Mindful Screen Time · iOS
Dear Wander
Sixty seconds back to yourself.
The Pause
A warm breathing screen before you scroll. Sixty seconds of guided presence.
The Wander
Your earned time — softly tracked by a glowing amber arc, never counting down.
Come Home
A letter at the edge of your attention — not an alarm, not a lock. Just warmth.
No spam. Just a letter when we're ready.
Your phone wasn't designed
to let you go.
Five hours a day. 144 unlocks. The reach is automatic — your thumb moves before you've decided. You don't need another lock. You need someone to gently say: "Dear Wander, let's stay here a moment."
How it works
Three moments. One gentle interruption.
The Pause
You reach for Instagram. A warm screen appears — amber light, soft breathing cues. Sixty seconds of guided presence before you scroll.
The Wander
You earned your access. Ten minutes — they're yours. A gentle amber arc tracks the time, never counting down, just glowing softly.
Come Home
"Almost time to come home." Not an alarm. Not a lock. A letter, arriving softly at the edge of your attention.
Two rituals. One golden hour.
First Light
The morning pause
Before the world rushes in — a moment to arrive in your own day. Warmer gradients, a slightly faster breath. The sun is rising. So are you.
Last Light
The evening return
The day is completing. A slower breath, deeper amber, the soft edges of twilight. Put the phone down gently. You've done enough.
From reflex to choice.
A moment of beauty
before you scroll.
Native iOS
Built on Apple's own FamilyControls API. No VPN. No Shortcuts hacks. No battery drain.
Completely private
Your data never leaves your device. No accounts. No tracking. Just you and your breath.
Never punitive
No shame metrics. No "you failed" messages. Only warmth, only letters, only presence.
What people are saying
"I've tried every screen time app. They all felt like punishment. Dear Wander is the first one that felt like a gift."
— Early beta tester
"The breathing screen is so beautiful I sometimes open my phone just to see it. Which is... kind of the whole point?"
— Early beta tester
Inside Dear Wander
From reflex to choice, sixty seconds at a time.
The pause
A warm breathing screen meets you before the app opens. Sixty seconds back to yourself.
Your day, gently
Begin with an intention, then reach for calm instead of the feed.
Moments reclaimed
Not a streak to lose. The times you paused and put the phone down.
The Journal
Letters on attention, presence, and the phones we carry.
July 2, 2026
How to lock or hide the apps you can't stop opening
Every way to hide, lock, or add friction to distracting apps on iPhone, from the Home Screen to Screen Time. What each one does, and why friction beats a hard block.
Read →June 15, 2026
Attention residue: why a quick phone check wrecks your focus for 20 minutes
Attention residue explains why you can't focus after checking your phone. The cost isn't the 10-second glance. It's the slow climb back to deep work.
Read →June 15, 2026
Can you fix a short attention span? What neuroplasticity actually says
Can you fix a short attention span? Neuroplasticity says yes. Your focus was trained toward fragmentation, and it can be retrained back. Here's how.
Read →Questions, gently answered
Is Dear Wander an app blocker?
No. It doesn't lock you out of anything. When you open an app you've chosen, a calm breathing screen appears first. After about sixty seconds, you decide whether to continue. Most of the time, people put the phone down on their own.
Which apps does it work with?
You choose. Pick the apps that pull you in most, like Instagram, TikTok, or X, and leave the rest untouched. Maps, messages, and everything you actually need stay exactly as they are.
Is my data private?
Completely. Everything stays on your device. No accounts, no tracking, no analytics. We never see which apps you choose or how you use them.
Will it drain my battery?
No. Dear Wander is built on Apple's native Screen Time API. No VPN, no background workarounds, no battery drain.
When does it launch and what does it cost?
We're launching on iOS soon. Joining the waitlist is free, and waitlist members will be the first to know about pricing and early access.