1
Pick the apps that pull you in.
Choose the apps and websites where you want Scout to pause you before autopilot starts.
A tiny pause before the scroll
Scroll on purpose.
Not on autopilot.
Open one app, lose forty minutes.
Scout shows up first: name why you're there, pick a short window, or walk away.
Not another blocker.
An intention layer.
The goal isn't to quit your phone. It's to catch the half-second before a quick check becomes a scroll you didn't choose.
2
Check in before entering.
When you tap a paused app, Scout asks what you came to do and how long you need.
3
Enter on purpose, or walk away.
Start a short, intentional visit, or take the walk-away win before the feed takes over.
The enemy is autopilot,
not your phone.
Scrolling isn't always bad. A conscious ten-minute scroll can be a win.
Scout just helps you notice the difference.
Before Scout
1 Open app
2 Forget why
3 Scroll
4 Regret
With Scout
1 Open app
2 Pause
3 Choose
4 Walk away, or enter
Meet Scout.
No shame, no streaks, no guilt.
Just a friendly pixel owl who shows up at the door and asks one small question.
Tiny pauses work
because habits run fast.
ScrollScout is built around one behavioral idea: interrupt the automatic loop early, then make the next move conscious.
why it exists
“I built Scout because I'd open my phone for one thing and lose twenty minutes. The pause is the whole point.”
Friction beats willpower
A two-second pause before an app opens is enough to interrupt the reflex, and it's short enough that it never feels like a wall.
A plan beats a vibe
Naming what you came to do, before you're in the feed, makes it far easier to actually leave when you're done.
Awareness, not restriction
Scout never blocks or shames. It only asks whether this scroll is the one you chose.
Small helper.
Quiet by design.
private
Your app choices stay on your device.
ScrollScout uses Apple's Screen Time controls. You choose where the pause appears; nothing about your apps leaves your phone.
no pressure
Intentional leisure is allowed.
You don't need to be productive every minute. You just need to know what you chose.
small helper
A pixel owl with one job.
Scout stands at the door, asks why you're entering, then steps aside and lets you decide.
What's the plan?
Intention> watch one video, then close the tab▌
Time limit
5
10
20
ScrollScout for Chrome
Pause the site.
Or just the feed.
Check-in mode
Name the plan. Pick 5, 10, or 20 minutes. Enter—or close the tab.
Feed Mode
Hide the feed. Keep search, messages, profiles, and direct links.
Field notes from the door.
- How to stop doomscrolling
Catch the reflex at the door instead of fighting the feed.
- Screen Time limits not working?
Why Ignore always wins, and where to put the decision instead.
- Hide YouTube Shorts without losing YouTube
Feed off, search on. Chrome can be a tool again.
- Why app blockers don't work
The two-to-four-week wall, and what holds longer.
Good ones, first.
How do I stop doomscrolling? +
Doomscrolling starts on autopilot: the app is open before you've decided anything, and the feed takes it from there. What works is not more willpower, it's a pause at the door. ScrollScout adds a tiny check-in before the apps that pull you in, so you enter with a plan and a time limit, or walk away before the scroll starts.
Does Scout block my apps? +
No. It adds a tiny pause before they open: a check-in where you name why you're there and pick a short window. Then you enter on purpose, or walk away. Both count.
Is this an addiction app? +
Not at all. It's an intention layer. Scrolling on purpose is completely fine here. Scout just helps you tell the difference between a chosen scroll and a reflex one.
Is it private? +
Yes. The iPhone app keeps your choices on-device except for the specific services and optional Partner Mode sharing described in our privacy policy. The Chrome extension stores its settings, intentions, and visit totals locally and sends no data anywhere.
Which apps does it work with? +
Any apps and websites you choose, picked through Apple's own app picker: TikTok, Instagram, YouTube, X, Reddit, and more, plus sites. You decide your pause list, and you can change it anytime.
What device do I need? +
Use the iPhone app for app-level pauses, or the Chrome extension for websites on a computer. Each works independently.
Will it work on my laptop too? +
Yes. The Chrome extension brings Scout's check-ins and optional feed hiding to the websites you choose.
When can I try it? +
The iPhone beta is available now through TestFlight. The Chrome extension will be available through the Chrome Web Store after its store review is complete.
Catch the moment
before the scroll.
ScrollScout is live on TestFlight. Join the beta, put Scout on the app that pulls you in most, and have a say in how it works while it's still taking shape.