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.
before the app opens
Scout asks what you came to do, before the feed gets a vote.
when time runs out
Scout taps you on the shoulder, so you can stop or choose more on purpose.
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.
Scout
on duty
You opened Instagram. What's the plan?
Checking one message from Sam
Nice. How about 5 minutes?
Yeah, that works
Go for it. I'll tap you when time's up. No judgment either way.
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.
before the page loads
Scout meets you at the tab, before the feed gets a vote.
What's the plan?
Intention> watch one video, then close the tab▌
Time limit
5
10
20
Coming soon · for Chrome
Same Scout.
For the web.
Most scrolling doesn't happen on a phone. It happens in a browser tab. So Scout is coming to Chrome. Open a site that tends to pull you in, and the same little owl shows up first: name why you're there, pick a short window, or close the tab. Your intention, before the page loads. One beta covers both: join on TestFlight and you're first in line when the Chrome companion lands.
Pauses before the page loads.
The check-in appears before the site can grab your attention, the same moment Scout catches you on your phone.
Works on the sites you choose.
Add the URLs where you want Scout to wait at the door. Change the list anytime; it stays yours.
Still private by design.
Scout never reads your tabs, sells your data, or demands an account. The pause is all it does.
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. ScrollScout uses Apple's Screen Time framework, and your choices about which apps to pause stay on your device. There's no account, no tracking, and nothing about your apps is uploaded.
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? +
An iPhone. ScrollScout relies on Apple Screen Time, which is iOS-only. It runs entirely on-device.
Will it work on my laptop too? +
Soon. We're building a Chrome companion that brings the same Scout pause to the web, so the sites that pull you in get the same check-in as your apps. Join the beta and we'll tell you the moment it's ready.
When can I try it? +
Right now. ScrollScout is in open beta on TestFlight: tap any Join the beta button, install, and Scout is on duty in about a minute.
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.