Intention shields your most distracting apps and opens them only for a declared, time-boxed reason — all enforced by Screen Time, all on your device. Here are answers to the most common questions.
An app I manage still opens normally
Intention needs Screen Time permission to shield anything. On first launch, grant access when asked (or Settings → Screen Time). Then add the app to your Managed Set under “Edit apps & websites.” Apps in the Managed Set are shielded until you declare an Intention for them.
A website isn’t blocked in Chrome or Brave
Website shields are enforced across every browser on your iPhone through Apple’s content filter. Turning this on also enables Apple’s adult-content filter and disables Private Browsing in Safari — a side effect of the system filter, disclosed in the app. Standard app shields aren’t affected.
How do Daily Budgets work?
Apps and websites without their own limit share one daily pool (30 minutes by default); their combined use draws it down. You can give any app its own separate budget. Budgets reset at midnight. Time is set aside when you declare, so an unused window isn’t banked for later.
What are Commitments?
For any app, you can set Commitments — real-world things to do first (“go for a run”). Keeping them unlocks that app’s time in proportion: keep half your commitments, unlock half the budget. They’re optional, per app.
A managed app opened without asking me — is that a bug?
Probably At Ease. You can set recurring times (say, a lunch break or a slow weekend) when your managed apps open freely — no Intention, no budget spent. While one is active, the home screen shows “At ease until…”. Manage these under At Ease. To keep the rule honest, a new or widened time takes effect at its next occurrence, never the moment you’re already in.
Make my limits actually stick
Want your limits to hold even in a weak moment? iOS has a built-in lock: set a Screen Time passcode (Settings → Screen Time → Lock Screen Time Settings). Then deleting Intention or switching off its shields takes that code. It’s optional, it lives in iOS, and Intention never sees it.
Change the language or appearance
Open Intention → Language to switch between System, English, 简体中文, and 繁體中文 — it applies everywhere, including the shield screen and widget. Open Appearance to change the color scheme.
Is my data private?
Yes. Intention has no account and makes no network connections; everything stays on your device. See our Privacy Policy.
Still need help?
If your question isn’t answered here, open Intention on the App Store and use Ratings & Reviews → Report or the developer contact options there, and we’ll take a look.
Intention · org.intention.app