Chain Scroll. I turned my phone into a pack of cigarettes.

How it works

Pick the apps you keep opening.

Instagram was one of mine. Choose yours, and Chain Scroll puts a pause between opening the app and getting lost in it.

01 · THE PACK

Start with a fresh pack.

Choose your pack size. Each scroll break uses one, and the count resets at midnight. Go through more than a pack? You’ll see that too.

02 · THE PAUSE

Do I actually want to open this?

That’s the little decision Chain Scroll puts in front of you. You can light up, or decide you don’t need to check right now.

03 · THE BREAK

Three minutes. Then it’s done.

Light up and your scroll break starts. When the timer ends, your selected apps lock again. Three minutes is the default; you can change it in settings.

Lighter Mode

I put mine on my old Zippo.

Tapping a button was still a little too easy for me. So I put an NFC sticker on my old lighter.

Now I have to open Chain Scroll, tap “Tap to light up,” and hold the sticker to the top of my phone before I can scroll.

You can put yours on something else. Leave it across the room if you want another reason to think twice.

Pair a blank NTAG213 NFC sticker in the app. Chain Scroll branded stickers coming soon.
Putting it on metal? Use a sticker made for metal surfaces.
Forgot your lighter? You can “borrow a light” up to three times a day.

See how Lighter Mode works

Widgets

It’s right there on your Home Screen.

The widget shows how many you’ve got left. You don’t have to open another app to check how often you’ve been opening apps.

There are three ways to light up: from the screen that blocks your selected app, inside Chain Scroll, or with your lighter. Pick the extra step that helps you pause.

Home Screen and Lock Screen widgets.
A countdown in the Dynamic Island on supported iPhones.
The Carton Review: see your week in packs.
Different pack designs, called Blends.

Why I built it

I made it because I needed it.

I smoked for fifteen years. It took me forever to quit. When I started noticing how often I was reaching for my phone, it felt weirdly familiar.

I’d open Instagram and find myself still there 45 minutes later. I have a young daughter. I didn’t like that being what she saw me doing.

So I made something that made sense to me: a pack, a count, and a short break that actually ends. I’ve been using it for months, and it’s helped me.

Give it a shot. I hope it helps you too.
Erik Horn, founder, Fair Worlds

Price

Try it free. Unlock everything for $5.99. Once.

I didn’t want another monthly subscription. So there isn’t one.

FreeOne app, the pack, scroll breaks, and both widgets.

Try everythingEvery feature, free for 30 days.

$5.99 onceUnlimited apps, Lighter Mode, weekly trends, the Carton Review, all Blends, and custom packs.

No account. No ads. No subscription.

Download on the App Store

Questions

A few things you might be wondering.

What data do you collect?

None. No account, no analytics, no server. Your settings and scroll history stay on your phone. Apple’s Screen Time system also keeps your selected apps private from us.

Why does it need Screen Time permission?

Chain Scroll uses Apple’s Screen Time system to block the apps you choose and let you back in for a scroll break. It needs your permission to do that.

What happens when the pack runs out?

You can keep going. Chain Scroll keeps counting, so you can see when you’ve gone through more than a pack.

Why the cigarette theme?

I used to smoke, and the way I kept reaching for my phone felt familiar. Counting scroll breaks like cigarettes made sense to me. You don’t need to have smoked to use it.

Sometimes it re-locks late. Why?

Chain Scroll relies on Apple’s Screen Time timers, and the lock can sometimes be delayed. If your break has ended and an app is still open, opening Chain Scroll should lock it again.

What do I need?

An iPhone running iOS 17 or later. For Lighter Mode, you’ll also need a compatible NFC sticker.