Why we built a physical key for your phone

The problem isn't your phone. It's that the exit is one tap away.

Your phone is the most useful tool you own. Maps, messages, music, your bank, your camera. But the same device also carries the apps designed to keep you scrolling, and they're always one thumb movement away.

Most of us have tried to fix this with software: screen time limits, focus modes, app timers. They work right up until the moment they matter. A limit hits, and “Ignore limit” is right there on the same screen. Fighting a distraction with a button you can tap away isn't a fair fight.

Why a physical device works when willpower doesn't

The breakthrough was simple: put the off switch somewhere else. When unblocking your apps means getting up and walking to another room, the impulse usually passes before you get there. That small amount of friction is enough to turn a reflex back into a choice.

That's Anchor. You tap your iPhone on the Anchor to start a session, and the apps you chose disappear behind a block. Only that same Anchor can end the session. Nothing inside the app can, not re-pairing, not editing your rules. Leave your Anchor by the front door, on your desk at home, or in another room, and your distractions stay with it.

How it works: an NFC chip plus Apple's Screen Time

Inside every Anchor is an NFC chip that your iPhone reads with a simple tap, with no battery, no Bluetooth and no charging. The first time you pair it, the app gives your Anchor a unique identifier that stays the same, so you can use one Anchor with more than one iPhone.

Blocking is done by Apple's own Screen Time framework, the same system iOS uses for parental controls. That makes the blocks reliable and system-level, and it means Anchor never needs to see what's inside your apps. Phone calls and Emergency SOS always work.

Private by design

We made an early decision: Anchor works entirely on your iPhone. Your list of blocked apps, your paired Anchor and your sessions never leave your device. There's no account to create, no usage data uploaded, and no ads. We don't know which apps you block, and we don't want to.

Built to last, with no subscription

Every first-edition Anchor is precision-manufactured and quality-checked before it ships, with a magnetic base so it sticks to a fridge, a desk lamp or a shelf by the door.

We also chose not to charge a monthly fee. You buy the device once, the app is included, and that's it. A tool that helps you take your time back shouldn't keep billing you for it.

What people do anchored

Read before bed instead of scrolling. Do deep work without “just checking”. Have dinner where everyone's actually there. Study for an exam. Go for a walk with only maps and music. Anchor doesn't take your phone away. It leaves you the tools and takes away the pull.

We're just getting started. Android support is in development, and we'd love to hear how you use your Anchor.