What are Breaks?
A break is a way to pause an actively-running block for a short window so you can use a normally-blocked app, then the block resumes automatically. You take a break from the Detox home page, on the My current block widget, by tapping Pause. The button only appears if Allow breaks is on for that block.
Breaks only apply to Scheduled Blocks and Block Now. Auto Block uses a different mechanism called Snooze (which pauses monitoring before a block fires). For an emergency release of every active block in one shot, see Urgent Unblock, not breaks.
If you meant something else: Pause Auto Block monitoring before a block fires → see What is Snooze?. Release every block right now in an emergency → see What is Urgent Unblock?.
How they work
When you take a break, the apps blocked by the active block are released for the duration you pick. Your block stays "running" in the background; when the break time is up, the block resumes and your apps are blocked again.
You can take more than one break during a single block session. There's no fixed cap on the number of breaks; you're only limited by the per-break duration setting.
Enabling breaks
Breaks are optional per block. When you create or edit a Scheduled Block or Block Now, look for the Allow breaks toggle. If it's off, the Pause option won't appear during the block.
If you enable breaks, two related settings become relevant:
Setting | Default | What it does |
|---|---|---|
Max break duration | 15 min (Scheduled Blocks) / 5 min (Block Now) | When you take a break, you can pick a duration up to this number |
Friction countdown (pause delay) | 0 sec (Scheduled Blocks) / 3 sec (Block Now) | A short Take a breath before pausing... wait before the duration picker appears. Set to 0 to skip it |
Both settings are configurable per block. The friction countdown is a small intentional barrier between you and a break: raise it if you find yourself reaching for breaks too quickly.
Taking a break
To pause an active block:
- On the Detox home screen, find the My current block widget showing your active block.
- Tap Pause on the widget. The Pause sheet opens.
- If a friction countdown is configured, the sheet shows a Take a breath before pausing... wait.
- After the countdown, pick a duration up to the max break setting (the title updates live to Unblock your apps for X min).
- Tap Pause to confirm (or Nevermind to cancel).
Your apps unblock for the chosen duration.
While on a break
While the block is paused, the My current block widget shows your block with a Break - {time remaining} badge and a live countdown. The action button becomes Resume.
If you tap your active block during a break, you see a Pause options sheet with two buttons:
- Resume ends the break early. The block resumes and your apps are blocked again.
- Stop ends the block entirely. For a Scheduled Block, this deactivates the current occurrence (the schedule still runs on its next scheduled day). For a Block Now session, this ends the session.
If you do nothing, the break ends automatically when the duration runs out and the block resumes.
Breaks and Strict Mode
Strict Mode and breaks are independent. Even when Strict Mode is on, breaks still work as long as Allow breaks is on in the block's config. Strict Mode only locks the block's settings, your Monitored Apps, and the ability to uninstall Detox; it doesn't disable the Pause button.
If you want a block where breaks are genuinely off-limits, turn Allow breaks off when configuring the block.
What Breaks don't do
- Breaks don't apply to Auto Block. Use Snooze instead, which pauses Auto Block monitoring before a block fires.
- Breaks aren't an escape valve for emergencies. If you need full access right now and your break duration won't be enough, use Urgent Unblock.
- Breaks don't carry over between sessions. The "no fixed cap" only applies within one active block; when the block ends, your break count resets.
Related
- What are Scheduled Blocks?
- What is Block Now?
- What is Snooze?
- What is Strict Mode?
Updated on: 23/05/2026
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