Download NowChoose how serious you are.Then let Jolt hold you to it.
Three blocking modes. Each one a different level of commitment. The harder you go, the less your future self can negotiate with your present self.
Check out appMost blockers ask what to block.
Jolt asks how serious you are about it.
Jolt's Blocking Modes are a progressive commitment system - three levels of blocking enforcement that match the level of self-discipline you're working with on any given day. Easy uses mindfulness. Medium uses effort. Hard uses pre-commitment. All three are built on peer-reviewed behavioral science.
A Pause That Actually Works
Easy Mode's breathing animation interrupts the habit loop before it fires. One breath is enough. Most impulses don't survive it.
Earn Every Distraction
Medium Mode makes access cost something. Tap 200 times. Stop the timer. By the time you're done, you either earned it - or forgot why you wanted it.
The Lock Nobody Gets Around
Hard Mode removes the ability to negotiate. No snooze, no edit, no deletion. Your future self can't override what your past self decided.
Your Streak on the Line
Every day you hold a block, your streak grows. Breaking it means watching it reset. Loss aversion kicks in at exactly the moment you need it.
One deep breath between you and the scroll.
When you try to open a blocked app, Jolt shows you a breathing animation first. In. Out. That's it. By the time it's done, most impulses have passed. You can still snooze the block - but you made a conscious choice to do it. That's the difference between habit and autopilot.
Rooted in Mindfulness Interruption - a 6-second pause breaks the automatic habit loop before the behaviour fires.
Full Easy Mode guideYou can unlock it. But you have to earn it first.
Tap 200 times in 60 seconds. Or stop a timer within 0.2 seconds of a hidden target. Before you can open the app you blocked, you complete a mental challenge. By the time you're done, you either wanted it badly enough - or you've already forgotten why you reached for it. Either way, you chose.
Rooted in Effort Justification - effort invested before a reward increases conscious decision-making and reduces mindless repetition.
Full Medium Mode guideYour future self set this lock. Your present self doesn't have the key.
In Hard Mode, there is no snooze. No edit. No delete. You cannot log out of Jolt. You cannot change your device's time to skip ahead. You cannot remove Jolt or any blocked app from your device. The only way through is SOS - two uses per week, resets every Monday. Hard Mode is for people who know, with honesty, that they will override anything they can override.
Rooted in Ulysses Contracts - pre-commitment that removes future decision-making authority from your present self, the same mechanism Odysseus used when he tied himself to the mast.
SOS - for when you genuinely need access.
Two SOS uses per week. Resets every Monday. Use one and you can temporarily unblock for 2, 4, 10, or 15 minutes. Once both are gone, they're gone until Monday. SOS exists because life happens. The scarcity is the point.
The science of why you break your own rules - and how each mode addresses it.
Habit Loop Interruption
The impulse to open Instagram fires before you've consciously decided to. Easy Mode interrupts between impulse and action - giving your prefrontal cortex time to catch up.
Effort-Based Deterrence
When access requires physical effort, the brain reassesses whether the reward is worth it. Medium Mode's challenges add friction precisely at the moment the habit loop is weakest.
Pre-commitment Contracts
The most reliable way to control future behaviour is to remove future choice entirely. Hard Mode is a Ulysses Contract - you bind your future self before the craving arrives.
Loss Aversion (Streak Protection)
When you have a streak, breaking a block means watching it reset to zero. A 3-second forced wait before confirming activates loss aversion at the exact moment you need it.
How to set your blocking mode
Select Easy, Medium, or Hard when creating a block
When setting up a session or app limit, pick your difficulty. You can set different modes for different apps - Easy for email, Hard for social media.
Set your Medium Mode game
In Medium, choose Quick Reflex, Rapid Taps, or Random. Random switches between games unpredictably so your brain can't adapt to a single pattern.
Activate Hard Mode with intention
Hard Mode cannot be undone while active. Set it when you're serious. Your SOS credits (2 per week) are your only emergency exit.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Hard Mode in Jolt?
Hard Mode is Jolt's strictest blocking level. When active, you cannot edit, delete, or snooze a session. You cannot log out of Jolt, change your device's time, or remove Jolt or any blocked app from your phone. The only escape is SOS - two uses per week, resetting every Monday. It's designed for people who know they'll override anything less strict.
What are the mini-games in Medium Mode?
Medium Mode requires you to complete a mental challenge before unlocking a blocked app. Quick Reflex: stop a timer within ±0.2 seconds of a randomly chosen target (4–9 seconds). Rapid Taps: tap 200 times before 60 seconds expire. Random switches between games unpredictably so your brain can't adapt.
What is SOS in Jolt?
SOS is an emergency unblock available in Hard Mode. You get 2 SOS credits per week - they reset every Monday. Using one pauses your block for 2, 4, 10, or 15 minutes. Once both credits are spent, no further access is available until the reset. Additional SOS credits can be purchased if needed.
Can I use different blocking modes for different apps?
Yes. Each session or app limit can have its own difficulty mode. You might set Easy for your email app (where occasional access is legitimate) and Hard for social media (where impulse control is the entire point). The mode is configured when you create the block.
As seen on
The version of you that set this block was right.
Choose your mode. Trust your past self's judgment.
Take charge of your time
