An Android launcher for self-control
Take your brain back.
Technology should build you up, not wear you down. Umer OS blocks what pulls you in, and your own password keeps it that way.
- Password protected
- No internet permission
- Per-device licence
1 · A calm home screen
Where the hours go
None of this is a flaw in you.
These products are designed, tested and tuned to hold your attention. Here is what the research says, in plain words, with the study named so you can check it.
Brain rot
A 2025 review of 71 studies and 98,299 people found that heavier short-video use goes with poorer attention and self-control (r = −.34). It shows a link, not proof of cause. Read more
Mindless scrolling
We reach for the phone the moment a quiet minute appears. In one set of experiments, many people gave themselves an electric shock rather than sit alone with their thoughts for 15 minutes (Wilson et al., 2014). Read more
Steered without noticing
Small cues can nudge what we do next. The famous early studies were hard to repeat, but a 2016 analysis of 133 studies still found a small average effect (d ≈ 0.35). Phones show us cues all day. Read more
Buying on autopilot
A study of about 11,000 shopping websites found 1,818 “dark patterns”: fake countdowns, low-stock warnings and other tricks that make clicking easier than thinking (Mathur et al., 2019). Read more
The other half
You are meant to be bored.
Boredom feels like a fault, so we fix it with a screen. The research suggests it is a signal, and a useful one. Blocking the feed is only half of Umer OS. The other half is the empty minute that follows.
It sends you looking
Researchers describe boredom as a nudge to drop what is not working and look for something worth doing (Bench & Lench, 2013; Westgate & Wilson, 2018).
It feeds ideas
After a short, dull, undemanding task, people in lab experiments came up with more creative ideas (Mann & Cadman, 2014; Baird et al., 2012).
It is not a virtue
Bored people can also reach for worse ways out, and constant boredom goes with low mood and heavy phone use. The aim is not boredom all day. It is to stop escaping every quiet minute.
How it works
Three steps, about ten minutes.
1
Install it and make it your home screen
Install the app, activate your licence and choose Umer OS as your home app. You only do this once.
2
Choose what to block
Pick the apps and screens that pull you in. Blocked ones send you home instead of opening.
3
Build your habits
Add the habits you want to keep. Each one keeps a streak over 90 days. Normal tasks are just ticked off.
What is inside
Hard to waste time. Easy to start.
Blocking
Pick the apps, websites and short videos that pull you in. Blocked ones send you home instead of opening.
Focus and Sleep
Quiet hours that only let through the people and apps you allow.
Habits
Keep a streak over 90 days. Everyday tasks are simply ticked off.
The Exhausted button
Say how you feel and get a short routine that fits, instead of a feed.
Password protected
Removing Umer OS needs your password. Hard mode, if you choose it, also locks your normal home screen behind it.
Five styles
Paper, Mono, Night, Neon and Sticker, with your own quotes on the screen.
Private by design
It physically cannot send your data anywhere.
Umer OS has no internet permission. Android itself stops it sending anything off your phone.
- It uses Android’s Accessibility service only to know which app or screen is open, so it can block it.
- Your to-do list, progress and settings stay on your phone.
- Your licence is checked on the phone with a digital signature. No account, no login.
- You can check this yourself: Android Settings > Apps > Umer OS > Permissions.
Platforms
Android today. Your computer is next.
Umer OS works on Android phones. Website filters for PCs are planned, and so is iPhone, but neither is available yet. See the PC plan, or leave your email and we will tell you when one is ready.
Android
Available now
PC website filters
Coming
iPhone
Coming
Price
One licence per phone.
Umer OS is [PRICE] for one phone, with updates included for [PERIOD]. That is the whole price, shown once, with nothing hidden. Updates install over the top, so you keep your licence and your settings.
Questions
Straight answers.
Does it work on iPhone, Mac or Windows?
Not yet. Umer OS is Android only today. Website filters for PCs are planned (see PC filters) and an iPhone version is planned, but none of them is available. Leave your email in the Platforms section above to be told when one is ready.
Is it on the Play Store?
No. You install it from an APK file. [REASON: WRITE ONE HONEST LINE ON WHY UMER OS IS NOT ON THE PLAY STORE.] The setup guide walks you through installing it.
Can the app see my messages or data?
No. Umer OS has no internet permission, so Android itself stops it sending anything off your phone. It does use Android’s Accessibility service, only to see which app or screen is open so it can block it. Nothing it sees is saved. See every permission and how to check it yourself.
Is the science on this site settled?
No, and we say so. We name each study, say how many people were in it, and mark where it only shows a link and not a cause. Some of the research, especially on priming, has been hard to repeat. We have not run a study on Umer OS itself. See what we do not know.
Is being bored really good for me?
In small doses, the research suggests it can be: it nudges people to look for something worth doing, and dull, undemanding time has been followed by more creative ideas in lab studies. It is not a cure-all, and constant boredom goes with low mood. Read the evidence.
What if I change phones?
A licence belongs to one device. [POLICY: WRITE WHAT HAPPENS WHEN SOMEONE CHANGES PHONES.]
What happens when an update comes out?
Install the new file over the existing app. You keep your licence and your settings and never need a new key.
What if I forget my password?
We can issue a one-time recovery code. Contact us with your Device ID. [CONFIRM HOW YOU CHECK THAT THE PHONE IS THEIRS.]
Is this medical or therapy?
No. Umer OS is a self-control tool. It is not medical treatment, therapy or a treatment for addiction. If you are struggling, please talk to a doctor or another qualified professional.
What is your refund policy?
[REFUND POLICY: WRITE IT HERE IN ONE OR TWO SENTENCES.] The full text is on the Refunds page.
Take your brain back.
Install it, send us your Device ID, and you are protected in about ten minutes.