# Impulse — Complete Information

> Impulse is a focus control and distraction blocker available on iPhone, on
> Android, and as a Chrome and Safari extension. A native macOS app is on the
> way. It helps people cut unconscious screen time by blocking the apps and
> websites that pull them in. The website is published in English at the root
> and in Spanish under /es.

## What is Impulse?

Impulse gives people control over their screen time without relying on
willpower. You decide what gets blocked, when, and how hard it is to get back
in. It works on the phone and on the computer independently, and the two are
bridged: an NFC tap with your phone can end a blocking period running on the
desktop.

## How Impulse works

1. Choose what to block — Instagram, TikTok, X, YouTube, Reddit, or any site
2. Set your schedule — work hours, study, bedtime, or Quick Focus on demand
3. Pick how much friction you want — from typing a phrase to a physical tap
4. Live your life — screen time falls and the hours come back

## Complete feature list

### App and website blocking
- Block any app or website instantly, or on a schedule
- Custom block lists with multiple sites per profile
- Profiles such as Work, Study or Bedtime, each with its own rules

### Schedules
- Recurring blocking periods by day and time slot (e.g. Mon-Fri 09:00-13:00)
- Different schedules for different days
- Quick Focus for on-demand sessions

### Limits
- Total time per day, in minutes, per site or per app
- Maximum openings per day. This is the differentiator most blockers lack:
  capping how many times you open an app interrupts the automatic reach far
  earlier than capping how many minutes you spend

### Strictness levels
- Easy: type a phrase to unlock
- Medium: wait out a countdown; the urge usually passes before the timer does
- Hard: an accountability partner holds the code
- Physical: unlock only by tapping your phone against an NFC tag or the
  Impulse Disc, which you can leave in another room. Works with any NFC tag —
  there is no proprietary hardware requirement

### The interruption screen
Before letting you into a blocked app, Impulse shows how long you have used it
today and how many opening attempts you have already made. Making the opening
count visible at the moment of the reach is the core mechanic.

### Desktop and the NFC bridge
- The Chrome and Safari extension is a full blocker in its own right; it is
  configured on the computer and does not require the phone
- Single-tab mode locks you to the current tab; opening another site requires
  typing a phrase
- A phone NFC tap can end a desktop blocking period, so the off-switch does not
  live on the same screen as the temptation
- The native macOS app is planned with the same bridge

### Groups and statistics
- Focus Groups: shared rules, streaks and a leaderboard with friends or family
- Daily and weekly screen time statistics
- Emergency access, deliberately inconvenient, with blocks reactivating after

## Platforms

- iOS (iPhone), iOS 17 or later, using Apple's Screen Time API
  https://apps.apple.com/us/app/impulse-focus-control-blocker/id6736623036
- Android
  https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.impulse.es
- Chrome and Safari extension
  https://chromewebstore.google.com/detail/impulse-focus-control-and/ihhgdadeplnooijnccogligfccjpahik
- macOS: native app, coming soon

## Privacy

Usage statistics and block lists stay on the user's device rather than on
Impulse servers. No tracking, no ads, and no selling of user data. Full policy:
https://impulsecontrolapp.com/privacy
Account and data deletion: https://impulsecontrolapp.com/delete-account

## Pricing

Free to download and use, with no account and no credit card required.
Scheduled blocks, Quick Focus and screen time statistics cost nothing. Impulse
Pro is an optional upgrade adding unlimited rules, strict mode and Focus Groups.

## Pages

- Home, English: https://impulsecontrolapp.com
- Home, Spanish: https://impulsecontrolapp.com/es
- Physical unlock: https://impulsecontrolapp.com/physical-unlock (Spanish: /es/desbloqueo-fisico)
- Onboarding: https://impulsecontrolapp.com/onboarding
- Privacy policy: https://impulsecontrolapp.com/privacy
- Account and data deletion: https://impulsecontrolapp.com/delete-account

## Contact

hello@impulsecontrolapp.com