Pause Point for iPhone
Stop the scroll
before it starts.
Cortex app makes you pause for a few seconds before opening Instagram, TikTok or YouTube. A pause, not a block. You decide.
5.0 ★ on the App Store · iOS 17+
- Build better habitsOne pause at a time
- You stay in controlA nudge, not a block
- A calmer mindMore time for what matters
How it works
You tap Instagram
Cortex app steps in at the exact moment, before the feed loads, using Apple’s Screen Time API and Shortcuts.
A micro-intervention
Five seconds of something that needs your prefrontal cortex: a breath, a quick sum you type, a trivia question, or your own usage numbers. You pick the styles.
It asks why
“Why are you opening this?” Work, leisure, or autopilot. Naming it is most of the battle.
You decide
“Do something else” adds to your Cortex Score. “Continue” is always allowed. No lockouts, no guilt.
Five seconds that train your brain
The pause isn’t empty. Each intervention is a micro-workout, and you choose which ones rotate.
Sharper
A typed math problem that gets harder the more you open the app. Typing an answer engages your prefrontal cortex; tapping OK doesn’t.
More cultured
A trivia question with three options, then the fact behind it. Deliberately unscored — the question is the friction, the fact is the reward.
Less impulsive
A guided breath with haptics, plus a mirror: “how many times have you opened this today?” — then the real number.
A pause, not a block
Blockers work until you tap “Ignore Limit”. A pause works because there is nothing to fight.
| Blockers (Opal, Screen Time limits) | Cortex app |
|---|---|
| Locks you out | Makes you aware |
| Bypassed with one tap | Nothing to bypass — you already decided |
| Fires after 30 minutes | Fires before the app opens |
| Frustrates | Trains |
A score you can feel
Your Cortex Score starts at 100 every midnight: +1 each time you choose the home screen instead, −2 each time you go in. Streaks, focus sessions and a weekly “life recovered” report turn a vague intention into something you can see.
- Daily Cortex Score, 0–100
- Streaks that survive a bad day
- Weekly report: hours and days recovered
- Shareable score cards
Everything stays on your iPhone
Screen Time data, impulses and scores are processed on the device. Cortex app never sees which apps you use, and we don’t sell data.
Free for one app. Pro when you want more.
Free: one app, 5-second pause, Cortex Score.
Cortex Pro
- Unlimited apps
- Custom pause length
- Schedules and usage limits
- Weekly report and advanced analytics
From $14.99 a year — less than one sec or Opal. 7-day free trial. Cancel in your Apple ID settings anytime.
Questions people ask
Does Cortex app block apps?
No. It inserts a short pause and a question before the app opens, then lets you continue if you want. That is the whole point: there is nothing to bypass, so the habit changes instead of the workaround.
Is there a Pause Point equivalent for iPhone?
Yes. Cortex app does on iPhone what Android 17’s Pause Point does on Pixel: a pause before a distracting app opens, using Apple’s Screen Time API and Shortcuts. It also asks why you’re opening the app and tracks a daily score.
How is it different from one sec?
Same core idea — a pause before the app. Cortex app adds the intention question, a daily Cortex Score with streaks, a weekly report, Shortcuts integration, and costs less: Pro is $14.99 a year versus $19.99.
Does it work with iOS Shortcuts?
Yes. Cortex app ships App Intents, so you can trigger or extend it from Shortcuts automations. The setup tutorial is inside the app.
What data does it keep?
Impulses, scores and streaks, stored on your iPhone. Apple’s Screen Time framework only gives us opaque tokens — we cannot see which apps you use.
Start free. One app, no card.
Pick the app that steals your mornings. See what a week of pauses does.
5.0 ★ on the App Store · iOS 17+