ScrollDetox Stop losing hours to dopamine swipe feeds without giving up messages, posts, or tutorials. ScrollDetox surgically intercepts only Reels & Shorts feeds.
Helping Android users scroll less, every day
Open Instagram for one thing
You meant to reply to a DM. Instead, Reels autoplays.
The dopamine swipe starts
One video becomes twenty. The algorithm feeds the loop.
45 minutes gone. You feel distracted, foggy, and vaguely guilty.
Open Instagram for one thing
DMs, search, posts all still work exactly as before.
One video. Then automatic exit.
In 1-Pass Mode, the next swipe returns you to your feed grid, automatically.
You did what you came for. Phone down. Day continues.
Start gentle. Go strict if you need to. Switch anytime.
Watch on purpose. Never by accident.
Need a 1-minute recipe, coding tip, or a Reel a friend sent? Watch that single video intentionally. But the moment your thumb habitually swipes to the next, ScrollDetox blocks the feed and redirects you to the grid. You stay in control, not the algorithm.
Best for: Quick tutorials, shared links, and intentional watching without getting sucked in.
Controlled sessions or an intentional Day Off.
Take mindful breaks up to 20 minutes from a daily 60-minute allowance so you don't burn all your free time in one sitting. Need a full day off for a holiday or celebration? Unlock a Day Off Pass until midnight with a 30-second mindful pause to prevent impulsive dopamine decisions.
Best for: Lunch breaks, waiting in line, and planned recovery days without rigid prison rules.
Zero distractions. 100% swipe protection.
Every single Reel and Short is blocked instantly upon opening. Keeps Instagram DMs, profile browsing, posts, and YouTube long educational lectures completely intact, while shutting down the endless addictive vortex.
Best for: Deep work, study & exam prep, better sleep, and parent-friendly screen time.
ScrollDetox never draws annoying popups or blocking screens over other apps.
Test it live below:
1-Pass Mode: Tap any Short to watch 1 video. When you scroll to the next video, ScrollDetox navigates back to Home with a Toast.
ScrollDetox doesn't treat you like a robot. It gives you the mirror to understand your habit loops and the prompts to snap out of them.
Generic "Blocked" popups are easy to ignore. ScrollDetox lets you replace robotic barriers with words that matter directly to you.
Write custom tough-love reminders, personal goals, or let ScrollDetox randomize mindful prompts on every intercept.
Understand exactly when and where your focus slips so you can build lasting digital resilience.
All analytics are calculated 100% on-device and stored locally. Never uploaded, never tracked.
Exactly what you see when you open ScrollDetox on your Android phone.
Authentic reviews from real people who broke the short-form doomscroll loop.
"I'm using ScrollDetox from last few weeks and I am honestly surprised more people don't know about this app. I was addicted to short form content and wanted to stop the endless scrolling, but don't want to delete Instagram or YouTube. I tried few blockers earlier but they just block the entire app, but ScrollDetox blocks only Reels and Shorts, which is exactly what I was looking for. The 3 modes are really well thought out and have helped me a lot. Easy 5 stars from me. Thank you!"
"I think that this app has straight up stopped my infinite doom scrolling addiction... it definitely works on YouTube shorts and instagram reels but i haven't used it on Facebook, Snapchat or other social media platforms.... I generally use it on 'strict' mode where the app doesn't even allow a single short or reel.. I genuinely needed this app..."
"Great app! It helps reduce doomscrolling without blocking the entire app. The different modes are well thought out, easy to use, and actually help you stay focused. Highly recommended!"
"ScrollDetox really helped me with Doomscrolling and improving my Time & Focus. Reels & shorts pe time waste kaafi kam hua, definitely a useful app for Digital detox 👍"
"I installed this because my son kept telling me I spend too much time scrolling. Didn't expect much but it's surprisingly effective. I still use YouTube normally, just without getting stuck in Shorts and started reading a book instead which i planned last year and almost half completed. Happy to use my time where it actually matters."
"Before, whenever I opened YouTube to watch some videos, I would start doom scrolling through Shorts without realizing how much time I had wasted. This app helped me stop that mindless scrolling and focus only on the task I came to YouTube for. Simple and very helpful!"
