insights?+
The times you caught yourself, your best streak, which app pulls hardest, the hours you reach most, and which pauses work best for you.
Why does it count opens instead of hours?+
Interween can see when you reach for an app, not how long you stay in it. Fewer reaches is the honest measure of progress, so that's what we show.
Pro
What do I get with Pro?+
Free protects one app with four pause types and a week of history. Pro gives you unlimited apps, all six pauses, the “why are you opening this” check-in, and 30- and 90-day history with deeper insights.
What does it cost?+
A yearly subscription, shown in your local currency, with a 3-day free trial if you haven't used one before.
How do I cancel?+
From your Apple ID subscription settings. You keep Pro until the end of the period you've paid for.
How do I restore a purchase?+
Go to Settings → Interween Pro → Restore purchases.
I'm on Free but want to protect a different app.+
Set up the new one and Interween will offer to swap it for the app you're protecting now.
My pause changed after my subscription ended.+
Pauses that are part of Pro switch back to Adaptive, which still adjusts to how often you reopen an app.
Privacy
What do you collect about me?+
Nothing. No account, no analytics, no tracking, no ads.
Where does my data live?+
On your iPhone, and nowhere else — your apps, your settings, your stats.
Can Interween see what I do inside my apps?+
No. It only knows you opened an app you asked it to watch.
How do I delete everything?+
Delete the app. Nothing is stored anywhere else.
Does it block apps?+
No, and that's deliberate. You can always continue — Interween adds a moment of choice, not a lock.
Still need help?
Something broken, or an idea for the app? Email us — telling us your iPhone model and iOS version helps us answer faster.
Email paperweightapps@gmail.comRead the Interween privacy policy.