Support

Stuck, found a bug, or have an idea? Write to timeshin@icloud.com — replies usually come within a day.

Common questions

The shield doesn't appear when my budget runs out

Make sure Screen Time permission is granted (Settings → Screen Time) and the Guard toggle is on. Apple's usage detection can lag by up to a minute behind real usage — the shield lands shortly after the threshold.

How do I get minutes back after the lock?

Open Phantom Focus and start the Challenge (the shield and the Time's-up card both lead there). Hold the ring — 10 seconds for the first unlock of the day, 20 for the second, 30 after that — then choose how many minutes you actually need.

I tapped “Start the Challenge” on the shield — what now?

You stay on the block screen and Phantom Focus sends a notification — tap it to open the challenge. If notifications are off, the shield says so: open Phantom Focus yourself and the challenge will be waiting, or allow notifications in Settings → Notifications → Phantom.

How do I end a focus timer or a schedule early?

Use “End early” on the Timer tab or “Take a break” on the schedule card (the shield's button leads there too). Both cost a 30-second hold and your streak — a schedule pauses for the minutes you choose, a timer ends.

Why can't I edit a schedule right now?

While a schedule's window is running it's locked: you can turn it off or delete it through a 5-minute cooling-off that burns your streak, and edit it freely once the window ends. The same goes for an app group used by that schedule — changes that would unblock apps wait until the window ends.

Why can't I turn protection off instantly?

By design. Turning the Guard off or removing an app starts a cancellable 5-minute cooling-off, and a higher budget only applies tomorrow. If the urge passes before the timer does, cancelling is free.

How do I delete my data?

Delete the app. Everything Phantom Focus knows lives on your device — there is no account and no server copy.