"Very effective. If your shorts or reel usage time is the issue, this is the solution for you. With addition to app timers in Android app settings, this will change your screen time. Just get some new or pursue an old hobby to use up the time freed."
"Honestly this app is so helpful to keep your focus. Doomscrolling is a thing which we can't resist even if we want. Though I don't use social media that much, I still wanted to give this app a try. and honestly it does a superb job and barely takes any space on your device."
"Got good experience after using, Recommend to use .."
"Very good and useful app! Just a few changes could make it even better. You could add a Dark/Night Mode for comfortable use at night. Also, a break-time alarm/reminder would be really helpful - when the break time is over while watching Reels or Shorts, a notification/alarm could remind the user that the break has ended. Overall, great work and a very promising app!"
"I'm using this app from last 3 days. I like the idea behind this app. One Pass Mode is what I use the most because I don't want to completely block Instagram. A few small UI improvements would make it even better, but overall it's been really useful."
"I always used to say just one more reel & then no idea where hrs disappear. Doesn't happen as much now. Just one request to ScrollDetox team, could you please add home screen widget for quick access."
"Neat app with great UI/UX."
"ScrollDetox has been really helpful in reducing my Doomscrolling habit. I spend less time on Reels & shorts now, and my Time & Focus has improved. A great app for Digital detox! 👍"
ScrollDetox only interrupts the specific screen that causes mindless scrolling. Nothing else is touched.
The endless vertical short-video feed
The short-form recommendation swipe feed
More platforms coming soon based on user feedback.
Chat with anyone, on any platform
Look up accounts, recipes, tutorials
Standard YouTube videos work normally
Instagram feed, stories, saved posts
ScrollDetox uses Android Accessibility permission to detect scrolls. Here is exactly how we protect that trust.
Detection, mode logic, and personal insights run strictly on-device without an internet connection. No accounts, logins, or tracking SDKs.
Used strictly to detect when you enter YouTube Shorts or Instagram Reels containers and navigate away. Never tracks keystrokes, messages, or screen content.
Keeps protection running reliably so the Android OS doesn't kill the blocker in the background. Designed for near-zero battery impact.
Shows break countdowns and active status, allowing you to monitor or end your break with a single tap directly from the drawer.
Most blockers take an all-or-nothing approach: they lock Instagram and YouTube entirely, cutting you off from messages, friends, and useful educational videos. ScrollDetox is surgical: it only blocks the infinite vertical swipe feeds (Reels & Shorts), while keeping DMs, search, profile feeds, and long-form YouTube tutorials completely open.
When a friend sends you a Reel or you search for a 1-minute tutorial, you can intentionally open and watch that specific video. But the moment your thumb habitually swipes down to begin an endless scrolling loop, ScrollDetox intercepts it and redirects you back to the grid feed.
Break Mode gives you a daily 60-minute allowance taken in mindful sessions of up to 20 minutes so you don't burn all your free time at once. If you genuinely need a full day off for a holiday or celebration, you can unlock a Day Off Pass until midnight. To prevent impulsive dopamine decisions, a mindful 30-second pause gives you a moment to decide if you really need a full day off or just a quick break.
Yes! ScrollDetox lets you replace generic robotic 'Blocked' screens with Personalized Block Alerts. You can write your own tough-love reminders, personal goals, or let the app randomize mindful prompts to snap you out of autopilot.
ScrollDetox uses three permissions: (1) Accessibility Service to detect when a Reels or Shorts container appears and navigate away; (2) Foreground Service to prevent Android from killing protection in the background; and (3) Notifications to display your break timer and status. ScrollDetox never tracks keystrokes, personal messages, or screen content.
Not at all. ScrollDetox has an ultra-lightweight footprint (~6 MB) and is optimized for Android 8.0 and above, including Android 14 through 16. It runs with zero background network polling and negligible battery impact.
No. Core detox functionality, short-form detection, and habit analytics operate 100% locally on your phone. No user accounts, logins, or tracking SDKs are used. Your data never leaves your device.
Instagram Reels and YouTube Shorts are supported now, with more platforms coming soon. If you have questions, feedback, or feature ideas, you can reach out directly to tejas2004dev@gmail.com.
Reclaim your focus in under 30 seconds. No willpower needed, no digital prison.
Download Free on Google Play