Unwhim: Take Back Your Time
Michael Gelfand Productivity iPhoneiPadiPod touch
Unwhim: Take Back Your Time is a free Productivity app for iPhone and iPad by Michael Gelfand. Requires iOS 17.0. Updated October 22, 2026.
- Price
- Free
- on the App Store
- Size
- 14 MB
- Age 4+
- Updated
- Oct 22
- 2026 · v1.4
Screenshots
About Unwhim: Take Back Your Time
Open your phone to check one thing, then lose half an hour to reels, feeds, and notifications? Unwhim helps you outsource willpower: block distracting apps, start focus sessions, and build routines that protect your time automatically. Designed for people who work, study, and think for a living, Unwhim keeps your phone from pulling you out of deep work. Sound familiar? - You unlock your phone to check one message and fall into 40 minutes of doomscrolling. - You sit down to work or study, but check your phone every five minutes. - You feel guilty about your daily Screen Time report but lack the willpower to change it. - You promise "just five more minutes" in bed, but end up scrolling until 2 AM. Unwhim is built for exactly that moment. HOW UNWHIM WORKS: 1) Choose your distracting apps and make a focus plan - scheduled routines, daily limits, or one-off focus sessions. 2) When your phone pulls at you, the app simply doesn't open. No easy snooze, no "5 more minutes." 3) Still feel the urge? You can unlock - but not on autopilot. Hold through one slow breath, then say your reason in your own voice. Most reasons don't survive being said out loud. Insights show you more than a usage report: noticing you've said "just checking" a dozen times does more to change the habit than any screen time chart. WHAT UNWHIM DOES - Block distracting apps & categories to limit screen time and stay focused - Use focus sessions where breaking your own rules takes deliberate effort - Set daily time and open-count limits for the apps you can't quit - Pause only with a reason, making every break intentional - Start instant focus timer to get in the zone right now - Stay off social media during work, study, or sleep time - See how many hours you've reclaimed this week - Build momentum with streaks to make consistency rewarding - Keep essential apps available with flexible rules HOW IS UNWHIM DIFFERENT FROM OTHER APP BLOCKERS? Many blockers let you snooze, or extend with one tap, or add a short break. A tap that costs nothing stops meaning anything. Unwhim grades every way around a commitment by how impulsive it is. Skipping a session before it starts is easy. Ending an active one early is harder. Unblocking a single app mid-session is hardest - and it unlocks only that one app, for a set time, never your whole blocklist. Unwhim is meant to be slightly annoying in the moment. That's the point. You can always get through - you just can't get through by accident. FOCUS WITHOUT FIGHTING YOURSELF Unwhim is for the moments when "just a minute" turns into 20, 30, or 60 minutes. Set rules once, then let Unwhim handle the friction for you. Social apps, games, feeds, and other distractions stay out of reach while you work. BUILT FOR DAILY ROUTINES Create schedules for working hours, studying, sleep, phone-free mornings, reading time, weekends, or any recurring block. Start a session on demand whenever you need an extra push. PERFECT FOR - Students needing a no-nonsense study timer for exams and homework - Professionals working from home to eliminate WFH distractions - Freelancers who need to protect billable hours from social media distractions - Anyone looking to break phone addiction and stop doomscrolling - Neurodivergent minds (ADHD) who need extra friction to stay on task - Readers and creators building a daily digital detox habit PRIVATE BY DESIGN We use Apple's Screen Time API to monitor and block apps you use. Personal app usage and browsing data never leaves your device. Apple's speech recognition is used to turn spoken reasons into text. You can always type instead. Stop scrolling. Start finishing. Reclaim your focus and productivity. Download Unwhim now and start your first focus session. Terms (EULA): https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/ Privacy Policy: https://unwhim.app/privacy-policy/
What’s new
Version 1.4 · Updated October 22, 2026
More focus, fewer distractions Pick the apps you want to block and let Unwhim help you stay on track. Need a break? Unlock them temporarily, then get back to what matters. Understand your habits State your reason before unlocking an app. A small pause to notice what draws you in and choose how you spend your time. See your progress Understand where your time goes and see how your habits change over time. Outsource willpower Set your limits and routines, then let Unwhim handle the daily discipline. Fewer decisions, more room to focus.
App privacy
The developer, Michael Gelfand, reported these privacy practices to Apple.
Data Not Linked to You
The following data, which may be collected but is not linked to your identity, may be used for the following purposes:
- Identifiers: User ID, Device ID
- Purchases: Purchase History
- Usage Data: Product Interaction, Other Usage Data
Used for: Developer’s Advertising or Marketing, Analytics, App Functionality
Alternatives to Unwhim: Take Back Your Time
Looking for apps like Unwhim: Take Back Your Time? Here are 6 similar apps on the App Store. The highest rated is OneScreenTimer (5.0/5), and all 6 are free to download.
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| App | Rating | Price | Last updated | Compare |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Unwhim: Take Back Your Time | – | Free | October 22, 2026 | |
| Habit Streak Daily | – | Free | May 15, 2026 | Compare |
| OneScreenTimer | 5.0 / 5 (1) | Free | Apr 6, 2026 | Compare |
| Seaman Log | – | Free | Jun 11, 2026 | Compare |
| TachlisAI: Kosher AI | 5.0 / 5 (2) | Free | Oct 24, 2026 | Compare |
| Parkbench: App Blocker | 4.8 / 5 (5) | Free | Jul 12, 2026 | Compare |
| AutoReply: AI Reply Assistant | – | Free | Oct 20, 2026 | Compare |