The Experiment for iPhone
iPhone support
A daily break from the apps and websites you choose.
Local blocking needs an iPhone running iOS 17 or later and your Screen Time permission. You can set it up without an account or computer.
Need a hand? Email alexander.chisler@gmail.com.
Include your iPhone model, iOS version, what you were trying to do and the error message. Keep passwords and connection QR codes private.
Set up blocking on this iPhone
- Start setup. Open the app and follow the welcome screens. If you closed setup, return to Time back or Schedule to continue your saved draft.
- Review Screen Time access. Tap Continue to open Apple’s permission request and choose whether to grant access. Blocking, Apple’s app picker and the private iPhone report need this permission. You can close setup and return to your saved draft later.
- Choose distractions. Use Choose apps to select apps, categories or websites in Apple’s picker, then tap Save. You can also enter website domains in the Websites list.
- Choose your hours. Set your daily schedule and time zone, or choose All day. Review your choices before continuing.
- Start blocking. Tap Start blocking on the review screen. Permission and saved choices alone do not start a session. If protection needs attention, follow the message before relying on the schedule.
You can close setup and return to your saved draft. During an active fast, use Add apps to add selections in Apple’s picker without restarting your streak. Existing selections remain protected. Changing the schedule, editing the website list or removing selections requires End fasting; review its confirmation before editing.
Troubleshooting
Screen Time access is off
In the app, open Settings → Screen Time and tap Continue to review Apple’s permission request. You can choose whether to grant access, and review or revoke it in iPhone Settings → Screen Time. Return to the app after changing the permission so it can check the current state.
Apple’s private picker, activity report and blocking need a real iPhone. The Xcode Simulator can prepare a setup draft, but cannot activate protection.
An app or website is not blocked
Check Time back and Schedule for the current protection status. Confirm that setup was started, the intended app or domain is in your saved Block list, and the current time is within your chosen fasting hours and time zone.
If an error says protection needs attention, use Try again after addressing the message. A saved schedule can differ from the blocking currently applied to this phone; the error must be resolved before you rely on it.
The private iPhone report is empty or hidden
Check Screen Time permission and turn on Show iPhone activity in the app under Settings → Privacy & security. Open Settings → Screen Time in the app and choose a period with available activity.
Apple provides the report. The app does not export it or fill missing observations with estimates. Attention is a separate view that appears when supported history from connected devices is available.
My saved-time estimate is smaller than my blocking hours
The estimate counts observed active time with protection, not every scheduled hour. It cannot see all background activity in other iPhone apps. Missing observations stay unknown, and conservative device overlap handling may undercount separate periods. The number is not a measurement of how much you would otherwise have scrolled.
Challenge days use separate confirmed protection evidence and real device use. They do not add their protected hours to the saved-time estimate. Open Your saved time for the total and its explanation; Attention & activity remains available for supported connected-device trends.
Shared progress or invitation rewards are unavailable
Local blocking and local estimates work without an account. Together, shared challenges and encouragement also need service availability and your choice to share. If the app says Together is getting ready, those shared features are not available for the account yet. An invitation or a saved local challenge does not prove a reward has been issued.
I was offline and my streak reset
After 30 days without new device evidence, the current streak resets. An offline declaration does not create hours or days, and saved-time totals are kept. Use Offline & streaks to submit a review request when available, or email support. Please include approximate dates and what happened, without private activity or credentials.
I want to report an update or stop sharing
Use the menu beside a participant in Together to report content or block the person. Submitted names and updates wait for moderation before becoming visible. Reports go to staff; the reported person does not receive your identity or reason. You can also email support.
Open Settings → Sharing & encouragement to stop sharing or delete shared progress. Deleting local activity history is a separate control. Read the privacy policy for the retained invitation and safety records and the next-UTC-day boundary after shared deletion.
The app cannot open protected storage
Unlock the iPhone and retry. The app preserves your existing data when it cannot open protected storage. If the error continues, contact support with the message before deleting data or reinstalling the app.
A computer connection does not finish
Check that both devices can reach the internet. Display a fresh QR from the computer’s Settings → Add a Phone, keep it open, then scan and confirm it on the iPhone. Temporary connection codes expire; you can cancel an unfinished connection and try a fresh code.
If Camera access is off, allow it in iPhone Settings or use Paste a connection link. Do not send a connection QR or link to support.
Accounts and computers are optional
In the app under Settings → Account & devices, you can sign into an existing account or connect your computer. On the computer, open Settings → Add a Phone and display its QR. On iPhone, choose Scan computer QR, review the connection details, then choose Agree and connect.
Password sign-in shares your account’s blocking settings. Private history sync needs a separate device connection. Pairing lets the iPhone receive supported history from your devices; Apple’s private iPhone Screen Time report is not uploaded.
You can disconnect this iPhone or sign out under Account & devices. Signing out first stops this iPhone’s protection; if that fails, the app shows an error and keeps you signed in. Other devices keep their routine. Offline server sign-out retries later. Local phone setup does not create a server account; accepting an invitation to create an account is a separate choice.
Data and privacy
Settings → Privacy & security has Show iPhone activity and Delete activity history. Hiding the report does not stop Apple’s own recording or device-history sync. Local history deletion clears local progress and protection evidence. Settings → Sharing & encouragement has a separate Delete shared progress control. Both are separate from account deletion.
To permanently delete an account, open Settings → Account & devices → Delete account and review the confirmation. This needs an internet connection; an error does not mean deletion succeeded. The app stops protection on this phone first, and other accounts and their data stay separate. If the control is unavailable or a deletion cannot finish, contact support. Do not send passwords or connection codes.
Read the iPhone privacy policy for storage, optional sync, retention and deletion details. For privacy questions or an account deletion request, email alexander.chisler@gmail.com.