Frequently Asked Questions

Lock In Squad is the new name for Lock In, and the App Store and Google Play switch to it with the next update. Until then, both stores list the app as Lock In, which is also the name under its icon on your phone. It is the same app, so searching for Lock In finds it.

Yes. Lock In Squad is free on the App Store, and on iPhone you can use it as a guest without making an account. It blocks apps through Apple's Screen Time controls, so it needs iOS 16 or later, and it puts no limit on how many sessions you run.

Timer or stopwatch. In timer mode, you can pick your session length. Hold-to-unlock is adjustable (1 to 10 seconds) in Settings.

The free version shows ads in these cases:

• In stopwatch mode, an ad shows when you lock out.
• In timer mode, locking out before the timer ends shows an ad as a gentle reminder to stay committed.
• If you lock out after your timer ends, no ad shows, because you earned it.
• Tap Help Dev (+10 min) in the top left of the Home screen to watch an ad, support the developer, and earn 10 bonus minutes.

iOS note: If a second rewarded ad won't load in the same session, force close the app and reopen it.

Lock In Premium ($4.99): Purchase once to toggle ads on or off at any time.

Your streak counts consecutive work days (the days you pick in Settings) that have at least one Lock In session. Miss one of those days and the streak starts over.

Minimal analytics and ad diagnostics via Google. Manage consent in Settings > Privacy (UMP/ATT), and see our Privacy Policy for details.

Android: Usage Access and Display over other apps, which Lock In Squad needs to block the apps you pick.

iOS: Screen Time access to block the apps you pick, plus App Tracking Transparency if you want personalized ads.

Use Settings > Send Feedback or the Contact Us page.

Lock In Squad is 100% free to use with ads. All features are completely free forever, including blocking, timers, stats, streaks, and customization.

Lock In Premium costs $4.99, paid once, with no subscription and no recurring fees. Premium removes ads and lets you turn them on or off at any time. The next update also adds a Diamond safe and a Premium badge next to your name on your profile.

You can delete your account directly in the app by going to Settings > Danger Zone > Delete Account. This will permanently remove your account and all associated data. If you need manual assistance or have further questions about data deletion, please visit our Contact page.

No core features are paywalled. All blocking, timers and stats are free, and you buy Shop items with minutes you earn by locking in, not money. Premium removes ads, and the next update adds a Diamond safe and a Premium badge next to your name.

Not yet. Whitelist mode, which blocks everything except the apps you choose, works on Android today and comes to iPhone in the next update. There you pick up to 50 apps to keep open, and every other app and website stays blocked during a session. Phone, Settings and anything under Always Allowed in Screen Time stay open. Until then, Lock In Squad on iPhone blocks the apps, categories, and websites you pick through Screen Time.

Many can, and Lock In Squad does on iPhone. There, any website you pick in Apple's Screen Time picker is blocked along with your apps, though picking a category such as Social covers its apps and not its sites. On Android, Lock In Squad blocks apps only, so blocking a site there means blocking the browser.

Optional rewarded ads give you 10 bonus minutes when you choose to watch them. Interstitial ads show when you end a stopwatch session or quit a timer early, but Premium removes all ads. Ads are designed not to intrude on your focus sessions.

Lock In Squad uses permissions your phone already offers: Screen Time on iOS, and Usage Access plus Display over other apps on Android. When you open a blocked app, iOS shows its Screen Time shield, while Android sends you back to the app with an App Blocked alert. To end a session early, you hold the Lock Out button for the time you set, anywhere from 1 to 10 seconds.

Yes. Lock In Squad follows iOS App Tracking Transparency (ATT) guidelines and lets you reset consent inside the app. We don't sell your information, but ads come from Google AdMob, which receives your IP address, a rough location based on it, and your device's ad identifier, as our Privacy Policy explains.

Yes. Lock In Squad relies on friction instead of force. The hold-to-unlock delay creates a conscious pause, but you can still exit if you truly need to. That is by design, since the goal is to help you make better choices without trapping you.

Yes. By default, Apple lets you ignore a Screen Time limit once you reach it, and a passcode helps only if someone else knows it. Lock In Squad has no ignore button, so your chosen apps stay blocked until you hold the Lock Out button for the length you set, even after a timer reaches zero.

Stopwatch mode runs until you stop it, which makes it great for tasks without deadlines (what Tim Urban calls long-term procrastination). Timer mode sets a specific duration (HH:MM:SS) and rewards you with bonus time after completion. Both block distractions during the session.

Yes, if you're signed in with an account. Your stats, streaks, and minutes sync across iOS and Android devices so you never lose progress when switching phones.

Yes! You can toggle between dark and light mode in the app Settings. Dark mode can be easier on your eyes in a dim room because it cuts the glare from a bright screen, while light mode is easier to read in bright conditions.

When a timer reaches zero, your apps stay blocked on purpose until you hold Lock Out. If they are still blocked after you lock out, lock in again and then lock out right away, which clears the block.