Latch

App blocker for iPhone

Put the unlock button across the room.

Latch locks the apps that eat your day and only unlocks when you scan your key — a sticker on the fridge, a card in the car. The walk to get it is the point.

Coming soon to theApp Store See how it works
≈ 14 steps
Latch locked for 1 hour 24 minutes in Deep Work mode, with Scan to unlockLatch locked for 1 hour 24 minutes in Deep Work mode, with Scan to unlock

How it works

Three steps. One of them is walking.

1

Choose what pulls you in

Pick apps, whole categories and websites. Make a mode for work, one for evenings, one for bed.

2

Put your key somewhere else

Stick the NFC sticker or tape the printed QR code where you'd have to get up for it.

3

Scan to lock, walk to unlock

Scan once and your apps are shielded. The only everyday way back in is scanning that key again.

See it in action

Calm on purpose. Nothing to fiddle with.

Latch Home screen: 1h 12m locked today, Deep Work mode, Scan to lockLatch Home screen: 1h 12m locked today, Deep Work mode, Scan to lock
Scan to lockOr hold the button to lock right away.
Stats: 3 hours average locked time per day this weekStats: 3 hours average locked time per day this week
See the time you got backDaily totals and how this week compares.
Schedules: Weekday mornings and Wind downSchedules: Weekday mornings and Wind down
SchedulesLock every weekday morning, or at bedtime until you scan.
Keys: a kitchen NFC sticker and a QR card in the carKeys: a kitchen NFC sticker and a QR card in the car
Keys wherever you want themA sticker in the kitchen, a card in the car.

Your key

No gadget to buy. Your key costs cents.

Choose one, or use both. Add as many keys as you need with Pro, and use one key with every iPhone you own.

NFC sticker

Hold your iPhone near it — no need to open anything first. Latch writes the key to the sticker for you.

Any NTAG213, NTAG215 or NTAG216 sticker · a few cents each

LATCH KEYKitchen

Printed QR code

Print it at home and scan the paper once to finish setup. Keep it away from your phone, and don't photograph it.

Any printer · or save the card as a PDF

On the fridgeIn the car's gloveboxAt your desk at workBy the front doorIn a drawer downstairsWith a friend

Everything else

Built for the days you'd rather not.

ModesDifferent apps and sites for work, evenings and sleep.
SchedulesLock automatically on chosen days — ending at a set time, or only when you scan.
Strict modeWhile locked, apps can't be deleted and settings can't be changed.
Five emergency unlocksFor when you truly need in. Five, ever — reinstalling doesn't reset them.
Websites tooBlock websites alongside apps, including any you type in yourself.
StatsLocked time per day and week, and how it compares with last week.
Widget and Lock Screen timerToday's locked time on your Home Screen; a live timer in the Dynamic Island.
iCloud syncKeys, modes and schedules follow you to your other iPhones.

Pricing

Free to start. Pay once if you want more.

No subscription, no account, no ads.

Free

$0

Everything you need for one routine.

  • 1 key — NFC or QR
  • 2 modes
  • 7 days of stats
  • Strict mode and emergency unlocks
  • Widget, Lock Screen timer, iCloud sync

Latch Pro

$9.99

One-time purchase.

  • Unlimited keys
  • Unlimited modes
  • Schedules
  • Full history and monthly view
  • Daily average per app

Privacy

We don't know what you block.

Apple's Screen Time keeps your choices on your iPhone. Latch never sees them, and neither do we.

  • No accounts, no analytics, no adsNothing to sign up for and nothing tracked.
  • Your data stays in your iCloudSynced keys and history live in your private iCloud database.
  • Keys are never stored readableOnly a one-way hash of each key's secret is kept.

Questions

Fair questions.

Can't I just take a photo of the QR code?

You could — Latch aims for real friction, not a prison. The app asks you to scan the printed paper when you set it up and tells you to keep it away from your phone. If a copy gets out, print a new code in Settings and the old one stops working. NFC stickers can't be photographed at all.

What if I lose my key?

Use one of your five emergency unlocks, then add a new key and remove the lost one.

Which NFC stickers work?

Any NTAG213, NTAG215 or NTAG216 sticker — sold in packs online for a few cents each. MIFARE Classic tags don't work with iPhone.

Can I get around it by turning off Screen Time access?

iOS always lets you revoke an app's Screen Time access in Settings, and Latch can't stop that. Doing it ends your session, and Latch records it as interrupted. Most people find that step is enough friction.

Does it work on more than one iPhone?

Yes. Your keys, modes and schedules sync through iCloud, and one key unlocks all of them. Each iPhone locks on its own.

When is it available?

Latch is in final testing and coming soon to the App Store for iPhone (iOS 17 and later).

Your phone, a few steps harder to pick up.

Coming soon to theApp Store