Australia's #1 Screen Time Solution

Why Locked?

Locked isn’t about quitting social media or tossing your phone in a drawer. It’s about keeping what matters (your maps, your messages, your essentials) and creating just enough friction to stop the mindless scroll.

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The Why

A picture tells a thousand words.

This graph of searches for phone addiction over the last 20 years paints a dark picture.

It's not just you - and it's growing fast.

Whether you’re using Locked to focus at work, study sessions, or to be more present with the people around you, the fact that you're here means you’ve felt it too: the grip big tech has on our attention.

Locked breaks that loop. Not with willpower.

But with a physical barrier your brain actually respects.

The How

According to social scientist, BJ Fogg, real behavior change needs friction.

Locked adds that friction with a physical action, interrupting autopilot.

Plus, thanks to the Zeigarnik effect, hiding apps entirely reduces mental load, so your brain forgets what it can’t see or access.

Simply put - it's difficult to fight software with software.

That's why those screen time apps and hacks don't work.

You're trying to cure the problem, with a solution that lives inside the root cause of the problem.

The limits and settings are always just one tap away from being bypassed.

And that isn't enough if you're trying to build a barrier between you and your phone.

With Locked, you're introducing a physical barrier to your digital distractions.

The Who

Locked was built and designed in the land down under, due to being frustrated by the rise of phone addiction and the growing loneliness epidemic in modern society.

We've tried everything.

Apple time limit? Too easy to bypass.

Deleting the apps? We have an obligation to keep social meta to connect with friends and family.

Grayscale? That interferes with your entire phone, not just the distracting apps.

Screen time apps? Easy to bypass. The trigger lives on the very device you're trying to control.

A solution was essential, especially for the younger generation like myself, who don’t remember life before smartphones.

Finally, that solution exists.

Frequently Asked Questions

Still curious? Please email our friendly staff at support@nowlocked.com. Our working hours are 9:00am - 5:00pm, Monday to Friday.

Locked Tag

If I delete the app, can I install it again and use my old Locked tag?

Yep. You can reinstall the app any time and reuse your same Locked tag.

It’s not strictly paired to one phone forever.
Do I need to charge my Locked tag?

Nope. No batteries. No charging. No cables.

Just tap and go. It’s the most low-maintenance thing you’ll own, next to that succulent you forgot you had.
Can I pair multiple phones to the same Locked tag?

Yes, multiple iPhones can pair to the same Locked tag.

This is designed for families, households, couples, or even if you have a work phone.

Unlocking

Is there an emergency unlock?

Yes. We’re not monsters. Life happens.

If you really need access and don’t have your Locked tag on hand, you can use the “Emergency Unlock” feature inside the app.

It’s designed for situations where you might’ve forgotten your Locked tag, or can’t get to it but need your apps back urgently.

You only get three of these, so it’s there when you truly need it.

Not as a shortcut every time you get bored.
What happens if I use all of my emergency unlocks?

Once you’ve used all your emergency unlocks (you get three), the app won’t let you unlock your phone that way anymore.

At that point, your only option is to delete the Locked app entirely, which will restore full access to your phone.

That’s intentional – it forces you to treat the tool seriously.

If you're consistently running out of emergency unlocks, that’s a sign it’s working to expose how often you give in to distractions.
What happens if I lose my Locked tag?

If you lose your Locked tag, you’re not totally locked out.

You can still unlock your phone using the emergency unlock feature inside the app.

That gives you a three chances to regain access without needing the physical tag.

If you've used up all of your emergency unlocks, or you can’t find the tag after that, you can always order a replacement.

The goal is to make the system strong enough to stop impulse unlocks, but not so strict that you're stuck if the tag goes missing.
Can I just delete the app?

Yes, and no.

If you have selected 'strict mode', then you won't be able to delete the Locked app while it's activated, this is to prevent you from bypassing the focus session.

If you don't have 'strict mode' activated, then deleting the app will instantly remove all restrictions and lock your phone.

Locked isn’t trying to trap you – it gives you tools to help you choose focus.

If you’re uninstalling it regularly just to open TikTok, that tells you something about your phone habits.

The point is to build awareness, not enforce rules.

Why Locked?

How does the Locked tag work?

Magic? Almost.

It’s an NFC tag paired with our app.

When you tap your phone to the Locked tag, it triggers your chosen focus mode, hiding your distracting apps that you selected to be completely unusable until you tap to unlock.
Why not use screen time apps?

A. They're expensive (~$20 per month!)

B. They don't work. The trigger lives on your phone.

You need a physical barrier between you and your distractions.
Why not leave your phone behind?

If this was a solution, then you wouldn't be reading this right now.

You're here because you clicked an ad on social media, or you've revisited this website as it peaked your interest.

You know phone addiction is a problem, and you're searching for solutions.

We need out phones. it's our portal to family, friends, emergency notifications and work.

What you don't need, is the distractions that come with it.

Take your phone with you, but leave the distractions behind.
Why not just use Apple’s Screen Time? It’s free.

Apple’s Screen Time is great in theory, but in practice, it’s too easy to turn off.

If the lock is on your phone, it’s just a few taps away from being disabled – especially when temptation hits.

Locked adds a physical layer of accountability.

You literally can’t unlock distractions unless you have the locked tag with you.

That extra step makes a huge difference when you’re trying to stay focused or break habits.

It’s the friction that changes behavior.