Quietly/Help

How can we help?

Set up Quietly, fix a routine that stopped blocking, or sort out your subscription. If your answer is not here, email us.

Getting started Screen Time permission Routines & schedules Passes & friction Subscriptions Privacy Contact support

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Getting started

Five steps to your first working routine.

  1. Choose the phone habit you want to change. Quietly starts from what you're trying to do, not a blank block list.
  2. Grant Screen Time permission when Quietly asks. This is what lets Quietly shield apps for you.
  3. Select the apps or categories you want to block.
  4. Set up your routine: a Day routine, a Night routine, or a custom one.
  5. Enable the routine, then test it by opening one of the apps you selected. You should see Quietly's shield.

Nothing showing up? Jump to Screen Time permission for troubleshooting.

Screen Time permission

Quietly uses Apple's Screen Time technology to shield apps. If blocking isn't working, it's almost always here.

Quietly asks for Screen Time permission because Apple requires it before any app can shield other apps. Quietly only uses it to apply the blocks you set up. It does not see the names of your apps or what you do inside them.

Troubleshooting

Permission was denied

Reopen Quietly and use its permission-recovery screen to request Screen Time access again, then approve the Apple prompt when it appears.

Permission was later revoked

If blocking suddenly stopped, the permission may have been turned off. Reopen Quietly and use its permission-recovery screen to grant Screen Time access again. Without it, Quietly cannot maintain shields.

The app picker is empty

The picker is provided by Apple. If it opens empty, close and reopen Quietly, then try again. If it's still empty, restart your iPhone so Apple's Screen Time service can reload, and open Quietly once more.

A shield does not appear

Check three things: the routine is enabled, the current time is inside the routine's scheduled window, and at least one app or category is selected. A block only applies during its schedule, so a shield won't show outside that window.

A routine stopped working after an iOS update

iOS updates can pause Apple's Screen Time service. Reopen Quietly so it can re-apply your routines. If it still seems stuck, restart Quietly and then your iPhone.

General recovery checklist: reopen Quietly and use its permission-recovery screen; confirm the routine is enabled and currently within its scheduled window; confirm at least one app or category is selected; restart Quietly and your iPhone if Apple's Screen Time service seems stuck; and contact support if the problem remains.

Passes and friction

A pass gives you a blocked app for a short, deliberate moment. Friction is the small step you take first.

Passes

  • A pass temporarily opens one blocked app.
  • You can choose a pass length of 1, 5 or 15 minutes.
  • When the pass expires, the shield should return.

Friction

Friction is a small, deliberate step before an app opens: a pause to check in with yourself. The options are:

  • A countdown
  • A typed reason
  • A sequence quiz
  • An arithmetic quiz
  • Guided breathing
  • Naming an intention

You can decide how friction is chosen:

  • Choose: always uses one method you've selected.
  • Mix: rotates between methods.
  • Smart: starts gently and adjusts over time.

Why you open Quietly from the shield: when friction is enabled, Apple's shield can't open Quietly automatically. Close the shield and open Quietly yourself to complete the step. Choosing “Go back” does not consume a pass.

Routines and schedules

Routines decide what's blocked, and when.

  • Day and Night routines can each have their own app selections and their own schedules.
  • Custom routines are available with Quietly Premium.
  • To edit, disable or delete a custom routine, open it from your routines list and use the edit or delete controls there.
  • A block only applies during its configured schedule. Outside that window, the apps are open, which is by design.

Travelled across time zones, or the clocks changed for daylight saving? Reopen Quietly so your schedules refresh to the new local time.

Apps for a better moment

A gentler thing to reach for instead.

  • You can select up to three constructive alternatives.
  • After a blocked-app interruption, Quietly may offer to open one of them.
  • Opening an alternative does not consume a pass.
  • Whether a third-party app or website is available is outside Quietly's control.

Subscriptions

Quietly Premium adds custom routines. Billing is handled entirely by Apple.

  • Quietly Premium is available as a monthly or an annual subscription.
  • Current options and prices are shown in the App Store and inside the app, in your local currency.
  • Subscriptions renew automatically unless cancelled through Apple.

Restore Purchases

New phone, or reinstalled the app? Open Quietly and tap Restore Purchases to reconnect your existing subscription through your Apple Account.

Manage or cancel

You manage or cancel your subscription with Apple, not inside Quietly, at apps.apple.com/account/subscriptions.

Deleting the app does not cancel your subscription. You must cancel through Apple using the link above, or it will keep renewing.

Eligibility, billing, refunds and payment methods are all managed by Apple. We can't issue refunds directly, but you can request one from Apple at reportaproblem.apple.com.

Frequently asked questions

Why can't Quietly see the names of my selected apps?

Apple gives Quietly your selections as opaque tokens: meaningless references that let Quietly apply a shield without revealing which app or category they stand for. It's a privacy protection built into Apple's Screen Time system, and Quietly is designed to work entirely within it.

Why do I need to open Quietly from the shield?

When friction is enabled, Apple's shield can't launch Quietly for you. So you close the shield and open Quietly yourself to complete the friction step before a pass begins.

Why didn't the shield appear?

Usually one of three things: the routine isn't enabled, you're outside the routine's scheduled window, or no app or category is selected. Check all three. See Screen Time permission for the full checklist.

Does “Go back” use a pass?

No. Choosing “Go back” at the shield or during friction does not consume a pass.

When does my pass reset?

A pass lasts for the length you chose: 1, 5 or 15 minutes. When it expires, the shield should return, and you'd start a fresh pass the next time you want to open the app.

How do I restore my subscription?

Open Quietly and tap Restore Purchases. This reconnects the subscription tied to your Apple Account.

How do I cancel?

Cancel through Apple at apps.apple.com/account/subscriptions. Deleting the app does not cancel it.

Does Quietly sell my data?

No. Quietly does not sell personal information and does not use it for advertising or cross-app tracking. Most of your data never leaves your device. See our Privacy Policy.

How do I delete my data?

Because there's no Quietly account or cloud profile, most of your app data lives only on your device, and deleting the app removes it. You can also revoke Screen Time and notification permissions in iOS Settings.

Can support remove a permanent pass lock?

Making a pass permanent is an intentionally one-way commitment. It is designed so a moment of resolve can't be undone by a later moment of weakness. Support can receive your feedback, but we cannot promise to reverse it.

Still need help?

Email us and tell us what happened, which screen you were on, and your iOS version.

Email support